The Fusion Advanced Studies Torus (FAST): a Proposal for an ITER Satellite Facility in Support of the Development of Fusion Energy

FAST is the conceptual design for a new machine proposed to support ITER experimental exploitation as well as to anticipate DEMO relevant physics and technology. FAST is aimed at integrated investigations of fast particle physics, plasma operations and plasma wall interaction in burning plasma relevant conditions. In Deuterium plasma operations, FAST has the capability to simultaneously approach relevant dimensionless physical parameters in all the ITER scenarios. The necessity of achieving ITER relevant power densities and performance with moderate cost has led to a compact Tokamak design (R=1.82 m , a= 0.64 m), with a high toroidal field (BT up to 8.5 T) and plasma current (Ip up to 8 MA). In order to study fast particle behaviours with dimensionless parameters similar to ITER, the project is based on a dominant Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating system (ICRH; 30 MW coupled to the plasma). Moreover, the experiment foresees 6 MW of Lower Hybrid (LH), essentially for plasma control and for non-inductive current drive, and of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH; 4MW) for localized electron heating and plasma control. Ports have been designed to also accommodate up to 10 MW of negative neutral beam injection (NNBI) in the energy range of 0.5-1 MeV. The total power input is in the 30-40 MW range in the different plasma scenarios, with a wall power load comparable with that of ITER (P/R∼22 MW/m). All ITER scenarios can be studied: starting from the reference H-mode, with plasma edge and ELMs characteristics similar to those of ITER (Q up to ∼ 2.5), and arriving to full non-inductive current drive scenarios lasting ∼ 160 s, Under these conditions, first wall as well as divertor plates will be made of tungsten. The divertor itself is designed to be completely removable by remote handling. This will allow studying, in view of DEMO, the behaviour of innovative divertor concepts, such as those foreseeing the use of liquid lithium. FAST is capable to operate with very long pulses, up to 170 s, despite being a copper machine. The magnets initial operation temperature is 30 K and the cooling is ensured by helium gas. The in vessel components, namely first wall and divertor, are actively cooled by pressurised water at 80 0C. The same water is also used for vacuum vessel baking. FAST is equipped with ferromagnetic inserts to keep the toroidal field magnet ripple as low as 0.3%