Russia is one of the leaders in the development of controlled fusion technologies. Initially, the controlled fusion problem was first formulated by a soviet physicist Oleg Lavrentiev who also suggested a constructive solution to it. Besides, the prominent scientists such as Andrey Sakharov and Igor Tamm, as well as Lev Artsimovich who headed the soviet controlled fusion program since 1951, made an important contribution to the solution of this problem. The issue of controlled fusion was brought up to the international level in the middle of the XX century on the initiative of a soviet scientist as well. It is known that Igor Kurchatov in 1956 during his visit to the British nuclear center Harwell voiced a suggestion on cooperation of nuclear scientists from different countries to solve this scientific problem.

The first fusion energy forum was held in Saltsburg in 1961 and the third one was already hosted by Novosibirsk in 1968, Deputy CEO of ROSATOM Vyacheslav Pershukov reminded, addressing this year conference. Today, Russia retains leading positions; other fusion leaders are Japan and the USA. They sent most representative delegations to Saint-Petersburg (113 and 62 people, respectively).

The contribution to ITER
One of the core topics at the forum was construction of the international experimental reactor ITER in Cadarache, and no wonder. The project is running at full speed in spite of certain difficulties.

ROSATOM’s companies significantly contribute to the development of the ITER international project. They manufacture and supply high technology equipment, technologies and components such as the diagnostic system for hydrogen emission spectroscopy, poloidal coil of the ITER magnetic system, components for the ITER vacuum chamber, connectors of the blanket, system of the neutron and reflectometry diagnostics, as well as busbars for the ITER power supply system. The country’s share in ITER today is about ten percent.

At the exhibition arranged for in the framework of the conference, the Fuel Company of ROSATOM TVEL presented a united display. Two enterprises of the FC TVEL – A.A. Bochvar All-Russia Research Institute of Inorganic Materials and Chepetsky Mechanical Plant – demonstrated their most recent developments of superconducting materials for the ITER magnetic system. The display visitors had an opportunity of having a look at the unique process of making low-temperature superconductors of Nb3Sn and NbTi. The displayed semi-finished products of copper, tantalum, high-tin bronze and niobium-titanium alloy illustrated all stages of the complex process of fabrication of these composite materials.

Also, the display contained information about results of verification tests of superconductors for the ITER obtained by the Russian Reference Laboratory within the Domestic Agency ITER.  Besides, the tests of critical properties of the developed superconductors were presented. A part of the exhibition was about fabrication of beryllium plates for the ITER blanket lining, which is also Russia’s contribution to this International Project.

The technological revolution
The D.V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus (NIIEFA) in Saint-Petersburg is one the most active Russian participants. In the framework of the Saint-Petersburg Fusion Energy Conference the participants and journalists made a technical tour of the institute.

The participants visited laboratories and had a look at benches of experimental installations and other facilities used in the ITER project. These are the benches for studies of high-current superconducting magnetic systems, the benches for thermal tests of the divertor component specimens, the laser welding system, the bench for soldering and heat treatment of the divertor components, the flaw detection section, the production and test system for busbars of the ITER power supply systems. The tour participants were demonstrated ready-made components of the International Experimental Thermonuclear Reactor and the equipment used for their manufacture and testing.  

Speaking with journalists, head of the International Organization ITER Osamu Motojima highly appraised the work being done by NIIEFA and the contribution to the project implementation made by both the institute and the Russian Federation on the whole. “Russia fulfills all obligations in full and timely,” he emphasized.

Deputy Director General of the IAEA Alexander Bychkov highlighted the breakthrough nature of the work being carried out. “Here, in Petersburg, the city of three revolutions, a new revolution is on, it is the technological revolution,” he said.

Director of the Science & Innovations, which is the management organization of NIIEFA, Oleg Filatov noted, answering the question on whether he believed in the success of ITER: “It is not a religion, which is believed in or not. This is a reality, and you can make sure that there are works and they are being done by our enterprise, in particular.” 

During the NIIEFA visit it was stated that Russian nuclear workers would start in 2016 the first deliveries of the power supply components they produce for the international thermonuclear reactor project ITER.

The active participant
NIIEFA started actively working in the ITER already at the stage of the conceptual design in 1988. Then there was the engineering design phase that started in 1992 and continues today. NIIEFA is responsible for six so-called packages or contracts for manufacture of separate systems. The largest contract is for manufacture of the switchgears, i.e. resistors that are capable of receiving energy up to 50 GJ and busbars.

Another package deals with manufacture and delivery of so-called divertors. They are devices, which receive heat flows from plasma; they are heavy-duty components, which pertain to high technology. The institute supplies part of the divertor, specifically, its central assembly. This component represents a steel support structure where soldered or welded plasma-facing components are fixed. They are capable of receiving loads of 5 up to 20 MW per square meter.
One more package is for the work to design and manufacture the first wall panels. This is a heavy-duty section of the tokamak, since it is directly contacting plasma. The surface temperature is about 660?С, while temperature of the base that supports the first wall and is cooled with water ranges from 70 up to 130°C.

The third package in this work area constitutes thermal tests. Now, NIIEFA has built a large test bench for thermal tests, which is equipped with an electronic gun of 800 kW power capacity and which will be used for testing divertor targets made in other countries, in Japan and Europe. They will supply these components, which will be subjected to loads of up to 20 MW per square meter.

Other components NIIEFA deals with are components of the vacuum chamber. This is a double-wall structure with rather thick walls (50 up to 70 mm). In essence, it is the first safety barrier of the reactor. The structural material is original, steel grade 316LN.

The last package relates to manufacture of large-scale coils to generate the magnetic field. The institute’s scientists have designed and manufactured one of such coils, which is called the poloidal coil PF1. This coil has a diameter of about 9 meters and weights over 200 tons; it is made of a rather stiff conductor based on the superconductor of a titanium-niobium alloy.

The work on all projects is carried out in parallel because the first delivery to the ITER starts in 2015. The deliveries of switchgears are to be completed in 2017-2018. The first wall and divertor deliveries are expected to complete in 2021. All essential systems – magnetic coils, switchgears, nozzles of the vacuum chamber – should be available by time of the reactor start-up.

The ITER also has a great demand for NIIEFA’s engineers and scientists. Today, one the institute’s employees, Alexander Alekseev, has been appointed the Deputy Director of ITER and worked in this capacity in Cadarache.