A major modification of the Joint European Torus using teleoperational techniques

The Joint European Torus (JET) project was set up under the auspices of EURATOM in the late 1970's in order to study the feasibility of controlled Nuclear Fusion. The experimental device comprises a toroidal shaped vacuum vessel in which high temperature plasma is created and controlled. The inside of the torus is now inaccessible to personnel for around one year due to slightly elevated radiation levels. The JET programme however requires the immediate replacement of a major system within the torus and this must therefore be achieved using only remote handling techniques. This paper describes the preparations for this first fully remote handling shutdown at JET. (author)