Status of the F4E Procurement of the EU ITER TF Coils

The ITER magnetic system includes 18 Toroidal Field (TF) Coils using Nb3Sn cable-in-conduit superconductor. Each TF coil, about 300-t in weight, is made by a Winding Pack (WP) composed by 7 Double Pancakes (DP) modules stacked together, impregnated and inserted in stainless steel coil case. Each DP is made by a Radial Plate (RP), a very large D-shaped stainless steel plate with grooves machined on a spiral path on both sides, in which the insulated conductor is inserted after the heat treatment. The procurement of the TF coils will be carried out by Fusion for Energy (the European Domestic Agency (DA)), responsible for 10 coils (including 1 spare coil) and the Japanese DA, responsible for 9 coils. The conductors will be produced by 6 different DAs, while the coil cases only by the Japanese DA. In July 2008 the Procurement Arrangement was signed between the ITER Organization (IO) and F4E defining the scope, technical and management requirements for the procurement of such coils. F4E has developed a procurement strategy aimed to minimize costs and risks, consisting of subdividing the procurement into three main procurement packages, each foreseeing an initial R&D qualification phase. One procurement package is related to the construction of 72 RP (including 2 prototypes), another to the fabrication of the 10 WP and a third to the cold test and coil-case insertion of 10 WP. So far F4E has signed 5 contracts. In 2009, we placed 2 contracts for the procurement of RP prototypes and 1 contract for the development and qualification of the welding and the Ultrasonic Test technologies for the coil case welding. In 2010 1 contract has been placed for the construction of 10 WP and 1 contract for the engineering optimization of the cold test and coil insertion.