A Sequencer for the LHC ERA

The Sequencer is a high level software application that helps operators and physicists to commission and control the LHC. It is an important operational tool for the LHC and a core part of the control system that interacts with all LHC sub-systems. This paper describes the architecture and design of the sequencer and illustrates some innovative parts of the implementation, based on modern Java technology

The LHC Post Mortem Analysis Framework

The LHC with its unprecedented complexity and criticality of beam operation will need thorough analysis of data taken from systems such as power converters, interlocks and beam instrumentation during events like magnet quenches and beam loss. The causes of beam aborts or in the worst case equipment damage have to be revealed to improve operational procedures and protection systems. The correct functioning of the protection systems with their required redundancy has to be verified after each such event. Post mortem analysis software for the control room has been prepared with automated analysis packages in view of the large number of systems and data volume. This paper recalls the requirements for the LHC Beam Post Mortem System (PM) and the necessity for highly reliable data collection. It describes in detail the redundant architecture for data collection as well as the chosen implementation of a multi-level analysis framework, allowing for automated analysis and qualification of a beam dump event based on expert provided analysis modules. It concludes with an example of the data taken during first beam tests in September 2008 with a first version of the system

THE LHC POST MORTEM ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

Abstract The LHC with its unprecedented complexity and criticality of beam operation will need thorough analysis of data taken from systems such as power converters, interlocks and beam instrumentation during events like magnet quenches and beam loss. The causes of beam aborts or in the worst case equipment damage have to be revealed to improve operational procedures and protection systems. The correct functioning of the protection systems with their required redundancy has to be verified after each such event. Post mortem analysis software for the control room has been prepared with automated analysis packages in view of the large number of systems and data volume. This paper recalls the requirements for the LHC Beam Post Mortem System (PM) and the necessity for highly reliable data collection. It describes in detail the redundant architecture for data collection as well as the chosen implementation of a multi-level analysis framework, allowing for automated analysis and qualification of a beam dump event based on expert provided analysis modules. It concludes with an example of the data taken during first beam tests in September 2008 with a first version of the system

External Post-operational Checks for the LHC Beam Dumping System

The LHC Beam Dumping System (LBDS) is a critical part of the LHC machine protection system. After every LHC beam dump action the various signals and transient data recordings of the beam dumping control systems and beam instrumentation measurements are automatically analysed by the eXternal Post-Operational Checks (XPOC) system to verify the correct execution of the dump action and the integrity of the related equipment. This software system complements the LHC machine protection hardware, and has to ascertain that the beam dumping system is 'as good as new' before the start of the next operational cycle. This is the only way by which the stringent reliability requirements can be met. The XPOC system has been developed within the framework of the LHC "Post-Mortem" system, allowing highly dependable data acquisition, data archiving, live analysis of acquired data and replay of previously recorded events. It is composed of various analysis modules, each one dedicated to the analysis of measurements coming from specific equipment. This paper describes the global architecture of the XPOC system and gives examples of the analyses performed by some of the most important analysis modules. It explains the integration of the XPOC into the LHC control infrastructure along with its integration into the decision chain to allow proceeding with beam operation. Finally, it discusses the operational experience with the XPOC system acquired during the first years of LHC operation, and illustrates examples of internal system faults or abnormal beam dump executions which it has detected