In vessel characterization and first power tests on plasma of the Real-Time controllable EC launcher on FTU Tokamak

¹ Associazione EURATOM-ENEA, IFP-CNR, Milano, Italy
² Associazione EURATOM-ENEA, C.R. Frascati, Italy
³ Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Energia, Milano, Italy

^a e-mail: moro@ifp.cnr.it

Abstract

The Electron Cyclotron (EC) fast launcher for real time control experiments has been installed on FTU and characterized to be fully integrated in a real-time MHD control module under development. The launcher scheme is based on a two module system, symmetric with respect to the equatorial plane of FTU, with a front steering concept and the launched beams are real-time controllable both in poloidal and toroidal directions. Specific design parameters, defined by the FTU MHD dynamics (typically island size and q profile changes), are the beam dimensions with zooming capabilities, the steering range and mirror speed with the most demanding requirement on poloidal speed of the Steering Mirror (SM) Δθ = 1° in 10 ms. A set of tests has been done to verify the system performance. High power tests of the launcher have been done on a 500 kA, 0.5·10²⁰m⁻³ and 5.3 T plasma with 2·300 kW of EC power delivered to the plasma. The steering mechanism was tested under the automatic control system and showed a dynamic response in line with the requirements. Results of these tests will be presented in the paper.