760-metre dummy conductor fabricated at ASIPP

A big milestone was achieved on 2 October when the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Chinese Academy of Science (ASIPP) completed the assembly and testing of the first 760 metres of toroidal field dummy conductor.

This is a meaningful step for ITER China: now, according to the Procurement Arrangement, the conductor will be divided into two pieces. One hundred metres of the 760-metre-long conductor will be delivered to the European Domestic Agency and the remaining 660 metres will be delivered to the Japanese Domestic Agency where further testing will be performed for the coil manufacturing.
 
China will supply 7.51 percent of ITER's toroidal field conductors, whose procurement is shared by six Domestic Agencies. With the support of the Chinese Domestic Agency and the ITER Organization, ASIPP contracted with domestic enterprises and institutes to develop the related engineering work and technology. ASIPP established a quality management system; built three conductor assembly lines; and completed research, installation and commissioning of the manufacturing equipment. Three short samples (TFCN1, TFCN2, TFCN3) have all been tested in the Sultan test facility in Switzerland where they met ITER Organization requirements and passed the obligatory quality checks.

Conductor integrating began on 14 September with the section welding of the conduit, non-destructive examination, cable insertion, compaction, and spooling. At each stage—up to the final acceptance test—representatives from the Chinese Domestic Agency and the ITER Organization were present.

We would like to express our special thanks to colleagues at both of these institutions for all their support and the spirit of cooperation that they have demonstrated over these past five years. We hope to continue in that spirit.