The ''Tokamak à configuration variable'' (''TCV'', literally "variable configuration

tokamak A tokamak (; russian: токамáк; otk, 𐱃𐰸𐰢𐰴, Toḳamaḳ) is a device which uses a powerful magnetic field to confine plasma in the shape of a torus. The tokamak is one of several types of magnetic confinement devices being ...

") is a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports * Swiss Internation ...

research

fusion Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole. Fusion may also refer to: Science and technology Physics *Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...

reactor of the

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

(EPFL). As the largest experimental facility of the Swiss Plasma Center, the TCV Tokamak explores the physics of nuclear fusion by magnetic confinement. Its distinguishing feature over other

s is that its torus section is three times higher than wide. This allows studying several shapes of plasmas, which is particularly relevant since the shape of the plasma has links to the performance of the reactor. This asset has earned its choice as one of the three national machines in Europe involved in the design of the international reactor

ITER ITER (initially the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, ''iter'' meaning "the way" or "the path" in Latin) is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject aimed at creating energy by replicating, on Ear ...

, as well as in the development of ITER's successor DEMO, a prototype of a commercial reactor. The TCV was set up in November 1992.

Characteristics

* Plasma height: 1.40 metres * Minor radius: 0.25 metre * Major radius: 0.88 metre * Plasma current: 1.2 megaamperes * Plasma life span: 2 seconds maximum * Toroidal magnetic field: 1.43 teslas * Additional heating power: 4.5 megawatts

Main studies

* Confinement studies ** confinement as a function of the shape of the plasma (triangular, square or elongated) ** Improvement of the confinement of the core * Studies on vertically elongated plasmas * Studies with ECRH and ECCD (

electron cyclotron resonance heating A tokamak (; russian: токамáк; otk, 𐱃𐰸𐰢𐰴, Toḳamaḳ) is a device which uses a powerful magnetic field to confine plasma in the shape of a torus. The tokamak is one of several types of magnetic confinement devices bein ...

and electron cyclotron current drive) By 2012 it had 16 poloidal plasma shaping coils and could achieve a variety of field configurations and plasma shapes.

History

* 1976: First proposal for an elongated tokamak by the "New Swiss Association" * 1985: Second proposal, with a more elongated tokamak * 1986: Acceptance of the TCV proposal (Tokamak à Configuration Variable) * 1992: First plasma discharge * 1997: World record of plasma elongation (see plasma shaping) * by August 2015 it has had a 19-month shutdown/upgrade to install its first

neutral beam injector Neutral-beam injection (NBI) is one method used to heat plasma inside a fusion device consisting in a beam of high-energy neutral particles that can enter the magnetic confinement field. When these neutral particles are ionized by collision with ...

. * by 2016 it was upgraded/enhanced to run with a 'snowflake'

divertor In nuclear fusion power research, a divertor is a device within a tokamak or a stellarator that allows the online removal of waste material from the plasma while the reactor is still operating. This allows control over the buildup of fusion pro ...

Snowflake and the multiple divertor concepts. March 2016
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References

External links

TCV official site
*
TCV Technical data
as of Oct 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Tokamak a configuration variable Tokamaks École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne