Experimental research on the TCV tokamak
Journal article, 2024
Tokamak à configuration variable (TCV), recently celebrating 30 years of near-continual operation, continues in its missions to advance outstanding key physics and operational scenario issues for ITER and the design of future power plants such as DEMO. The main machine heating systems and operational changes are first described. Then follow five sections: plasma scenarios. ITER Base-Line (IBL) discharges, triangularity studies together with X3 heating and N2 seeding. Edge localised mode suppression, with a high radiation region near the X-point is reported with N2 injection with and without divertor baffles in a snowflake configuration. Negative triangularity (NT) discharges attained record, albeit transient, βN ∼ 3 with lower turbulence, higher low-Z impurity transport, vertical stability and density limits and core transport better than the IBL. Positive triangularity L-Mode linear and saturated ohmic confinement confinement saturation, often-correlated with intrinsic toroidal rotation reversals, was probed for D, H and He working gases. H-mode confinement and pedestal studies were extended to low collisionality with electron cyclotron heating obtaining steady state electron iternal transport barrier with neutral beam heating (NBH), and NBH driven H-mode configurations with off-axis co-electron cyclotron current drive. Fast particle physics. The physics of disruptions, runaway electrons and fast ions (FIs) was developed using near-full current conversion at disruption with recombination thresholds characterised for impurity species (Ne, Ar, Kr). Different flushing gases (D2, H2) and pathways to trigger a benign disruption were explored. The 55 kV NBH II generated a rich Alfvénic spectrum modulating the FI fas ion loss detector signal. NT configurations showed less toroidal Alfvén excitation activity preferentially affecting higher FI pitch angles. Scrape-off layer and edge physics. gas puff imaging systems characterised turbulent plasma ejection for several advanced divertor configurations, including NT. Combined diagnostic array divertor state analysis in detachment conditions was compared to modelling revealing an importance for molecular processes. Divertor physics. Internal gas baffles diversified to include shorter/longer structures on the high and/or low field side to probe compressive efficiency. Divertor studies concentrated upon mitigating target power, facilitating detachment and increasing the radiated power fraction employing alternative divertor geometries, optimised X-point radiator regimes and long-legged configurations. Smaller-than-expected improvements with total flux expansion were better modelled when including parallel flows. Peak outer target heat flux reduction was achieved (>50%) for high flux-expansion geometries, maintaining core performance (H98 > 1). A reduction in target heat loads and facilitated detachment access at lower core densities is reported. Real-time control. TCV’s real-time control upgrades employed MIMO gas injector control of stable, robust, partial detachment and plasma β feedback control avoiding neoclassical tearing modes with plasma confinement changes. Machine-learning enhancements include trajectory tracking disruption proximity and avoidance as well as a first-of-its-kind reinforcement learning-based controller for the plasma equilibrium trained entirely on a free-boundary simulator. Finally, a short description of TCV’s immediate future plans will be given.
SPC
review
plasma
EPFL
TCV
Author
B. Duval
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Abdolmaleki
DeepMind
M. Agostini
Consorzio Rfx
C.J. Ajay
University of York
S. Alberti
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. Alessi
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
G. Anastasiou
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Y. Andrebe
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G. Apruzzese
ENEA
F. Auriemma
Consorzio Rfx
J.M. Ayllon-Guerola
University of Seville
F. Bagnato
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Baillod
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F. Bairaktaris
University of Athens
L. Balbinot
Consorzio Rfx
A. Balestri
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Baquero-Ruiz
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Barcellona
University of Catania
M. Bernert
Max Planck Society
W. Bin
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
P. Blanchard
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J.A. Boedo
University of California
T. Bolzonella
Consorzio Rfx
F. Bombarda
ENEA
L. Boncagni
ENEA
M. Bonotto
Consorzio Rfx
T.O.S.J. Bosman
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
Daniele Brida
Max Planck Society
D. Brunetti
Culham Science Centre
J. Buchli
DeepMind
J. Buerman
P. Buratti
University of Rome Tor Vergata
A. Burckhart
Max Planck Society
D. Busil
Polytechnic University of Milan
J. Caloud
Czech Academy of Sciences
Y. Camenen
Aix Marseille University
A. Cardinali
ENEA
S. Carli
KU Leuven
D. Carnevale
University of Rome Tor Vergata
F. Carpanese
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Carpita
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Castaldo
ENEA
F. Causa
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
J. Cavalier
Czech Academy of Sciences
M. Cavedon
University of Milano-Bicocca
J. Cazabonne
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Cerovsky
Czech Academy of Sciences
S. Chapman
Culham Science Centre
M. Chernyshova
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
P. Chmielewski
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
A. Chomiczewska
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
G. Ciraolo
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
S. Coda
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Colandrea
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Contré
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Coosemans
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
L. Cordaro
Consorzio Rfx
S. Costea
Jozef Stefan Institute
T. Craciunescu
National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics
K. Crombe
Royal Military Academy
A. Dal Molin
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
O. D’Arcangelo
ENEA
D. de Las Casas
DeepMind
J. Decker
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Degrave
DeepMind
H. De Oliveira
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G. F. Derks
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
L.E. di Grazia
University of Naples Federico II
C. Donner
DeepMind
M. Dreval
National Science Center
M. Dunne
Max Planck Society
G. Durr Legoupil Nicoud
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
