Target Monolith
In the Target Monolith, a staircase is now in place to provide access to the inside of the monolith vessel tank for welding of the port tubes to the 39 openings in the side of the vessel. These works will start after the Swedish summer holidays. In preparation for this, bottom plates, covering the pinkish-red base plate already installed around the Monolith and serving as foundation for the port tubes, will be installed.
Port tubes are square-shaped steel ducts, one for each window in the monolith vessel, which will serve as housing for the neutron guide systems to be installed here.
Active Cell
Preparations have started for the installation of floor valves for the hatch openings from the high bay to the Active Cells.
Two floor valve assemblies will be installed onto the high bay, covering the circular openings down to the process and maintenance cells. A shield door mechanism will allow the valve to be opened to lift casks into the Active Cells. This installation is part of the UK in-kind contribution to the ESS Active Cell, via in-kind partner, STFC & UKAEA.
Target roof
Panels comprising aluminium lamellae are installed on the cantilever roof above the Target Entrance building.
The cantilever steel structure, including all adjustments and movement joints, is scheduled for completion by the end of July. All cladding panels will be in place by mid-October.
NCL
RFQ conditioning is ongoing, where RF power is sent to the cavities of the Radio-Frequency Quadrupole (part of the Normal Conducting Linac). The aim is to reach 3 MW of power during the six-week conditioning window (open until early August). RFQ conditioning is conducted on site in close collaboration with ESS's French in-kind partner, CEA.
Cryomodule testing
In-bunker testing of the first elliptical cryomodule continues. RF conditioning is under way and will be followed by cool-down.
Another serial-produced medium beta cryomodule will arrive on site early July, and will be subject to the same set of tests inside the test stand 2 bunker. Testing of the cryomodules is manages by ESS's Polish in-kind partner, IFJ-Pan.
RFPS – spoke section
Installation of the first two RF power stations for the spoke section is complete in cell 120. Energisation is next. Another RF power station is subject to tests with a dummy load in test stand 3, with three more units delivered and ready for testing. In total there will be 26 RF power stations, powering the 13 spoke cryomodules.
Experimental Hall 1 & 2
Floor treatment, including touch-up floor grinding and dust binding, is nearing completion in the two Experimental Halls for short instruments. The east end of both halls remains to be completed.
For the ESTIA instrument, installation of the Selene guide and concrete shielding blocks for the east sector of the neutron shielding bunker around the Monolith has started inside Experimental Hall 1. A few concrete blocks are in place and the Selene guide will be inserted so that mounting of concrete blocks for the curved wall can continue.
Experimental Hall 3
Support blocks for the neutron beamline for BIFROST are in place just next to the instrument cave.
Vacuum tests for the first part of the neutron guide housing for CSPEC are completed, and installation of more lower shielding blocks towards part 2 of the Beamline Gallery building, will follow.
Eight electrical distribution boards (racks) are in place in the large, curved hall. These will serve all instrument caves in Experimental Hall 3 with power.
