R&D Activities on ITER In-Vessel Coil SSMI Conductor Fabrication

A Task Agreement (TA) “Final Design and Prototyping of the ITER In-Vessel Coils (IVCs) and Feeders” was signed and in implementation between ITER Organization and China Domestic Agency (CNDA) and Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) to advance the design of the ITER IVCs toward final design review readiness including manufacture of prototype ELM and VS coils. Based on many fruitful research results, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is also involved into this TA and in charge of most analysis works, specifications, and electrical breakdown tests of the mineral insulated conductor during irradiation. ITER IVCs consist of Edge-Localized Mode (ELM) and Vertical Stabilization (VS) coils. Structure of Stainless Steel Jacketed Mineral Insulated Conductor (SSMIC) using Magnesium Oxide (MgO) as insulation is being developed for the IVCs manufacture. Different from the industrial products, to ensure the high purity MgO and reach as high as possible insulation performance, ASIPP has developed the compaction method for the scaled-up SSMI Conductor fabrication. After some R&D processes, final dimension ELM and VS SSMI conductor are fabricated. R&D works for SSMIC manufacture are presented in this paper.