Test Result of a Full-Size Conductor Developed for the ITER TF Coils

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) developed ITER TF Nb 3 Sn conductors that fulfill ITER requirements and has commenced fabricating the conductors to be used in the ITER TF coils. As a qualification of conductor fabrication, two full-size conductor samples, named as JATF4, were prepared and tested by the SULTAN facility at CRPP in Switzerland. Temperature sensors and voltage taps were attached on the three meter-long conductor samples to measure the current sharing temperature (Tcs). Measurements were performed at the beginning of the testing campaign, during cyclic test, and at the end of the campaign following a warm up and cool down. The Tcs values electrically assessed by the agreed procedure at outer magnetic fields of 10.78 T initially were 6.5 K and 6.2 K, and then 6.1 K and 6.0 K at the end of the campaign for each conductor, respectively. These results demonstrate that the conductors have a sufficient Tcs margin to satisfy the ITER TF conductor criterion of 5.7 K, and conductor fabrication is qualified. Details of the test results are presented and discussed.