Scientists to give giant magnets a second life after an epic road trip

Engineers and scientists from the US Department of Energy national laboratories are repurposing large, powerful electromagnets from decommissioned or upgraded facilities for new scientific projects, notably the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. These magnets, essential for steering and focusing subatomic particles in accelerators, are costly and time-consuming to manufacture new. By reusing hundreds of electromagnets from facilities such as Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), which recently upgraded its equipment, the EIC project saves millions of dollars and reduces strain on the global magnet manufacturing supply. Brookhaven Lab has a strong history of magnet reuse, exemplified by the sPHENIX experiment’s use of a 30,000-pound solenoid magnet from the decommissioned BaBar experiment at SLAC. Transporting these massive magnets requires complex logistics, including multi-modal shipping and careful coordination to ensure safety. After relocation, the magnets undergo rigorous testing and refurbishment to confirm their performance and