Speaker
Description
Run 3 represents the final operational phase of the LHC before the transition to the High-Luminosity (HL) LHC era. It covers the operational years 2022 to 2026 and ends just before Long Shutdown 3, starting in July 2026. This period is defined by the successful restart of beam operation following the maintenance and upgrades during Long Shutdown 2, the establishment of a stable operational scheme enabling record-breaking integrated luminosities, and the exploration of performance limits in preparation for HL-LHC. This has all been achieved with infrastructure and equipment soon approaching two decades since first commissioning.
Run 3 availability was closely monitored using CERN’s Accelerator Fault Tracking tool, which records fault source, duration, and cross-system impacts. The analysis presented here extracts lessons for HL-LHC from these fault statistics. Machine unavailability is dominated by long-duration faults arising from latent weaknesses, often introduced by recent upgrades and exposed when performance is pushed to its limits. While individual systems require targeted mitigation, there is little evidence of accelerator-wide aging. Radiation-induced faults show a strong impact, demanding specific attention for HL operation. These insights support future strategies for efficient machine exploitation.
| In which format do you inted to submit your paper? | LaTeX |
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