Articles tagged with "ITER"
Photos: Stunning 2025 images reveal world’s biggest nuclear fusion reactor in action
The article highlights the visually captivating and technically impressive imagery of the ITER nuclear fusion reactor construction site in 2025. Photographs from the ITER Communication team and the ITER Photo Group showcase the scale and complexity of the project, capturing everything from massive component handling to intricate details like insulation and reflections. The images emphasize the blend of advanced engineering and aesthetic appeal, with drone shots and ground-level perspectives revealing the reactor’s assembly process and the harmony of its structural geometry. Key milestones in 2025 include the installation of the third vacuum vessel module in the tokamak pit, illustrating ongoing progress in ITER’s assembly. The article also profiles contributors such as Emmanuel Riche, a drone photography pioneer, and Kevin Ballant, founder of the ITER Photo Group, who transitioned from hobbyist to key documentarian. Overall, the collection of photos serves to inspire and inform, offering a unique artistic lens on one of the world’s largest and most ambitious nuclear fusion projects.
energynuclear-fusionITERtokamakenergy-researchfusion-reactorclean-energyPhotos: World’s biggest fusion reactor adds over 1,200-ton module in major progress
On November 25, ITER made significant progress in assembling the world’s largest fusion reactor by successfully installing the third vacuum vessel sector module, known as sector module #5, into the tokamak pit. This nearly 1,213-ton component represents one of nine 40° sections that form the plasma chamber, each including a vacuum vessel sector, thermal shield, and superconducting magnets essential for plasma shaping and stabilization during fusion experiments. Notably, sector #5 was the first European-built module installed, presenting new challenges that required precise coordination and planning. A key achievement during this installation was the reduction of the offset between adjacent modules from 100 mm in a previous installation to just about 10 mm, reflecting improved precision and teamwork. The operation also tested the vacuum vessel gravity support system, successfully aligning the module’s connection point with the support structure, a critical step for future module placements. As the pit becomes more crowded with modules, maintaining tight installation margins is vital for safety and efficiency. With sector #
energyfusion-reactorITERvacuum-vesselsuperconducting-magnetsplasma-chamberenergy-technology440-ton field coil box delivered for world’s largest fusion magnet system
Shanghai Electric has successfully delivered the world’s largest toroidal field magnet coil box, a critical component for China’s fusion energy efforts. Weighing approximately 880,000 pounds and made from ultra-low-temperature austenitic steel, the coil box surpasses similar components used in France’s ITER project in both size and weight. The development process took five years and involved overcoming significant technical challenges, including advanced welding techniques on steel up to 14 inches thick, combining high-thickness laser welding with ultra-deep narrow-gap tungsten inert gas welding and phased array non-destructive testing to ensure precision. This achievement not only advances China’s capabilities in fusion technology but also supports the establishment of a comprehensive industrial supply chain for fusion energy. The innovations derived from this project have potential applications beyond fusion, including aerospace, energy equipment, shipbuilding, and offshore engineering. Additionally, the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences is nearing completion of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), designed to address
energyfusion-energysuperconducting-magnetsindustrial-supply-chainadvanced-manufacturingfusion-technologyITERWorld’s largest fusion reactor hits magnet feeder gallery milestone
The ITER fusion project has achieved a significant milestone with the installation of the 62nd and final "gallery" component of its magnet feeder system. These components are critical for the operation of the superconducting magnets, as they transport cryogenic fluids, power, and instrumentation from the warm exterior environment to the magnets operating at extremely low temperatures (-270°C). The magnet feeder system is a large-scale installation within the Tokamak Complex, consisting of nearly 100 components weighing around 1,600 tonnes, with some feeders extending up to 40 meters in length. The system includes 31 components that supply the toroidal, poloidal, central solenoid, and correction magnet coils. The assembly team distinguishes between two types of feeder segments: "gallery" components located outside the cryostat and "in-cryostat" segments inside the cryostat that connect directly to the magnets. The recent completion of the gallery portion involved installing all 31 coil termination boxes and 31 cryostat feedthroughs, marking a
energyfusion-reactorITERmagnet-feeder-systemsuperconducting-magnetscryogenic-fluidsTokamakITER fusion reactor to get spectrometer to track high-energy neutrons
The ITER fusion reactor, the world’s largest tokamak, is set to install a High Resolution Neutron Spectrometer (HRNS) to measure the number and energies of high-energy neutrons emitted by the plasma during fusion reactions. Developed collaboratively by physicists and engineers from the Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Uppsala, and the Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi in Milan, the HRNS is a critical diagnostic tool designed to track the ratio of tritium to deuterium (nt/nd) in the plasma core. This measurement is essential for understanding fuel composition, ion temperature, and combustion quality, thereby enabling optimized and safe reactor operation. The spectrometer will be installed behind a thick concrete wall surrounding the fusion chamber to withstand the harsh environment. The HRNS is uniquely designed as four independent sub-assemblies, each tailored to different neutron flux intensities and operating principles. These include the Thin-foil Proton Recoil (TPR) sub
energyfusion-reactorneutron-spectrometerplasma-diagnosticsITERnuclear-fusiontokamak5,500 superconducting wires tested for world's largest fusion reactor
Scientists at Durham University have completed a comprehensive quality verification program for over 5,500 superconducting wire samples destined for the ITER fusion reactor, the world’s largest nuclear fusion project. The wires, made from Niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) and Niobium-titanium (Nb–Ti), will be used to construct powerful magnets that create a magnetic cage to confine plasma heated to over 150 million degrees Celsius. The team performed around 13,000 measurements, developing a reliable statistical quality control method that overcomes challenges posed by the heat treatment process required to make Nb3Sn wires superconducting. This method involves testing adjacent wire strands in different labs to ensure manufacturing consistency and accuracy, providing a cost-effective solution for global supply chain quality assurance. The ITER project, a collaboration of 35 nations, aims to demonstrate fusion energy at an industrial scale as a clean and virtually limitless power source. The success of ITER heavily depends on the verified quality of these superconducting wires. Durham
