On July 26th, 2016, the Japanese Institute QST (Quantum & Radiological Science and Technology) organized in Naka (Ibaraki) a ceremony in honour of “constant progress of French contribution to the JT-60SA project”. This contribution is mainly composed of high technology elements, essentially manufactured in France and being installed in Japan.
Superconducting coils, cryogenic plant, power supplies… The manufacturing of these components was based on specifications established by CEA and supervised by CEA engineers. CEA acts by delegation of the European Fusion Agency “Fusion for Energy”. While all major components are now in phase of installation, the superconducting coils are being delivered at a smaller pace.
Thus, the first toroidal field coil (main magetic structure of the tokamak) has been delivered on June 20th 2016 at Naka. Ten of these coils are manufactured at Belfort in the Alstom/General Electric workshops. They are then systematically tested at CEA Saclay. The second coil is now being shipped to Japan and the third one has been also fully validated in July 2016.
Before shipment to Japan, the tested coils are assembled on their external mechanical structures, manufactured in France by the SDMS company, in Saint-Romans (Isère). Three of them have already been delivered to Saclay.
Mid-July 2016 the set of 18 feet supporting the whole JT-60SA magnetic system have been accepted in ALSYOM company workshop, Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées). These components are being shipped to Japan.
Early beginning July 2016 the five electric power supplies for JT6-0SA superconducting coils have been delivered at Naka.
The cryoplant, manufactured by Air Liquide at Sassenage, on the basis of CEA specifications, has been delivered at Naka in May 2015. Its commissioning and performance tests are ongoing and should terminate end of September 2016. All these activities are conducted in strong collaboration between Air Liquide and CEA teams. On July 26th 2016, Air Liquide vice-president came to Naka to inspect and congratulate his teams for their professional commitment and results.
This major deployment of energy, competence and efficiency for JT-60SA was celebrated by QST high representatives at the occasion of the ceremony which commended CEA and its industrial partners.
This ceremony was held under the patronage of the nuclear advisor of the French embassy in Tokyo, representing the ambassador, Mrs. Maria Faury, international director at CEA/DRF (fundamental research direction), M. Jean-Claude Vallet, JT-60SA programme manager at CEA.
Speeches by QST high representatives: Masahiro Mori, Manager General, Yasuhide Tajima, Executive Director, Kenichi Kurihara, Director General, Hiroshi Shirai, JT-60SA Project Leader, Yutaka Kamada, JT-60SA Programme Director for QST, have underlined the high level of commitment, availability and reliability devoted to the JT-60SA project by CEA and its industrial partners as well as the exceptional confidence links between the two institutes.
The JT-60SA endeavour, first of a kind, is unanimously considered by CEA and QST directions as a major success, which will continue through the tokamak commissioning, planned between end 2019 and beginning 2020.
