Experiments in full swing on Joint European Torus

Control room experimental team following attentively the various displays showing measured key quantities in real time during one of the M18-05 experimental discharges carried out last Thursday.

The EUROfusion experimental campaign at the Joint European Torus (JET) located at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), UK is in full swing.

Last week our group leader Mervi Mantsinen and our La Caixa-funded PhD student Dani Gallart visited JET to participate in this campaign. Our focus was in on-site preparation, execution and first analysis of two sessions of the experiment M18-05 “ICRH scenario support in D and T plasmas” for which Mervi is one of the two scientific coordinators. This means that she is in charge of the scientific planning of this experiment and the coordination of its international team of approximately 45 scientists from various institutions all over Europe.

Read more

High temperature superconductivity beats the record high DC magnetic field ever reached

This ‘little big coil’, the size of a half-pint, allowed achieving the highest direct-current magnetic field of 45.5 T. From MagLab website.

The third coil in a series of High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) coils known as ‘little big coils’ (LBC) has enabled the highest direct-current magnetic field to date at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab), United States. This last coil which barely weighs 400 grams generated a field of 14.4 T while able to retain the superconducting state in a background field of 31.1 T created by a resistive magnet, thus reaching the highest field ever registered of 45.5 T.

Read more

Our new research results presented at EPS2019

Dr. Mervi Mantsinen’s presentation at EPS2019.

This year, the 46th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics (EPS2019) was held in Milan (Italy), from July 8 to 12, 2019. This annual conference is organized by the European Physical Society (EPS) Plasma Physics Division, and it covers the wide field of plasma physics from Magnetic Confinement Fusion Plasma, Beam Plasmas & Intertial Fusion, Low Temperature and Dusty Plasmas to Basic, Space & Astrophysical Plasmas. Researchers from all around the world met at this conference to show and explain their work to the growing community of plasma physicists.

Read more

China launches the series production of HTS current leads for ITER

Pair of current leads (in/out) at ASIPP (Photo: ITER)

High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) current leads are a key technology of the ITER magnet system, transmitting the huge currents (up to 68 kA) from the power supplies at room temperature to the low temperature superconducting coils installed in the fusion reactor. ITER’s large coils will need 60 current leads located at the end of the magnet feeders, thus operating in a lower magnetic field and reducing the heat load compared to conventional current leads. In fact, the higher cost of HTS current leads is by far compensated by the savings in the operation of the cryoplant.

Read more

Plasmagic, and more, at ITER Open Doors Day

Interactive displayes at the ITER Open Doors Day.

On 18 May 2019, the ITER Organization and the European agency for ITER, Fusion for Energy, organized the 14th ITER Open Doors Day with more than 800 visitors.

The ITER Open Doors Day is a great opportunity to learn more about the ITER Project and to tour the massive construction works currently underway in Caradache, France. The event is free to charge and is divided into two parts.

Read more