This collaboration concerns the cryostat devices that will house and connect the HTS REBCO current leads to the MgB2 Superconducting Links powering the HL-LHC magnets. Nine cryostats (4 DFHX for the inner triplets and 5 DFHM for the matching section magnets) are to be manufactured. The fabrication of the cryostats is based on a “build-to-print” approach, with manufacturing drawings provided by CERN.
After initial discussions about a possible collaboration between CERN and Uppsala University (UU) already in 2018, a letter of intent was signed by both parties on December 2021 and the DFH cold boxes collaboration agreement right afterwards, in January 2022. This project will run until the end of 2023, the delivery schedule being one cryostat every 2 months, starting from October 2022, with the last two units being delivered simultaneously in December 2023.
This collaboration includes also the involvement of an industrial partner, RFR Solutions AB, based in Landskrona, Sweden, and is a special type of collaboration since all three parties will manufacture components for the project. CERN’s role in the manufacturing process is to transfer the necessary knowledge and skills to manufacture some of the more complex pieces to UU and RFR. After the successful knowledge transfer, the rest of the complex components will be manufactured at RFR’s premises. All mechanical components will be assembled at CERN into the DFHX and DFHM.
After the collaboration’s signature, a production readiness review, where the main scope was to assess the production readiness and the ability to start the production phase, was held at the beginning of March. This review helped to clearly define the distribution of the activities among the parties and the fine details of the collaboration. The outcome of the review, which was positive for all parties involved, allowed the project to proceed towards the next milestone, the starting of the manufacturing.
Since then all parties involved have been very busy preparing for the production and have already started fabricating components. As seen by industry and laboratories all over the world, this year’s main issue is the procurement (and price) of raw materials: delivery times are much longer than expected, combined with shortages of certain goods and rising prices, makes it imperative to have a solid procurement plan in place with realistic time margins.
Also, during this time, to strengthen RFR’s industry capabilities for this and future projects, UU and CERN have held a leak detection training lecture and hands-on session at UU in May.
