Work on world’s largest and France’s first fusion reactor, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, ITER, suffered a setback as the nuclear regulatory body, Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire, ASN, ordered work stoppage until certain concerns are addressed.
The project, based on a magnetic fusion technology called Tokamak, is to show that nuclear fusion can be a viable large-scale and carbon-free source of energy.
Nuclear fusion is the same principle that powers our Sun and stars where Hydrogen atoms fuse to start a chain reaction with the release of lots of energy.
Up till now, nuclear power plants work on the principle of nuclear fission where neutrons from Uranium atoms split, not fuse, to start a controlled chain reaction that produces heat to run a turbine that generates electricity.
Engineers at ITER site, in southern France, were to commence the assembly of the reactor by welding two of the steel sectors, each weighing 440 tonnes, together.
In all, there are nine steel sectors making up the 11 metre-high reactor.
Once welded, they cannot be separated.
The two steel sectors delivered to the ITER site were said to be partly damaged at manufacture. The sectors fell at the manufacturing sites and sustained dimensional distortion, according to ASN.
The concern of ASN since January 25, 2022 iis mainly on neutron radiation exposure of people and strength of the materials to be used in the project, since the exercise is irreversible.
The experts in ITER are planning to do a 3-D simulation with the sectors to show that they can work without radiation leaks.
After that, they have to apply again to ASN for authorization to resume work.
ASN approved ITER’s design in 2012 and construction work started same year.
The reactor is designed to rest on earthquake-proof technology that can support 400,000 tonnes.
Construction work is supposed to end by 2025 and many years of testing is to follow before the reactor comes into full use.
The ITER project is estimated to cost $25 billion.
photo credit: new energy times, iter
