Cold Test Facility for the ITER Central Solenoid Coils

The United States, along with the European Union, Russia, Japan, China. South Korea and India, is a collaborative partner in the design, construction and operation of the ITER International Tokamak which will be located a Cadarache, France. One component of the US in kind contribution to the project is the Central Solenoid System for the tokamak magnet system. The Central Solenoid System is a massive assembly 4.4 meters outside diameter, 18.8 meters high and weighing ∼ 1,000 tons. Operating conditions (not simultaneous) are 45kA and 13 T with a maximum field ramp rate of 1.3 T/s producing a maximum flux swing of 277 V s. This combination of performance parameters make the ITER Central Solenoid one the most challenging magnet system ever built Using CICC provide by Japan, the US will deliver the final CS System by fabricating the magnet from six (6) separate 100 ton coils supported and restrained by an external structure. Part of the US responsibilities in delivering this magnet system to the ITER International Organization is to acceptance test each Central Solenoid Coil separately at operating (4K) temperature. The principal acceptance test objectives are coil leak tightness, insulation integrity and overall coil joint quality. Peak test field and test current are reduced without field contributions from adjacent coils and practical installation considerations. This paper will describe an ITER Central Solenoid Cold Test Facility study undertaken by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University and the United States ITER Project Office at Oak Ridge, TN.