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Construction of a testing centre for maintenance systems of ITER fusion test plant in progress at VTT
22.11.2006
The European testing centre for the maintenance systems of the ITER fusion test reactor established at VTT in Tampere, Finland, is proceeding. The construction work on the centre has already begun and is progressing well. The international researcher exchange was also launched at the beginning of November in order to train experts for the testing centre.
The construction of the steel structures of the testing centre for ITER’s
maintenance systems is currently in progress; the installation work on the
robotics and control systems will begin next spring. The basic structures in
Tampere will be supplied by TP-Konepajat, located in Tampere, which won the
demanding international competitive tendering process. The other parties come
from Spain and Luxembourg.
The training of the experts
elected for the ITER and fusion project began in November. Two Finnish, two
British and two French researchers participate in the training. The target
organisations where the researchers rotate are CEA in France, Oxford
Technologies in the U.K. and Tampere University of Technology (TUT) and VTT in
Finland.
The massive test equipment for the ITER fusion
power plant is located in VTT and TUT’s international ROViR development
centre. ROViR (Remote Operation and Virtual Reality Centre) is a centre
developing industrial design and control systems, based on combining the solid
expertise of VTT and TUT’s hydraulics and automation department.
Remote
operation and virtual technologies play a central role in the maintenance of
the ITER reactor, but they possess huge application potential for the industry
as well. The aim is to use the ROViR centre to introduce the research results
related to ITER research, the largest research project in the world, for use
by companies to improve their productivity and competitiveness.
The
agreement on the construction of the ITER fusion test plant was signed in
Paris on 21 November. Fusion energy is a promising alternative especially for
the production of basic power. The advantages of fusion are practically
limitless fuel resources, safety, and environmental and climate friendliness.