Speaker
V. Toigo
(Consorzio RFX)
Description
The realization of the ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) and the start the experimental phase are important tasks of the fusion roadmap, since the target requirements of injecting to the plasma a beam of Deuterium atoms with a power up to 16.5 MW, at 1MeV of energy and with a pulse length up to 3600s have never been reached together before.
The ITER NBTF, called PRIMA (Padova Research on ITER Megavolt Accelerator), is hosted in Padova, Italy; it includes two experiments: MITICA, the full-scale prototype of the ITER injector and SPIDER, the full-size negative ion source. The realization promoted by the ITER organization is carried out with the contribution of the European Union, channeled through the Joint Undertaking for ITER (F4E), of the Consorzio RFX which hosts the Test Facility, the Japanese and the Indian ITER Domestic Agencies (JADA and INDA) and several European laboratories, such as IPP-Garching, KIT-Karlsruhe, CCFE-Culham, CEA-Cadarache.
The early start of operation of PRIMA experiments is urgent because sufficient experimental time is necessary to face and solve the issues related to the achievement of the desired performance in time for the ITER operation, requiring NBI since the beginning.
Substantial progresses have been recently achieved: the buildings construction, begun in October 2012, has been completed by the end of 2015 and the installation of some components has been started since the end of 2014.
The SPIDER realization is well advanced: the installation phase is proceeding in good agreement with the general plan; it is expected to be almost completed by the end of 2016. In parallel, the commissioning of the SPIDER power supply (PS) and auxiliary plant systems is being proceeding. Tests at full power and remote control are planned, including also those addressed to reproduce the grid breakdowns and to test the relevant protections.
The design of the MITICA injector components was completed in 2015their procurement is being made through a number of tenders, some of them already launched. The HV Power Supply system of the MITICA 1MV accelerator, provided by JADA, was delivered on site in December 2015. The challenging installation of these components, including the step-up transformers and the SF6 gas insulated transmission line, started soon after and will go on throughout 2016.
The present phase, with the PRIMA buildings continuously filled with new components, with the installation activities progressing and with also the commissioning and testing phase starting represents a substantial step forward toward the main target. The paper will describe the main challenges the Project Team has dealt during this phase and the important feedback derived for the ITER HNB systems both from the technical and the organizational standpoints.
Co-authors
A. Chakraborty
(Institute for Plasma Research, Nr. Indira Bridge, Bhat Village, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382428, India)
D. Boilson
(ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St. Paul Lez Durance Cedex, France)
M. Hanada
(Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka-shi, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193, Japan)
NBTF Team and the contributing Staff of IO; F4E; JADA and INDA
(Consorzio RFX, Corso Stati Uniti 4, I-35127, Padova, Italy;ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St. Paul Lez Durance Cedex, France;Fusion For Energy, C/ Josep Pla 2, 08019 Barcelona, Spain;Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka-shi, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193, Japan;Institute for Plasma Research, Nr. Indira Bridge, Bhat Village, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382428, India)
R. Piovan
(Consorzio RFX, Corso Stati Uniti 4, I-35127, Padova, Italy)
T. Bonicelli
(Fusion For Energy, C/ Josep Pla 2, 08019 Barcelona, Spain)
V. Toigo
(Consorzio RFX, Corso Stati Uniti 4, I-35127, Padova, Italy)
