newsletter
newsletter
Vol 2003 / 2June 5, 2003

E UROPEAN F USION DEVELOPEMENT AGREEMENT

News
Issued by the EFDA
Close Support Unit
Garching

ITER Competitiveness Council
Presenting a communication on the construction and operation of ITER to the Competitiveness Council on 13 May in Brussels (Belgium), EU Commissioner for ResearchPhilippe Busquin outlined the ongoing negotiations concerning the selection of a candidate site in Europe. Two possible locations, Cadarache in France and Vandellós in
Spain have been proposed as potential sites for ITER in Europe. Further sites havebeen proposed by Japan (Rokkasho-mura) and Canada (Clarington).
Full text of Presidency Summary on Page 2.

Contents.

NSSG-8 Subgroup Meeting at IPP Garching (Germany)
EU CompetitivenessCouncil (Presidency
summary)
page 2.

Interview:
Alain Valléepage 3

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ITER:
Magnet Meeting
page 4

During the 19th and 20th of May 2003 the Eighth Meeting of the Negotiators
Standing Sub-Group (NSSG) took place at the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik(Garching, Germany). The meeting was originally scheduled in Canada one month earlier but had to be rescheduled due to the SARS problem in Toronto. The meeting covered many different issues relating to the Negotiations, such as procurement allocation, procurement systems, management structure, staffing, intellectual property rights,
decommissioning, financial regulations as well as the drafting of the Joint
Implementation Agreement. Prior to the main two-day NSSG meeting, a number oftechnical discussions lasting several days took place within subgroups and progress
was made in these areas.

IEA Meeting of the Governing Board at Ministerial Level
JET:
Third Trackfor Pellet Fuelling
page 5
Associations:
Consorzio RFX Padova(Italy)page 6
Events:EFDA at IEA Fair
page 7
Events:SUSTAIN
page 8

http://www.efda.org

The energy ministers of IEA (International Energy Agency) Member countries met in
Paris (France) on 28-29 April 2003 and agreed that Energy Security, Environmental
Protection and Economic Growth remain the IEA’s robust guiding principles for energy
policy. They underlined theirreadiness to combat any
disruption of oil supplies,
while recognizing the factthat meeting the longerterm challenges of maintaining a secure, efficientand safe energy system will
require near term actions.
The Ministers promoted
international co-operation in
the world energy markets,and especially noted theincreasing importance of
IEA non-member countries.
They also reaffirmed theircommitment to promoting asustainable energy future,
For the full text of the press release please see:and to meeting the social
http://www.iea.org/new/releases/2003/commueng.htm
environmental and econoFusion at IEA Energy Technology Fair on Page 6.
mic challenges this entails.

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

page 2ITER

For the press releaseand the full document
please see:
http://www.cordis.lu/greece/press33.htm

EU Competitiveness Council – Presidency Summary(Continuation from Page 1)
Having heard the views of delegations on the questions of ITER, the Presidency believes
that the conclusions, as set out below, are supported by a very large majority of delegations.
It notes that the approach on a single site is not shared by one delegation. The Commission
is invited to ensure that the final report on this issue is provided as soon as possible so that
the Council can achieve agreement on the candidate site in September 2003, and to submit to the Council proposals concerning the joint implementation of ITER by the end of
2003. In relation to the present negotiations on ITER, the Presidency
1. WELCOMES the Commission’s communication State of progress of the negotiations
concerning the ITER international nuclear fusion energy research project.
2. NOTES with satisfaction the fact that the United States and China have joined the negotiations and that other countries have expressed interest in the project.
3. UNDERLINES the importance of basing ITER in Europe, if and when a decision on its
construction is taken, and stresses that every effort should be made to maximise the possibilities of ensuring that this takes place; and NOTES the need for an accompanying
physics and technology programme, to take full advantage of international collaboration.
4. CONSIDERS, therefore, in order to strengthen the Community’s position and to maximise the benefits for the European research activities, that the European candidate
site should be identified through a consensual and well defined process.
5. SUPPORTS the Commission’s view that this process should involve the establishmentof objective criteria, including cost, it being understood that aspects other than purely
technical ones should also be taken into account.
6. EMPHASISES that this process should be undertaken by the Commission in close cooperation with the authorities of the Member States, which have submitted site proposals.
7. RECOGNISES that it is essential in this process to call on the necessary expertise andto adopt a tight time schedule to ensure that the analyses are completed during the summer of 2003.
8. WELCOMES the intention of the Commission to ensure that the final report on this issue
is provided as soon as possible, so that the Council can achieve agreement on theEuropean candidate site in September 2003;
9. NOTES the Commission’s intention to submit to it, by the end of 2003, proposals concerning the joint implementation of ITER.

