Search

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 millimetric region of the electromagnetic spectrum is of great interest both to plasma physics and to experimental cosmology. Building on the common technological interest, the tests on passive components of the Low Frequency Instrument of the PLANCK mission are made in IFP’s microwave laboratory. The experimental techniques and sample results are shown. © 2004 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of a collaboration between IFP-CNR Milano, IPP Garching/Greifswald and IPF Stuttgart, a set of four millimeterwave probes has been installed in W7-AS stellarator at selected positions of the inner vessel wall. Their purpose is to observe RF stray radiation during operation in presence of strong level of Electron Cyclotron (EC) waves, used for plasma start-up, heating and current drive. The aim of these measurements is to benchmark two complementary theoretical models for the distribution of the stray radiation in the vessel. From these codes, quantitative predictions are expected for the spatial distribution of the RF wall load and the RF-impact on in-vessel components in large future devices such as W7-X and, possibly, ITER. This input is important to optimize the wall armour and select rfcompatible in-vessel materials. We present first measurements from different heating and startup scenarios, with up to 800 kW of injected power at 140 GHz and different launching geometries. An analysis of measurements performed on FTU using a previous version of sniffer probe is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]