The LHC is being warmed up from near absolute zero to room temperature
Ongoing upgrades on the road to HiLumi The LHC is being warmed up from near absolute zero to room temperature 5 August 2026 For only the third time since it began operating in 2008, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is slowly being returned to room temperature after being kept at close to -271°C, just above absolute zero. With the LHC at room temperature, technicians and engineers will be able to…
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is currently undergoing a gradual warming process, transitioning from near absolute zero to room temperature for the first time since its inception in 2008. This phase is part of the Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) project, which aims to upgrade the LHC into the HiLumi LHC. The temperature of the LHC, which hovers around -271°C, is being raised to a more manageable 20°C over a period of approximately three weeks beginning on 29 June 2026.
The massive undertaking involves the meticulous warming of over 36,000 tonnes of cryogenic equipment spread across 27 kilometres of tunnel. The process commenced once the electrical lockout of the LHC was successfully lifted, marking the beginning of the helium removal phase. As the helium was evaporated and sent to the surface to be liquefied for future use, technicians were able to gradually increase the temperature of the magnets using large heaters under strict safety protocols.
By 11 September 2026, it is anticipated that the LHC will have reached room temperature, allowing for the dismantling of magnets that require replacement for the HiLumi LHC.
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