US completes work on preparing the final massive magnetic module for the ITER reactor

The US ITER project has completed the delivery of central solenoid components for the international thermonuclear reactor being built in Cadarache, France. The final shipment included bus bars and current leads for electrical connections. Ixbt.com reports.

The central solenoid is a giant magnet system measuring 18 meters tall and 4.25 meters wide, consisting of six separate modules. Each module weighs more than 122.5 tonnes and is wound with approximately 6 kilometers of superconducting cable.

The total weight of this magnet system is nearly 3,000 tonnes.

The production of the central solenoid took 15 years at the General Atomics plant in California. Currently, five modules have been assembled at the ITER site, with the final module to be added later.

Once assembly is complete, the structure will be compressed with a special frame to withstand enormous forces during reactor operation.

ITER is an experimental device, and its main task is not to generate electricity, but to prove the feasibility of controlled thermonuclear fusion. US ITER representatives note that the completion of this project represents a significant step for the global thermonuclear energy program.