A New High Flux Plasma Source Testing Platform for the CRAFT Project

Abstract

As a part of Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT) project, a large superconducting linear plasma testing facility will be built to evaluate candidate plasma-facing materials and component mockups for China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). Powerful plasma source is a key component to produce reactor-relevant particle flux for material irradiation purpose. To develop source technology, a new testing platform is built at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). This platform utilizes conventional water-cooled magnets to sustain a steady-state field strength of > 7000 G and is equipped with a pump train of 4500 m3h− 1, making it capable to evaluate various plasma sources with a fueling rate up to several standard liter per minute (SLM). The ion flux can be measured with a water-cooled target probe. At present, intense plasma beam with an ion flux of > 1023 m− 2 s− 1 has been achieved with a cascaded arc source in this platform. Further testing on the lifetime of source components is ongoing. New cascaded arc type sources based on non-cylinder plasma column concept has been proposed to increase irradiation area and will be tested as well. After finishing source R&D mission, this platform will be upgraded into a plasma-material interaction research facility and open to all researchers in the community.