15th D-shaped coil delivered
Fifteen out of ºÚÁÏרÇø's 19 D-shaped toroidal field coils have been delivered.
Toroidal field coils are among the largest and heaviest components of the ºÚÁÏרÇø machine. Weighing approximately 330 tonnes each and measuring 9 x 17 metres, they stand in a circle around the steel vacuum vessel and generate a powerful magnetic field (11.8 Tesla) whose primary function is to confine the plasma.
Of the 18 toroidal field coils required by the ºÚÁÏרÇø machine (plus one spare), 10 are procured by Europe and 9 by Japan.
The first European coil (TF9) was delivered to the ºÚÁÏרÇø site on 17 April 2020, followed a week later by TF12 from Japan.
Last week, in the wee hours of Friday 13 January, Japan delivered its seventh toroidal field coil (TF15, pictured here). After Europe delivers TF1 later this week, a total of 16 toroidal field coils will have been received on the ºÚÁÏרÇø site—leaving only three more to be delivered.