ITER magnetic sensor platform engineering analyses.

ITER in-vessel magnetic sensors play a key role for ITER plasma operation. Each sensor is accommodated in a platform mounted on the inner surface of ITER vacuum vessel and behind the blankets. A full set of engineering analyses has been performed on the platform to assess the feasibility of the design configuration. Electromagnetic Sub-Modelling technique has been used for very detailed evaluation of the EM loads due to 8 category III plasma disruption events acting on platforms at 23 locations from a full poloidal array. The two cases yielding highest EM load were selected to complete the structural assessment. Thermal analysis was performed for a platform located where maximum heat load is expected and the structural assessment was performed considering a pessimistic input load combination of highest EM loads and highest thermal stresses over ITER operation lifetime. An optimization process to reduce the EM loads and increase the structural strength of the platform was set up and it led to positive results on the structural integrity of the platform structure with the optimized design. Future work is planned to incorporate the thermal deformation of VV surface and refine the calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]