page 3

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

Interview“Let’s keep all doors open to provide energy for our future”
EFDA Newsletter (E.N.): You are an expert in the field of nuclear fission, but also chairman of
EFET, which has participated in the engineering design activities for ITER. What are themain technology achievements associated with your work in nuclear fission which wereof benefit for the ITER project?
A.V.: EFET was created 10 years ago and there was strong motivation from the European
Commission to develop knowledge and competence in industry for fusion. Initially just a
few people in industry had experience in how to build a tokamak. Now in European industry we have the competence of about 60 engineers with rather a good knowledge infusion. In addition, EFET provided valuable contributions. The main areas of benefit to the
ITER project have been in the fields of independent cost evalutation and optimization of
the manufacturing process for ITER components.
E.N.: Safety measurements in nuclear fission and in fusion have to fulfill completely different
demands as there is no possibility for a “melt down” in fusion. What influence do thetechnological achievements in fusion safety studies performed by EFET have on yourprojects in nuclear fission?
A.V.: Indeed there is a certain safety culture from fission reactors influencing fusion, but there
is no feedback for the safety approach from a fusion reactor like ITER. Safety is a matterof cultural behavior and also a matter of methodology. In the fission domain we are used
to this approach and to these methodologies. As all four countries proposing an ITER site
have nuclear fission reactors the licensing procedure for ITER will follow the approach fora fission reactor. So I think in this domain it’s quite useful that fission industry is involved,
because we are used to dealing with safety authorities. In a fusion power plant you haveno melt down, that’s clear, but with tritium you have slightly radioactive material that has
to be considered and, in terms of methodology, both procedures are the same.
E.N.: Framatome has also offered an advanced version of the CNP-1000 reactor, which is a
Pressurized Water Reactor, for the Chinese Ling Ao and Daya Bay units. As you know,
China has shown great interest in the ITER project. Have you also made contact with
China via EFET with regard to ITER?
A.V.: Not yet. China has joined the ITER project a few months ago. Its share of components
and supply will be discussed during the ITER official negotiations. If the situation
becomes clear, we propose starting the negotiations on an industrial level. But as
Framatome has already built four nuclear fission reactors in China, we have already built
up a very close relationship. We provided knowledge on component manufacturing andlicensing. We will therefore also offer our experience in fusion to support them in thesame way with ITER, of course, and transfer all necessary technology. If needed and if
we win a contract to contribute to ITER construction, we would organize a partnership forthe manufacturing of components in China with Chinese industry.
E.N.: 10 countries including France, Canada, Japan, the UK and the US have prepared an initiative to study systems for nuclear energy of generation IV, which could be available by2030. Do you think there will be any consequences for the ITER project?
A.V.: Not at all. The need in terms of energy demand for the future is rather high. The only
answer to this demand will be an energy mix. Our Generation IV does not represent one
concept of a reactor - six concepts have been chosen to be subject to research. There
could really be a breakthrough based on any of these which might allow the developmentof a concept using more advanced technology which does not yet exist. This situation isvery similar for ITER as an experimental reactor and for the next steps. We don’t know
today if the generation of fusion power plants following ITER will be competitive at thattime. So let’s see and let’s keep all doors open.
Interview: D. Lutz-Lanzinger

Alain Valléeis currently Senior Vice
President, responsible for
the Framatome ANP(Advanced Nuclear
Power) overall R & D
management and core
process. He heads theTechnical Center (2 sites
in France, 2 in Germany)and is in charge of theimplementation of theIntellectual Property
Policy and also Chairmanof the EFET (European
Fusion Engineering andTechnology) Organization.

