The Energy of Science Vale UK - 26 May 2011. Fusion Technology and Industry presentation by Andy Sowerby (Oxford Instruments). More details at www.sciencevale.com

1. Oxford Instruments
Fusion Technology & Industry:
Our Experience at Oxford Instruments
Andy Sowerby
Group Business Development Manager
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The Business of Science®

2. Oxford Instruments
Our position & Background
• Oxford Instruments has been a leader in advanced instrumentation for
over fifty years. We supply high-technology tools and systems to
customers in industry, research, education, space, energy and defence
• We have a portfolio of skills which provide a unique opportunity to
engage in fusion technology development with a broad range of
potential entry points
• Turnover in 2009/10 of £211.5m, 1500 people
• We are looking to enhance further our role in fusion research
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3. Oxford Instruments
World’s first liquid helium free dilution refrigerator with an
integrated high-field superconducting magnet
World’s first large area Silicon Drift Detector for SEMs
Hand-held XRF
analysers
World’s first MRI
Plasma etch & Deposition tools for
semiconductor industry
Floated on London Stock
Exchange
World’s first superconducting magnet
1959 1969 1979 1989 1999 2009
Our History
© Oxford Instruments 2011
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4. Oxford Instruments
Operating Sites
Tubney UK
Bristol UK Espoo Finland
Carteret USA High Wycombe UK
Scotts Valley USA Shanghai China
Austin USA Uedem Germany
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5. Oxford Instruments
Mapping Our Capabilities to Fusion Activities
• Wire manufacture
• Gyrotron design and manufacture
• Cryogen free technologies
• Technical Consultancy
• “Generic”
Design for cost, Environmental Analysis
• “V Specific”
Quench Control, Magnet modelling
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6. Oxford Instruments
Wire “Strand” Manufacture
•Nb3Sn superconducting wire developed for the ITER project
to provide for its higher performance requirements compared
to traditional applications ITER-type Nb3Sn
Deliverable: Nb filaments and tin centres inside a copper jacket,
plated with a 2 micron Cr coating
- Development partially funded by “ITER”
- Development time to supply contract ~ 5 years
• Our strand has received qualification for use in ITER and we have
received and order for £40 million order to supply 67 tonnes of
superconducting wire to the ITER project
• Manufactured in a purpose built factory in Carteret, New Jersey
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7. Oxford Instruments
Gyrotron Design and Manufacture
• Gyrotrons are use in Fusion research to heat the plasma Gyrotron tube and cryostat layout
• We have pioneered superconducting magnets for Gyrotron applications
• We have delivered wide range of gyrotrons from 60-170 GHz both wet
and cryofree, for a range of fusion applications including 10 for JET at
Culham
• Through an acquisition, we have broadened our cryofree technology
offering enabling “dry” cryofree capability
• We have the manufacturing skills and capability for volume gyrotron
magnet manufacture
• We are looking to engage across the world in the development and
supply of the ITER requirement of ca 20MW
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8. Oxford Instruments
Technical Consultancy
• Oxford Instruments has been a key player in SC magnet
development and cryogenics since 1959.
• The experience built up over this period can be exploited in
a wide range of fusion related projects.
• The “Calls for Expertise” from ITER are generally very
specific with regard to demonstration of expertise and
naming individuals
© Oxford Instruments 2011
The Business of Science®

9. Oxford Instruments
Learning's
• Think broadly about your capabilities and how they could
match the requirement of ITER / F4E etc
• In many cases individual tenders will require consortia to
deliver the result
• Think beyond “just” F4E and look at other contracting
organisations such as US ITER, etc
• Work with Dan Mistry to facilitate contacts with the ITER /
F4E technical teams and to help develop consortia
• The lead times can be long
© Oxford Instruments 2011
The Business of Science®

10. Oxford Instruments
Questions
© Oxford Instruments 2011
The Business of Science®

11. Oxford Instruments
Cooling Technology Options
Shield Cooled Gyrotron
Oxford Instruments offers a range of magnet cooling options to meet
the varying needs of users:
• ‘Wet’ systems – traditional superconducting magnet configuration
using liquid helium with a liquid nitrogen shield.
• Shield cooler – a two stage Gifford-McMahon (GM) radiation shield
cooler is used to minimise cryogen consumption.
• Recondensing – a 4 K GM/PTR cooler recondenses the liquid
helium, effectively reducing static helium consumption to zero.
• Cryofree® – Cryofree systems using no liquid cryogens - the
magnet is cooled by a reliable 4 K GM/PTR cooler.
© Oxford Instruments 2011
The Business of Science®