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Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) is a key component in the heating arsenal for the next step fusion devices like W7-X and ITER. These devices are equipped with superconducting coils and are designed to operate steady state. ECRH must thus operate in CW-mode with a large flexibility to comply with various physics demands such as plasma start-up, heating and current drive, as well as configurationand MHD - control. The request for many different sophisticated applications results in a growing complexity, which is in conflict with the request for high availability, reliability, and maintainability. 'Advanced' ECRH-systems must, therefore, comply with both the complex physics demands and operational robustness and reliability. The W7-X ECRH system is the first CW- facility of an ITER relevant size and is used as a test bed for advanced components. Proposals for future developments are presented together with improvements of gyrotrons, transmission components and launchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) systems for next step-fusion devices like W7-X and ITER operate in CW-mode and provide a large flexibility to comply with various physics demands such as plasma start-up, heating and current drive, as well as configuration and MHD control. The request for many different sophisticated applications results in a growing complexity of the systems. This is in conflict with the request for high availability, reliability, and maintainability, which arises from DEMO demands. 'Advanced' ECRH-components must, therefore, comply with both the complex physics demands and operational robustness and reliability. The W7-X ECRH system is the first CW facility of an ITER relevant size and is used as a test bed for such components. Results on improvements of gyrotrons, transmission components and launchers are presented together with proposals for future developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new generation of compact devices for the combination and the fast switching of high-power millimeter-wave beams [1] for Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) gives the possibility to switch the power (in tens of microseconds) between two lines (or two ECH launchers, even modulating it between them) and combine two gyrotron sources (or in principle even more) in one single transmission line, for doubling the transmitted power. This is useful in many respects in order to: 1) ∼double the efficiency in modulated EC for neoclassical Tearing Modes (NTM) stabilization, 2) avoid to switch-off gyrotrons in conventional (slow) switching, 3) electronically control the power sharing between different applications (heating/current-drive or NTM stabilization), 4) upgrade the existing ECH systems to twice the power without adding complete transmission lines and launchers, 5) test components at a power doubled with respect to the power capability of the available sources. This opens the way to the development of a more effective “active” real-time control of the ECRH power routing and generally to more flexible and powerful ECH systems. The development of different devices and the advantages for (and in view of) ITER are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HELIAS-type Stellarator Wendelstein 7-X, which is currently under construction in Greifswald, Germany, will be equipped with a 140 GHz, 10 MW, CW ECRH system. It will be the main plasma heating system for W7-X. The key features and capabilities of the ECRH plant will be discussed together with the envisaged start-up and heating scenarios. We also report on the ECRH stray radiation test facility MISTRAL and on the extension of the gyrotron frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long term strategy of the EU in the field of gyrotrons in fusion plasma applications is based on two approaches: R&D in laboratories to develop advanced concepts and industrial development of state-of-the-art tubes for use in present experiments like TCV, Tore Supra (118 GHz, 0.5 MW, CW) and W7-X (140 GHz, 1 MW, CW). The results from these two approaches are then applied to the development of a coaxial cavity gyrotron operating at 170 GHz and delivering 2 MW-CW for the electron cyclotron wave system of ITER. This paper will recall the main achievements of this program and will outline the present status of the 170 GHz coaxial cavity gyrotron development. © 2005 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of the 140 GHz, 1 MW CW gyrotrons for the 10 MW ECRH system of the stellarator W7-X at IPP Greifswald is ongoing. While acceptance testing of the gyrotrons is progressing, reliable output parameters and stable production have been achieved. This report summarizes the actual status and some topical results. Focus is put on the final construction and latest parameters measured at factory-acceptance tests and site-acceptance tests. Parallel to the design optimization a new spectral measurement method has been developed, which allows time-dependent broadband spectral measurements with µs resolution for ms range pulses. Results of measurements done with W7-X gyrotrons are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]