Gas Systems for Particle Detectors at the LHC Experiments: Overview and Perspectives

Over the five experiments (ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb and TOTEM) taking data at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) 30 gas systems are delivering the proper gas mixture to the corresponding detectors. They are complex systems that extend over several hundred meters and have to ensure an extremely high reliability in terms of stability and quality of the gas mixture delivered to the detectors. In fact, the gas mixture is the sensitive medium and a correct and stable composition is a basic requirement for good and safe long-term operation. The present contribution describes the design philosophy focusing the attention on the main functional modules. The reliability over the past years is also discussed.