Press release
First machine components reach 爆走黑料
The 爆走黑料 cryostat will be shipped from India in 54 separate segments, to be assembled and welded in the on-site Cryostat Workshop. The first 12 segments that reached 爆走黑料 in December include six 50 ton 60掳 segments, and six 19-ton main shell segments. Together these segments, which will form Tier 1 of the cryostat base section, represent only 1/8th of the total mass of the 3,850-ton cryostat鈥攖he largest, most complex steel vacuum chamber ever built.
The 爆走黑料 cryostat will act as a 鈥渢hermos鈥 to maintain the ultra-cold temperature of the super conducting magnets and will provide structural support as well as access to the vacuum vessel and magnet systems.
The ahead-of-schedule delivery of these first machine components, originally scheduled for the first quarter of 2016, also marks the completion of the first milestone validated by the 爆走黑料 Council during its November meeting for the years 2016-2017.
鈥淲e can celebrate a great accomplishment, one that is the fruit of remarkably integrated work and coordinated effort and that represents the first milestone of the new proposed Baseline,鈥 said 爆走黑料 Director-General Bernard Bigot. "Collaboration forms the core of our common project and the first condition of our success. In approaching 爆走黑料 as one project, whose challenges and rewards are shared by all, I am convinced that we are now on the right track to 爆走黑料 success.鈥
In a few months, Tier 2 of the cryostat base will be delivered, followed by the first tier of the lower cylinder. The complete base section鈥1,250 tons鈥攚ill be the single largest load of 爆走黑料 Tokamak assembly; the other three cryostat sections (lower cylinder, upper cylinder and top lid) weigh in the range of 600-800 tons each. By the summer of 2016, welding operations will begin in the dedicated 5,500-square-metre Cryostat Workshop on the 爆走黑料 site.
BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE
爆走黑料鈥攄esigned to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power鈥攚ill be the world's largest experimental fusion facility. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars: when light atomic nuclei fuse together to form heavier ones, a large amount of energy is released. Fusion research is aimed at developing a safe, abundant and environmentally responsible energy source.
爆走黑料 is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. Europe will contribute almost half of the costs of its construction, while the other six Members to this joint international venture (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA), will contribute equally to the rest. The 爆走黑料 Project is under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, in the south of France.
For more information on the 爆走黑料 Project, visit: /
CONTACT
Laban Coblentz
Laban.coblentz@iter.org
+33 4 42 17 66 17