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Latest ITER Newsline
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Without minimizing challenges, Council reaffirms commitment
On 24 October 2007, the ITER Organization was officially established following the ratification by the seven ITER Members of the project's constitutive document [...]
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Heat waves
Plasma is like a tenuous mist of particles—light atoms that have been dissociated into ions (the atom nucleus) and free-roaming electrons. In order to study pla [...]
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What a difference ten days make
There was a time when progress in Tokamak Complex construction was easy to follow.Excavation in 2010; the creation of the ground support structure and seismic f [...]
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What's in the box?
At ITER, even the opening of a box takes on a spectacular dimension. The operation requires a powerful crane, a full team of specialists and, as everything ITER [...]
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EU Commission has "positive appreciation" of ITER progress
On 14 June, the European Commission issued a Communication presenting the revised schedule and budget estimates for European participation in ITER. Its object? [...]
ITER NEWSLINE -
First plant components now in place
A powerful crane and worker dexterity - that's what is needed to precisely position the 87-ton component onto the supports that span the gravel-covered pit.
The four US-procured transformers that will be needed to distribute power to the ITER installation have all reached the ITER site. The first one had been the first Highly Exceptional Load to travel along the ITER Itinerary in January; three more were delivered on 21 May in a single transport operation.
A mere two hours after arrival, one of the four transformers was readied for installation on the platform in the vicinity of the the 400 kV switchyard. A powerful crane was used to position the 87-ton component on its dedicated pad; the same operation was duplicated the following day. Two transformers are now place—the first installed components of the ITER plant.
The pad onto which each transformer is solidly anchored covers a 1.5-metre-deep, gravel-covered pit that has been dimensioned to receive the 44 cubic metres of oil the component contains (oil is used as an insulator) in case of a leak. Eight-metre walls stand between the pads to prevent a possible fire in one transformer from spreading to the others.
The four transformers will bring down the voltage from 400 kV to the standard 20 kV of industrial installations. "ITER could operate with only three transformers but for reasons of flexibility and redundancy, we have opted for four," explains ITER Electrical Power Distribution section leader Joël Hourtoule.
The second pair of transformers will be installed in the coming weeks.
View a slide show of the convoy and transformer installation below.
104 kilometres to go
Departing from Berre on 20 May 2015. The inland sea Étang de Berre had been crossed the day before. (Photo Joël Hourtoule)
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On the road again
The convoy was composed of three trailers, each carrying one 87-tonne transformer. (Photo: Inyoung Suh)
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Ready for installation
A mere two hours after arrival, one of the four transformers was installed on the platform in the vicinity of the 400 kV switchyard. Note the eight-metre-tall protective wall on the right.
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One last little push
The main body of transformer #1 is now in place, ready to receive its equipment and later to be connected to the 400 kV switchyard in order to distribute power throughout the ITER installation.
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