Final assembly and initial operation of the advanced toroidal facility

The assembly and initial operation of the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF), a large torsatron designed and assembled at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are described. The assembly process required installation of numerous components to small tolerances (<0.01 in) and extensive testing to ensure correct fit. During initial operation, thermal and mechanical performance, displacement, and joint clamp stud tension have been measured. Comparison of these measurements with predicted values reveals generally good agreement.(author). 8 refs.; 12 figs.; 1 tab