Structural analysis of the diagnostic rack locking in ITER lower port #8.

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a nuclear fusion research and engineering project. It is supposed to be the first fusion device to test the integrated technologies, materials and operational regimes necessary for the commercial production of fusion-based electricity. Front (explored in this paper) and Back diagnostic racks are used as supporting structures of the so-called ITER Divertor Thomson Scattering (DTS) Diagnostic System that is created to measure plasma characteristics. They will be attached to the lower port walls (ITER ports are used to locate diagnostic equipment and its supporting structures) through the so-called Divertor Rails. The developed design of the Front (Diagnostic) Rack locking (e.g. Rack attachment to the rails mechanism) was analyzed in this research to be consistent with thermal stresses, electromagnetic and seismic loads taking into account some specific assembly and maintenance loads including preloading under installation. The analysis of the rack locking design's resistance to the mentioned loads should prove correspondence of the suggested common rack design with the structure integrity criterions. Construction strength under the most severe loading scenario was estimated in this research and appropriate conclusions were made. It was found out that the stress criterion was not fully satisfied, so a new rack locking design concept was proposed. Its main details are also described at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]