°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ NEWSLINE
-
Central solenoid
Fabrication complete on first of 7 modules
US °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ
Central solenoid | Fabrication complete on first of 7 modules
When °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ begins operations in 2025, its plasma will be initiated by the largest stacked pulsed superconducting magnet ever built—the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ central solenoid. The US °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ magnets team, based at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is overseeing the fabrication of the central solenoid modules, support structures, and assembly tooling. A major milestone was reached this spring when vendor General Atomics completed fabrication of the first of seven modules.
Before a 110-tonne module can be completed, it must be turned over by a specialized handling tool. US °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ contractor General Atomics is fabricating seven modules for the central solenoid (six plus one spare). Photo: GA
"General Atomics has done an outstanding job to reach the difficult and important milestone of completing module 1 fabrication," said Wayne Reiersen, US °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Central Solenoid Magnets Team Leader. "This is the culmination of an eight-year effort involving concurrent engineering of the module design, the creation of a facility in which these powerful superconducting magnets could be built and tested, the qualification of the manufacturing processes, and the building of this first-of-a-kind module."
The module during completion of helium piping. Photo: GA
The next step for the module is intensive testing to ensure that the component is ready to perform in the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Tokamak. The module has already completed the first Paschen voltage test as well as a global leak test.
The central solenoid will be installed in the centre of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ machine, and will drive up to 45,000 amps of current in each module during plasma operation. Six modules will be stacked to form the 17-metre-tall solenoid, while the seventh module will serve as a spare.
Fabrication of each module requires multiple fabrication steps spread out over 24 months.
Click to read the General Atomics press release.
For a detailed view of the module manufacturing process, see "" on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory YouTube channel.
return to the latest published articles