Overview of large-scale technology R&D's for ITER; Engineering challenges

Seki, Masahiro; Akiba, Masato; Okuno, Kiyoshi; Shibanuma, Kiyoshi

Variety of technology R&D's have been performed to confirm the technical feasibility of ITER construction. Special efforts have been made to demonstrate fabricability and performance of ITER critical components such as superconducting magnets, the vacuum vessel, blanket modules, divertor cassettes, and remote handling system. The central solenoid (CS) model coil has successfully achieved 13 T at a current of 46 kA with a stored energy of 640 MJ. Pulsed operations with a ramp-up rate of 0.6 T/s and ramp-down rate of 1.2 T/s were also successfully performed. The full-scale sector model of the vacuum vessel, which has a D-shape of 15m high and 9m wide, was fabricated within an allowable deformation. The divertor components were developed to survive a heat flux of 20 MW/m for 2000 cycles. The result of these activities has convinced us to proceed to collaboration for ITER construction.