Installation of prototype accelerator opens new chapter for IFMIF

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) will count on a world leading accelerator to mimic the neutronic conditions of the first wall in future fusion demonstration and commercial power plants. The role of F4E is to coordinate the European activities supported by the voluntary contributions of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. F4E’s main responsibilities are the integration and follow‐up of the activities conducted by the European groups working on the prototype accelerator, the test facility and the target facility. The prototype systems have to be designed, manufactured, installed, commissioned and tested in order to validate the newly developed features.

Following months of preparatory work, the installation activities for the Linear Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) have now started with the set-up of the deuteron injector. This was designed and manufactured at CEA Saclay, one of the voluntary contributions from France to the IFMIF/EVEDA project. The injector, whose target was to generate a 140 mA deuteron beam at 100 keV, passed the acceptance tests and was then shipped to Rokkasho, Japan. In mid-November a joint team of European and Japanese engineers unpacked the injector components and proceeded with the pre-installation activities under the guidance of Raphael Gobin and Patrick Girardot, experts from CEA. The first phase was completed at the end of last year and the installation phase has been initiated under the monitoring of F4E’s Broader Fusion Development Department based Garching, Germany. The aim is to complete the assembly of the accelerator components and begin testing by early 2017.

IFMIF is part of the Broader Approach Agreement signed between Europe and Japan. If you would like to read in more detail about the different projects  of the Broader Approach  download our brochure alternatively you can read a summary of all activities on our fact sheet.