Hardware Limitations at Injection

Hardware limitations due to the intercepting devices in the SPS, the SPS-to-LHC transfer lines and the LHC will be briefly reviewed with potential operation beam in mind for 2018. Heating issues in the LHC injection kicker magnet (MKI) are also a possible future limiting factor for LHC's availability. Prior to LS1 one of the MKIs occasionally exhibited high temperatures leading to significant turnaround times before beam could be safely re-injected. After a successful impedance mitigation campaign during LS1, the MKI temperature has been below the Curie point and did not limit LHC availability: simulations suggest that they will remain fully operational with nominal Run 2 beam parameters. To investigate intensity limits in view of the 2018 run, different filling scenarios have been considered. A prototype MKI magnet, scheduled for installation during YETS 2017/2018, is upgraded to reduce dynamic vacuum activity and relocate beam induced losses within the magnet. The main design changes are outlined and the corresponding thermal behaviour and intensity limits are discussed.