Wendelstein 7-X Engineering Technology

This is where technical expertise for important W7-X operating facilities, the experiment infrastructure, and plasma diagnostic systems is pooled and made available to the technical and scientific specialist groups in Greifswald's E3 and E5 departments. The development of technical and scientific instruments ranges from design and construction to manufacturing, testing, and installation.

The group is currently divided into four specialist groups and a staff unit:

Design and engineering analysis

The specialist group's most important tools are CAD and FEA. The specialist group creates the engineering development and design solutions and thus contributes to the operational goals of Wendelstein 7-X. It is increasingly involved in the practical implementation of new design solutions.

Another focus is on ensuring the mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic integrity of the Wendelstein 7-X under various operating conditions. This often requires complex and time-consuming numerical calculations and their validation using sensor data from the operation of W7-X.

Assembly technology

This group develops the technological processes (e.g., measurement technology, welding technology), procedures, and tools required for the assembly and installation work on the entire Wendelstein 7-X experiment and defines them in quality assurance procedures and control plans. The tasks of this group also include the coordination of assembly planning and work preparation for the Torus Hall specialist group.

Torus Hall

This specialist group carries out technical work on the actual Wendelstein 7-X facility inside and outside the torus hall. This includes expansion work, conversions, necessary repairs, and some maintenance and testing work. During the operation of Wendelstein 7-X, the specialist group supports the technical and operational processes.

Supply systems

Extensive cooling of the components in the plasma vessel is required for continuous operation of a plasma, for which this specialist group is responsible. In addition, there are numerous other experiment-related cooling circuits for heating, plasma diagnostics, and self-sufficient cooling systems, e.g., for the data center. The second core task is to supply power to the entire Greifswald section of the institute and, in particular, to supply the W7-X heating systems with high voltage in the megawatt range.