Edwards’ Pumps to be used in CERN Accelerator Upgrades

Edwards Group Limited, a leading manufacturer of sophisticated vacuum products and abatement systems and a leading provider of related value-added services, will be supplying 35 new XDS dry scroll pumps to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, based on the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva.

CERN has placed an order for 30 XDS35i dry scroll pumps and 5 XDS10 dry scroll pumps. Some of these pumps are to replace an existing installation of previous generation Edwards’ scroll pumps; this upgrade to the newer generation of scroll pumps will take place during CERN’s scheduled extended shutdown, (2013-2014). CERN’s Linear Accelerator 4 (Linac 4) test bench already has the new XDS pumps installed. Linac 4 is 80 meters long and located 12 meters below ground; construction is almost complete, and beams will begin to be produced in 2014. The full connection to the LHC injector chain is expected in 2017. This will double the LHC beam brightness, and is the first step in the project to increase the luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider during the next decade.

Edwards’ XDS range incorporates a unique dry pumping scroll mechanism that provides a robust and clean pumping solution. The XDS offer a completely oil free vacuum and are hermetically sealed; bearing life is significantly extended, therefore reducing maintenance and environmental impact. Annual interventions (repairs, labor and maintenance) for Edwards’ XDS10 and XDS35i dry pumps are on average three times less than that for oil-sealed pumps. Minor service requirements can be carried out in-situ, an important benefit for CERN as their pumps have to be serviced on site. The high reliability of the XDS pumps was another advantage for CERN.

“We have a long experience with scroll pumps produced by Edwards; their reliability is in line with our expectation” said Paolo Chiggiato, deputy leader of the Vacuum, Surfaces and Coatings group at CERN.

“Edwards strives to supply leading edge products for leading edge research and we are delighted that CERN has chosen to use Edwards’ scroll technology for their highest profile experiments,” commented Russell Coleman, Edwards’ Market Sector Manager, R&D.