PERFORMANCE STUDIES OF THE SPS BEAM DUMP SYSTEM FOR HL-LHC BEAMS

Abstract The Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) beam dump system is a concern for the planned High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) operation. The system has initially been designed for very different beam parameters compared to those which will reign after the completion of the LHC injectors upgrade, when the SPS will have to operate with unprecedented beam brightness. This paper describes the relevant operational and failure modes of the dump system together with the expected beam loading levels. Tracking studies are presented, considering both normal operation and failure scenarios, with particular attention to the location and level of proton losses. First FLUKA investigations and thermomechanical analysis of the high-energy absorber block are described