Results of Reactor Experiments under Cooperation with ITER

The work continues under the long-term fruitful cooperation between the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization, which unites the world leading countries in creating the first fusion reactor designed to demonstrate the possibility of commercial energy use of fusion technology.

Today, the efforts of Kazakhstani scientists are concentrated at study the combined gamma-neutron irradiation effect on optical and mechanical parameters change of fiber optic and fiber-optic sensors of temperature that will be used in ITER thermonuclear reactor for plasma parameters measuring. The results of 2018-2019 experiments conducted at IVG.1M (Kurchatov) and VVR-K (Almaty) reactors enabled to choose the most optimal data types for optical system elements.

In January of this year, samples, earlier irradiated during experiments at IVG.1M reactor, were prepared to be removed. A methodology has been developed to define the main procedures and operations for cutting the experimental ampoule device in which irradiated samples are placed. Approaches have been developed to define the strength of the capillary tube adhesion to the plate of optical sensors and optical fibers, that will enable to supplement the available experimental data results on mechanical degradation of optical system elements during the effects of combined gamma-neutron irradiation.