The European contribution to the remote handling equipment for ITER

Due to neutron activation and contamination with dust from the plasma facing surfaces, the ITER in-vessel components such as divertor cassettes and shield blanket modules have to be replaced remotely. In addition, peripherical components like the plugs closing the ports of the ITER vacuum vessel and other contaminated components have to be handled and transported by remotely operated transporters. The European contribution to the ITER remote handling (RH) equipment concentrates on the design of divertor cassette handling devices (movers) and of transporters of in-vessel components and port plugs to which Framatome ANP GmbH within the scope contracted from EFDA to EFET contributes significantly. Prototypes of the divertor cassette movers for the 1998 ITER design have been manufactured by Framatome ANP. GmbH and tested at DTP1 in Brasimone (Italy). Presently prototypes of the new movers design resulting from the reduced-size (cost) ITER developed after 1998 are planned to be tested in a new test facility DTP 2 in Tampere (Finland).