The National Fusion Research Institute has awarded a contract to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the Korean section of the ITER vacuum vessel and ports. Both are critical components of the ITER Tokamak, which is being built by the European Union and six other countries in Caderache, France.
HHI will participate in the construction of the vacuum vessel for ITER in recognition of its technological capabilities as demonstrated by its experience with KSTAR. HHI will construct and deliver two of the nine vacuum vessel sectors, the seventeen equatorial ports and the nine lower ports of the ITER Tokamak by early 2017.
The vacuum vessel encloses the space where high temperature plasma will be created and maintained to produce fusion reactions. As such, it is designed to withstand both extremely high and cryogenically-low temperatures while maintaining a high vacuum seal.
President of Korea’s National Fusion Research Institute, Gyung-Su Lee said: “domestic companies which have accumulated technological competence through the experience of KSTAR are now participating in ITER. Developments in new fusion technology by industry are expected to advance national development toward becoming an international leader in fusion.”
