The last components for assembly of the central solenoid for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) have been delivered from the US to the main site in France after being produced using superconducting material from Japan.
Where the central solenoid is concerned, ITER’s design is one of the defining aspects in differentiating it from other toroidal reactors, with some describing it as the heart of the tokamak.
The solenoid will help to generate a magnetic field of 13.1 T and a current of 15 MA, crucial for stabilisation and containment of the plasma within the tokamak.
The project, which uses a design from the former Soviet Union, has aimed for an operational date of 2035 and hopes to generate 500 MW of thermal power from a 50 MW input.
