image: The assembly process of the ITER vaccum Vessel sector
Credit: Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE)
The ITER vacuum vessel sectors, manufactured in South Korea, have been successfully delivered to the ITER construction site in Cadarache, France. South Korea was responsible for manufacturing 4 out of the 9 sectors that make up the ITER vacuum vessel. Starting with the delivery of the first sector in 2020, South Korea has now completed all four sectors, fulfilling its commitment to this significant international project.
The ITER vacuum vessel is a key component that sustains the ultra-high-temperature plasma required for nuclear fusion reactions by maintaining a high-vacuum environment. This large structure weighs 5,000 tons and consists of 9 sectors and 44 ports.
Each vacuum vessel sector is manufactured in four segments, requiring over 1.6 kilometers of welding for assembly. Maintaining precise tolerances of less than a few millimeters ensures the seamless integration of internal components, which demands advanced forming and welding technologies. These challenges make the vacuum vessel one of the most technically complex components in the ITER project.
Initially, South Korea was tasked with producing two vacuum vessel sectors under its agreement with the ITER Organization. However, in 2016, an additional agreement was made to produce two more sectors originally assigned to the EU, bringing South Korea’s total responsibility to four sectors.
Korea has also delivered superconductors, thermal shields, and assembly tools to ITER on schedule, steadily contributing to the development of fusion reactor technologies and supporting efforts toward the realization of fusion energy.