Hitachi Cable Introduces Newest Stranding Machines for Nb3Sn Cable

Hitachi Cable announced on Monday the firm introduced 2 new stranding machines for superconductive cable in Hitaka works, Ibaraki, Japan. The firm utilizes new machines to manufacture niobium tin (Nb3Sn) superconductive cable used as a coil material for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). New machines will start operation this month and supply approximately 4,500-meter cable until 2010.

ITER is an international project to construct the world first thermonuclear experimental reactor in order to verify feasibility of nuclear fusion energy for peaceful purpose. Seven countries, including Japan, attend the project and aim to start ITER operation in 2018.

Hitachi Cable received a 2-billion-yen order for Nb3Sn wire and cable from Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in March 2008. Nb3Sn cable will become a material for one of toroidal field coils inside ITER. Hitachi Cable introduced 2 state-of-art stranding machines for commercial production and stable quality of Nb3Sn cable.

A superconductive cable is manufactured by stranding about 1,000 Nb3Sn wires and about 500 copper wires into 40 millimeter diameter, which can apply 68kA electrical current in 12-tesla magnetic field. Hitachi Cable and another Japanese maker received Nb3Sn wire orders from JAEA. Hitachi Cable also takes charge of the cable manufacturing process.

Japan is assigned to manufacture 5 toroidal field coils for ITER. Bid tenders for the other 4 coils will be held in order.