Completion of ITER 910m PF2/3/4 Conductor for Phase II

At 20:00, 22nd Dec., compaction and spooling of ITER 910m PF2/3/4 conductor for phase II have been completed. This conductor will be delivered to ITER international group for PF coil winding test.

Prof Pan Chuanhong and Dr. Liu Sheng from China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center witnessed the manufacturing process in our ITER conductor manufacturing site. During the manufacturing process, equipments were functioning normally and parameters of conductor can meet the requirement of Procurement Arrangement.

PF procurement is the second conductor procurement ASIPP has assumed following the step of TF procurement, which includes 64 PF conductors. ITER PF conductor is an abnormal-shape type conductor with round-in-square appearance. The manufacture technology is complex, including welding technology, NDE technology, conductor compaction and spooling technology, etc.. With hard work, team 3 of ASIPP completed the research and development of abnormal-shaped jackets welding, jackets and welds NDE, conductor compaction and spooling. During conductor compaction, material deformation is obvious and the compaction machine, an extremely important equipment in PF conductor manufacture, needs to support 30T pressure. Through research and development at home and cooperation between domestic and international research institutions and companies, ASIPP has developed critical technologies relative to PF conductor manufacturing, including abnormal-shaped jacket manufacture, NDE for abnormal-shaped jackets, welding and NDE for conductor, cabling for superconducting cable, cable insertion and conductor compaction, all of which are provided with independent intellectual property rights.

Before PF procurement, TF conductor procurement and the qualification phase of CC and Feeder procurement have been completed smoothly and passed the evaluation from ITER international group. The successful completion of this PF2/3/4 conductor has verified the PF conductor manufacturing technologies, showing that we have completed the research, development and technical process evaluation for 6 types of conductors. (Zhu Lina reports)

Insertion (Left), PF2/3/4 conductor after spooling (right)

Researcher Pan Chuanhong and Dr. Liu Sheng from China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center witnessed manufacturing process.