Status on the Development of the Nb$_{3}$Sn 12 T Falcon Dipole for the FCC-hh

The quest for advancing science and technology continues with the Future Circular Collider (FCC), which requires 16 T bending dipoles to be installed along its 100 km tunnel to achieve a center-of-mass energy of 100 TeV, in its hadron-hadron version. The promising Nb$_{3}$Sn technology for superconducting magnets presents a potential solution for large-scale production. In line with this, the European strategy for particle physics has urged for increased efforts in High Field Magnet R&D, specifically in constructing demonstrators for Nb$_{3}$Sn technology. To address this call, the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) and CERN entered into an agreement to build a 1.5 m long cos-theta dipole in Nb$_{3}$Sn, called Falcon Dipole (The Future Accelerator post-LHC Cos-theta Optimized Nb$_{3}$Sn Dipole). The project aims to consolidate the fabrication process for Nb$_{3}$Sn superconducting dipoles in the 12–14 T range, engaging industry partners in the initial stages of the R&D phase. This article provides a recall of the magnet design features and highlights the progress made in the development activities. Critical processes like the reaction treatment and the impregnation are discussed, with an emphasis on the test outcomes and the challenges faced. By taking these into account, plans for the production of the coils for the final configuration can be effectively formulated.

I. Introduction

In This paper, we offer an extensive overview of the current status of the Falcon Dipole project. We begin with a concise introduction to the project and its main objectives. Subsequently, we present the main features of the magnet design, the milestones achieved so far, and the tests conducted to validate the design. Our discussion concludes by addressing the complexities faced in our collaboration with the industry responsible for coil fabrication and the innovative solutions employed to overcome these challenges. Furthermore, we outline our plans for the project in the near future.