SIMIC has been awarded the qualification and manufacturing of the Blanket Cooling Manifold Task 1, as part of the 7-year framework contract signed by Fusion for Energy (F4E) for the prototyping and production activities of the ITER project – the biggest fusion experiment!
The Blanket Cooling Manifolds (BCM) deliver pressurized cooling water to the Blanket Modules (BMs). This intricate system consists of 8.5 km of seamless 316L stainless steel pipes, precisely routed around the Vacuum Vessel and its ports. The piping is supported by highly complex custom components that ensure thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and magnetic shielding, all at once.
To meet the demanding requirements of this task, SIMIC developed and qualified a series of advanced processes, including:
- Alumina and copper deposition
- Electron Beam (EB) welding
- Orbital and manual TIG welding
- Precision milling
- Hot Radial Pressing (HRP) in a vacuum furnace at 700°C
- 3D bending with tight tolerances
The successful completion of Task 1 will mark a significant milestone for Europe’s contribution to ITER, paving the way for the upcoming series production of the Blanket Cooling Manifolds.
