In the workshop of Keye Company, a second ICRF heating antenna is packed and ready to be delivered to the ASDEX Upgrade Tokamak in Germany after passing the necessary factory acceptance tests late February.
Two new ICRF -for Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies- antennas, designed to couple 2MW at a frequency between 30 and 60 MHzare being built in an international cooperation between the Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP, Germany), ASIPP (China) and ENEA (Italy): ENEA is building the plasma facing components of the antenna and a powerful diagnostic to measure the plasma density in front of it, while Keye Company is building all other components of the antennas. The manufacture of the two ICRF antennas was ¡°arduous and tortuous¡± due to complicated structure, demanding technical specifications, sophisticated engineering techniques and a tight schedule.
The KEYE components of the first antenna, delivered to IPP in June, 2013, have already been complemented with some of the diagnostics parts from ENEA and are being test mounted in a full scale model of ASDEX Upgrade.
The components of the second ICRF antenna were now examined and accepted by a three-member team from the Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) headed by Helmut Fuenfgelder during a visit at ASIPP from February 25 to 27. Helmut Fuenfgelder expressed his satisfaction with the quality of the second antenna. ¡°The first antenna was very good, and this one is even better.¡±
The challenging task was successfully brought to conclusion through strong teamwork and also through a large number of R&D tests on welding techniques and a special curve-shaped surface forming process.
Dozens of video discussions took place throughout the development process with IPP colleagues. The second antenna will arrive at its new home in Garching in a couple of weeks. After completion with the ENEA components, both antennas will be installed in the ASDEX Upgrade in the next opening foreseen this year.
Antenna Acceptance
Antenna for ASDEX-U
