As the new semester started, last April 1st we went to Naka Fusion Research Institute. The facility is located at 3-801-1 Mukoyama, Naka-shi, Ibaraki-ken 311-0193, Japan. It took almost 3 and half hour by bus from Titech Okayama campus to the facility.
Naka fusion institute is a facility owned by Japanese atomic energy agency (JAEA) and was established in 1985. It is one of the largest atomic research institutes in Japan. As well as the name, its researches is focusing on the utilization of fusion energy by participating in international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) project, performing fusion plasma research and also fusion engineering research. The facilities are equipped with large tokakmak device (JT-60) and various testing and research facilities installed in the area of approximately 1.3 million square meters.
Shortly after we arrived at the institute, we headed to auditorium and have some reception speech from facility’s liaison officer. Then, the institute showed us movie about fusion technology and Naka fusion research institute. It was a good movie. The movie was just a gate for us to learn more about fusion and the institute. It explained us about the basic concept about fusion, its scientific development, and its benefit to the utilization of atomic energy. The movie also showed several activities performed in the institute.
After finished watching the opening movie, we went to institute’s cafeteria to have some lunch. In I saw many foreign people (probably scientist or engineer) were also having lunch at the cafeteria. It seemed like the facilities were accommodates many foreign people to work or doing research.
After having lunch, we went to experiment control room of tokakmak JT-60 device. Looking to its interior, it was just like NASA rocket launching control room seen in the TV. It has many computers placed in a separated work division area. In this room, we had an explanation about JT-60 machine. After that, we went to the JT-60 machine building and had an explanation about the work mechanism of the machine.
Tokakmak JT-60 is a machine for doing plasma research. This machine heats the plasma and confines it to a designed temperature. Tokakmak itself is a system that superior in producing and sustaining high temperature plasma. In this system, a nest of magnetic field lines which are produced by external magnet located around the vacuum chamber and by a large current in the plasma confines the plasma in the vacuum chamber. In other words, this system prevents the super hot plasma to get contact with and melts the interior of the machine.
As it is far beyond my major, I could not really understand the purpose of this plasma machine. However, as far as my understanding, this heated plasma then will generated higher heat that can be used as an energy source for nuclear turbine generator.
After seeing the machine, we went to several building that supports the operation of Tokakmak JT-60 machine. There were many cable and pipe structures. The only thing I understand was how to build a structure supporting those cable and pipe structure, not the purpose of those cables and pipes. Though the facility’s officer provides us some explanation, I really could not understand it due to his low voice and bad English.
After that, we went to ITER project building. ITER is an experimental reactor planned to be built in Cadarache, France. It is a machine to provide controlled ignited plasma and extend plasma burn in a bigger scale. It demonstrates the engineering technologies required for utilization of fusion energy. The ITER project is a joint project by Japan, EU, Russia, USA, China, Korea and India. The early step in this project was by constructing a smaller scale reactor called JT-60SA.
In this building, we saw many samples of parts of JT-60SA that were being developed in the institute. The development consisted of the development of superconducting coil, reactor structure and remote handling technologies, ITER blanket, ITER material, vacuum vessel, and flux components. After that, we took some picture outside the reception building and headed back to Okayama campus.
An interesting point in this factory study tour was the security condition was not as strict as other R&D facilities we had visited. Naka fusion institute gave us freedom to take pictures and get close to many advance devices. We can even go to the experiment control room of JT-60 device. It was a very good opportunity for me to see the application of atomic science that I had studied until the first year of my undergraduate study.
* Taken from my FST V Report
