Accelerator Update for December 22, 2008 - December 29, 2008

The Integrated Luminosity for 12/22/08 to 12/29/08 was 59.42 Pb^-1.

Monday Dec 22

The day shift began with Operations monitoring the Tevatron (TeV) store 6672 (137.44E30) and the Recycler stash (142.4E10), with the Antiproton Source stacking (17.5E10), with the Linac, Booster, and Main Injector (MI) operating normally, with the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) and D-Zero (D0) experiments using the colliding beams, and with the MiniBooNE and NuMI experiments taking beam.

On the day shift Linac experts replaced the power amplifier (PA) for an RF station (LRF5). Since this job held off beam, Booster, MI, Pbar, and Preaccelerator experts performed various maintenance tasks.

On the evening shift Linac experts completed their LRF5 work. Linac resumed sending beam by 5 PM. The Pelletron VME failed. It took about an hour for experts to complete this repair. Operations terminated store 6672.

Tuesday Dec 23

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring the stash (268.1E10), with Pbar stacking (47.0E10), and with MiniBooNE and NuMI taking beam.

On the midnight shift Linac experts worked on replacing the PA for LRF3.

On the day shift Linac experts had LRF3 back online by 9:30 AM. Operations established store 6674 with an initial luminosity of 282.4E30. Recycler experts conducted RF studies.

On the evening shift MIRF14 tripped off. It reset.

Wednesday Dec 24

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring store 6674 (83.79E30) and the stash (293.4E10), with Pbar stacking (30.8E10), and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

On the midnight shift Operations terminated store 6674 and established store 6675 with an initial luminosity of 313.5E30. Booster had some beam position problems.

On the day shift Booster experts investigated their problems with beam position. The Neutron Therapy Facility (NTF) treated a patient.

On the evening shift MI experts repaired a MI-10 quadrupole power supply. This held off beam to MiniBooNE for a short time.

Thursday Dec 25

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring store 6675 and the stash (358.6E30), with Pbar stacking (34.7E10), and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

On the midnight shift Operations terminated store 6675. D0 made an access to their collision hall to repair a silicon power supply. Pbar had a problem with its auto tune program. Operations established store 6679 with an initial luminosity of 335.8E30.

On the day shift the 400MeV area was suffering from bad Linac beam positions. Operators investigated.

On the evening shift Operations terminated store 6679 and established store 6680 with an initial luminosity of 347.3E30.

Friday Dec 26

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring store 6680 (200.0E30) and the stash (113.6E10), with Pbar stacking (34.1E10), and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

On the midnight shift a problem with the Pelletron VME required a controls expert to come in and reboot it. Operations moved the Pbar antiproton target.

On the day shift Operations terminated store 6680 and then prepared CDF and D0 for a two-hour access. Operations established store 6683 with an initial luminosity of 360.95E30. This store set a New Luminosity Record.

On the evening shift LRF3, MIRF13, and a Linac Klystron RF station (KRF5) all tripped off. They reset.

Saturday Dec 27

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring the TeV store 6683 (125.65E30) and the stash (272.1E10), with Pbar stacking (18.6E10), and with MiniBooNE and NuMI taking beam.

On the midnight shift Booster experts repaired a kicker (MKS08) cable. Operators replaced a failed Pbar Debuncher power supply (D:HT906A) that was preventing stashing. Operations terminated store 6683.

On the day shift Operations established store 6684 with an initial luminosity of 344.0E30. Operations turned off the MiniBooNE beam due to air conditioning problems that were causing over heating in an electronic equipment rack. Store 6684 quenched due to a TeV sector D1 wet engine failure. Cryo system experts made repairs. Then a D1 Kautzky valve was found stuck open. Cryo system experts accessed the TeV tunnel to fix the valve. FESS personnel were busy all shift with high water problems.

The above picture is of the Booster Pond.

On the evening shift cryo system experts completed the Kautzky valve repairs. Operations began the D1 cryo system cool down. Operators checked sump pumps.

Sunday Dec 28

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring the stash (276.2E10), with Pbar stacking (26.8E10), and with NuMI taking beam.

On the midnight shift the D1 cryo system went cold. Operators checked the accelerators for high water problems. Operations established store 6688 with an initial luminosity of 351.0E30.

On the day shift Operations reestablished beam to MiniBooNE. A Recycler kicker at R30 tripped off on magnet temperature interlock. Experts investigated and bypassed the interlock.

On the evening shift store 6688 quenched due to a power supply (VD47) failure. The D1 Kautzky valve stuck open again. Operations prepared the TeV and D0 for access. Cryo system experts reseated the valve.

Monday Dec 29

The midnight shift began with Operations monitoring the stash, with Pbar stacking, and with NuMI and MiniBooNE taking beam.

On the midnight shift the D1 cryo system went cold. Unfortunately, the harmonic filter at TeV sector A3 failed and the VCB would not close due to a cable fault. Operations called in experts. MIRF16 tripped off and would not reset. Operators bypassed the station.

The Plans for Monday

The plans for today are to fix the TeV harmonic filter and VCB at sector A3 and then resume stacking, stashing, and storing.

Accelerator Update Archive

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