IFMIF-DONES successfully held the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the plant systems: HVAC, EPS, FPS, HRS, SWS and SGS, marking a key milestone in the project’s progress towards its final design phase.

The review process, carried out in accordance with the programme’s governance framework and established design review procedures, has enabled the maturity of the design to be validated and its alignment with the technical, safety and integration requirements of the facility as a whole to be verified.

The review panel comprised internationally renowned experts, alongside technical representatives from the project itself. The external guest on the panel was Carlos Martins (ITER).

Highly satisfactory results and valuable recommendations

The overall outcome of the review was highly satisfactory, highlighting the high level of development achieved at this stage of the design. The panel recognised the soundness of the approach adopted and formulated a set of recommendations aimed at further optimising and strengthening the quality, robustness and consistency of the scientific infrastructure as a whole. Overall, the recommendations received focus on key aspects such as:

•    optimising integration between systems,

•    strengthening the traceability and consistency of the design,

•    consolidating safety, quality and operational criteria,

•    and improving planning and coordination between disciplines.

These contributions provide a valuable basis for continuing to refine the design and reduce risks in the subsequent phases of the project, thereby enhancing the reliability and sustainability of the future facility. The review has also confirmed that the design is ready to move on to the next phase (“it is ready for next stage”).

Recognition of collaborative work

At IFMIF-DONES, we would like to express our special thanks to the entire project team that has participated in the intensive preparation phase for the review, as well as to the support engineering teams at Ayesa and UG21, whose work has been key to achieving this result. The success of this PDR reflects the high level of coordination and commitment from all stakeholders involved, as well as the growing maturity of the project as a whole.

Next step: Final Design

Following the successful completion of this review, the project is now moving on to the Final Design phase, a decisive step in the project’s development.