Performance of the insulation mock-ups for the ITER PF6 coil

Abstract

The ITER PF6 coil is manufactured by winding, insulating the superconducting conductors, and further connecting them electrically and hydraulically. To qualify the insulation design and manufacturing process to be applied to the ITER PF6 coil, two beam-shaped mock-ups taking the form of a 3 × 3 array of conductors combined with the same insulation as in the production coil have been tested in simulated Tokamak operating conditions. All the results of the electrical and mechanical tests, including DC and AC high-voltage withstanding at both room and cryogenic temperature, AC partial discharge, Paschen tests, cryogenic compressive fatigue, push-out, and thermal cycling, met the ITER requirements. Performance of the mock-ups confirmed that the insulation design and manufacturing process are suitable for the ITER PF6 coil, based on that the qualification of the insulation manufacturing process for the double pancake can be started.