For more information on
Framatome ANP:
http://www.framatomeanp.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FramatomeANP/Accueil

EFET (consortium ofEuropean companies ):ANSALDO (Italy)
BELGATOM (Belgium)
FORTUM (Finland)
FRAMATOME ANP(France )FRAMATOME ANP(Germany )IBERTEF (Spain)
NNC (United Kingdom)
For more information:
http://www.efetgrouping.com

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

page 4

ITER
Options for the Development of Improved Conductors for the ITER Magnets
High priority R&D items
to optimize the conductors
for ITER:- Quantifying the impactof transverse load on
strand and on the conductor performance- Control of strand cost

During May 6. - 9. 2003 a meeting to review the achievements in the ITER magnet
research & development (R&D) programme over the last 10 years was held at EFDA CSU
Garching (Germany). Representatives from the ITER-International Team (IT), and theParticipating Teams from Europe, Japan, Russian Federation and the United States werewelcomed. Dr. M. Huguet, head of the ITER site at Naka (Japan) and Dr. E. Salpietro fromEFDA CSU Garching (Germany) co-chaired the sessions. The results from the ITER magnet R&D programme, including the manufacture and test of two model coils and three conductor inserts, have now been evaluated. The following subjects were covered during themeeting:• The results from the model coil tests• Improved design of the Toroidal Field and Central Solenoid conductor• Advances in Nb3Sn strand production and quality• The Toroidal Field jacket material and conductor• The Central Solenoid jacket material and conductor.
The primary goal of the meeting was to converge on the optimal conductor designs for
the Toroidal Field and Central Solenoid coils. The main activity in the magnet R&D has been
the manufacture and testing of the Central Solenoid and the Toroidal Field model coils.The
Central Solenoid Model Coil was a joint effort between Japan, the European Union, theRussian Federation and the US, and was installed in the JAERI Naka facility (Japan). The
Toroidal Field Model Coil was entirely built by the European Union and tested at
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany) with the participation of other ITER partners.
Both projects (referred to as L1 for Central Solenoid and L2 for Toroidal Field) have demonstrated that the Nb3Sn technology required to manufacture the coils for ITER has beensuccessfully developed.
Three conductor insert coils have also been tested in Naka, using the Central Solenoid
Model Coil to produce a background field, and a fourth insert is on its way. The first insert
simulated the Central Solenoid conductor (Japan / US project), the second was a Nb3AI
conductor insert (Japan) and the third a Toroidal Field conductor in titanium jacket (RussianFederation). The fourth, for whichtests are scheduled for 2004, will be
a NbTi Poloidal Field conductor
insert (European Union / RussianFederation project).
The successful tests of bothModel Coils and inserts have confirmed the original design and given
further insight on how to enhance theperformance of the conductors
towards higher operational margins.
The ITER IT, taking advantage of thelessons learned from the R&D programme, presented a variety ofoptions for the optimization of theperformance of the conductors byusing higher performance strands
and different jacket materials.
After assessing the results, it was
concluded that the preferred design
solution for the conductors of boththe Toroidal Field Coils and theCentral Solenoid should be based onhigh performance strand with astainless steel jacket.

