Spot the differences

A Colosseum ... a rotunda ... an amphitheatre

After close to two and a half years of covering the construction of the ITER bioshield, we are running short of comparisons. So let's write with sobriety that as of this month, the bioshield is nearly finished, with only 30 percent of the last level (L4) remaining to be poured. Upon completion, the scaffolding will be removed and the entire structure will be fully exposed for the first time.

18 January 2018

One kilometre of construction

All of the ITER plant buildings are located on the level 42-hectare construction platform, which is one kilometre in length. In the early years of the construction project, deep galleries were created under the surface of the platform for storm water, run-off water, and technical services like electricity and water. Most of these galleries have now disappeared from view, but their role will be critical during ITER operation.

18 January 2018

Benchmarks for positioning the cryostat

When the last level of the bioshield has been finalized, the temporary "lid" that is currently positioned at mid-height will be raised to the top to act as a roof. (A recess in the concrete shows where the lid will rest.) This will provide access to the entire volume of the Tokamak Pit for machine assembly activities and enable workers to install a certain number of benchmarks ("topographic benchmarks") that will be essential to the precise positioning of the four sections of the cryostat.

18 January 2018

The northern half

Looking north from one of the five cranes serving Tokamak Complex construction, the photographer is able to capture activity on the northern part of the worksite, including construction of the heat rejection zone (top centre). The Control Building will be situated in the top left of the platform, accessible from ITER Headquarters.

Waiting for the tanks

In front of the cryoplant (second building from the top) what looks like a theatre marquee, ready to shelter chauffeured limousines, is in fact a concrete platform that will support a 190,000-litre liquid helium tank—one of the 11 tanks that will be installed, either vertically or horizontally, along the building. Early in February, the first of eleven helium and nitrogen tanks of various sizes and capacities, some vertical some horizontal, will be installed outside the building. Most of them will be anchored to the circular structures that are visible at the right end of the building. Civil works are now finalized in the twin power conversion buildings that stand parallel to the cryoplant (only one is visible in full on this image). The buildings will accommodate the converter units, busbars and control system that convert the AC current from the grid into DC current to be fed to the magnet system.