Conclusions from Procuring, Installing and Commissioning Six Large-Scale Helium Refrigerators at CERN

Between 1990 and 1994 CERN procured, installed and commissioned six large-scale helium cryoplants for its programme of superconducting acceleration cavities in the electron-positron collider LEP. Two European suppliers were selected to each provide one plant of 6 kW and two plants of 12 kW equivalent cooling power at 4.5 K. All installations are now commissioned and operational, some have been running continuously for several years. The concepts applied to specification, tendering, sharing of responsibilities for infrastructure and controls, installation, and commissioning are presented. Conclusions are drawn from the experiences during the different phases of this project and applied to acquisition of plant upgrades and additional plants required for LHC, CERN’s new project for a proton-proton collider in the LEP tunnel using superconducting magnets.