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

page 5JET
Third Track for Pellet Fuelling
The injection of frozen deuterium pellets at high speeds
into tokamak discharges has the potential for more efficient fuelling than the puffing of deuterium gas. The
JET programme is investigating the dependence ofpellet penetration on three different injection
geometries.
The first JET experimental campaign of 2003
benefited from the addition of a third pellet
track (Fig. 1), together with improvementsin the D2 ice quality and a design of theswitch which allows selection between
the existing low field side (LFS), highfield side (HFS) and new vertical highfield side (VHFS) tracks (Fig. 2).
The basic function of the new
VHFS pellet track is to inject pellets towards the plasma corefrom the high field side. The
previous HFS track is positioned too low to fueldirectly the inner core
and the LFS track cannot take advantage of
Fig.1: Schematic layout
outward drifts whichof new vertical high field
are thought toside track at JET.
improve fuelling

For more information on
JET please see:
http://www.jet.efda.org

Fig. 2: Comparison between the three
Pellet Injection geometries; low fieldside (LFS), high field side (HFS), andnew vertical high field side (VHFS).

efficiency. The VHFS guiding track is a 10 mm ID stainlesssteel tube capable of handling 4 mm and 5 mm (cube size)
pellets. Diagnostics include a direct measurement of the pellet mass using a microwave cavity.
The full system offers a doubling of the previous maximum
fuelling rate and will allow the penetration and fuelling efficiency of pellets to be studied for a wide range of injection
speeds, pellet sizes and injection geometry (which can bechanged during a pulse). The pellet sizes currently available
are 4x4 mm2 strings, which can be cut to lengths of 2.2-4 mm,
at repetition rates range in the range 2 - 10 Hz, respectively.
Initial experiments in 2003 demonstrated reliable operation of
the new VHFS pellet track. In Fig. 3, a direct comparison of
the density response to pellets injected along different tracks
into the same plasma discharge is shown. Preliminary results
indicate that the fuelling efficiency is similar for all three tracks
at low speed (up to 250 m/s) and is better with the VHFS
track at high speed (up to 400 m/s). The HFS track has
allowed injection speeds of 310 m/s, much higher than previously achieved.

Fig.3: The line averaged electron density evolution
for 4 mm pellets injected with 5 Hz repetition ratefrom the LFS, VHFS and HFS locations at 250 m/s
into an L-mode plasma discharge (A. Geraud et al,
to be submitted to the 30th EPS conference on
CFPP, St. Petersburg, July 2003).

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

page 6

Associations
The design and fabrication of the new components and systems werecarried out with involvement of primary European
companies:• ASI Robicon, Milan(Italy)• Siemens AG, Erlangen(Germany)• Passoni&Villa, Milan(Italy)• EEI S.p.A., Vicenza(Italy)• Tesla, Storrington (UK)• Babcock Noell Nuclear,
Würzburg (Germany)• Man Turbomacchine
De Pretto, Schio (Italy)• Le Carbone Lorraine,
Parigi (France)• Plansee, Reutte Tirol,(Austria)

