HTS at CERN & LHC Current Leads Contact: Dr. Amalia Ballarino    (AT-MEI-SD)

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Introduction Physics of HTS HTS materials HTS leads Resistive leads Other activities Contracts Publications

Other activities As part of the laboratory activity, assembly work and different types of measurements are performed within the AT-MEL-CF section. The latter include both series measurements on the current leads that are carefully checked prior to integration in the LHC tunnel - leak tightness, high voltage electrical insulation and instrumentation tests - and measurements on different type of materials  to verify their thermal and electrical properties at cryogenic temperatures. In particular, the following measurements are performed: RRR (Residual Resistivity Ratio) measurements; Thermal conductivity measurements in the range from 50 K to 4.2 K; Critical current measurements of HTS materials at liquid helium and liquid nitrogen temperatures. The section is also in charge of the specification, procurement and supply of the electrical equipment needed for the operation of the current leads in the LHC tunnel. This is the equipment required for the powering and control of the cartridge heaters integrated at the top of the leads to avoid condensation in stand-by conditions and  includes more than a thousand of isolation transformers, heaters and heater control units and kilometers of power and instrumentation cables.

last changed: 2005-11-23 webmaster: Amalia Ballarino