ITER (originally the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is an engineering marvel. ITER is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject located in Cadarache, north of Aix-en-Provence in southern France.
It’s considered to be one of the most ambitious energy project in the world where 35 nations including European Union, USA, India, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia have joined forces to collaborate closely to complete this amazing mega-project. All Members share in the cost of construction.
ITER Project Complex
ITER Project Complex Under Construction, Image Courtesy of ITER.org
The main building will house the world’s largest Tokamak reactor, a cylinder 28 meters in diameter and 29 meters high, weighing no less than 23,000 tonnes. Along with two neighboring auxiliary buildings, the complex as a whole will be a reinforced concrete structure measuring 120 meters long, 80 meters wide, and 80 meters high.
Other structures of the complex include an assembly building, a two-story building, and several industrial buildings. The project also calls for large-scale nuclear doors (measuring 4m x 4m and weighing 40 tonnes) that are resilient to radiation and extreme pressure.
Read More: Most Complex Engineering Endeavor in History – ITER Megaproject