Challenges and status of the ITER IVC conductor qualification process in China

Abstract

The coils inside the ITER vacuum vessel are part of the overall plasma control system that ensures and maintains stable plasma operations. Two vertical stability coils(VS)will provide fast vertical stabilization of the plasma, while an array of 27 edge localized mode (ELM) coils will create resonant magnetic perturbations to magnetically control the plasma exterior in order to suppress potentially harmful power deposition on plasma-facing components. For magnet coils operating inside of the vacuum vessel, conventional insulation schemes are not an option. After a decade of development and intensive collaboration with industry and research institutes, a copper mineral insulated conductor (MIC) in stainless steel jacket will be used as for its ability to withstand large transient electromagnetic forces, high radiation flux, and high temperature.Complex technologies have been developed by ASIPP for the series of production of IVC conductors, in terms of conductor initial dimension design, MgO block assembly and elaboration of Cu pipe insertion, compaction and winding processes. China has finished all qualification phases, especially for 100-meter unit length conductor manufacturing. The first 100-meter unit length of copper tube is successfully manufactured in China. All conductor samples required for qualification process have successfully passed the electrical tests with good performance.The challenges and status of the production of ITER IVC conductors in China are described in this paper.