NA-Cons Project

WC2 – Beam Delivery Systems

Work Breakdown Structure

Work Category 2 (WC2) brings together the systems required to deliver and control beams throughout the North Area. Its activities span power converters and magnets, equipment protection and interlocks, accelerator controls and diagnostics, as well as the systems supporting experimental magnets.

The work is organised into six Work Packages:

  • WP 2.1 : Power Converters: consolidation and renewal of the power converter systems.
  • WP 2.2 : Beamline Magnets: consolidation and renovation of beamline and splitter magnets and their associated systems.
  • WP 2.3 : Protection & Interlocks: upgrade of equipment protection, beam interlock and energy extraction systems.
  • WP 2.4 : Beam Control & Diagnostics: modernisation of beam controls and fault tracking.
  • WP 2.5 : Beam Operation: beam-operation requirements and interfaces with the SPS.
  • WP 2.6 : Experimental Magnets: consolidation and renovation of experimental magnet systems.

Across these areas, WC2 considers the complete beam delivery chain, from powering schemes and equipment protection to integration with cabling, cooling and other infrastructure. It also addresses performance, reliability and energy efficiency, while ensuring that consolidation activities remain aligned with beam operation and the requirements of future experiments.

WP2.1 Powering Consolidation

WP 2.1 – Powering Consolidation focuses on replacing obsolete power converters across the North Area, covering BA2 and BA80 in Phase I and BA81 and BA82 in Phase II. Three new converter families are being introduced to meet the different powering requirements of the beamlines and experimental areas. POLARIS will serve the majority of standard magnet circuits, BOREAL the larger circuits for primary beam targets and experimental spectrometers, and NEPTUNE the ultra-high-current circuits in the SPS. The work spans the full lifecycle of these systems, from design and procurement to infrastructure preparation, installation and commissioning.

WP2.2 Beamline Magnets

WP 2.2 – Beamline Magnets addresses the consolidation of magnets throughout the North Area and TT20. The work includes preparing certified spare magnets, renovating magnets in TCC2, and renewing ageing components such as water couplings, manifolds and electrical interconnections. It also covers improvements to magnet cooling and protection, together with magnetic measurements to characterise magnet performance and support the wider North Area energy-efficiency studies.

WP2.3 Protection & Interlocks

WP 2.3 – Protection & Interlocks upgrades the protection and interlock systems safeguarding North Area equipment. The work includes the Warm Magnet Interlock and Beam Interlock systems, together with the renewal of energy extraction systems for the experimental magnets, ensuring reliable protection against overheating, beam damage and electrical faults.

WP2.4 Beam Controls and Diagnostics

WP 2.4 – Beam Controls and Diagnostics consists of two specific WUs: CWP 2.4 modernises the control and fault-tracking systems used in the North Area. The work includes the renovation and integration of CESAR with CERN’s accelerator control services, together with the implementation of AFT for centralised fault and beam downtime tracking.ESAR Upgrade and AFT Implementation.

WP2.5 Beam Operational Aspects

WP 2.5 – Beam Operational Aspects ensures that the upgrades introduced across WC2 remain compatible with current and future beam operation. Rather than addressing a single system, it supports the other work packages through operational studies and integration across the beam delivery chain. This includes power-converter settings and timing, slow extraction and SPS interfaces, beamline modelling and correction, and improvements to primary beam interlocking. systems. While not directly tied to a specific system or equipment, its goal is to review and support other work packages within WC2. This support aims to guarantee compatibility with current and future methods of accelerator operations.

WP2.6 Experimental Magnets

WP 2.6 – Experimental Magnets concernes the consolidation of the experimental magnets as a dedicated area within WC2. The work is divided between normal-conducting and superconducting magnets, covering their technical coordination, interfaces and the preparation of designs for renovated systems. Activities under WP 2.6 are foreseen for Phase II of NA-CONS, with no interventions planned during Phase I.