Subscribe options

Select your newsletters:

Please enter your email address:

@

Your email address will only be used for the purpose of sending you the ITER Organization publication(s) that you have requested. ITER Organization will not transfer your email address or other personal data to any other party or use it for commercial purposes.

If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe by clicking the unsubscribe option at the bottom of an email you've received from ITER Organization.

For more information, see our Privacy policy.

News & Media

Latest ITER Newsline

  • Fusion world | Public/private consortium is building the DTT tokamak

    The Divertor Test Tokamak in Italy is creating a new model for engagement with industry in fusion research. ITER helped to pave the way. The Divertor Test Tokam [...]

    Read more

  • Image of the week | An architectural paradox

    There is something deliberately paradoxical in the architectural treatment of the ITER buildings. On the one hand, the alternation between the mirror-like stai [...]

    Read more

  • Former French Prime Minister | A fan then and now

    For Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France (2002-2005) who visited ITER on Friday 15 March, touring the ITER installation with ITER Director-Gene [...]

    Read more

  • CARE at ITER | New project values launched

    Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Excellence drive the future of fusion for a diverse staff. When Pietro Barabaschi joined as ITER Director-General to [...]

    Read more

  • Blanket | Midway through shield block procurement

    It all begins with a forged stainless-steel block weighing nine tonnes. As machining and deep-drilling operations commence, the rectangular block progressively [...]

    Read more

Of Interest

See archived entries

Magnets

CEA delivers ITER cryogenic instrumentation

The ITER Organization has relied on the French CEA institute and its expertise in cryogenics and large superconducting magnets for the specialized instrumentation needed to control and protect the ITER magnets during the cooling operation. This past summer the full scope of the procurement—more than 3,000 devices—was completed on time, and to cost, quality and performance specifications.

Developing and overseeing the delivery of more than 3,000 instruments for the control and protection of the ITER magnets: members of the ITER and CEA teams, plus CEA contractors. (Click to view larger version...)
Developing and overseeing the delivery of more than 3,000 instruments for the control and protection of the ITER magnets: members of the ITER and CEA teams, plus CEA contractors.
Cryogenic temperature chains and flowmeters are small devices that will convey accurate measurements of magnet temperature and helium flowrate from their positions inside the magnet structures, terminals and supply lines (feeders). This data is critical to ensuring that the magnets are operating under well controlled and reliable conditions, and that helium flow distribution to the magnets is correct.

The measurement solutions are based on proven technologies, augmented by specific development to meet ITER's challenging performance and environmental constraints.

A temperature sensor and its support. Some 2,200 cryogenic temperature measurement chains were included in the scope of the contract between the ITER Organization and the CEA. (Click to view larger version...)
A temperature sensor and its support. Some 2,200 cryogenic temperature measurement chains were included in the scope of the contract between the ITER Organization and the CEA.
Two separate contracts were placed in 2014 with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA Grenoble) for this work, carried out under the supervision of ITER Magnet Instrumentation and In-Vessel Coil Section.

The first order was for 2,200 cryogenic temperature chains—three-part instruments (a sensor, signal interfaces and a signal conditioner) that can measure temperature over a wide range (3K to 300K), relay low-level signals out 350 metres to the electronics with high accuracy, and operate in challenging radiation and power dissipation conditions. The second order comprised 277 cryogenic flowmeters that will be installed in the feeder coil termination boxes to measure the helium volumetric flow. In addition, 860 pressure measurement devices are required that will operate in normal (and not cryogenic) conditions.

Both components went through extensive design and qualification phases before series production could begin.

This past summer the full scope of the procurement—more than 3,000 devices—was successfully completed on time, and to cost, quality and performance specifications. After inspection at the neighbouring Magnet Infrastructure Facilities for ITER (MIFI, hosted by CEA Cadarache) this equipment will be shipped by the ITER Organization to the Domestic Agencies procuring magnet structures, terminals and feeders.



return to the latest published articles