On the way to thermonuclear energy
Test facilities for ITER diagnostic equipment are developed and manufactured in Russia.
Photo: Test vessel and port plug handling test facility.
Technology that involves controlled thermonuclear fusion will path the way for humanity towards completely infinite source of pure energy. The largest experimental thermal nuclear reactor ITER (ITER, International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is under construction in the South of France. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility to use thermonuclear reaction at large scale, as well as to properly qualify technical solutions that in future would enable to create a thermonuclear energy reactor. The ITER project has among its participants the European Union, Russia, the USA, India, China, Japan and South Korea. Our country has unique experience in terms of nuclear and thermonuclear technologies being one of the key actors in ITER creation. Olesya Solovieva, the Director of the ITER project office of the “NPO GKMP” LLC tells shared with us news regarding the contribution of the company to this international project.
— Miss Solovieva, would you please tell us what role the “NPO “GKMP” LLC has in the ITER project?
— One of the most complex diagnostic elements of the ITER system are Port Plugs – large stainless-steel structural elements operating through ports of the thermonuclear reactor. The mass of a single Port Plug can reach as much as 48 tons. Port plug adopts diagnostic tools, elements for ion and electron-cyclotronic heating, as well as test blanket modules. To ensure that each Port Plug operates properly it is necessary to perform few tests of our facilities prior to the mounting.
Profile: Olesya Solovieva, Director of the ITER project office of the NPO GKMP LLC. Work experience in machine building: 24 years in project management, sales and technology development.
The Port plugs are developed and manufactured by other companies both in Russia and in other countries. The “NPO “GKMP” LLC is in charge of one of the most science-efficient and large ITER system set forth by obligations of the Russian Federation, namely of the Port Plug Test Facilities (PPTF). As per agreement between the ITER International organization and the Russian Domestic Agency, four test facilities are to be delivered in total: two of them are intended to operate in non-nuclear conditions in the Building 55 and test port plugs prior to the integration into the ITER’s tokamak; the other two are to be tested in a so-called “hot cell” where port plugs shall be subject to testing directly after being exposed to tritium and diyttrium.
— Why the “NPO “GKMP” LLC was specifically selected as a site to manufacture components of vacuum facilities of the upper and equatorial port plugs?
— The “NPO “GKMP” LLC was selected per two key criteria. First of all, it requires a vast experience in design and manufacture of vacuum chambers, including those supposed to operate in ultimate vacuum (10-5 Pa and over). Before the “NPO “GKMP” LLC joined the ITER project in 2020, the company already had a portfolio of more than 20 successfully completed large scale projects focused purely on vacuum chambers and furnaces. Secondly, the company had a vast number of machines and facilities at its premises in Bryansk, capable to ensure high precision machining of large pieces and meet the dimensions required for the ITER vacuum chamber. “GKMP” became a leader in this competition by meeting these needs.
Note: the “NPO” GKMP” LLC is a domestic designer and manufacturer of special-purpose industrial equipment, high temperature gas and vacuum electric furnaces of various design, technological lines for thermal treatment, annealing, tempering and quenching of complex shaped large pieces, vacuum sputtering machines, thermal diffusion machines, thermal compression machines, test facilities, thermal vacuum chambers, vacuum shut-offs and other high tech hardware. A lasting cooperation with companies engaged in electronic, nuclear and aerospace industries ensure sustainable growth and development of the company, as well as master new products and equipment.
For instance, our vacuum chamber is 6 m long and 3.5 m in diameter. Requirements applied to the flatness of a mating flange are very high (0.33 mm for the entire surface of the flange) in order to place a port plug smoothly inside the chamber and ensure a leak-proof connection to perform environmental and functional tests. In total our facilities were expected to test over 46 diagnostic port plugs that would work with plasma of the ITER’s tokamak.
— What makes your company eligible to take part in the ITER project? Have you upgraded production capacities or mastered any new technologies?
— We have a deal of successfully implemented technologies. For instance, in 2020 we faced an issue and had to decide on whether it was necessary to implement complete non-destructive control of welded seams over 300 mm. To tackle this issue the X-ray machine shall be very powerful. However, at the same time this would mean rather aggressive work conditions for those who operate in laboratory. We decided to adopt a unique Phased Array Ultrasonic Test in Russia. It has been qualified recently, the jig and the equipment are already manufactured. This method is usually used by large manufacturers of machines all over the world and completely safe for operators unlike X-ray radiation.
The second example is precision control of the end item. In 2021 we purchased a high-precision laser tracker Leica that helps to maintain dimensions, ensures proper positioning, inclinations and other parameters at different stages of production. The ITER works helped us to compile metrological drawings, but most importantly to qualify metrology requirements. Our production is strictly in line with the ITER vacuum handbook being subject to regular inspections both by the Russian Domestic Agency and by international organization ITER. As long as test facilities will be used in France, our hardware is regulated by different European directives affecting vessels operating under pressure, low voltage and other equipment.
