Major milestone achieved in the ITER

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CNNC, PUBLISHED 07.04.2025

On March 28, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Organization (IO) held a grand ceremony to officially announce the completion of the SSAT (sector-sub assembly tool) work of Vacuum Vessel Sector Module 7, meeting the conditions for its installation into the Tokamak pit. This milestone signifies major progress in the core installation work undertaken by the consortium of China Nuclear Power Engineering (CNPE) Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), and lays a solid foundation for advancing the ITER project on schedule. ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi highlighted that reaching this milestone once again demonstrates the dedication, ingenuity, and professionalism of the project team.

On February 6, 2024, the consortium of CNPE won the contract for assembling the vacuum vessel modules for the Tokamak of the ITER, marking Chinese team as the sole contractor for the installation of ITER's most critical equipment. On March 28, 2024, the sector modules sub-assembly (SMSA) project kick-off meeting was held, with full-scale construction commencing on-site. Faced with world-class challenges, such as the precise assembly of the vacuum vessel modules and the integration of multi-national standards, the consortium swiftly established a collaborative mechanism involving experts from China, France, and Italy. By September 18, 2024, the team successfully initiated the relocation of Module 7 to the ITER site.

With the lifting and positioning of Module 7 brought forward to April 15, 2025, the consortium faced the challenge of a compressed 41-day timeline. To meet the rescheduling challenge, the team ramped up efforts by optimizing installation procedures and establishing a rapid response mechanism. Despite challenges such as manpower shortages, the consortium maintained strict adherence to quality and safety standards, and successfully met the lifting conditions on March 28.

As the core of the Tokamak, the precise installation of nine sector modules of the vacuum vessel directly impacts plasma confinement performance. Module 7, being the first core component to enter the lifting phase, has attracted significant attention. The IO leader stated, "This breakthrough not only validates the Chinese team's system integration capabilities in ultra-precision nuclear engineering but also sets the foundation for a standardized operational model for subsequent module installations."

Topics: Fusion, ITER, China

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