CONSOLIDATION OF THE 13 k A SPLICES IN THE ELECTRICAL FEEDBOXES OF THE LHC

In 2008 a defective connection in one of the 13 kA dipole circuits of the LHC caused an electric breakdown that resulted in extensive damage in a sector of the accelerator. The investigation performed after the accident showed the necessity to consolidate the electrical splices of the 13 kA dipole and quadrupole circuits in order to operate the LHC at its nominal energy of 7 TeV. These circuits are powered through electrical feedboxes located at each end of the 8 sectors of the LHC. In the feedboxes the current is routed from room temperature to the superconducting magnets busbars along current leads and superconducting busbars and flows through at least two internal splices. These splices are based on the same technology as the magnet-to-magnet ones but they are significantly different in terms of environment and configuration. As for the magnet to magnet splices, a consolidation will be necessary to operate them at nominal current. This paper presents an analysis of the properties of these splices and the technologies that will be used to consolidate them. The quality control and the workflow to perform this operation during the first long shutdown of the LHC are also presented.