The fourteen tonne final section of Wendelstein 7-X's outer shell was manoeuvred into place in late December, completing the 600 tonne, 16 metre-diameter structure. Because the seventy magnetic coils surrounding W 7-X's vessel will be superconducting, they must be cooled by liquid helium at -269 degrees Celsius. The outer shell's role is to encase these cold coils and provide thermal insulation, and its 254 "eyes" provide ports for heating, cooling and observations systems.
Work now continues welding the outer shell into place so that the scaffold can be removed, and connecting up the myriad systems. Although there is much still to be done, the project is expected to be completed on time in 2014.
Source: EFDA
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