The European superconductors for ITER magnets

Thursday 11 Nov 2021, 10:30 → 12:00 Europe/Zurich

ZOOM

Thierry Boutboul (CERN)

Abstract:

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ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is an international project being built in south of France. Its main purpose is to demonstrate the technological feasibility of fusion energy. To maintain very drastic conditions of plasma density and temperature, magnetic confinement supported by large and high-field superconducting magnets is used, among them Toroidal Field (TF) and Poloidal Field (PF) coils. Europe was in charge to supply to ITER around 20% of the TF and 11% of the PF superconducting conductors. This supply required the procurement by the industry of around 100 tons of Nb3Sn strand and 45 tons of NbTi strand and the fabrication of dozens of up to ~ 800 m long Cable-In-Conduit-Conductor lengths. In this presentation, the conductor supply and characterization strategy will be briefly surveyed and the various stages of conductor fabrication, from the strand to the final conductor, will be described, including strand characterization data and technical challenges. Last but not least, some lessons learnt from ITER EU conductor procurement will be presented.

European Superconductors for ITER magnets.pdf

European Superconductors for ITER magnets.pptx