Pilot study led to prestigious contract with ITER
RISE, AQ Elautomatik, and Lund University
A consortium of Big Science Sweden members – RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, AQ Elautomatik, and the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University – won a prestigious contract from ITER in September 2023. The three partners had previously completed a pilot study for ITER on the design of a power converter to operate in the immediate vicinity of the reactor.
Test rigs for subsystems in the power converter
When a power converter is to operate in the extreme environment close to the reactor, challenges include the strong magnetic fields, limited available physical space, and weight restrictions. The new contract involves building test rigs for various subsystems in the power converter designed in the pilot study.
“The work we’re doing for ITER is in the realm of advanced science.”
Significance of long-term collaborations
Håkan Nilsson, project manager at RISE and business developer at Big Science Sweden, sees the significance of long-term collaborations with the Big Science research organisations.
“Winning this contract shows that we submitted a competitive tender with strong technical expertise, and that our previous long-term work for ITER generated confidence.”
The contract with ITER can open new doors to the Big Science market.
“The work we’re doing for ITER is in the realm of advanced science and will generate opportunities for new future contracts,” he continues.
Great potential for Swedish industry
The contract is worth around SEK 4.5 million, but the potential for Swedish industry can be considerably greater. In time, ITER will be inviting tenders for production of power converters in accordance with the requirements and specifications the consortium has helped to develop. Swedish industry will then be able to bid for sizeable contracts.
Last edited 2024