Nondestructive Testing and Quality Control of the LHC Main Interconnection Splices

Author

Heck, S. ; Solfaroli, M. ; Andreassen, O. ; Thonet, P. ; Scheuerlein, C. ; Ballarino, A. ; Bertinelli, F. ; Bottura, L. ; Fessia, P. ; Tock, J.-Ph

Author_Institution

Eur. Organ. for Nucl. Res. (CERN), Geneva, Switzerland

Volume

25

Issue

2

fYear

2015

fDate

Apr-15

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

8

Abstract

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) main interconnection splices consist of Rutherford-type cable splice and busbar stabilizer splices. Busbar stabilizer splices have been consolidated during the first long LHC shutdown by soldering additional Cu shunts. In view of the large number of quality controls (QCs) that were integrated in the splice consolidation process, efficient and unambiguous QC procedures needed to be developed. Direct-current electrical resistance measurements have been selected for the control of the busbar splices and the individual shunts. About 400 000 resistance measurements performed at room temperature before and after each consolidation step have been analyzed. The resistance of the consolidated splices is comparable with the resistance of continuous busbars without splice. Resistance changes during the consolidation process correspond to those calculated from the changes in Cu cross-sectional area.

Keywords

busbars; copper; electric resistance; electric resistance measurement; nondestructive testing; quality control; soldering; splicing; superconducting cables; superconducting interconnections; superconducting magnets; Cu; Cu cross-sectional area; Cu shunts; Rutherford-type cable splice; busbar stabilizer splices; direct-current electrical resistance measurements; efficient quality control procedure; large hadron collider main interconnection splices; nondestructive testing; resistance changes; soldering; splice consolidation process; Electrical resistance measurement; Large Hadron Collider; Machining; Quality control; Resistance; Temperature measurement; Busbars; Interconnections; Non-destructive Testing; Resistance measurement; Superconducting cables; interconnections; nondestructive testing (NDT); resistance measurement; superconducting cables;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TASC.2014.2363056

Filename

6928412