The US is responsible for 88% of the electron cyclotron transmission lines, including research and development (with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Massachusetts Institute of Technology), design, fabrication, and interfaces. The IO is responsible for installing the electron cyclotron transmission lines (12%).
The electron cyclotron system heats the electrons in the plasma with a high-intensity beam of electromagnetic radiation. This system is also used to deposit heat in very specific places in the plasma. Power will be provided by powerful, high-frequency gyrotrons. The US transmission line design will provide efficient power transfer from 170 GHz gyrotron sources to plasma heating power launchers (20 MW).
For more information, contact Ben Hardy, EC Transmission Lines Team Leader, US ITER Project Office, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, hardybl@ornl.gov | 281-740-1996
After several years of design analysis, prototyping and strict attention to complex structural demands, the US ITER electron cyclotron heating line team completed a final design review of transmission lines for the microwave plasma heating system. The team is now preparing for initial fabrication contracts.
The I&C team has completed a number of design achievements in preparation of First Plasma deliveries, including: Ion Cyclotron Heating (RF Bldg.) I&C First Plasma Final Design Review (December 2017), Tokamak Cooling Water System I&C First Plasma Final Design Review (November 2017), Vacuum Auxiliary System (03) Conceptual Design Review (July 2017) and Roughing Pumps System I&C Conceptual Design Review (April 2017).
Fifty-six electron cyclotron waveguides will enter the Tokamak Building to deliver 20 MW of heating power to the ITER plasma. A special type of valve is under development with industry to improve confinement at each waveguide "point of entry." US ITER is responsible for 88 percent of the electron cyclotron transmission lines.
US ITER researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing advanced processes to assess ITER’s unique tokamak components and materials in the presence of the tremendous amount of neutron flux and energy released by fusion reactions. The process, called neutronics analysis, involves a palette of complex computational codes and libraries for predicting neutron impacts.
