Remote Disconnection System for the beam dump of the LIPAc accelerator

Abstract

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), will be a test facility in which candidate materials for the use in fusion reactors can be fully qualified. The LIPAc (Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator) is a prototype of one of the two IFMIF accelerators that is currently being built in Rokkasho (Japan). There is a beam dump made of copper at the end of the accelerator to stop the deuterons. The connection of the beam dump with the rest of the accelerator is the object of this article. The requirements imposed on the connection include radiation levels in that section, vacuum and leak tightness, alignment capabilities of the system, dimensions compatible with the beam stay clear and disconnection of the system from outside the shielding. The characteristics, functions and layout of the different elements of the mechanical system are explained in this article.