Validation and Performance of the LHC Cryogenic System through Commissioning of the First Sector

The cryogenic system [1] for the Large Hadron Collider accelerator is presently in its final phase of commissioning at nominal operating conditions. The refrigeration capacity for the LHC is produced using eight large cryogenic plants and eight 1.8 K refrigeration units installed on five cryogenic islands. Machine cryogenic equipment is installed in a 26.7-km circumference ring deep underground tunnel and are maintained at their nominal operating conditions via a distribution system consisting of transfer lines, cold interconnection boxes at each cryogenic island and a cryogenic distribution line. The functional analysis of the whole system during all operating conditions was established and validated during the first sector commissioning in order to maximize the system availability. Analysis, operating modes, main failure scenarios, results and performance of the cryogenic system are presented.