The Accomplishments and Next-Step Plan of EAST in Support of Fusion

Abstract

The experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) is a superconducting tokamak, which successfully achieved the first plasma discharge in 2006. The major radius of EAST plasma is 1.9 m, and its central magnet field is 3.5 T. In the past few years, EAST has made many achievements, such as 60-s double-null divertor configuration plasma and 1-MA plasma. In 2012, 411-s long-pulse discharge with 0.28-MA plasma current and 32-s H-mode operation was achieved at the seventh campaign. In addition, various means for mitigating ELMs have also been demonstrated to facilitate long-pulse operation. The experimental results and engineering experience obtained from EAST can be used as a reference for fusion next step. To make further progress, much optimization work should be done in next step. Based on the present EAST heating system, two sets of 4-MW neutral beam injection, one set of electron cyclotron resonance heating, and lower hybrid current drive will be installed to achieve more than 30-MW total heating power. The upper divertor will be updated to W–Cu divertor, which consists of monoblock structure and tungsten armor that can withstand 10- <formula formulatype="inline" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex Notation="TeX">${\rm MW}\cdot{\rm m}^{-2}$</tex></formula> heat load. To increase the upper divertor's ash removal efficiency, one new cryopump will be added on the behind of it. Aiming to improve plasma configuration and enhance its stabilization, the EAST resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) coils will be designed, fabricated, and installed. The RMP coils will integrate the functions of error field correction, edge localized mode, and resistive wall mode. About 45 kinds of diagnostics will be used in the next campaign and all of them will be integrated on six ports as port plug. In addition, some fusion technologies are also considered in EAST to validate for ITER and future reactor.