ISOLDE Technical Coordination Meeting (LS3)

Tuesday 26 May 2026, 14:00 → 15:00 Europe/Zurich

508/1-001 (CERN)

1 General news - Review of minutes

• Temporary road has been constructed and can be used for technical activities. No personnel parking in front of 508/197

Speakers: Erwin Siesling (CERN), Hanne Heylen (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN)

minutes_2026_05_19_Draft.docx

minutes_2026_05_19_Draft.pdf

2 Safety matters

• bidodiversity: bird nest at the entrance of building 508

https://home.cern/cern-a-haven-for-birds/

https://home.cern/save-the-date-cern-safety-day-4-june-keeping-ourselves-and-each-other-safe/

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), James Devine (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN)

3 IBDRS, Ventilation primary areas upgrade, BTY line @ 2 GeV

Speakers: Ana-Paula Bernardes (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN), Melania Averna (CERN)

IBDRS_reporting_S21_26.pdf

4 RILIS Laboratory upgrade project - activities update

Speakers: Carlotta Porzio (CERN), Katerina Chrysalidis (CERN), Laura Lambert (CERN), Sebastian Rothe (CERN)

- TE-VSC stopped the pumps located under the RILIS laboratory due to concerns with their temperature as they are located under the plastic protection.

5 Machine related activities in the experimental hall

IS work #1.

Speakers: Erwin Siesling (CERN), Simon Mataguez (CERN)

Platform EPC:

• GPS Separator zone cable testing finished last week with installation of the scaffolding in between. Sufficient access to the various elements remained for the cable tests.
• HRS Separator zone cable tests to be carried out. This morning lights in the Saleve side corridor next to the HIE tunnel as well as the REX equipment room 170/R-020 and HRS Sep zone were found off: The circuit breaker EBD13.33 was found consigned (in the frame of lights dismounting, displacing for the RILIS project?). Remi Grimand EN/EL will check if the work has finished to take the locker off this afternoon.
• Platform should be ready mid-June to start commissioning
• Scaffolding will be removed wk 24 (in 2 weeks) (together will construction of the one around REXTRAP)

 

ISOLDE vacuum system: 

• The ISOLDE vacuum system has been tested but is kept stopt due to the many plastic covers over the various TP ventilators for machine protection during the RILIS works. For the commissioning as of mid-June of the electrostatic power supplies the sectors must be in pumping mode again. For this holes will be made in the plastic sheets where needed for ventilation .
• All secundary vacuum system controlling PLCs (full crates) will be exchanged in the cause of 2027
• HRS & Replacement of the HRS20 & HRS30 pumping groups valves in the HRS separator zone (Guillermo) - exact dates to be scheduled after cables tests. Core drilling phase 1 (HRS to hall) has finished in HRS.

REX/HIE ISOLDE: 

• Suggestion Guillermo to replace all primary pumps on the HIE ISOLDE CM's, backing line and roughing line - estimation 1/2 day once all material is in place: end of May / June, to be scheduled according to VSC availability. From the HIE ISOLDE side no constraints, the tunnel is open.
• Info Giampaolo 2 wks ago: The REX RF amplifiers will be consolidated this LS, however, the Low Level RF will need to wait and will not be included.. (There will be remote operation possible in case of an amplifier restart). To be clarified
• REX-ISOLDE leak tests carried out:
  Suggestions Fredrik:
  

  1. For simplicity replace the potentially leaking REX mass slit by a bellow-tpe manually controlled on. Alberto would prefer a remotely controllable one for operational reasons
  2. Is there a need for changes to the mass slits and attenuation foils themselves? Alberto will think about this question and get back on it.
  3. Suggesting to suppress the slit in the vertical part of the REX separator and instead install a 280 l/s turbo pump to increase the pumping speed in the system. The purpose of this slit is to avoid mass contamination originating from energy spread out of the EBIS, that is to set up the separator in a non-dispersive mode, but we never use this. Neither can the slit be used for energy measurements, as we’re missing a slit in front of the 90 deg electrostatic bender. - no drawbacks with this proposal.
  The vacuum group has agreed to pay for the pump and necessary gate valve, while Fredrik/ABP pays for flanges, machining/welding and the feedthrough.

• Request of Nicolas Thaus VSC to modify the chamber of the XL9GP Quad (last in REX LINAC before CM1/DBox) - replace the polymere joint side by a metal flange with metal joint. Antony was contacted as owner of the Quad. For the intervention the Quad needs dismounting from the machine: To be scheduled with Antony and transport. - still to be scheduled with exact dates: Can be done any time with no secific work foreseen in the tunnel other than the replacement of the HIE pumps.
• For installation of the CHROME related cables a scaffodling will be put up along the VITO and CAO line of the REXTRAP cage. Access to the door of the cage (filling) will remain.
  Installation scaffolding week 24 (in 2 wks). Work will last ~2 weeks (Rustan teams)

HEBT lines Gas-distribution system commissioning:

• Status
  - New safety valve on its way and to be installed in the outside cage (Letizia)
  - Done: copper grounding bars in each of the 3 racks (James)

 

Separator zones HRS & GPS:

• GPS cable testing finished. HRS to be done this week.
• GPS FC490 has been removed and long scanner protection placed Wedn 20/05. Scaffolding installed above the GPS 20 sector. Ready for core drilling as of Mon 26/05.
  
  

Work in the 170 HT room:

• Julien and his team have finalized the replacement of the power supplies for the target and line heating (GPS/HRS) and the next step is to test proper functioning. Needed for the tests:
  - targets under vacuum
  - water cooling for the targets running
  - lock-out to be removed for the target heating power racks
  Meeting with the groups & specialists involved Wed 27/05 (Joachim)

• Boris tube HRS & GPS HT tests cannot be carried out with the faraday-cages in the target zone open and machine RP protection shielding in place.

 

PUMA crane equipment

• asked Transport (Yann / Filippo on CC) to find a storage space for it (since it will only be remounted for actual handling of the PUMA apparatus in the hall)

 

Crane PR-214:

Schedule:

• Tuesday, May 26th: Morning / Afternoon RILIS crane work
• Wednesday, May 27th: Morning finalize RILIS work if necessary
• Wednesday, May 27th: Afternoon VITO crane work
• Thursday, May 28^th: finalize or schedule VITO / other crane work
• Friday, May 29^th: Morning dewar craning if needed, Afternoon: Crane PR214 yearly maintenance as of 14h (Simon Moore)

 

6 Experiments related activities in the experimental hall

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Oscar Fjeld (CERN)

• In preparation for installation of scaffolding foreseen 17th of June - contacting owners of 2 cupboards.
• RL7 area will further be emptied for PUMA installation
• VITO is moving equipment, temporarily, to space next to Miniball/ISS.

7 Experiments related activities in the experimental hall

Speaker: Erwin Siesling (CERN)

ISOLTRAP:

• ISOLTRAP platform replacement work: 18th June scaffolding - first platform part to finish ~22 July.
• VITO laser tube is to stay in place: Has been discussed with the scaffolding organising responsible (Michael Bourbon). To be noted on the scaffolding contractor's work order at the next occasion.
• Finalizing ISOLTRAP emergency exit sides and bottom with cement this week: When cable work is finsihed on the mezzanine - to be verified (supposed to be finsihed by the start of this week (wk22))

 

WISARD:

• planning to come 15 - 19 June to mount the setup for off line data taking
• week 27 (29 June) to cooldown the magnet
• taking data wk27-29 until July 19
• Coordinate with ISOLTRAP & RILIS work. Crane needed for dewar craning WISARD

Beamlines:

• PUMA - RL7 installation work on supports and equipment ongoing
• Visit with EN/EL last week: define position for the power distribution cabinet: Vincent for tracing on the floor

• Mezzanine work to finish this week (wk22). RC6 & RL7 signal cabling (BI / Vacuum) work on the floor still ongoing + installation work of RL7 equipment:  Keeping an eye on dust and plastic parts coming down at the IDS setup.

8 Mechanical Workshop and other support requests

Speaker: Oscar Fjeld (CERN)

Last week:

• VITO - Adjustment of assembly 
• VITO - Machining of spacers for springs
• RC6 - Adding set of threaded holes to beamline support
• Cut hole in floor near 170/1-271

 

This week:

• VITO machining of cover plates for linear action
• IDS - Ti44 make sample holder with copper filter
• Cleaning 275 electronics workshop

9 Planned visits and AOBs

Speaker: Hanne Heylen (CERN)

- Gas point has been cleared from unused bottles after mail from Arthur