Risk and Machine Protection for Stored Magnetic and Beam Energies

TL;DR

This paper discusses how to assess and mitigate risks from stored magnetic and beam energies in high-energy physics systems using a lifecycle approach inspired by IEC 61508, applicable to both new and existing systems.

Contribution

It introduces a risk-based methodology for designing and analyzing high-energy physics protection systems, integrating lifecycle principles for safety management.

Findings

Risk-based approach effectively guides system design.

Lifecycle analysis aids in understanding existing system safety.

Methodology supports both new and existing system safety assessments.

Abstract

Risk is a fundamental consideration when designing electronic systems. For most systems a view of risk can assist in setting design objectives, whereas both a qualitative and quantitative understanding of risk is mandatory when considering protection systems. This paper gives an overview of the risks due to stored magnetic and beam energies in high-energy physics, and shows how a risk-based approach can be used to design new systems mitigating these risks, using a lifecycle inspired by IEC 61508. Designing new systems in high-energy physics can be challenging as new and novel techniques are difficult to quantify and predict. This paper shows how the same lifecycle approach can be used in reverse to analyse existing systems, following their operation and first experiences.