Since the liberation of the zone at the end of 2020, the WP16 team has made impressive progress in the preparation and installation of the infrastructure of what is to become the home of the HL-LHC IT String in the SM18. The IT String is a fully representative system test of the HL-LHC inner triplet magnet system, including the cryoassemblies from Q1 to D1 as well as the full cold and warm powering and protection systems that will later be installed in the HL-LHC underground areas.

“The IT String allows the early development and validation of installation procedures, individual systems tests as well as the entire hardware commissioning program execution for many of the key technologies of the HL-LHC project”, summarizes M. Bajko, leader of the IT String facility section inside the TE-MPE group.

In SM18 one can already witness the completed installation of the metallic structure, equipment racks and the start of installation of the cryogenic infrastructure, nicely captured in the time-lapse video below. The coming year will see the completion of the infrastructure work with the installation of the AC distribution, cooling and ventilation infrastructure followed by the DC and controls cabling.  An updated IT String planning has been established with the recent delivery schedule of the WP3 inner triplet magnets. This new planning foresees the installation and interconnection of the magnet chain as of the second quarter of 2023, resulting in a major part of the operation of the IT String to take place in 2024 and be terminated in 2025.

Updated IT String planning

By Marta Bajko, WP16 Leader