Numerical simulations of a hollow electron lens as a scraping device for the LHC

The use of hollow electron beam lens for scraping high energy proton beams has been extensively tested at Fermilab's Tevatron collider. In order to evaluate a possible application of a similar a device in the LHC, a dedicated new routine has been implemented in the standard 6D tracking code used at CERN for the design of the LHC collimation system. The effects of a finite length cylinder of electrons encompassing the main proton beam and traveling in the opposite direction is described in the routine. Realistic electron distributions, including measured radial imperfections, have been included in the model. Various operating modes have been simulated for the 7 TeV machine operation with sextupoles and octupoles included. The loss rate caused by the electron lens has been studied through an extended simulation campaign; the obtained halo removal rates for the different electron lens operating modes are presented.