04.02.2023

Russian ITER magnetic coils sent to reactor construction site

A solemn launch ceremony of the flotation device with a poloidal field coil PF1A held at the Srednenevsky Shipbuilding in Saint-Petersburg. Once the coil is loaded on the transportation vessel in the “Bronca” port, it shall be shipped to the construction site of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor in the South of France.

The shipment of the PF1 coil is one of the most crucial and awaited events of 2022 related to construction of international thermonuclear experimental reactor ITER – the biggest scientific and research project. The shipment of unique Russian domestic product took place at the premises of the “Srednenevsky shipbuilding factory” JSC in the presence of high-ranking members of the Government of the Russian Federation, State Corporation “Rosatom” and Administration of St. Petersburgh. Once the solemn ceremony of coil shipment was over, the Director of the Private institution ITER-center (State Corporation “Rosatom”) Anatoly Krasilnikov noted that successful manufacture and shipment of the coil PF1 confirms the fact that despite high foreign political pressure exerted, the domestic industry still shows sustainable growth: “Despite the unprecedented sanctions and restrictions applied by representatives of the western countries, Russia is deepening research and masters high-tech production, including those of industrial application”. “This event is of colossal importance both for domestic factories that took part in production of the most complicated component of the future thermonuclear reactor and for the entire project. This is an outstanding result of many years of efficient and well-aligned work of the lead Russian institutes and industrial companies, a perfect demonstration of our scientific and research potential” - , emphasized Anatoly Krasilnikov.

As says Igor Rodin, the Deputy general director for thermonuclear and magnetic technologies of the NIIEFA JSC Science and Research center “Synthesis”, the shipment of the coil PF1 is a result of a joint effort of few teams who diligently designed the electromagnetic system of the tokamak for more than 20 years, engineered and launched serial production of super conductors and manufacture of the coil itself. “We passed through all the stages from development of the design documentation, qualification of processes and solution of the most complicated technological challenges to off-the-shelf tests that confirmed compliance with all ITER requirements. I consider this event as a definite achievement of the Russian science. For the Russian Federation this is the biggest electromagnet ever. There are few countries in this world capable to manufacture such a thing” - , said Igor Rodin.

The coil PF1 (diameter 9m, mass 200 tons) is one of the six poloidal field coils in magnetic system designed to maintain plasma inside the ITER reactor. The coil is a rather complicated element based on eight super conductive two-layer double-threaded waffles. This is one of 25 systems which the Russian Federation is in charge of, as set forth by the ITER project. The coil PF1 is attributed to the category of elements required to obtain the first plasma in the facility. The key technologies and facilities to generate the coil had been developed by the “NIIEFA” JSC (part of the State corporation “Rosatom”), the actual production took place at the Srednenevsky Shipbuilding Factory JSC.

The first out of eight double-threaded waffles was winded and qualified in 2016, the last one in 2019. In March 2021 the vacuum-induced saturation of the coil winding was completed, so has one of the most labor-consuming and critical production stages of the magnet. In march 2022 the Russian coil successfully passed through the acceptance test campaign prior to the shipment to the international organization ITER. As it was required by the ITER regulation conditioned by the highest priority of the coil PF1 and in order to obtain the first plasma inside the reactor, the item was subject to few checks in course of the factory acceptance test.

The agreement for manufacture and delivery of the coil PF1 between the Russian ITER agency and the ITER international organization was entered into in 2011. This was one of two poloidal field coils manufactured in member countries. The other four are assembled directly at construction site of the future facility due to their large dimensions.

media links:

ТАСС, 01.11.22

РИА новости, 01.11.22

«Коммерсантъ», 02.11.22

Ведомости, 01.11.22

Взгляд, 01.11.22

Первый канал, 01.11.22

Страна Росатом, 01.11.22

"Атомная энергия 2.0“, 01.11.22

ЭнергоНьюс, 01.11,22

Научная Россия, 01.11.22

РЕН ТВ, 01.11.12

Комсомольская правда, 01.11.22

«Московский Комсомолец», 02.11.22

"Звезда", 01.11.22

НТВ, 01.11.22

Пятый канал, 01.11.22

«МИР 24», 01.11.22

Корабел. ру, 01.11.22

«РусКабель»,01.11.22

Neftegaz.RU, 01.11.22

sudostroenie.info, 01.11.22

“Металлоснабжение и сбыт”, 02.11.22

Деловой Петербург, 02.11.22

Seldon.News, 02.11.22

RuNews24, 01.11.22

4 Channel, 01.11.22

ФедералПресс, 02.11.22

Tut-news.ru, 01.11.22

Mil.Press FlotProm, 02.11.22

Общественная служба новостей, 01.11.22

Город, 02.11.22

Piter.tv, 02.11.22

«Санкт-Петербургские ведомости», 02.11.22

Фонтанка.ру, 01.11.22

Форпост, 01.11.22

Вечерний Санкт-Петербург, 01.11.22

АБН, 02.11.22

Проектный центр ИТЭР Росатом