Published 26th February 2019
After 11 short but intense weeks, the dismantling of the ESRF’s third-generation storage ring is nearing completion! This week will see the last four girders, containing magnets, vacuum chambers and associated instrumentation, lifted out of the storage ring tunnels, ready to be replaced with the Extremely Brilliant Source – the world’s first high-energy, fourth-generation synchrotron source!
First, teams disconnect electrical cables and cooling pipes from the girders and remove them from the tunnel. Credit: Stef Candé.
Next, the girder is securely attached to a crane that will lift it through the open tunnel roof. Credit: Stef Candé.
A crane operator surveys the girder as it is lifted out of the tunnel. Credit: Stef Candé.
The girder is transported by the crane along the tunnel roof to a dedicated ‘drop zone’. Credit: Stef Candé.
The girder is then lowered onto a waiting trolley, where it will be transported into storage. Credit: Stef Candé.