The LHC Fast Beam Current change Monitor

The modularity of the Large Hadron Collider’s (LHC) machine protection system (MPS) allows for the integration of several beam diagnostic instruments. These instruments have not necessarily been designed to have protection functionality, but MPS can still use them to increase the redundancy and reliability of the machine. The LHC fast beam current change monitor (FBCCM) is an example. It is based on analogue signals from fast beam current transformers (FBCT) used nominally to measure the LHC bunch intensities. The FBCCM calculates the magnitude of the beam signal provided by the FBCT, looks for a change over specific time intervals, and triggers a beam dump interlock if losses exceed an energy-dependent threshold. The first prototype of the FBCCM was installed in the LHC during the 2012-2013 run. The aim of this article is to present the FBCCM system and the results obtained, analyse its current performance and provide an outlook for the final system which is expected to be operational after the long LHC shutdown.