Accelerator
Drift Tube Linac
Drift Tube Linac tank 2 is being prepared for installation. The water manifold is installed and leak tests are in progress. The transport to the tunnel is planned for the second half of November.
When DTL 1-4 are all on place, preparations to start RF conditioning and subsequent beam commissioning will start. This will involve reinstallation of the temporary shielding wall and installation of the DTL4 Faraday cup and shielding as well as re-validation of the Personnel Protection System for the NCL section. A safety readiness review will be held prior to the start of commissioning, which is planned to commence in April 2023.
Cryogenic Distribution System commissioning
Works are ongoing to make the Cryogenic Distribution System ready for cooldown later this year. Some welding works remain, as tests to detect small leaks into the envelope or atmosphere continue.
Linac Warm Units
Five Linac Warm Units, containing the magnets to focus the beam in-between cryomodules, have so far been installed in the spoke section of the Linac.
Klystron Gallery
Another modulator was moved to its permanent place in RF cell 190a this week. This means we only have one modulator left to put in place to complete the full set-up for the medium beta section of the Gallery (2 modulators and 8 klystrons in each cell).
Power tests are ongoing in both the spoke and medium beta sections.
In Test Stand 2, the first high beta cryomodule is in place inside the bunker with warm RF conditioning completed and cooldown tests to start.
Target
The Target Wheel is spinning!
Handling and rotation tests of the Target Monolith components have started in the Mock-up and Test Stand, with the Target Wheel now spinning for the first time inside the structure.
Monolith inner shielding
The contaminant found inside the large pancake shielding block has been analysed in the ESS on-site chemistry lab. The conclusion is that it is residue from a cleaning product, which will now be removed.
Three of the previously installed inner shielding blocks have been lifted out from the vessel, as non-conformities in the pipe welds were detected. A plan for re-welds and re-installation is now the main focus for the Target Monolith installation team.
Active Cells
Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of the Shaft Cutting Station inside the process cell has been performed. For the test, a metal pipe was cut. This was monitored remotely from a temporary desk set up in the Technical Gallery.
Instruments
BIFROST
The neutron guide installation from bunker to sample position for BIFROST has been completed, including successful vacuum tests. As the in-bunker guide installation was previously done, we now have the full 160-metre-long neutron guide in place for this spectrometer instrument.
LOKI
More cave shielding walls and a door mechanism for the side door to the detector tank is in place for LOKI. Installation of a goods lift has also started.
TBL
The shielding wall installation for the cave of the ESS Test Beamline is in progress. A control cabin will follow early 2023.
NMX
The in-bunker neutron guide for NMX have arrived to ESS, and is currently subject to vacuum tests in a designated area in the D03 hall. Installation along beamline W1 inside the west sector bunker will follow.
Neutron Beam Port Inserts
Eight of the 16 Neutron Beam Port Inserts are now ready for installation into the beam ports to the Monolith vessel. The VESPA insert was the last to be completed from this batch. Next NBPI delivery is expected late December.
Installation of inserts (NBPI) and plugs (NBPP) will start in the north sector as soon as the inner shielding has reached the matching level.
