Today’s LHC environment is subject to different radiation types, particle types and energy ranges. In particular, at the machine-experiment regions the main sources of radiation come from beam collisions at experiments and beam interactions. The 10-fold increase of luminosity (collisions in the experiments) foreseen for HiLumi will increase the radiation levels, and innovative approaches need to be taken.

At the collider/experiment interface regions, vacuum modules are situated in an extremely narrow section of the tunnel and without a new approach, the radiation levels will make routine maintenance operations costly in terms of dose to personnel. To minimize the risk, the main components will be arranged in a series of independently exchangeable modules, while electrical and pneumatic lines will be routed through automatic plug-in connectors.

The first tests, showing that a possible full remote handling of the modules using CERN CRANEBOT, were successfully conducted by EN-SMM and HL-LHC WP8. Versatility of the robot will allow a connection to the handling crane and use of screwdrivers for actuating on the different vacuum modules.

In the real LHC location, space will be gained inside the experimental forward shielding. Work started both for ATLAS and CMS in LS2, with the purchase of a KUKA Robot which is currently machining the required slots in the hundred-ton shielding structures inside the ATLAS-SX building where it will remain for different tasks until the phase-2 will be completed, in LS3. The insertion/dismantling of each VAX module will be done with the CERN CRANEBOT placed in an overhead crane. The modules will be vertically handled and guided with step-precision to their isostatic feet placed on the support, and the CERNBOT will connect them longitudinally with a screw-actuated bellows system, eliminating the dose to personnel in case of need of a valve exchange.

The connection system designed by HL-LHC WP12 will be fully validated in further tests that will be conducted in 2020.