ITER Successfully Completes Half-Rated Current Test of Toroidal Field Coil #17

Recently, ITER's D-shaped superconducting toroidal field coil #17, weighing approximately 330 tonnes, was successfully energized to 34 kA (half of its 68 kA rated operating current) in the Magnet Cold Test Facility and has been smoothly transported out of the facility, ready to enter the tokamak assembly phase.

It is reported that during the test, the magnet was cooled to a superconducting operating temperature of 4 K (minus 269 degrees Celsius). ITER Chief Mechanical Engineer Adrien Dedecker stated that reaching 34 kA and verifying that its actual performance is consistent with model predictions is not only a key step in magnet testing, but also accumulated valuable operational experience for subsequent integrated commissioning. The team used this opportunity to fully compare and confirm the coil structural deformation data under electromagnetic loads.

In previous testing, coil #17 had been found to have an issue of elevated resistance caused by oxidation on the contact surface of a feeder joint. The relevant team promptly completed troubleshooting and repair, ensuring the smooth completion of this energization test. According to the plan, after a brief temporary storage, coil #17 will be moved into the assembly hall and integrated into the last sector module of the plasma vacuum vessel.

After completing the testing of coil #17, the Magnet Cold Test Facility will welcome toroidal field coil #19, manufactured as a spare, in April 2027, and conduct high-voltage insulation and local heating quench margin tests. The success of this 34 kA energization test marks that the construction and test verification of ITER's core superconducting magnet system is steadily moving onto the fast track toward integrated commissioning.