Investigation of degradation mechanism of ITER CS conductor sample using TAKUMI

Hemmi, Tsutomu; Harjo, S.   ; Kajitani, Hideki; Nabara, Yoshihiro; Takahashi, Yoshikazu; Nunoya, Yoshihiko; Koizumi, Norikiyo; Abe, Jun; Gong, W.; Aizawa, Kazuya  ; Suzuki, Hiroshi  ; Machiya, Shutaro*; Osamura, Kozo*

The gradual degradation was observed in the results for ITER CS conductor samples. To investigate its origin, the internal strain in the sample after the testing was successfully measured using a neutron diffraction technique non-destructively. Up to now, the transverse electromagnetic loading has been considered as an origin of the degradation due to the local bending at the high loading side (HLS). However, as a result of the neutron diffraction measurement, the large bending at the LLS of the HFZ was found. The large bending was considered as an origin of the strand buckling due to the large void generated by the transverse electromagnetic loading and the thermally induced residual compressive strain. For the improvement of the conductor performance on the strand buckling, the shorter twisting pitch (STP) can be considered. The result of the SULTAN testing of the conductor sample with STP found very effective, and the performance degradation was negligible.