The vacuum interlock system for the CELSIUS ring

A vacuum interlock system has been designed and built for the CELSIUS storage ring. The ultrahigh-vacuum system of CELSIUS has a design pressure of 10-11 mbar. This is achieved by using vacuum-fired stainless-steel chambers, baking the whole ring to 300degC and running some 50 sputter ion and titanium sublimation pumps. The turbopumps, combined with roughing pumps, are used during the pump-down and the bake-out. The pressure is monitored by Penning vacuum gauges. There is a number of programmable pressure thresholds set to trigger various events (like closing the sector valves, disabling the bake-out, etc.). The interlock system is based on the Mitsubishi programmable logic controller (PLC). An IBM PC is used as an operator's console. The operation and performance of the system is described. On the basis of present experience an upgrading of the system is suggested. (orig.)