ITER Leak Detection System
France
The ITER project is based on a Tokamak reactor concept which requires several components to be maintained in ultra-high vacuum conditions (in the range of 10-7 Pa) in order to produce the fusion reaction and demonstrate the technical feasibility of such a complex machine.
To ensure that these conditions are achieved and maintained, the ITER Organisation requested a leak detection system capable of detecting and quantifying potential leaks in all these components that make up ITER’s vacuum boundary: the vacuum vessel in which the fusion reaction takes place, the neutral beams needed to heat the plasma, and the cryostat that ensures the proper functioning of the superconducting magnets that confine the plasma.
The consortium formed by IDOM, 40-30 and GUTMAR, known as IG4, won the contract to design and build 9 leak detection systems for the ITER project. The systems, which are unprecedented in size, will be used to verify that there are no leaks in the above-mentioned ITER components, which require ultra-high vacuum for proper operation.
The project has an expected duration of 42 months and involves many different engineering disciplines (mechanical and piping design, CAD design using ENOVIA, RAMI, I&C design and vacuum engineering, among others).
CLIENT:
Fusion for Energy (F4E)
SCOPE:
Assembly
Detailed Design
Factory Acceptance Test
Manufacturing