Nuclear fusion points to a future where energy is clean, abundant, and continuous. It works by recreating the same reaction that fuels the sun. The real challenge lies in holding a superheated plasma that reaches temperatures above 150 million degrees. No physical material can touch it. The only solution is an invisible magnetic field strong enough to keep the plasma suspended and stable.
These magnetic fields are generated by superconducting magnets. For them to work, they must be cooled to extremely low temperatures, close to absolute zero, around 269 degrees below zero Celsius. This is where INOXCVA plays a defining role. We design and deliver the cryogenic distribution systems that make such conditions possible and dependable.
Our work includes cryogenic distribution networks that maintain steady thermal conditions. In addition, we have also supplied a test cold valve box and cryogenics system, including an auxiliary system for the magnet cold test bench. Every system is engineered for consistency and control. By creating a reliable cryogenic boundary, we help turn fusion from a scientific idea into a working energy solution.
Particle accelerators are sophisticated machines that use electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles such as electrons, protons, or ions to near-light speeds in vacuum tubes. Particle accelerators are used for fundamental physics research, medical imaging, cancer therapy, and industrial material processing. These devices exist as linear or circular structures that can range from small room-sized tools to massive, kilometres-long installations. In these machines, particles are accelerated to very high speeds and guided along a fixed path using superconducting magnets.
These magnets must remain cold at all times to stay in a superconducting state. In large accelerators, this requirement extends over long distances, sometimes several kilometres, making thermal control a major engineering challenge.
INOXCVA supplies the cryogenic infrastructure that supports this operation. Our Cryogenic Distribution Systems include Vacuum Jacketed Multi-Transfer lines, Feedboxes/ Valve boxes and Jumper connections which connect to the Cryomodules. The goal is to keep the system cool, stable, and reliable over long operating periods. This reliability is what allows scientists and engineers to focus on research, measurements, and results.
The ITER project is a perfect example of how cryogenics is essential for a large-scale fusion experiment. ITER's powerful superconducting magnets, weighing over 10,000 tonnes, must be cooled to -269 °C (4 K). This requires the largest centralised cryogenic plant ever built, which circulates vast amounts of liquid helium through a complex network of cryolines. Additionally, the project's cryopumps, cooled to similar temperatures, are responsible for creating the near-perfect vacuum inside the tokamak's main chamber, ensuring the plasma remains isolated and free from contamination.
PTCL (Prototype Multi-Process Cryolines)
Group Y cryolines
Group W warmlines
At the Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany, the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) is being constructed to push the boundaries of nuclear astrophysics and plasma physics. A cornerstone of this complex is the Superconducting Fragment Separator (Super-FRS), which requires an ultra-stable cryogenic environment to produce high-intensity ion beams.
INOXCVA's technical expertise was critical in the delivery and installation of the Local Cryogenic System for the Super-FRS. Our solution is engineered to distribute precise cooling power to superconducting magnet cryostats, maintaining a 4.5 K liquid helium bath while providing robust thermal shielding at 50 K – 80 K. By ensuring safe and stable operation under these extreme conditions, INOXCVA provides the foundational infrastructure necessary for FAIR to explore the fundamental building blocks of matter.
INOXCVA has been directly involved in some of the most demanding research facilities in the world, including ITER, FAIR, CERN and FERMILAB. Our role spans the design and supply of critical cryogenic hardware such as cryolines/Multi-process Transfer lines, test cold valve box, Feedboxes, Current lead boxes, Jumpers, vacuum chambers, etc.
Working on projects of this scale requires the ability to handle large, interconnected systems operating extremely close to absolute zero. Our focus is on building thermal infrastructure that performs consistently under long-term operational stress. By maintaining the stability of superconducting magnets and supporting precise particle acceleration, INOXCVA contributes at a system level, working alongside research teams to support progress in fusion energy and fundamental science.
CERN is one of the world's leading centres for high-energy particle physics research. Headquartered in Geneva and located across the Franco-Swiss border, CERN operates some of the most advanced particle accelerators ever built to explore the fundamental structure of matter.
A key initiative at CERN is the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) upgrade program. The LHC, installed in a 27-kilometre underground tunnel, accelerates and collides protons and heavy ions using superconducting magnets operating in superfluid helium at 1.9 K. The HL-LHC upgrade is designed to significantly increase the collider's performance, enabling deeper scientific discoveries through higher collision rates and improved detector capabilities.
INOXCVA has contributed critical cryogenic and vacuum infrastructure to support CERN's advanced experimental systems.
Vacuum Vessel
Jumpers for HL-LHC
INOXCVA also supplied two-phase CO₂ distribution racks and piping assemblies for the SR1 ATLAS Integration Facility at CERN. These systems support the pumped CO₂ cooling network used for detector testing and commissioning.
The scope included welding, assembly, inspection, and testing of high-pressure piping systems designed for operating pressures up to 110 bar, along with precision orbital TIG welding, radiographic inspections, and pressure-decay leak testing to ensure reliability in critical clean-room environments.
INOXCVA delivered a high-precision impregnation vacuum chamber, manufactured using stainless steel and developed with stringent dimensional control. The project included fabrication drawings, precision manufacturing, FARO-based dimensional inspection, full documentation, and delivery with a dedicated transport frame.
INOXCVA also supplied a multipurpose cryostat system used for testing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables, coils, and small magnets. The cryostat supports both liquid helium immersion testing at ~5 K and vacuum conduction-cooled configurations.
The system includes:
The cryostat is engineered to handle test samples weighing up to 1,700 kg, providing a robust platform for superconducting component evaluation.
Partner with INOXCVA for trusted, reliable cryogenic systems engineered for the world's most demanding research facilities.
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