Accelerator Update for November 17, 2006 - November 20, 2006

Friday November 17

The day shift began with the Tevatron (TeV) in standby while other machines recovered from the power glitch, with Operations monitoring a Recycler stash (68.9E10), with the Antiproton Source (Pbar) stacking (50.3E10), with Linac, Booster, the Main Injector (MI), NuMI, and MiniBooNE recovering, and with the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) and D-Zero (D0) in access.

The Recycler completed a stash of antiprotons from Pbar at 9:47 AM.

Operations prepared the TeV transfer hall and sectors A-E for access at 10:08 AM.

At 10:48 AM, mechanical technicians reported finding a large ball of ice and a frozen water line at TeV sector C4. They began melting the ice.

Operations established beam to MiniBooNE at 10:49 AM.

The Recycler completed a stash at 1:16 PM.

Operations established beam to NuMI at 1:23 PM.

D0 came out of access at 1:34 PM.

Operations prepared the TeV F sector for an access at 1:37 PM to investigate a sump problem.

Operations put the Booster into dump mode at 1:49 PM. Booster experts began a study period.

Linac experts switched the Preaccelerator from the H- Source to the I- Source at 1:50 PM.

At 2:56 PM, FESS techs reported that the E35 sump pump had failed. Replacing the pump would take about nine hours, so they will install a portable pump. This work took about an hour.

Operations established beam to MiniBooNE at 3:44 PM.

Operations put the TeV through a dry squeeze at 9:33 PM.

At 10:08 PM, Operations reported having a problem with stochastic cooling for the Recycler. An expert came in and investigated.

At 11:21 PM, Operations reported a problem with the Pbar target air-pressure. The pump tripped off and wouldn’t restart. Stacking was stopped. Operations contacted an expert.

Operations established a 14x0 study-store at 11:31 PM (14 bunches of protons and zero antiprotons).

Saturday November 18

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring a stash (156.6E10) and stack (108.7E10), with Pbar not stacking, and with MiniBooNE and NuMI taking for beam.

Operations put the TeV into shot setup at 12:48 AM.

Recycler experts reported at 2:22 AM that they had completed their work on the vertical dampers.

A Pbar expert reported at 3:56 AM that the air blower had a broken shaft and it was replaced.

Operations established store 5080 at 4:02 AM with an initial luminosity of 105.8E30.

The Recycler completed a stash at 4:23 AM.

Pbar resumed stacking at 4:24 AM.

The Recycler completed a stash at 7:19 AM.

At 9:50 AM, Operations reported problems with Recycler cooling. An expert recommended turning off the dampers, which was done.

At 10:04 AM, the I- Source tripped off. It reset okay.

Operations reported at 10:23 AM that turning off the dampers had helped the Recycler emittances.

At 11:19 AM, Operations had put the Recycler into shot setup, but Accumulator problems stopped the transfer. Operations put Pbar back into stacking mode at 11:34 AM.

The Recycler completed a stash at 12:20 PM. Operators had found and restored a bad file.

The Recycler completed a stash at 3:55 PM.

Operations terminated store 5080 at 6:04 PM.

Operations had D0 and CDF prepared for an access by 6:27 PM

At 7:17 PM, Operations had prepared the Recycler to stash. The first transfer didn’t make it in. Operators investigated and found that the kicker timing was off.

The Recycler completed a stash at 7:49 PM.

CDF and D0 were out of access by 8:38 PM.

Operations put the TeV through a dry squeeze at 9:12 PM.

Operations put the TeV into shot setup at 9:43 PM.

At 10:49 PM, a Booster kicker tripped off on a fan fault and would not reset. Operators bypassed the kicker and called in an expert.

The Booster expert had the kicker fan replaced by 11:56 PM.

Sunday November 19

The midnight shift began with the TeV in shot setup, with Operations monitoring a stash, with Pbar stacking, and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

Operations established store 5082 at 1:42 AM with an initial luminosity of 181.2E30.

The Recycler completed a stash at 1:50 AM.

The Recycler had completed two more stashes by 7:03 AM.

Recycler experts began a study period at 2:24 PM.

The Recycler had completed three more stashes by 5:17 PM.

At 9:11 PM, Operations reported having problems with the Pelletron. Operations called in an expert.

The Recycler expert had the Pelletron back on by 10:18 PM.

The Recycler completed a stash at 11:27 PM.

Operations terminated store 5082 at 11:34 PM.

Operations prepared CDF for an access at 11:43 PM.

Monday November 20

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring a stash, with Pbar stacking, with CDF in access, and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

CDF came out of access at 1:06 AM.

The Recycler completed a stash at 1:41 AM.

Operations put the TeV through a dry squeeze at 1:42 AM.

Operations put the TeV into shot setup at 2:08 AM.

Operations established store 5084 at 4:18 AM with an initial luminosity of 210.12E30. (This was the third largest luminosity ever established in the TeV.)

The Neutron Therapy Facility reported at 7:26 AM that they would be treating three patients this morning.

The Recycler completed two more stashes by 7:53 AM.

The Plans for Monday

The plans for today are to stack, stash, and store. The Run Coordinator will allow MI to conduct some studies.

Accelerator Update Archive

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