Reduction of Surface Flashover of the Beam Screen of the LHC Injection Kickers

The LHC injection kicker magnets include beam screens to shield the ferrite yokes against wake fields resulting from the high intensity beam. The screening is provided by conductors lodged in the inner wall of a ceramic support tube. LHC operation with increasingly higher bunch intensity and short bunch lengths, requires improved ferrite screening. This will be implemented by additional conductors; however these must not compromise the good high-voltage behaviour of the kicker magnets. Extensive studies have been carried out to better satisfy the often conflicting requirements for low beam coupling impedance, fast magnetic field rise-time, ultra-high vacuum and good high voltage behaviour. A new design is proposed which significantly reduces the electric field associated with the screen conductors. Results of high voltage tests are also presented

Beam Induced Ferrite Heating of the LHC Injection Kickers and Proposals for Improved Cooling

The two LHC injection kicker systems produce an integrated field strength of 1.3 T·m with a flattop duration variable up to 7860 ns, and rise and fall times of less than 900 ns and 3000 ns, respectively. A beam screen is placed in the aperture of each magnet, which consists of a ceramic tube with conductors in the inner wall. The conductors provide a path for the beam image current and screen the ferrite yoke against wakefields. Recent LHC operation, with high intensity beam stable for many hours, resulted in significant heating of both the ferrite yoke and beam impedance reduction ferrites. For one kicker magnet the ferrite yoke approached its Curie temperature. As a result of a long thermal time-constant the ferrite yoke can require several hours to cool sufficiently to allow re-injection of beam, thus limiting the running efficiency of the LHC. Thermal measurement data has been analysed, a thermal model developed and emissivity measurements carried out. Various measures to improve the ferrite cooling have been simulated, including an improved emissivity of the vacuum tank and active cooling on the outside of the tank

Upgrade of the LHC Injection Kicker Magnets

Two LHC injection kicker systems, each comprising 4 magnets per ring, produce a kick of 1.3 T·m with a rise-time of less than 900 ns and a flattop ripple of less than ±0.5%. A beam screen is placed in the aperture of each magnet, to provide a path for the image current of the LHC beam and screen the ferrite yoke against wake fields. The screen consists of a ceramic tube with conductors in the inner wall. The initially implemented beam screen ensured a low rate of electrical breakdowns and an adequately low beam coupling impedance. Operation with increasingly higher intensity beams, stable for many hours at a time, has resulted in substantial heating of the ferrite yoke, sometimes requiring cool-down over several hours before the LHC can be refilled. During the long shutdown in 2013/2014 all eight kicker magnets will be upgraded with an improved beam screen and an increased emissivity of the vacuum tank. In addition equipment adjacent to the injection kickers and various vacuum components will be modified to reduce the vacuum pressure near to the kickers during high-intensity operation. This paper discusses the upgrades