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New
Release -- Superconductor Week does not edit or endorse the following
news release:
Air Liquide Delivers the Largest Cryogenic System
Paris, November 20:
Air Liquide
delivers the largest cryogenic system in the world to CERN Near Geneva, on the
Franco-Swiss border, CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) is
building the most powerful particle accelerator in the world. The CERN LHC
(Large Hadron Collider) particle accelerator will break new ground in terms of
knowledge of particle physics and will therefore advance fundamental research on
matter and the birth of the universe.
Having installed and tested the
last elements at the end of October 2006, Air Liquide has now transferred
ownership of the entire LHC liquid helium supply system to CERN, completing a
22-month works program.
The exceptional size of this
cryogenic system* and its expected performance levels have made this project a
real technological challenge. The cryogenic distribution system for over 800,000
litres of helium takes the form of a ring with a circumference of 27 kilometers,
placed in a tunnel approximately 100 meters underground. This cryogenic system
supplies superfluid helium at a temperature of 1.9K (–271°C) to the 1,700
superconducting magnets of the LHC particle accelerator.
Why this extreme temperature?
These magnets produce the intense magnetic field required to keep the two beams
of particles on their circular "track" to ensure their collision. The component
materials of the particle accelerator magnets only present superconducting
characteristics below a temperature of 9K (-264° C).
Cooling to 1.9K (-271°C)
optimizes the performance and stability of these magnets. There is only one
fluid in the world that can be cooled to such a low temperature: superfluid
helium.
Taking up this technological,
industrial and human challenge, Air Liquide has supplied most of the
distribution systems, in addition to gases (liquid helium, liquid argon,
nitrogen), and has developed unique service expertise, particularly in terms of
carrying out maintenance operations and ensuring system integrity, since CERN
cannot allow the particle accelerator to be stopped unexpectedly for a single
day. Construction of this system, unique in the world, required 3,000 elements,
manufactured in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal with a precision measured to
the nearest tenth of a millimetre.
François Jackow, Research and
Advanced Technologies Vice-President for the Air Liquide Group, declared: "This
achievement is a key stage in our cooperation with CERN. We already have a long
shared history, with over 15 contracts, and we would like to thank the CERN
teams for their confidence. Our expertise in the field of extreme gases, unique
in the world, will enable us to prepare our contribution to projects of the
future demanding total mastery of cryogenics, such as the ITER project and
superconductivity projects for power transmission."
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