DFB component production at IHEP complete

The last of the components for the 42 DFBs (electrical distribution boxes feeding the strings of superconducting magnets in the LHC) produced for CERN by IHEP Protvino (Russia) were delivered to CERN in January 2007. The DFBs will provide the electrical supply for the superconducting magnets for the LHC, making possible the transition from room temperature down to -268ºC (4.5 K) (see Bulletin No. 37/2006). This important achievement was celebrated on the 14th February 2007 at the IHEP House of Scientists in Protvino in the presence of all the IHEP personnel who contributed to the DFB components production, and with the participation of eight delegates from CERN Management and CERN engineers involved in DFB production. Lyn Evans handed over a present symbolizing the IHEP-CERN collaboration to Nikolaj Tyurin, who offered to Lyn Evans a model of a DFB.

Since August 2005, when the components for the first two boxes arrived at CERN, a total of 360 tonnes of raw materials were transported to IHEP on 19 lorries, and 23 trucks were needed to transport the components for the 42 DFBs back to CERN. The IHEP design office made more than 3200 drawings in order to produce all the elements.

75% of the DFBs have been assembled, and the feed boxes for 4 sectors are already in the LHC tunnel. The expected date for transport of the last DFB into the tunnel is 31 May 2007.

LHC project leader Lyn Evans receiving a model of a DFB from IHEP general director Nikolaj Tyurin.

Collective photo of DFB celebration at IHEP. Participants from left: V. Sytchev, V. Benda, N. Tyurin, A. Zaytcev, L. Evans, A. Perin, R. van Weelderen, Ph. Trilhe, M. Genet, L. Tavian, Ph. Lebrun, A. Kleshov.