Summary of NCSX SIT Meeting of Monday, June 2, 2003

1. Document Approvals

NCSX project documents typically have multiple concurrence signatures but only one approval signature. A document is approved for project use when the approver signs.

2. Re-baselining

* FY-03 re-baselining:

  - Updated plans and resource needs for the balance of FY-03 are due to Ron June 4. At a minimum PPPL labor resource needs must be submitted to support Lab-wide planning. A follow-up memo was issued by Wayne on 6/2.

* Long-range re-baselining for PDR, EIR, and CD-2:

  - Cost input reviews have been held with several WBS managers.

  - Opportunities for reducing Day-1 scope in WBS 4, Power Systems, should be investigated ASAP. For example: reducing capability to First Plasma requirements only; reducing the number of circuits and accepting less flexibility initially.

ACTION: Wayne follow up with Pomphrey and Ramakrishnan.

  - The expectation that the project cost estimate will not rise above $73.5M, while still maintaining an adequate contingency, has been reiterated by PPPL and DOE management. A strategy will be developed based on identifying potential scope and performance reductions/deferrals to be exercised should it become necessary. ACTION: Hutch.

3. PDR re-scheduling

* The PDR is now planned for Oct. 7-9. Key events in preparation:

   - Preliminary cost input reviews for each work package, now through July 25.

   - Internal Technical, Cost, and Schedule Basis reviews of each work package, July 28-Aug. 22.

   - "Pencils Down", Aug. 22.

   - Documentation package received by reviewers, Sept. 22. (two weeks before review)

   - Dry runs, Sept. 23-29.

   - PDR, Oct. 7-9.

4. Critical Technical Issues

* Coil deflections under load:  Biggest concern is thermal loads when the temperature rises during a pulse. Mechanically, we may need to allow the coil to move several mm on the outboard side, while tightly restraining it on the inboard side where it comes closest to the plasma. Magnetically, field error issues will be addressed by Art Brooks, based on the expected deformation. Reportedly, this has become an issue for W-7X based on some recent analysis they have done. We need to address the issue at the PDR.

ACTION: Brad ensure that the plans are in place to address these issues for the PDR.

* E04 coils. An assessment is needed soon to support timely decisions on whether to adopt or not. ACTION: Mike.

* Conductor properties: new data from tests at Univ. of Tennessee show the winding stiffness to be 70% of pure copper, which would be a harder coil than we planned on, and therefore more difficult to restrain against thermal deflections. (Brad)

* Modular coil feeds: preliminary field error analysis of the "anyeurism" where the coil packs separate to accommodate the leads showed unexpectedly high field errors. Further checks are in progress. (Wayne)

5. Next SIT Meeting: Monday, June 9.

Summary by:

Hutch Neilson