EoW November 2013

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News
Corporate
November 2013 19
Ridgway Machines has won
a major new contract from
General Atomics, a US-based
technology innovation firm in
fusion research and technology.
The tape wrapping system
will be used to insulate
superconductor coils for the
central solenoid magnet on
the international nuclear
fusion reactor ITER, which has
been called the largest science
experiment in history.
ITER aims to demonstrate
the technical and scientific
feasibility of fusion power for
commercial-scale energy. The
ITER tokamak machine will be
one of the most complicated
machines ever engineered –
almost 30 metres high and weighing
23,000 tons, it will house an estimated
one million components.
The central solenoid will be located in
the heart of the ITER tokamak, and will
provide the majority of the magnetic flux
change needed to initiate the plasma,
generate the plasma current and maintain
this current during the burn time.
The ITER organisation was formed to
advance the development of hydrogen
fusion as an energy source. Fusion is a
safe, carbon-free energy source fuelled
by abundant resources (heavy hydrogen
from sea water) and can produce high
levels of power.
Partners China, the European Union (EU),
India, Japan, Korea, Russia and
the United States will implement
the project during its estimated
10-year construction and 20-year
operational phases. Construction is
now well underway in Cadarache,
France, and operations are
expected to begin in the early
2020s.
The seven ITER members share
every aspect of the project,
including science, procurement,
finance and staffing, with the aim
that ultimately each member will
have the know-how to produce its
own fusion energy plant. Ridgway
also provides sophisticated taping
heads to insulate the toroidal field
(TF) magnet coils supplied by the
EU.
Ridgway’s sales and marketing director,
Andy Clarke, said: “We will be working in
close collaboration with our customer to
meet the specification and performance
standards for this demanding
engineering application.”
Ridgway Machines – UK
Website :
▲ ▲ The ITER central solenoid magnet system
Fusion research contract win for Ridgway