Design of the second series 15 m LHC prototype dipole magnet cryostats

A first series of six LHC 10 m long prototype dipole magnets and cryostats have been manufactured in European Industry and the assembled cryo-magnets tested singly and connected in series in a test string at CERN between March 1994 and December 1996. During the same period, an evolution in the requirements for LHC cryogenics distribution has lead the project management to adopt a separate cryo-distribution line running parallel to the LHC machine1. The former standard LHC half-cell, made up of a short straight section unit and four 10 m dipoles, has been discarded and replaced with one composed of a short straight section unit and three 15 m dipoles. The new 15 m LHC dipole magnet cryostats are described. These units house the dipole magnet cold mass standing on three low heat in-leak support columns, and enclosed within an actively cooled radiation screen operating at 4.5-20 K and an actively cooled thermal shield operating at 50-75 K.