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(OV2/2) Towards high-power long-pulse operation on Tore Supra

   
Equipe Tore Supra, presented by A. Bécoulet 
   
Association EURATOM-CEA sur la Fusion, CEA Cadarache, 13108 St Paul lez Durance cédex, FRANCE

Abstract
The Tore Supra  tokamak was given the main mission to investigate the route towards long pulse plasma discharges. This includes the problem of heat exhaust and particle control (via the development of performant plasma facing components), and in parallel the physics of fully non inductive discharges and its optimisation with respect to the confinement. Tore Supra is thus equipped with a superconducting toroidal magnet (maximum magnetic field on axis 4.5T), a full set of actively cooled plasma facing components (PFC), and a heating & current drive capability based on high power RF systems connected to actively cooled antennas. The encouraging results already obtained, as well as recent progress in PFC, allowed us to envisaged a significant improvement in the heat exhaust capability of Tore Supra. The so-called CIEL-project  consists in a complete upgrade of the inner chamber of Tore Supra, planned to be installed during the year 2000. The present paper deals with the experimental and modelling activity linked to the preparation of the long-pulse high-power discharges using the present Tore Supra equipment: heating and current drive scenarios, power coupling, confinement and transport studies, discharge control,... An overview of the results obtained in that field is presented, as well as the progress required in the coming years, and the expected performance, for the CIEL phase, in terms of current drive and confinement.

       

Read the full paper in PDF format.