First prototypes of the new design of the CERN's antiproton production target

Abstract

For antiproton production at CERN, high‐energy (26 GeV/c), intense, and short proton beams are impacted into a small rod—target core—made of a dense metal. Temperature rises in the order of 2000°C, and subsequent dynamic stresses of several gigapascals are induced in this rod every time it is impacted by the primary proton beam. Several R&D activities have been launched with the goal of proposing and manufacturing a new design of such device (named AD‐Target). A summary of these activities is presented, including the last design stage, which involves the manufacturing and testing of six real‐scale prototypes of the new target design. These prototypes (named PROTAD) consist of air‐cooled Ti‐6Al‐4V assemblies filled by matrices made of isostatic graphite or expanded graphite (EG), containing target cores made of small rods with different diameters (from 2 to 10 mm) of multiple grades of Ta, Ta2.5W, and Ir.

Development and Beam Irradiation of Ir/W/Ta/Ta-Alloys Refractory Metals and Cladding Via Hot Isostatic Pressing at CERN for Beam Intercepting Devices Applications

“…In this experiment, up to six prototypes of the new AD-Target design (similar as the ones shown in Fig. 2) have been exposed to fifty proton beam impacts recreating AD-Target operation conditions [10]. The goal was to perform an integral testing of the new target design (which includes an air-cooled external assembly) as well as to validate the final core material selection.…”

“…The figure shows the schematics and photos of one of the HRMT48 experiments, showing the first real scale antiproton targets that will be operating from 2021 at CERN. This specific target is equipped with an EG matrix and cores of different diameters and grades of Ta and Ir (extracted from[10]). …”

Development of a Neutron Imaging Station at the n_TOF Facility of CERN and Applications to Beam Intercepting Devices

“…In order to validate the neutron imaging setup and measure its performances, five different samples have been tested within three imaging sessions in 2015, 2016 and 2017. All of these samples are related to operationally-related and R&D activities launched at CERN for the design and manufacturing of a new set of antiproton production targets (named AD-Target) [14]. The obtained images -in addition to validating the neutron imaging technique at n_TOF EAR2 -had a direct technical application within this project.…”