Speaker
Description
The High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) project involves a major upgrade of the cryogenic infrastructure supplying helium to the final focusing regions of the ATLAS and CMS experiments. The integration of new superconducting components requires the complete removal of the existing cryogenic systems installed in the long straight sections at Points 1 and 5, covering a total length of approximately 640 m. This operation includes dismantling the LHC cryogenic distribution line (QRL), which entails cutting 70 fully welded interconnections within the confined geometry of the LHC tunnel and in a radiologically activated environment.
This presentation describes the principal technical and organizational challenges of the intervention, which will take place during Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) of the accelerator complex at CERN. It covers the development and qualification of specialized tooling to ensure safe dismantling under radiation exposure and strict spatial constraints, as well as the planning and coordination activities required to execute the project efficiently and safely.