L&T’s “made in India” cryostat will be installed in the world‘s largest (representative) fusion project
New Delhi:
Engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro said it had taken an important step in the “Make in India” initiative by building a cryostat for the $ 20 billion global fusion project.
The final assembly or top cover sectors for the cryostat, a key component of the world‘s largest nuclear fusion reactor under construction in France, were dispatched Tuesday from the company’s Hazira manufacturing complex in Surat district of Gujarat .
In 2012, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was chosen by ITER-India to manufacture and install a cryostat – a vacuum pressure container of 3,850 tonnes of stainless steel. L&T Group President AM Naik called it “a moment of pride for India and Larsen & Toubro”.
“The heavy engineering arm of L&T, India’s largest engineering, construction, technology, manufacturing and financial services conglomerate, has marked the most complex and final assembly of cryostat, the most the world‘s largest stainless steel vacuum pressure chamber. “
“This is an important milestone in the global nuclear fusion arena and a proud moment for the Make in India initiative,” the company said in a statement.
The cryostat assembly weighing 650 tonnes must be installed with other cryostat segments for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in a reactor pit in the south of France.
L&T has already delivered the basic section, the lower cylinder and the upper cylinder for the cryostat. The function of the cryostat is to provide cooling to the fusion reactor and to keep very high temperatures at its core under control.
A virtual flag-off ceremony of the final assembly took place at the company’s Hazira manufacturing complex.
Dr Bernard Bigot, Director General, ITER Global, KN Vyas, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, India, United Kingdom Baruah, Project Director, ITER-India, VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, AM Naik, Chairman from the L&T group and SN Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD, L&T, joined the ceremony virtually.
Naik said: “This is a proud moment for India and for L&T in particular – as we gathered to mark the last section of the cryostat vessel for the most ambitious clean energy project, a limitless carbon-free energy that will propel the future. L&T has always been proud of this global collaborative research to build a greener planet. “
Subrahmanyan said the company has used innovative, digital manufacturing techniques to ensure the uninterrupted supply of high precision assemblies to ITER.
“This will pave the way for the installation of a cryostat at the project site in France and will ultimately lead to the demonstration of the large-scale feasibility of fusion energy. This has allowed India to head to Atma Nirbhar Bharat by acquiring knowledge in this highly specialized field of science and technology, “added Mr. Subrahmanyan.
Anil V Parab, executive vice president and head of L&T Heavy Engineering, told the Press Trust of India news agency that ITER is a $ 20 billion project and that India is contributing 9% to the component of the project.
“With the supply of the Top Lid sector, we successfully completed our Indian project ahead of schedule. The manufacturing of these components was a marvel of engineering both in terms of massive size and strict quality standards.”
The scope of the project for L&T Heavy Engineering is divided into three aspects, the company said.
L&T’s Heavy Engineering activity won this prestigious contract with ITER India, a branch of the Department of Atomic Energy, for the ambitious mega scientific project, carried out in collaboration with seven elite countries, including India, and with a project cost of around 20 billion USD.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
