The RHIC vacuum systems

There are three vacuum systems in RHIC: the insulating vacuum vessels housing the superconducting magnets, the cold beam tubes surrounded by the superconducting magnets, and the warm beam tube sections at the insertion regions and the experimental regions. These systems have a cumulative length over 10 km and a total volume over 3000 m3. Conventional ultrahigh vacuum technology was used in the design and construction of the cold and warm beam vacuum systems with great success. The long and large insulating vacuum volumes without vacuum barriers require careful management of the welding and leak checking of the numerous helium line joints. There are about 1500 vacuum gauges and pumps serial-linked to eight PLCs distributed around RHIC, which allow the monitoring and control of these devices through Ethernet networks to remote control consoles. With the exception of helium leaks through the cryogenic valve boxes into the insulating vacuum volumes, the RHIC vacuum systems have performed well beyond expectations.