ITER blanket module connectors. Design, analysis and testing for procurement arrangement

A standard ITER Blanket module (BM) is attached to the Vacuum Vessel (VV) with a special system of Blanket Module Connections (BMCs) comprising flexible supports, insulating key pads and electrical straps. BMCs fix the modules relative to the VV and manage the current flow. They accommodate transient, cyclic, thermal and electro-magnetic (EM) loads in a vacuum environment and under neutron radiation. Dynamic, thermal-structural and strength analyses have been performed in support of the BMC design and the results have been experimentally confirmed. The components with uncertain behavior including partially and non-preloaded threads, insulation coating, and electrical contacts were designed by experiments. The effort to develop a reliable and robust design of the BMCs in time for the signature of the Procurement Arrangement on BMCs between ITER Organization and Russian Federation in late 2014 spanned several years. It includes design and analysis as well as experimental activities by the ITER Organization and by JSC "NIKIET" (Russia), which, as an affirmed subcontractor will manufacture and supply BMCs to the ITER site. This paper summarizes the overall effort focusing in particular on the more recent PA supporting activities. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.