More information on
Consorzio RFX:
http://www.igi.cnr.it/

Consorzio RFX Padova – Fusion in Italy
The RFX (Reversed Field Experiment) device entered into operation in 1992. Since
then, it has produced more than 10.000 pulses of ~100 ms with toroidal plasma currents of~1.1 MA, with significant results in the fields of MHD physics, transport mechanisms andturbulence control. The substantial progress obtained in the understanding of the Reversed
Field Pinch (RFP) plasma physics has led to significantly new knowledge and to design
improvements of the machine for further research development.
In December 1999, a fire developed in a capacitor bank of the RFX device, destroying or
damaging part of the power supplies. Euratom, CNR and ENEA, the organizations financially
supporting RFX in agreement with Padova University, confirmed the importance of the RFX
research programme and, thanks to the fact that the insurance company covered most of thecost of restoration, the RFX reconstruction and improvement plan became a reality.
Now the power supplies of RFX have been restored and modifications are being introduced:• to improve the capability for active MHD control, via an array of 192 saddle coils outside
the vacuum vessel;• to improve the axysymmetric equilibrium control, by means of a thinner and closer shell;• to widen the toroidal field control scenarios by a modified power supply system.
The utilisation of the most recent technologies in power semiconductors has allowed an
expansion in the toroidal field power supply flexibility, which is particularly useful for MHD
mode studies. The total energy stored in capacitors has been decreased and the bank has
been divided into 12 separate modules toimprove the current control in each coil sector
and to facititate fault protection.
Industry has been centrally involved in thetechnological developments necessary to meetthese requirements. Two examples of significant
results are related to the new switching power
supplies that use IGCT - a power semiconductor
recently introduced in the market – and to thefast make switches based on Light Triggered
Thyristor - instead of ignitrons – for capacitor
bank discharge and for protective crowbars.
The poloidal field power supply and control
system is presently being used to test the performance of new switches for ITER Fast
Discharge and Protection Units.
It is now expected that RFX will return tooperation in spring 2004 and the first physics experiments are planned for summer 2004. The
scientific programme for the exploitation of themachine, which is in preparation, will be oriented
towards obtaining a better understanding of confinement processes and, thanks to the better definition of the structure of the magnetic field,
towards the reduction of the plasma-wall interactions and the possibility of actively influencing thetransport. It will allow a deeper understanding of basic non-linear MHD phenomena such as
magnetic reconnection, self-organisation and mode-mode interaction relevant to a large
variety of plasmas. The modifications introduced will also provide continuity with the past
research program, but, at the same time, will strongly improve the capability of addressing
key issues relating to active MHD control.
The scientific programme of RFX will include important studies which are relevant not
only to the RFP line, but to the entire magnetic fusion programme and in particular to tokamaks and ITER.

page 7

EFDA Fusion Newsletter

EventsMain topics of the meeting:• Technology options to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in the longterm

IEA Ministerial Governing Board Meeting Fair
The IEA (International Energy Agency) Ministerial Governing Board Meeting took placein Paris on April 28 and 29, 2003, attracting high level representatives from all IEA member
states. In parallel with the meeting an Energy Technology Collaboration Fair was organised
to show the activities which are being promoted by various member countries in the fields ofrenewables (including hydrogen), fossil fuels,
end use technologies and fusion. Fusion was
also mentioned in the input document presented at the Ministerial Governing Board meeting.
The aim of the fair was to present to the visitors the state of art in these fields, in which
co-operative research is pursued through the
Implementing Agreements which are established by the member countries in the framework of the IEA.
The fusion stand was organised by the IEA
Fusion Power Co-ordinating Committee andEFDA played a key role in its implementation.
The stand consisted of three different areas: ageneric description of fusion, an overview of the
M. Roberts (US DoE, left), J. Pamela (acting EFDA leader, middle) and L. de Palacio (Vice President of the
ITER project and a display covering the
EU Commission and Commissioner for Energy and
Implementing Agreements. The ITER modelTransport, right) at the Fusion standand a model showing the building layout at the
ITER site were also presented. A Power Point presentation and films on fusion (TheStarmakers, JET, ITER [courtesy of ITER Canada], IFMIF [courtesy of JAERI]) were shown
on a large computer-driven plasma screen at the entrance to the stand.
The Ministers and delegations visited the fair in the afternoon of the first day. They spenta substantial time at our stand and were given information about fusion, with special
emphasis on the ITER project. In particular, most of the Ministers representing governments
involved in the ITER Negotiations visited the stand and they were therefore very wellinformed about the current situation. All were very supportive of fusion research activities
and, more specifically, of the ITER project. On the following day, the press was allowed tovisit the fair before the final press conference, given by Mr. B. Wilson (UK), Chairman of the
Ministerial Board, together with the IEA Executive Director, Mr. C. Mandil, closed the event.
The presence of fusion at the fair allowed the fusion community to convey to this high levelaudience the progress achieved, the present state of research and the developments towards
the construction of ITER, which is the necessary next step in the world fusion programme.

