FPN10-08

JET, Tore Supra and Asdex Upgrade Provide Support for ITER

January 29, 2010

As ITER, the world's first fusion engineering experimental reactor, commences construction, tokamak groups around the world are focusing their research on providing data for ITER's design, construction and eventual operation. Among these groups are the efforts of the European Union's three major tokamak facilities: JET, Tore Supra and Asdex Upgrade.

The Joint European Torus (JET), located in the UK, is the world's largest operating tokamak, with capability to operate with fusion fuels deuterium and tritium. JET holds the world record for producing fusion in a tokamak: 16 Megawatts (produced in 1997), approximating breakeven conditions. JET's most recent experimental campaign came to a successful conclusion on October 23, 2009. During that campaign, JET successfully tested ITER-relevant techniques for heating plasma using ion cyclotron resonance heating. JET is now undergoing a 65 week shutdown for upgrades to allow experiments in close support for ITER. Among the modifications, JET's plasma facing components will be changed from carbon to a combination of beryllium and tungsten. In parallel, JET's diagnostic and control capabilities will be enhanced and the neutral beam heating power will be increased from 23 to 34 Megawatts. One sign of the breadth of the European fusion program is that the Romanian National Institute of Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics has been chosen to put tungsten coatings on 2000 wall and divertor tiles using a technique developed by the Romanian Fusion Association. JET modifications are scheduled to be completed in November 2010, with experiments starting in the Spring of 2011. For more information: http://www.jet.efda.org

Tore Supra, located in Cadarache, France, is Europe's premiere superconducting, long-pulse tokamak. The facility is currently testing ITER-relevant lower hybrid current drive technologies, with the aim of producing plasma discharges up to 1000 seconds. Experiments to this end will begin in 2010 starting with delivering 2 MW of lower hybrid power to the plasma for about 60 seconds. Ion cylclotron resonance heating of the plasma will be used to heat the plasma. The facility has 9 MW of ICRH available for 30 seconds or 3 MW for 1000 seconds.

Asdex Upgrade, locating in Garching, Germany, is focused on enhancement and extension of operation to low collisionality plasmas as well as pedestal, plasma rotation and MHD physics. During a January-August 2010 shutdown, Asdex will install internal coils to study the effects of resonant magnetic perturbations on ELMs and also improve the compatibility of ICRF heating with a full tungsten wall.

Additional information on European fusion activities can be found at http://www.efda.org