The Compound Cryogenic Distribution Line for the LHC: Status and Prospects

After a pre-series phase qualifying the design of three European firms, CERN adjudicated end of 2001 one contract for the manufacturing and installation of the cryogenic distribution line (QRL) for the LHC (Large Hadron Collider). Each of the eight ~3.2 km QRL sectors is feeding helium at different temperatures and pressures to the local cooling loops of the strings of superconducting magnets operating in superfluid helium below 2 K. With an overall length of 25.8 km the QRL has a very critical cost to performance ratio. We present a project overview describing all phases, status and schedule.