Upgrade of RHIC Vacuum Systems for High Luminosity Operation

With increasing ion beam intensity during recent RHIC operations, rapid pressure rises of several decades were observed at most warm sections and at a few cold sections. The pressure rises are associated with electron multi-pacting, electron stimulated desorption and beam ion induced desorption; and have been one of the major intensity and luminosity limiting factors for RHIC. Improvement of the warm sections has been carried out in the last few years. Extensive in-situ bakes, additional UHV pumping and anti-grazing ridges have been implemented. Several hundred meters of NEG coated beam pipes have been installed and activated. Vacuum monitoring and logging were enhanced. Preventive measures, such as pumping before cool down to reduce monolayer condensates, were also taken to suppress the pressure rises in the cold sections. The effectiveness of these measures in reducing the pressure rises during machine studies and during physics runs are discussed and summarized.