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.
The PF coil fabrication building is a non-nuclear building which will measure approximately 250 metres long, 45 metres wide and 17 metres high. It will include regular building services (HVAC, electrical, piping), two large cranes (one standard crane weighing 25 tons, and one special crane weighing 50 tons), a small set of offices, a parking and two docking areas for the unloading and temporary placement of coils.
The Poloidal Field magnets will generate a magnetic field to control the plasma column position, keeping it away from the walls, and contributing in maintaining the plasma’s shape and stability inside the Vacuum Vessel. The Poloidal Field coil system consists of six horizontal, circular coils placed outside the Toroidal Magnet structure. Because of their very large size, winding of five of the six PF coils will take place on site in the future PF coil winding building.
The contract for the PF coil fabrication building will be signed on 13 January by Didier Gambier, F4E Director, and François Xavier Cledat, President of Spie batignolles, during a ceremony at the ITER construction site in Cadarache. Local French and European representatives will also attend.
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Commissioning of European systems advancing after successful mechanical tests.
Importance of ITER, private sector involvement and a stronger F4E amongst the key findings.