New magnet developed by engineers at Daresbury
ENGINEERS based at Sci-Tech Daresbury have developed a cutting edge energy-saving magnet that could play a part in major scientific breakthroughs as part of the next generation of particle accelerators.
Using electromagnetic fields to propel electrons and protons to nearly the speed of light has been used in making some of the greatest ever discoveries such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland which helped to find the Higgs boson.
Although the LHC is due to continue running for years to come, physicists are already planning for another large-scale research facility.
One of these is the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC), a 50km-long accelerator being proposed for CERN, and which will reach record-breaking energies and be the most powerful electron accelerator ever built.
These massive devices need flexible, tuneable electromagnet that can bend and focus particle beams, and this requires large amounts of energy unlike fixed magnets.
They also need water cooling systems and pumps that cost extra.
Sci-Tech engineers have now designed, built and patented the Zero science division at the Science And able considering how many they’d fysik vice president of sales and marPower Tuneable Optics (Zepto) focusTechnology Facilities Council (STFC) need, and we’re thrilled to have met keting, said: “Danfysik is looking forsing magnets, which is a permanent Accelerator Science And Technology their challenge.” ward to bringing STFC’s permanent but tuneable magnet that could Centre at Daresbury, said: “Designing The technology behind the magnet based ‘green’ magnet technology to power particle accelerators at a fracand building the Zepto magnets for was designed by Prof Clarke and his the market. tion of existing costs. CERN is a fantastic achievement for team and patented through STFC’s “As a leading provider of perma
A Sci-Tech spokeswoman said that STFC, and confirms STFC’s ability to business and innovations division, nent based magnet technologies for should CLIC be cleared for construcdesign, develop and test the brand which is responsible for the commerreplacing traditional electromagnets, tion, CERN will need more than new technologies required to build cial exploitation of technology and under the name ‘Green Magnet Tech40,000 Zepto magnets. the world’s next generations of intellectual property developed at nology’, the ZEPTO magnet concept is
It is hoped the Zepto will also help research facilities. STFC. a perfect match to our product portfoto build accelerators for healthcare “CERN needed a new type of magAs a result the technology has been lio.“The future accelerator systems applications such as particle therapy net that was permanent, adjustable, licensed to Danfysik A/S, a world systems, the most well-known of environmentally-friendly and almost leading provider of components for will benefit from zero energy conwhich is proton beam therapy. free to run. particle accelerators worldwide. sumption and inexpensive infrastruc
Professor Jim Clarke, head of the “It also needed to be easily up-scal- Henning Bach Christensen, Dan- ture no power and no cooling.” ●