13000 A current lead with 1.5 W heat load to 4.5 K for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN

Cryogenic Ltd. and ENEL S.p.A. have collaborated on the design and construction of prototype current leads for the Large Hadron Collider project at CERN, Geneva. The aim is to deliver a direct current of 13 kA into a 4.5 K liquid helium bath with a total heat load of less than 1.5 W. These hybrid leads transport the current via a resistive heat exchanger cooled by a separate source of helium gas in the high temperature region, and below 50 K via self-cooled high temperature superconductor. (8 refs).