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only cryostat, in-wall shielding, cooling water system and cryogenic system, but also ion- cyclotron and electron cyclotron RF heating system, diagnostic neutral beam system, power supplies and diagnostics for the ITER project. A significant milestone was achieved in July 2019 when India delivered a major part of the cryostat to France headquarter. The vessel is planned to be fabricated in four parts: the plate shape base, lower cylinder, upper cylinder and the top lid. The walloping of this vessel can be imagined by knowing that just the base weighed 1250 tonnes. The base, which is now delivered to the facility, is constructed by L&T in Hazira, Gujarat. The cylindrical parts were huge to fabricate and then transport to France. Therefore, they were being fabricated in the cryostat workshop located in the ITER campus in France. This workshop is run and managed by the ITER-India group. In India, ITER-India is a part of the Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
To understand the ITER
project that aims to create thermonuclear fusion and
harness energy from this nuclear
reaction, we must first realize
the difference between nuclear
fission and nuclear fusion. The
present nuclear power plants
are based on the principle of
fission, which means splitting.
However, fusion is a process
that combines two atoms. The
fusion is possible at very high
temperatures when hydrogen
atoms collide with each other,
fuse together and become
helium, a heavier atom. In this
process, an enormous amount of energy is released. Also, hydrogen is abundantly found on earth. But the trick is to achieve that high temperature in a controlled manner. How to do that? The same phenomenon of nuclear fusion
Ms. Shikha Binwal || 419
is happening on the sun and all other stars constituting hydrogen and helium, which is giving a continuous source of energy. Taking inspiration from the nature, the world scientific community is trying to create sun-like energy in the ITER. For fusion, we require very high temperature, and at that high temperature, the gas is in the plasma state. Plasma is commonly known as the fourth state of matter. It is an ionized gas constituting electrons, ions and neutrals, which exhibits exquisite properties. Plasma can be formed by providing enough energy, either in the form of heat, light or electricity, to any known state of matter. The plasma needs to be confined in the reactor long enough to achieve a very high density and high temperature sufficient to fuse the atoms of hydrogen into helium. The magnetic field plays a crucial role in confining the plasma. Since the plasma is composed of charged particles, it is greatly influenced by the interaction of
electric and magnetic fields. The mesmerizing aurora (polar lights) is an apt example of this kind of interaction. These lights are usually visible near poles or high altitudes. Fundamentally, they are the solar flares/winds ejected from the sun’s surface, which is trapped by the earth’s magnetic field.
Sometimes, additional heating drives, such as i-cyclotron and electron cyclotron RF heating systems, are also used to enhance the temperature of the plasma. The magnetic field interacts with the surface of these antennas
in such a way that it reduces the efficiency of heating. My research work focuses on the role of the magnetic field in modifying the dynamics in a capacitive discharge, basically understanding the plasma in the presence
India’s contribution is limited to deliver not only cryostat, in-wall shielding, cooling water system and cryogenic system, but
also ion-cyclotron and electron cyclotron RF heating system, diagnostic neutral beam system, power supplies and diagnostics for the ITER project.