Engineering challenges for ITER diagnostic systems

There will be 50 diagnostic systems installed on ITER. All have been implemented with great success on experimental fusion reactors around the world. Despite this deep experience, implementation of diagnostic systems on ITER remains very challenging. Structural, nuclear and optical engineering challenges arise from loads that are at least an order of magnitude higher and last for much longer than any previous experiment. Complicating this challenge is an acceleration of the design process because the systems delivered to ITER must be ready for full power D-T operations from day-One. Talented engineering teams around the world are tackling these challenges in many innovative ways. In this paper ITER diagnostic systems from the US will be used to show a selection of examples of how the “D-T Ready” engineering challenges are being answered.