| Issue |
EPJ Web Conf.
Volume 346, 2026
25th Topical Conference on Radio-Frequency Power in Plasmas (RFPPC2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 02005 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | Wave Heating and Current Drive in Present and Future Fusion Devices | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634602005 | |
| Published online | 07 January 2026 | |
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634602005
RF power experiments in WEST to prepare for next-step fusion device operation
CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France.
* Corresponding author: remi.dumont@cea.fr
** see author list at http://west.cea.fr/WESTteam
Published online: 7 January 2026
The WEST superconducting tokamak, featuring a full tungsten environment and equipped with an actively cooled ITER-grade divertor, provides valuable inputs for future ITER operation. One of its distinctive features is that auxiliary plasma heating and current drive is exclusively supplied by radiofrequency (RF) systems. Scenario development supported by integrated modelling has allowed pulses exceeding 1300 s and 2.6 GJ of energy to be performed, based on feedback-controlled plasma current sustained by LHCD power in order to achieve a zero-loop voltage target. In this contribution, we review recent progress and near-term plans related to plasma scenario performance improvement using RF waves in WEST, directly relevant to the operation of future fusion devices in full metal environments.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2026
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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