The new ROVE platform complements the existing IRFM tests facilities with a priority on remote operated activities in fusion environment. It will be used for large scale equipment qualification as well as R&D, technical
To maximize the future fusion machines availability, remote handling equipment and diagnostics will be essential and unprecedented. The technical complexity of these components requires qualification tests under relevant operations such as conditioning and exploitation before their implementation on the machines.
The new ROVE (Remote Operated Vacuum Equipment) platform complements the existing IRFM tests facilities with a priority on remote operated activities in fusion environment. It will be used for large scale equipment qualification as well as R&D, technical developments or industrial concept evaluation.
The commissioning of the ROVE test facility has been completed at the end of the first semester of 2013. It is now fully ready for operation.
ROVE is a 15 m3 vacuum vessel. It is equipped with several port plugs which can receive flanges with variable geometries, shapes, sizes and localizations, offering a large flexibility for the equipment and their instrumentation to be tested.
It includes vacuum and heating systems with their dedicated and accurate instrumentation.
It is located in a 200 m² hall equipped with laboratory servicing and a preparation area.
A temperature and vacuum compatible trolley may be deployed on request into the vacuum vessel for the tests.
Furthermore, the flexibility of ROVE gives opportunities to many projects, even outside the remote operation field.
ROVE command-control system is based on the ITER Command Data aCquisition (CODAC) standard.
ROVE permitted to the CEA IRFM and ITER CODAC teams to achieve a full scale deployment on a real test bed of the technological choices selected by ITER.
Several test campaigns are already planned on ROVE:
- The conceptual design of leak localization diagnostics for ITER, in collaboration with BERTIN Technologies
- The qualification of the Articulated Inspection Arm (AIA) robot, in collaboration with ASIPP (China)
- Measurement of the performances of a pumping system in the WEST operating conditions
- The Tore Supra ECRH antenna optical evolution qualification, in collaboration with DIFFER-TUE-IME institutes (NL)
Credits: ROVE development has been supported by the French Stimulus Plan.
