In mid-February, Frank Briscoe took up duties as F4E Director. He started his scientific career in 1971 and after spending three years with British Gas he then joined the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to work on fission projects. From 1985, he became increasingly involved in the management of fusion activities and the supply of high technology equipment to third parties. From 1996, he managed all UKAEA operational activities at the Culham Science Centre including the fusion experiments MAST and from 2000 onwards, JET. Frank Briscoe was awarded an OBE in 2007 in recognition of his major contribution to international collaboration in fusion science. After leaving Culham in 2008, he led an independent assessment of the cost estimates of the ITER Organization for the construction of ITER.
F4E launches online industry portal
F4E’s new online industry portal is now available. The portal is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to find F4E operational calls for tender as the search function allows users to search on the title, reference number, stage of procedure or status. F4E’s industry portal also includes a supplier database which allows companies to register, thus giving them a greater visibility at F4E.
F4E awards 24.5 million EUR contract for superconducting niobium-tin wire
Fusion for Energy has awarded a 24.5 million EUR contract for the supply of 37 tons of high-performance superconducting niobium-tin wire to the Bruker EAS GmbH subsidiary in Hanau. The niobium-tin strand wire will be used to make superconducting magnets that will confine the plasma in ITER.
Contract for PF coil fabrication building awarded
F4E awarded the contract for the design and construction of the Poloidal Field (PF) coil fabrication building to the consortium Spie batignolles, Omega Concept and Setec on 16 December 2009. The first of its kind, this contract marks the start of the F4E ITER buildings construction.
Introducing our industry partners
NATEC Ingenieros, supplier of engineering support through FEM - ANSYS
Located on Spain’s northern coast, NATEC Ingenieros is a firm specialised in engineering through Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis using Ansys, the general-purpose finite element analysis software package.
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Call for tender for supply of seven Vacuum Vessel sectors launched An important milestone in the European ITER project procurement was reached on 12 February when F4E launched the call for tender for the supply of seven Vacuum Vessel sectors. A vital part of the ITER machine, the Vacuum Vessel sectors will join together to form the tokamak – the doughnut-shaped device inside the ITER machine … Read more |
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HTS Current Leads Procurement Arrangement signed On 1 February, the Procurement Arrangement (PA) between F4E and the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency regarding Europe’s contribution of High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) current leads to the JT-60SA project was signed. The JT-60SA project is one of the three projects which are jointly being implemented within the Broader Approach Agreement. Read more |
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Focus on F4E’s Analysis and Codes Group The main mission of the Analysis and Codes Group is to provide expertise and computational analysis support to the ITER department over a broad range of engineering fields during the preparation and the follow-up of the main F4E contracts. Read more |
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Broader Approach JT-60SA website now live The website of JT-60SA is now launched. |
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Spanish EU Presidency kicks off The new decade kicks off with Spain taking over from Sweden the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and carrying out this responsibility for the fourth time in history. Spain is asked to offer political leadership at a period when the EU needs to adjust in the new institutional setting of the Lisbon Treaty and offer policy responses to areas that touch Europe’s economic growth and jobs. Read more |
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EU launches its new research website on energy With more than 15,000 hits a month on average and an impressive make over hosting more public oriented content together with a forum to react with comments and ideas on energy and nuclear research in Europe, the new website of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research promises to bring closer to the citizens ongoing and future research. |
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ITER is a vital element for sustainable energy supply, says new EU Research Commissioner Irish national Máire Geoghegan-Quinn took office on 10 February as the new European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science after winning the European Parliament's approval the day before. Read more |
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European Parliament’s ITRE Committee visits F4E
A delegation of the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee visited F4E on 17 February to learn more about the organisation and receive an update regarding the progress of the ITER project. The new term of the European Parliament started in June 2009, where 736 MEPs were elected to represent almost 500 million of Europeans.
F4E band makes students fuse together!
A band of ten percussionists makes its way to the Research in Action pavilion of the Catalan Education Fair. Five of them dressed as deuterium with cymbals and bells enter from the left. The other five dressed as tritium playing the large drums enter from the right. They are heading for a big rhythmic collision and a lot of noise. They turn the beat up, they hit their drums harder and shout one word: FUSION!
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Science Day: Bringing science to students Did you know that ITER’s Vacuum Vessel (tokamak) will weigh as much as the Eiffel Tower? No? Well then you didn’t participate at Science Day, organised every year in Catalonia. |
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Grab a coffee and let’s discuss fusion Café Cientific (Science Café), organised by the Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CGR) (with help from F4E) in Barcelona during December, brought together different voices to discuss the future of energy. The idea behind the Science Café is to provide opportunities for science to meet society and to promote discussion between these two groups. Read more |
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Visit of dIIF to Cadarache The F4E Industrial Liaison Office of Germany (dIIF) organised a visit to Cadarche between 17-19 March for a delegation of companies in order to receive latest information on the ITER project. The visit kicked off with a presentation by Norbert Holtkamp, ITER IO Deputy Director General, welcoming the delegation to the ITER site where he presented the project and offered an update on the progress of the work. Read more |
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Reporting from the AAAS: Hollywood loves fusion! The annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, otherwise known as “Triple A-S”, needs no introduction to those in science communication. It’s a key event to break new stories, exchange science communication practices and network with scientists and journalists from more than 50 nations during 150 sessions. Read more |
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F4E informs SMEs in West France region With attendance of 150 participants, representatives from F4E’s Contracts & Procurement department, were on hand to inform SMEs and industries in the West of France regarding possibilities for these companies to participate in F4E calls for tender, mainly as subcontractors for bigger companies. Read more |
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Calendar
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2-7 May 2010: European Geosciences Union Assembly, Vienna
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2-7 July 2010: ESOF 2010, Torino
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27 Sept.-1 Oct. 2010: SOFT 2010, Porto
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11-16 Oct. 2010: 23rd IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Daejeon
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Links
Multimedia
Heading for a big rhythmic collision:
See the F4E percussionists perform the process of deuterium and tritium fusing together. The performance was part of the F4E activities at the Catalan Education Fair to encourage young students to learn about fusion and consider a career in science.
