XFEL Cryomodule Transport: from the Assembly Laboratory in CEA-Saclay (France) to the Test-Hall in DESY-HAMBURG (GERMANY)

The one hundred, 12 m long XFEL 1.3 GHz cryomodules are assembled at CEA Saclay (F) and have therefore to be transported, fully assembled, to the installation site in DESY Hamburg (D). Various studies and tests have been performed to assess and minimize the risk of damages during transport; a new transport frame and a specialised company are being used for the series transport. This paper resumes the studies performed, describes the final configuration adopted for the series transport and the results obtained for the first XFEL modules

Thermal Performance Analysis and Measurements of the Prototype Cryomodules of European XFEL Accelerator - Part I

The European X-Ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), the research facility currently under construction in the Hamburg area, Germany, is based on a superconducting linear accelerator that brings electrons to almost the speed of light. The linear accelerator consists of 100 accelerating cryomodules (CMs) operating at the temperature of 2 K. The thermal performances of the accelerator CMs are a key element to determine the heat load budget, the required capacity and the cost of the XFEL refrigerating system and to guarantee its efficient operation. The measurement of the thermal performances of the CMs is also an important step in the qualification of the CMs during the series production.This paper describes the thermal performance analysis of the European XFEL prototype cryomodules. The analysis takes into account all the main contributors (multilayer insulation, current leads, power couplers, support posts, and cavities) to the static and dynamic heat loads at various cryogenic temperature levels.Existing empirical databases are reviewed and used to evaluate the heat transfer through the multilayer insulation and numerical simulations are developed to investigate the heat loads generated from the different CM components

Horizontal RF Test of a Fully Equipped 3.9 GHz Cavity for the European XFEL in the DESY AMTF

In order to validate the cavity package concept before the module preparation for the European XFEL Injector, one 3.9 GHz cavity, complete with magnetic shielding, power coupler and frequency tuner was tested in a specially designed single cavity cryomodule in one of the caves of the DESY Accelerator Module Test Facility (AMTF). The cavity was tested in high power pulsed operation up to the quench limit of 24 MV/m, above the vertical test qualifications and all subsystems under test (coupler, tuner, waveguide tuners, LLRF system) were qualified to design performances

Preparation of the 3.9 GHz System for the European XFEL Injector Commissioning

The 3.9 GHz cryomodule and RF system for the XFEL Injector is being assembled and delivered to the underground building in summer 2015, for the injector commissioning in Fall 2015. This contribution outlines the status of the activity and reports the preparation stages of the technical commissioning of the system

A MHz-repetition-rate hard X-ray free-electron laser driven by a superconducting linear accelerator

International audienceThe European XFEL is a hard X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) based on a high-electron-energy superconducting linear accelerator. The superconducting technology allows for the acceleration of many electron bunches within one radio-frequency pulse of the accelerating voltage and, in turn, for the generation of a large number of hard X-ray pulses. We report on the performance of the European XFEL accelerator with up to 5,000 electron bunches per second and demonstrating a full energy of 17.5 GeV. Feedback mechanisms enable stabilization of the electron beam delivery at the FEL undulator in space and time. The measured FEL gain curve at 9.3 keV is in good agreement with predictions for saturated FEL radiation. Hard X-ray lasing was achieved between 7 keV and 14 keV with pulse energies of up to 2.0 mJ. Using the high repetition rate, an FEL beam with 6 W average power was created