Electrical performance characteristics of the SSC accelerator system string test

The intent of the Accelerator System String Test (ASST) is to obtain data for model verification and information on the magnitudes of pressures and voltages encountered in an accelerator environment. The ASST milestone run was achieved during July and August, 1992 and consisted of demonstrating that the accelerator components could be configured together as a system operating at full current. Following the milestone run, the string was warmed to counteract some design flaws that impeded the operational range. The string was again cooled to cryogenic temperatures in October, and a comprehensive power testing program was conducted through the end of January, 1993. This paper describes how the collider arc components operate in an accelerator environment during quenches induced by firing both strip heaters and spot heaters. Evaluation of the data illustrates how variations in the design parameters on magnets used in a string environment can impact system performance