Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 7, 2502140 (2012)

Overview Articles

Advances in Lower Hybrid Current Drive for Tokamak Long Pulse Operation: Technology and Physics
Gia Tuong HOANG, Léna DELPECH, Annika EKEDAHL, Young-soon BAE1), Joelle ACHARD, Gilles BERGER-BY, Moo-hyun CHO2), Joan DECKER, Remi DUMONT, Heejin DO2), Cedric GOLETTO, Marc GONICHE, Dominique GUILHEM, Julien HILLAIRET, Haejin KIM1), Patrick MOLLARD, Won NAMKUNG2), Seungil PARK1), Hyeon PARK2), Yves PEYSSON, Serge POLI, Marc PROU, Melanie PREYNAS, Promod Kumar SHARMA3), Hyung-Lyeol YANG1) and Tore Supra Team
CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
1)
National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea
2)
Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
3)
Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
(Received 28 November 2011 / Accepted 19 March 2012 / Published 15 October 2012)

Abstract

The paper gives a picture of the present status and understanding of technology and physics of Lower Hybrid Current Drive for long pulse operation in tokamaks, including the development of continuous wave (CW) high power klystrons, and its evolutions towards ITER. 3.7 GH / 700 kW CW klystrons produced in series by Thales Electron Devices are now in operation on Tore Supra. First series of eight klystrons delivered more than 4 MW to sustain non-inductive plasmas during 50 s. Moreover, a prototype of 500 kW CW klystron operating at 5 GHz developed for KSTAR by Toshiba Electron Tubes and Devices, and foreseen for ITER, is able to produce RF output powers of 300 kW / 800 s and 450 kW / 20 s on matched load. The situation on wave coupling and antennas is reported, with the latest Tore Supra results of the new CW Passive-Active Multi-junction (PAM) launcher: the antenna concept foreseen for ITER. First experiments with the PAM antenna in Tore Supra have provided extremely encouraging results in terms of power handling and coupling. Relevant ITER power density of ∼25 MW/m2 (2.7 MW of power injected into the plasma) has been maintained over ∼80 s. In addition, LH power of 2.7 MW has been coupled at a plasma-antenna distance of 10 cm.

Keywords

lower hybrid current drive, CW klystron, ITER, tokamak, long pulse operation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.7.2502140

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Gia Tuong HOANG, Léna DELPECH, Annika EKEDAHL, Young-soon BAE, Joelle ACHARD, Gilles BERGER-BY, Moo-hyun CHO, Joan DECKER, Remi DUMONT, Heejin DO, Cedric GOLETTO, Marc GONICHE, Dominique GUILHEM, Julien HILLAIRET, Haejin KIM, Patrick MOLLARD, Won NAMKUNG, Seungil PARK, Hyeon PARK, Yves PEYSSON, Serge POLI, Marc PROU, Melanie PREYNAS, Promod Kumar SHARMA, Hyung-Lyeol YANG and Tore Supra Team, Plasma Fusion Res. 7, 2502140 (2012).