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Latest ITER Newsline

  • Vacuum components | Shake, rattle, and... qualify!

    A public-private testing partnership certified that ITER's vacuum components can withstand major seismic events. Making sure the ITER tokamak will be safe in th [...]

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  • Feeders | Delivering the essentials

    Like a circle of giant syringes all pointing inward, the feeders transport and deliver the essentials to the 10,000-tonne ITER magnet system—that is, electrical [...]

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  • Image of the week | It's FAB season

    It's FAB season at ITER. Like every year since 2008, the Financial Audit Board (FAB) will proceed with a meticulous audit of the project's finances, siftin [...]

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  • Disruption mitigation | Final design review is a major step forward

    The generations of physicists, engineers, technicians and other specialists who have worked in nuclear fusion share a common goal, dedication and responsibility [...]

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  • Image of the week | Like grasping a bowl of cereal

    Contrary to the vast majority of ITER machine components, the modules that form the central solenoid cannot be lifted by way of hooks and attachments. The 110-t [...]

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Of Interest

See archived entries

ITER NEWSLINE -

Conceptual design for ITER's vacuum lines completed

Preparation is everything: no real design recommendation or improvement could be proposed. (Click to view larger version...)
Preparation is everything: no real design recommendation or improvement could be proposed.
The vacuum lines are the veins of the ITER machine. They transport the exhaust from the vacuum vessel, cryostat and other systems to the tritium plant for cleaning and reprocessing. They are essential for the majority of ITER systems to function.

An impressive 15-kilometre network of stainless steel piping - some of which is designed to safely contain a higher tritium throughput than any other device—forms one of ITER's most extensive distributed systems along with cryo and water cooling.

''It now appears fully achievable to realize the signing of the Procurement Arrangement in March as scheduled,'' design leader Robert Pearce (centre) said after the succesful meeting. (Click to view larger version...)
''It now appears fully achievable to realize the signing of the Procurement Arrangement in March as scheduled,'' design leader Robert Pearce (centre) said after the succesful meeting.
As a critical system for the successful achievement of First Plasma, the completion of the conceptual design review for the main vacuum lines and assembly leak detection equipment, this week, was a rewarding result for a true team effort. "This was truly a comprehensive and well advanced review," was the comment from Dave Rasmussen from US ITER, one of the many experienced vacuum experts on the review panel.

Among other topics, the panel was asked to insure that the impacts of non-achievable requirements have been correctly assessed. However the panel could not identify any issues and one distinguished panel member, Rainer Laesser of F4E, in his final conclusions expressed his slight disappointment with the fact that no real design recommendation or improvement could be proposed. In total, the panel felt that the whole review was meticulously prepared and conveyed exceptional understanding of tokamak construction.

"It now appears fully achievable to realize the signing of the Procurement Arrangement in March as scheduled," design leader Robert Pearce said. Soon after, the paperwork will turn into real hardware, as the first vacuum lines are expected to be installed in 2013.

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