VIDEO: Enerpac SyncHoist helps position electromagnet at ITER project

Enerpac SyncHoist in operation at ITER (Photo: Enerpac)

ITER (the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a project located in France which upon completion will likely be the world’s largest fusion reactor.

Construction of the tokamak, which will hold the super-heated plasma, is continuing at the site, while supporting hardware is also being installed.

This includes final assembly of what is reported to be the world’s largest pulsed superconducting electromagnet, which was recently installed with the help of Enerpac SyncHoist lifting tech.

Placement of the 110-tonne central solenoid module has brought the system to its full working height of 17.8 metres, which has allowed engineers to complete the final operating configuration.

The ITER central solenoid is a powerful magnet which acts as a mega transformer. This will initiate, drive and maintain the electrical current needed to sustain the fusion plasma. When fully assembled, the central solenoid with weigh approximately 1,000 tonnes and be about the height of a five-story building.

It will have a stored magnetic energy of 6.4 gigajoules and a maximum field of 13 tesla.

Between the load and the hook

The central solenoid module was lifted into position using one of the ITER assembly hall’s overhead cranes. Below the hook, the module was connected to a sling and two Enerpac SyncHoist synchronous sling adjusters.

The Enerpac SHAS (SyncHoist Autonomous System) is a below-the-hook sling adjuster (hydraulic turnbuckle) which typically includes multiple specialized hydraulic cylinders.

Mounted directly in line with the rigging, the SyncHoists allowed the lift operator to precisely monitor and independently adjust each lifting point.

After being raised above the modules that were already stacked, the 110-tonne component was lowered into place between busbar leads with clearances of just 50 mm and 65 mm on either side.

“Each module had slightly different clearances and the final module was particularly interesting because it’s the top module and required a unique installation path and a rigorous metrology effort to avoid the busbar leads from the two previously installed modules,” said Carl Cormany, the ITER Superconducting engineer who supervised the operation.

“We’re happy with how the lifting operation went and having the six modules in place is a major accomplishment.”

The standard Enerpac SyncHoist range includes cylinders with 55t, 85t and 110t lifting capacities and plunger strokes of 1 and 1.5 metres with high-precision lifting accuracy of +/- 1 millimetres over the full stroke.

The operator can move from one to four SyncHoist cylinders at the same time and same distance (Synchro mode), or different distances (Tilting mode). This allows a single crane to position heavy and unbalanced loads.

See a video of the Enerpac SyncHoist in action on this job.