energyfusion-energysuperconducting-wiresITERclean-energymagnetic-confinementnuclear-fusionITER fusion project repairs most affected 485-ton vacuum vessel sector
Sector #8, a critical 440-ton vacuum vessel component of the ITER fusion reactor, has successfully completed a complex 20-month repair process after initial dimensional non-conformities halted its sub-assembly in December 2023. This sector was the most affected among the first three vacuum vessel sectors, which exhibited significant deviations from planned assembly sequences due to dimensional issues. The repair involved innovative procedures and tooling, including pivoting the heavy component from vertical to horizontal positions and transferring it to the Cryostat Workshop for detailed restoration work on its bevel joint geometry. The repair process was complicated by the need to simultaneously address three vacuum vessel sectors, while the Assembly Hall could only support two operations at once. Sector #8’s repair was conducted separately in the Cryostat Workshop, where workers accessed one side at a time, requiring the component to be rotated multiple times using specialized cranes and upending tools. After completing repairs on both sides, the sector was returned to sub-assembly tooling and is now being prepared for installation
energyfusion-reactorvacuum-vesseltokamakITERthermal-shieldtoroidal-field-coilsSix 270,000-lb modules that can help power fusion at ITER developed
General Atomics (GA), a San Diego-based company, has completed the development of the Central Solenoid Modules, which constitute the largest and most powerful pulsed superconducting magnet ever built. These six modules, each weighing over 270,000 pounds, took more than two years each to fabricate and were produced at GA’s Magnet Technologies Center in Poway, California. Once shipped to the ITER fusion facility under construction in southern France, the modules will be stacked to form a massive system over 18 meters tall, weighing more than 1,000 tons. This milestone marks a significant technical achievement for the U.S. and positions GA at the forefront of global fusion innovation. The Central Solenoid will play a critical role in powering fusion reactions at ITER, an international fusion science project. GA’s successful completion of this 15-year-long project demonstrates the company’s advanced engineering capabilities and the strength of its specialized global supply chain. Beyond ITER, the expertise gained will support future fusion technologies and other applications involving
energyfusion-energysuperconducting-magnetsITERGeneral-Atomicsmagnetic-fusionenergy-innovationWorld's largest fusion reactor diverter braves asteroid-level heat
The article discusses the successful development and certification of a prototype outer vertical target for the divertor of the ITER fusion reactor, the world’s largest nuclear fusion project under construction in Southern France. The divertor acts as the reactor’s exhaust system and is the only component that directly contacts the plasma, playing a crucial role in maintaining fusion stability by removing fuel residue and helium ash. Developed through a collaboration between Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) and Hitachi, the divertor prototype is designed to withstand extreme conditions, including heat loads up to 20 megawatts per square meter and electromagnetic forces of approximately 16.5 tons, using specialized materials such as tungsten and high-strength copper alloys. The manufacturing process was highly complex, involving advanced material development, precise machining, specialized welding techniques, and rigorous quality assurance, including high-temperature helium leak testing. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the ITER Project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion energy on a large scale. Moving
energyfusion-reactorITERtungsten-materialshigh-heat-resistancerobotic-weldingnuclear-fusion-technologyITER plans half-mile boron gas pipelines to purify fusion plasma
The ITER fusion project is developing an extensive boronization system to purify plasma and reduce impurities in its tokamak reactor, following a 2023 decision to switch plasma chamber armor from beryllium to tungsten. This system applies a thin boron layer (10-100 nanometers) to all plasma-facing surfaces, which captures oxygen impurities that could otherwise increase radiative losses and destabilize the plasma, especially during discharge initiation. The boron layer is deposited using diborane gas (a hydrogen-boron compound) injected into the tokamak, where it decomposes and chemically bonds to surfaces via a glow-discharge-assisted plasma process. The gas injection system involves over a kilometer of piping and 21 injection points within the facility. Designing this system at ITER’s unprecedented scale and in a tritiated environment posed challenges, including ensuring the compatibility of high-energy anodes with frequent boronization cycles and achieving even boron coverage. These issues were addressed through international collaboration and testing with other
energynuclear-fusiontokamakboronizationplasma-purificationITERfusion-technologyWestinghouse to assemble core of the world’s largest fusion reactor
Westinghouse Electric Company has secured a $180 million contract with the ITER Organization to undertake the final assembly of the tokamak’s core component—the vacuum vessel—at the world’s largest nuclear fusion facility, ITER. This vacuum vessel is a double-walled steel chamber that will contain the fusion plasma, and Westinghouse will weld together its nine sectors to form the torus-shaped chamber. The contract marks a significant milestone as ITER progresses toward its goal of achieving 500 MW of fusion power output from 50 MW of input heating power, demonstrating a tenfold energy gain. ITER aims to conduct initial deuterium-deuterium fusion operations by 2035 and ultimately prove fusion as a large-scale, carbon-free energy source, although it will not generate electricity itself. Westinghouse, a veteran in nuclear fission technology, has been involved with ITER for over a decade, contributing to the manufacturing of vacuum vessel sectors alongside partners in the AMW consortium. The ITER project is a massive international collaboration
energynuclear-fusionWestinghouseITERtokamakvacuum-vesselfusion-reactor'Trái tim' của lò phản ứng nhiệt hạch lớn nhất thế giới
energyfusionITERsuperconducting-magnetsclean-energytokamakplasma