TEST PLATFORM FOR THE ITER-LIKE ACTIVELY COOLED TUNGSTEN DIVERTOR
The French Institute for Magnetic Fusion Research (IRFM) has been operating the Tore Supra tokamak since 1988. Owing to its specific configuration, such as the active cooling of components, the Tore Supra reactor has provided a unique database on plasma-facing materials that is proving useful before the assembly of ITER components. It has been able to record a wealth of information on the continuous operation of tokamaks in a carbon-based environment, showing that it should not be used in machines that employ tritium.
With the WEST project, which stands for W (tungsten) Environment in Stead-State Tokamak, Tore Supra has become a one-of-a-kind test platform for a critical ITER component, i.e. the actively cooled tungsten divertor. Located at the base of the vacuum vessel, the divertor is designed to extract the heat and ash generated by the plasma.