Status and Achievements in Production of ITER TF Conductors and PF Cables in Russian Cable Institute

Abstract

Russian Scientific Research and Development Cable Institute (known by Russian abbreviation as VNIIKP) has been participating in ITER project since 1993 both at the early stage of Research and Development (R&D) and at the following stage of Engineering Design Activity (EDA). Tests of several short samples at Sultan test facility were crowned by successful testing of Toroidal Field (TF) and Poloidal Field (PF) insert coils performed in Japan in 2001 and 2008 correspondingly. Now VNIIKP is actively implementing the final production and delivery stage. By 2009 the full technological complex has been accomplished to produce PF cables for both the Russian Federation (RF) and European parts and TF conductors for RF part. In this review we present a short history of VNIIKP participation in ITER and our current achievements. The technology used and our production line are described in some detail.

Performance analysis of the toroidal field ITER production conductors

“…An important preliminary work to start the qualification process was the development of testing methodologies aimed at obtaining consistent and reproducible results, as this is essential in a wide international collaboration. Several efforts in the past have dealt with the elaboration of standardized procedures for the measurement of critical current (I c ) in composite NbTi and Nb 3 Sn superconducting strands under various magnetic field and temperature test conditions [4][5][6][7]. A similar standardization effort was performed for high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes [8].…”

“…Before launching procurement, all DAs qualified their choice of suppliers for strands, cables and jacket through a current sharing temperature test of a short length of conductor in the SULTAN facility at CRPP in Villigen, Switzerland [3][4][5]. After qualification, the mass industrial production of TF cables was started by the DAs and has now finally reached completion [6][7][8]. During production, all DAs were required to provide 4 m long conductor samples to be tested in SULTAN at different stages of the production process.…”

Performance analysis of the Nb−Ti conductor qualification samples for the ITER project

“…The PF coils are grouped in three types, namely PF1&6, PF2-to-4 and PF5 according to their position in the magnet system. The Chinese DA will procure the PF2-to-4 and PF5 conductors [7][8][9][10] while European and Russian DAs will share the production of PF1 and PF6 [11,12]. The coils are wound from cable-in-conduit conductors (CICC), composed of a five-stage cable with a variable number of superconducting and pure Cu strands, inserted in a round-in-square tube (referred to as a jacket) made of a modified 316L austenitic stainless steel.…”

Progress with the ITER project activity in Russia

“…Then the TF conductor is spooled into a transport solenoid. The jacketing operation is performed by JSC VNIIKP at a brand new jacketing line situated at Institute of High Energy Physics premises in Protvino, Moscow region [3]. Then the conductor is shipped to NRC 'Kurchatov Institute', Moscow for final acceptance tests such as global leak test and pressure drop measurements [4].…”