Central Solenoid

The US is responsible for 100% of the central solenoid (CS) magnet, including design, R&D, fabrication of 7 CS modules using supplied conductor (from Japan), associated structure, assembly tooling, bus extensions, and cooling connections.

The central solenoid is at the heart of the ITER tokamak. It both initiates plasma current and drives and shapes the plasma during operation. Image: US ITER
The central solenoid is at the heart of the ITER tokamak. It both initiates plasma current and drives and shapes the plasma during operation. Image: US ITER

The central solenoid serves as the backbone of the ITER magnet system. The CS induces the majority of the magnetic flux change needed to initiate the plasma, generate the plasma current, and maintain this current during the burn time. The CS is made of six independent coil packs that use a niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) cable-in-conduit superconducting conductor, held together by a vertical pre-compression structure. The conductor will be produced in unit lengths up to 910 m. The US is responsible for the 6 modules of the CS, a spare module, and the structure that ties them together and links these modules to the rest of the magnet system.

How are we building one of the world’s largest superconducting electromagnets for ITER? Watch Building the Heart of ITER.

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