Optimization of the ITER Cryodistribution for an Efficient Cooling of the Magnet System

Abstract

The ITER superconducting (SC) magnet system, which consists of central solenoid coils, toroidal field (TF) coils, TF structures, and poloidal field and correction coils, is cooled by supercritical helium (SHe) circuits located in dedicated auxiliary cold boxes (ACBs) of the cryodistribution (CD). Due to the increase in the nuclear heat load during the deuterium-tritium plasma phase, the necessary cooling power to maintain the thermal stability of the magnet system can be beyond the presently designed and contracted specification of the cryoplant (LHe and liquid nitrogen plants). Increasing the cryoplant capacity or performance in turn will significantly increase the project cost apart from the impacts on the utility infrastructures (cooling water, electricity, civil works, etc.). In this paper, we will present arrangements within the CD for an efficient and flexible operation. Instead of a common control, which is the present design, by individually controlling the LHe bath temperature of the ACBs, the cooling power can be concentrated to the magnet system in need (reduction in the SHe circuit temperature). In addition to this, a proposal to minimize the heat of compression of the cold rotating machines in order to further allocate the cooling power to the SC magnet system will be introduced.