B. Esposito
ENEA
T. Ewalds
DeepMind
M. Faitsch
Max Planck Society
M. Farník
Czech Academy of Sciences
A. Fasoli
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F Felici
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Jorge Ferreira
Instituto Superior Tecnico
O. Février
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
O. Ficker
Czech Academy of Sciences
A. Frank
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Erik Fransson
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
L. Frassinetti
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
L. Fritz
DeepMind
Ivo Furno
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
D. Galassi
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
K. Galazka
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
J. Galdon-Quiroga
University of Seville
S. Galeani
University of Rome Tor Vergata
C. Galperti
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
S. Garavaglia
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
M. Garcia-Munoz
University of Seville
P. Gaudio
University of Rome Tor Vergata
M. Gelfusa
University of Rome Tor Vergata
J. Genoud
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Gerrú Miguelanez
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
G. Ghillardi
ENEA
M. Giacomin
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
L. Gil
Instituto Superior Tecnico
A. Gillgren
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
C Giroud
Culham Science Centre
T. Golfinopoulos
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
T. Goodman
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G. Gorini
DeepMind
S. Gorno
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G. Grenfell
Max Planck Society
M. Griener
Max Planck Society
M. Gruca
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
T. Gyergyek
Jozef Stefan Institute
R. Hafner
DeepMind
M. Hamed
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
D. Hamm
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
W. Han
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
G.F. Harrer
Osterreichische Akademie Der Wissenschaften
J.R. Harrison
Culham Science Centre
D. Hassabis
DeepMind
S.S. Henderson
Culham Science Centre
P. Hennequin
École polytechnique
J. Hidalgo-Salaverri
University of Seville
J.-Ph. Hogge
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Hoppe
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Horáček
Czech Academy of Sciences
A. Huber
DeepMind
E. Huett
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Iantchenko
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
P. Innocente
Consorzio Rfx
C. Ionita Schrittwieser
University of Innsbruck
I. Ivanova-Stanik
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
M. Jablczynska
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
A. Jansen van Vuuren
University of Seville
A. Jardin
Polish Academy of Sciences
H. Jarleblad
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A. Järvinen
Aalto University
J. Kalis
Max Planck Society
R. Karimov
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Karpushov
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
K. Kavukcuoglu
DeepMind
J. Kay
DeepMind
Y. Kazakov
Royal Military Academy
J. Keeling
DeepMind
A. Kirjasuo
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
J. Koenders
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
P. Kohli
DeepMind
M. Komm
Czech Academy of Sciences
M. Kong
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
J. Kovacic
Jozef Stefan Institute
E. Kowalska-Strzȩciwilk
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
O. Krutkin
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
O. Kudlacek
Max Planck Society
U. Kumar
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Kwiatkowski
National Centre for Nuclear Research
B. Labit
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
L. Laguardia
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
E. Łaszyńska
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
A. Lazaros
University of Athens
K. Lee
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. Lerche
Royal Military Academy
B. Linehan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
D. Liuzza
ENEA
T. Lunt
Max Planck Society
E. Macusova
Czech Academy of Sciences
D. Mancini
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
P. Mantica
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
Mark Maraschek
Max Planck Society
G. Marceca
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
S. Marchioni
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Mariani
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
M. Marin
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Marinoni
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
L. Martellucci
University of Rome Tor Vergata
Y. Martin
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
P. Martin
Consorzio Rfx
L. Martinelli
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F. Martinelli
University of Rome Tor Vergata
J. R. Martìn-Solìs
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
S. Masillo
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Masocco
University of Rome Tor Vergata
V. Masson
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Mathews
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Mattei
University of Naples Federico II
D. Mazon
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
S. Mazzi
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
S. Mazzi
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
S.Y. Medvedev
Tokamak Energy Ltd
C. Meineri
Consorzio Rfx
A. Mele
University of Naples Federico II
V. Menkovski
Eindhoven University of Technology
A. Merle
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
H.F. Meyer
Culham Science Centre
K. Mikszuta-Michalik
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
I. Miron
National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics
P.A. Molina Cabrera
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Moro
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
A. Murari
Consorzio Rfx
P. Muscente
Consorzio Rfx
D. Mykytchuk
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F. Nabais
Instituto Superior Tecnico
F. Napoli
ENEA
R.D. Nem
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Neunert
DeepMind
S. K. Nielsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A.H. Nielsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Nocente
University of Milano-Bicocca
S. Noury
DeepMind
S. Nowak
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
H. Nystrom
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
N. Offeddu
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Soma Olasz
Centre for Energy Research
F. Oliva
University of Rome Tor Vergata