To obtain SE marking to prove that the end item is in line with the EU standards, the company shall conduct various certifications of the staff, in particular those involved in welding and non-destructive control, to certify production procedures (welding, ultrasonic control, helium leak detection), as well as to be well prepared for scheduled and unscheduled inspection of notifying authorities while manufacture and testing. Such approach provides good internal discipline at production site and enables to reach new quality levels in line with international standards and officially proven by dedicated certificates and marking. All this provide us with completely unique experience. One should specifically emphasize that mastering of new technologies involves the entire staff of the company, from welders to CTO.
— What do you think about workforce capacity of the “NPO “GKMP” LLC? Where do you find them? Is it enough?
— My favorite expression is: “We are always looking for talents”. I believe many managers of Russian heavy industry would agree with that because there is abundance of workforce on the market though it is rather complicated to find an excited professional.
Note: currently the ITER is 78% completed for the first plasma startup.
Our team headquartered in Moscow is almost full and this is natural, as most of highly qualified experts are in the capital. In Bryansk we are sparing no efforts in inviting new experts due to the ever-growing number of orders placed and high workload of production. For this we adopt efficient human resources management policy that would provide both economic and social effect. This approach implies such measures as compensation of housing rent for highly qualified experts, cash bonuses for crucial and urgent works, a specific award mechanism for the company’s employees. There is a perfect opportunity for students to start their career in a team of professionals, as long as we provide professional training with mentors and re-training of operators of associated professions in high demand.
Photo: the team of the “NPO “GKMP” LLC and Technical director of the ITER PPTF project Thierry Cerisier (fourth on the left)
— How sanctions affect Russian participants of the ITER?
— We notice with a deal of satisfaction that the ITER project is one of the few in Russia that has been affected in the least by those sanctions. The point is that the list of sanctions provides for certain exclusions and ITER is eligible for this indemnification in two points: as an international project and as the one related to peaceful atom.
The ITER international organization, its staff composed of expert from participating countries remains aloof from the current situation and promptly does its work to prepare the documentation to confirm its indemnification. With this support provided by the ITER our company continues to purchase components in Europe that are to be used in France. Certainly, there are some delays but in general our project is advancing at good pace quite within the schedule.
As for the hardware of those manufacturers that completely stopped cooperation with Russia, we managed to find substitutes very quickly. For us this was a solution of the issue. Due to the longer supply chain the budget has grown but our experience of purchasing in 2022 shows that the growth is more than 7-20%.
Some Russian banks suspended operations in SWIFT system due to sanctions. However, the quick shift to the currently operating SWIFT system enabled us to tackle this issue in no time.
— How would you assess the import dependence of the “NPO “GKMP” LLC in terms of hardware, technology or components?
— The ITER project requirements imply that we shall use European hardware due to the CE marking. Without the latter one cannot use the hardware in Europe. Nevertheless, the rest of the Russian projects we quite cover our needs by capacities of domestic market. Compatibility though is another issue: sometimes it is more expensive to purchase metal or, let’s say, a pump in Russia, than in Chine. Therefore, we have an office in Hanzhou to ensure purchase and shipments form China to the Russian Federation.
Details:
Objectives of the PPTF system
4 facilities of the PPTF are to be used to test the following items:
• 12 upper and 8 equatorial diagnostic port-plugs;
• 2 equatorial systems of ion heating cyclotrons;
• 4 upper and 1 equatorial systems of ion heating cyclotrons;
• 3 equatorial blanket modules;
• 3 diagnostic frames;
• Divertors.
Test plan:
• Environmental test (to decrease risk of water of vacuum);
• Functional test (to demonstrate that port plugs are in line with the set parameters and functions).
For the last few years, we managed to optimize production and implemented a product line of vacuum shut-offs with maximal diameter of 1250 mm. This is our yet small contribution to the import replacement. I hope that this contribution is not the last one, as the management of our company, as far as I know, has a lot of interesting plans to promote new vacuum and associated technologies.
— Last December the first vacuum test for the ITER took place in the “NPO “GKMP” LLC. What were the results?
— We have come a long way to this day. We are not just a company but also a team of engineers that initiated the preparation of the design documentation for facilities, a vacuum laboratory that ensured the proper test conditions in clean rooms; even the Customer is represented by the ITER Russian domestic agency. In 2022 the test performed was not only the pilot one, but also became one of the crucial stages of the chamber’s performance, namely reaching of vacuum. This campaign was attended by Thierry Cerisier, the ITER technical director. He was pleased with the high technological level of the work performed by the “NPO “GKMP” LLC for the last three years, confirmed by results of the first test campaign. The test was aimed to create the first vacuum, check leakage of the chamber and thus confirm that connections and weld-seams are leak proof.
— What are the plans of the “NPO” GKMP” LLC for ITER in 2023?
— The next stage scheduled for this year is first of all referred to the in-the-house acceptance test of the chamber heating and thermal cycling (the heating temperature 240 Cº) and repeated tests attended by inspector of the supervising authority. It is to be mentioned that inspector’s presence is not of much importance for us because the most crucial part is to perform the entire assembly, fitting-up and commissioning of the facility.
The facility is unique, as such system – super high vacuum and thermal heating cycling at the same time – has never been used before. We are very proud of the work we have already performed within the ITER framework and hope that this will prove fruitful. We may see the results as early as in six months.
Media office of the “NPO” GKMP” LLC supported by the “Atomprom Vestnik”
