Beam operations resume at LIPAc
Project Committee #23
18 & 19 March 2019
The 23nd Project Committee (PC#23) was held at Rokkasho IFERC Site on March 18th and 19th, during which an update of the project status was presented as well as the outlook from 2019 onward.
The main topics discussed were the progress since the last PC#22 with the achievement of the annual maintenance campaign, the completion the HEBT and Beam Dump installation in the accelerator line and the resumption of the Beam Operation with proton beam and the first deuteron injection into the RFQ. The preparatory work for the assembly of the Cryomodule in the clean room at Rokkasho was also presented.
The PC members in the LIPAc Control Room participating to the beam operation
3 weeks after resuming the operation….
The maintenance period was completed early 2019 and the acceleration of proton beams up to 2.5 MeV was resumed on 20 February. A transmission of 95% through the RFQ was achieved with an input beam current of 7 mA and 0.3 ms pulse length. By using such a beam, the phase tuning of the two bunchers installed in the MEBT was performed successfully. The basic beam diagnostics, beam current monitors (ACCT) and beam position monitors (BPM), were used regularly for beam commissioning, and the beam profile measurement was started by using a non-interceptive device (Fluorescence Profile Monitors) and an interceptive one (Secondary electron emission grid monitors). The latter one is also used to measure the beam emittance with a slit insertion.
IFMIF/EVEDA – Engineering and validation of equipment in progress
Follow the link to access the newsline in F4E website
First LIPAc Commissioning and Beam Operation Workshop at Rokkasho!!!
After completing the first beam operation stage, and while profiting of the stop of the machine for the scheduled maintenance, the first LIPAc Commissioning and Beam Operation workshop was organized at Rokkasho site.
During 2 days, the accelerator scientists and experts from Japan and Europe exchanged about the experiences and outcomes of the first beam operation campaign with the LIPAc RFQ accelerator, and the difficulties encountered in the LIPAc commissioning activities. Discussions also addressed the preparation of the second beam campaign, scheduled from early next year. Furthermore, the steps ahead were discussed to prepare the assembly, installation and commissioning of the last accelerating stage (including the superconducting cavity SRF Linac, which will increase the deuteron energy up to 9MeV).
The next workshop with a similar format will gather again the LIPAc community after the completion of the commissioning Phase B (5 MeV, 125 mA, D+,0.1% DC, including the commissioning of the RFQ and Buncher cavities, as well as the beam instrumentation).
Visit of the French Ambassador at Rokkasho on 12/11/2018
On November 12th, 2018, we were honored by the visit of the French Ambassador, his excellency Laurent Pic, and his delegation at Rokkasho. We were given the chance to present the activities performed at the IFERC site…
… followed by a tour focusing on the LIPAc activities. It was explained that these activities are conducted in the frame of the Broader Approach Agreement and the IFMIF/EVEDA Project. Emphasis was given to the substantial contribution from the French institute CEA being a key part of the European contribution.
The “Francophone” working at Rokkasho were given the opportunity to share their experience about living in the north of Japan and working in this international partnership.
The ambassador was favourably impressed by the activities ongoing at Rokkasho under the European – Japanese collaboration and confirmed the strong interest of France in this project.
Before leaving, he promised that he will come back soon to learn more about the progress in the commissioning of the accelerator systems.
Transfer of Ownership between F4E and QST
16 October 2018
On October 16th, 2018 the transfer of ownership of the Beam Instrumentation, Medium Energy Beam Transport Line and the Radio Frequency Qaudrupole were signed between F4E and QST with the presence of the respective European Voluntary Contributors CEA (Saclay) , CIEMAT (Madrid) and INFN (Legnaro).
This equipment was delivered by the European Voluntary Contributors and transfered to F4E, the EU Implementing Agency of the Broader Approach project, as they were shipped to Rokkasho. The transfers of ownership to QST, the JA Implementing Agency, were cleared out with the recent completion of the individual commissioning of each system.
Project Committee #22
15 & 16 October 2018
The 22nd Project Committee was held at Rokkasho IFERC Site on October 15th and 16th, during which an update of the project was presented as well as the outlook from 2019 onward.
The main topics discussed were the progress since the last PC#21 with the first Beam Operation, the imminent resuming of the beam operation throught the RFQ and the preparation for the phase C with the delivery of the High Energy Beam Transport line and its Beam Dump as well as the assembly of the Cryomodule in the clean room at Rokkasho.
LIPAc operation broadcast LIVE online
On 27 July 2018, from 4pm JST (9am CEST) a special broadcasting took place from LIPAc’s control room, with explanations, interviews to the LIPAc Operation Team staff about the different subsystems and the operational aspects. The engineers from Europe were also interviewed and presented their own institutes and expectations for the future.
http://live.nicovideo.jp/gate/lv314610330
