ITER status, design and material objectives

During the ITER Engineering Design Activities (EDA), completed in July 2001, the Joint Central Team and Home Teams developed a robust design of ITER, summarised in this paper, with parameters which fully meet the required scientific and technological objectives, construction costs and safety requirements, with appropriate margins. The design is backed by R&D to qualify the technology, including materials R&D. Materials for ITER components have been selected largely because of their availability and well-established manufacturing technologies, taking account of the low fluence experienced during neutron irradiation, and the experimental nature of the device. Nevertheless, for specific needs relevant to a future fusion reactor, improved materials, in particular for magnet structures, in-vessel components, and joints between the: different materials needed for plasma facing components, have been successfully developed. Now, with the technical readiness to decide on ITER construction, negotiations, supported by coordinated technical activities of an international team and teams from participant countries, are underway on joint construction of ITER with a view to the signature/ratification of an agreement in 2003. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.