D. Oliveira
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
F. Orsitto
University of Naples Federico II
N. Osborne
University of Liverpool
P. Oyola Dominguez
University of Seville
O. Pan
Max Planck Society
E. Panontin
University of Milano-Bicocca
Aristeides D. Papadopoulos
University of Athens
P. Papagiannis
University of Athens
Gergely Papp
Max Planck Society
M. Passoni
Polytechnic University of Milan
F. Pastore
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Pau
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
R. Pavlichenko
National Science Center
A.C. Pedersen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Pedrini
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G. Pelka
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
E. Peluso
University of Rome Tor Vergata
A. Perek
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Perez vonThun
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
F. Pesamosca
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
D. Pfau
DeepMind
V. Piergotti
ENEA
L. Pigatto
Consorzio Rfx
C. Piron
ENEA
L. Piron
Consorzio Rfx
A. Pironti
University of Naples Federico II
U. Plank
Max Planck Society
V V Plyusnin
Instituto Superior Tecnico
Y. Poels
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
G.I. Pokol
Centre for Energy Research
J. Poley-Sanjuan
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Poradziński
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
L. Porte
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Possieri
University of Rome Tor Vergata
A. Poulsen
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Pueschel
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
T. Pütterich
Max Planck Society
V. Quadri
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
M. Rabinski
National Centre for Nuclear Research
R. Ragona
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
H. Raj
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Redl
Tuscia University
H. Reimerdes
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C Reux
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
D. Ricci
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
M. Riedmiller
DeepMind
S. Rienacker
École polytechnique
D. Rigamonti
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
N. Rispoli
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
J.F. Rivero-Rodriguez
Culham Science Centre
C.F. Romero Madrid
University of Seville
J. Rueda Rueda
University of Seville
P. Ryan
Culham Science Centre
M. Salewski
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
A. Salmi
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
M. Sassano
University of Rome Tor Vergata
O. Sauter
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
N. Schoonheere
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
R. Schrittwieser
University of Innsbruck
F. Sciortino
Max Planck Society
A. Selce
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
L. Senni
ENEA
S. E. Sharapov
Culham Science Centre
U. Sheikh
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
B. Sieglin
Max Planck Society
M. Silva
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
D. Silvagni
Max Planck Society
B. Simmendefeldt Schmidt
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
L. Simons
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. R. Solano
Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion
C. Sozzi
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
M. Spolaore
Consorzio Rfx
L. Spolladore
University of Rome Tor Vergata
A. Stagni
Consorzio Rfx
Pär Strand
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
G.Y. Sun
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
W. Suttrop
Max Planck Society
J. Svoboda
Czech Academy of Sciences
B. Tál
Max Planck Society
T. Tala
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
P. Tamain
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
M. Tardocchi
Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche
A. Tema Biwole
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A. Tenaglia
University of Rome Tor Vergata
D. Terranova
Consorzio Rfx
D. Testa
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Theiler
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
A.J. Thornton
Culham Science Centre
A.S. Thrysoe
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
M. Tomeš
Czech Academy of Sciences
E. Tonello
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
H. Torreblanca
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
B. Tracey
DeepMind
M. Tsimpoukelli
DeepMind
C. Tsironis
University of Athens
C.K. Tsui
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Ugoletti
Consorzio Rfx
M. Vallar
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Berkel
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
S. Van Mulders
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. van Rossem
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
C. Venturini
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
M. Veranda
Consorzio Rfx
T. Verdier
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
K. Verhaegh
Culham Science Centre
L. Vermare
École polytechnique
N. Vianello
Consorzio Rfx
E. Viezzer
University of Seville
F. Villone
University of Naples Federico II
B. Vincent
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
P. Vincenzi
Consorzio Rfx
I. Voitsekhovitch
Culham Science Centre
L. Votta
Polytechnic University of Milan
N.M.T. Vu
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Y. Wang
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
E. Wang
Forschungszentrum Jülich
T Wauters
Royal Military Academy
M. Weiland
Max Planck Society
H. Weisen
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
N. Wendler
Institute of Plasma Physics & Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)
S. Wiesen
Forschungszentrum Jülich
M. Wiesenberger
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
T. A. Wijkamp
Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)
C. Wüthrich
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Dmytro Yadykin
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
H. Yang
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
V. Yanovskiy
Czech Academy of Sciences
J. Zebrowski
National Centre for Nuclear Research
P. Zestanakis
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
M. Zuin
Consorzio Rfx
M. Zurita
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
Nuclear Fusion
00295515 (ISSN) 17414326 (eISSN)
Vol. 64 11 112023Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon Europe through a joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium
European Commission (EC) (101052200), 2021-01-01 -- 2025-12-31.
Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
DOI
10.1088/1741-4326/ad8361