Abstract
At the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) is the main heating system for steady-state operation and was the only available heating system during the operation phase OP1.2a in 2017. The ECRH, equipped with 10 operational 140 GHz gyrotrons [1], was used for different tasks at W7-X such as wall conditioning, controlled plasma start-up from the neutral gas up to steady state plasma control and different heating scenarios such as X2-mode and O2-mode heating as well as current drive (ECCD). The operational experiences and improvement opportunities of the ECRH plant will be discussed.
Highlights
AND BACKGROUNDT HE recent Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) operation phase OP1.2a was performed with 10 140 GHz Gyrotrons in total
T HE recent W7-X operation phase OP1.2a was performed with 10 140 GHz Gyrotrons in total
The main goal of this operation phase was to explore and prepare operation scenarios for steady-state high performance operation in future campaigns, when W7-X is fully equipped with watercooled plasma facing components
Summary
T HE recent W7-X operation phase OP1.2a was performed with 10 140 GHz Gyrotrons in total. W7-X is currently equipped with an inertially cooled divertor with an input energy limit up to 80 MJ. The main goal of this operation phase was to explore and prepare operation scenarios for steady-state high performance operation in future campaigns, when W7-X is fully equipped with watercooled plasma facing components. The W7-X operation was powered by ECRH exclusively. Stationary discharges up to 30 s were achieved only limited by the maximum divertor energy load. The ECRH transmission line system was supplemented by two remote steering launchers, an important concept for the future fusion reactor [2] which was tested at W7-X for the first time for plasma heating and current drive
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