Electron-cyclotron-resonance heating in Wendelstein 7-X: A versatile heating and current-drive method and a tool for in-depth physics studies

Abstract

For stellarators, which need no or only small amounts of current drive, electron-cyclotron-resonance heating (ECRH) is a promising heating method even for the envisaged application in a fusion power plant. Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is equipped with a steady-state capable ECRH system, operating at 140 GHz, which corresponds to the 2nd cyclotron harmonic of the electrons at a magnetic field of 2.5 T. Ten gyrotrons are operational and already delivered 7 MW to W7-X plasmas. Combined with pellet injection, the highest triple product (0.6810 20 keV m -3 s), observed up to now in stellarators, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion