First beam through DTL1
The first probe proton beam was sent through the first Drift Tube Linac tank on 31 May 2022.
This first DTL tank accelerates the beam from 3.6 MeV (out of the RFQ) to 21.3 MeV. The overall length of "commissioned" accelerator has hereby increased to nearly 20 metres.
In an on-site workshop, Italian in-kind partner INFN are preparing DTL tanks 2-4 for installation. They will be commissioned in the accelerator tunnel after the summer.
Neutron Beam Port Inserts delivered
The first three Neutron Beam Port Inserts (NBPIs) have been delivered for instruments LOKI, ODIN and the Test Beamline (TBL). With conceptual design by ESS, detailed design by German in-kind partner Jülich and manufacturing by Fantini in Italy, these inserts were delivered to the E01 integration tent, where optics assembly takes place.
NBPIs, containing the neutron optics, will be installed into the port tubes welded to the Monolith vessel and will transport the neutrons from spallation on the first part of their journey towards the sample position of each instrument. Ultimately, there will be 16 NBPIs, with the rest of the port tubes equipped with Neutron Beam Port Plugs (NBPP).
LOKI vessel nose cone
The LOKI detector vessel was opened to install a cone inside the “vessel nose”, i.e. the front lid cover for the vessel.
ODIN cave
Construction of the base slab for the instrument cave for ODIN in the south sector of Experimental Hall 1 has started. Formwork is being put in place, with in-situ concrete castings in several sessions following. Works are performed by Mirrotron, under the agreement with German in-kind partner Technical University of Münich (TUM).
BEER beamline
The installation of neutron guides for instrument BEER has commenced in the E02 Beamline Gallery. 64,5 metre of vacuum housing containing the guide will be installed on a support structure, built on the row of concrete piles with capping plates.
BEER is delivered to ESS as a joint in-kind contribution from German Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon and Czech Nuclear Physics Institute (NPI). The current neutron guide installation is performed by Mirrotron, under the NPI agreement with ESS.
Neutron shielding bunker installations
Bunker wall feedthroughs are now installed for instruments BIFROST, CSPEC and NMX.
The installation of in-bunker neutron guides for BIFROST is completed, with vacuum tests and alignment following.
Target wheel in MUTS
The Target monitoring plug – an in-kind delivery from Jülich in Germany - has been installed next to the Target wheel and shaft inside the cleanroom confinement of the Mock-Up and Test Stand.
The drive unit and upper shaft will soon be installed on top of the Target wheel and shaft, in order for handling and rotation tests to follow.
Target Monolith cleanroom and start of inner shielding installation
The installation of the Target Monolith connection cell cleanroom is substantially completed. Once all cleaning and alignment activities in the area are done, installation of inner shielding blocks will begin.