• Security of energy supply

For the IEA press releaseplease see:
http://www.iea.org/new/releases/2003/commueng.htm

VIPs visiting the fusion stand:
Mr. S. Abraham (USA - Energy Secretary)
Mr. H. Dhaliwal (Canada - Minister of Natural Resources)
Mr. J. Folgado Blanco (Spain - State Secretary Energy andIndustrial Development)
Mr. H. Gueler (Turkey - Minister of Natural Resources)
Mr. T. Hiranuma (Japan - Minister of Economy)
Mr. F. Lamoreux (EU - Director General Energy and Transport)
Mr. D. Maillard (France -Director General Energy and Raw
Materials)
Mr. C. Mandil (IEA - Executive Director)
Ms. L. de Palacio (EU - Vice President of the EU Commission andCommissioner for Energy and Transport)
Mr. B. Wilson ( UK - Energy Minister)
Mr. I. Yusufov (Russian Federation - Minister of Energy)

A model in Paris:
ITER at the fusion standEFDA Fusion Newsletter

page 8

EventsFor more information please
see:

EFDA at the World SUSTAINable Energy Exhibition & Conference 2003
Technical Innovations, environmental aspects, financial issues and policy matters –SUSTAIN is a biannual international conference and tradeshow where trends in the areaof sustainable energy, particularly industrial aspects, and energy efficiency are brought
together. Supported by the European Commission, the 4th event of this kind took placeon May 13-15, 2003 in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). 83 exhibitors from eleven countries exhibited their latest products and services to international visitors to the fair, whichmerged both sustainable and ecological issues (Sustain and Ecotech fair).
Supported by the Association Euratom-FOM (Foundation for Fundamental
Research on Matter) Rijnhuizen (The Netherlands), EFDA presented posters on fusion,
JET and ITER and explained to visitors the aims and targets of fusion research in the
EU. The ITER model and the films shown at the stand provided a broader spectrum of
information. The large number of visitors - representatives of national and international
industries, conference delegates, energy experts, as well as university professors fromother fields - were well informed about fusion in general. Constructive discussions werecarried out with members of Non-Governmental Organisations visiting the fair and auseful exchange of experience andopinions was also possible withexperts working for other sustainableenergy projects. Most of the visitors
were supportive of research in fusionenergy and wished to be informed
more regularly on the progress in the
research. The fair allowed EFDA toestablish many new contacts with
opinion makers and representatives
from different energy sectors.
A two-day conference was held inconjunction with the fair reviewing
the latest strategic and technicaldevelopments in the international
renewable energy markets. Prof.
N.J. Lopes Cardozo, Head of the
Plasma Physics Division at FOM,
presented the strategic development
and the potential of fusion as a clean
energy source of the future. He
explained the state of the ongoing
ITER negotiations between the partners and discussed the possible contribution of fusion to a sustainablesupply of energy in the second half of
this century.

http://www.sustain2003.com/
http://rep3.raishows.com/sustain2003/bez_overig139/bez_ov
erig139.asp

For more information
see our EFDA website:
http://www.efda.org

and additionally
http://www.jet.efda.org
http://www.iter.org

EFDA Close Support Unit - Garching
Boltzmannstr. 2
D-85748 Garching / Munich - Germany© J. Pamela (acting EFDA Leader) 2003.

phone: +49-89-3299-4237
fax: +49-89-3299-4197
e-mail: federico.casci@efda.org
editors: Federico Casci, Doris Lutz-Lanzinger
graphic design: Karen Jens

The EFDA Parties are the European Commission and the Associates of the European
Fusion Programme which is co-ordinated and managed by the Commission.
Neither the Commission, the Associates nor anyone acting on their behalf is responsible
for any damage resulting from the use of information contained in this publication.

This internal newsletter or parts of it may not be reproduced without permission. Text,
pictures and layout, except where noted, courtesy of the EFDA Parties.