New Hybrid Composite Structure developed for CERN Particle Accelerator

The 5 metre long carbon fibre structure is located at the heart of a 7,000 tonne detector in the worlds largest particle accelerator at the CERN research centre in Geneva.

CERN, the renowned European Organisation for Nuclear Research discovered the Higgs particle back in 2012, now after a two-year shut down the accelerator is to be restarted this spring.

The lightweight carbon fibre components have been installed at the centre of the ATLAS detector, the component will carry the beam tube through which the particles will fly. The metal/CFRP structure was developed and produced by Teufelberger in cooperation with a German manufacturing partner. It offers several compelling advantages over its all-aluminium predecessor.

The new lightweight part will expand less at high temperatures, and because of its lower mass, absorbs less radiation. An aspect of particular importance is the safe transmission of loads between metal and fibre composite structures at the ends of the tube.