In the ESS on-site target test stand, the final tests of the target wheel, shaft and drive unit with the helium rotary unit have just been completed. The last uninterrupted spinning test lasted 1,000 hours.
The next step is to analyse the test data and take new, precise measurements. The target wheel and shaft will then be moved to the target high bay, where final cleaning in preparation for installation will take place.
The target wheel is the heart of ESS where spallation will take place. It is divided into 36 radial segments containing approximately 7,000 tungsten blocks. Neutrons for the scientific instruments are released from the tungsten material when the target is hit by pulses of high-energy protons from the accelerator.
The target wheel, shaft, drive unit and helium rotary unit were designed, manufactured and pre-tested by ESS's Spanish In-Kind Partner ESS Bilbao.
Watch the end of the 1,000 hours spinning cycle on the ESS YouTube channel.
