The Next European Torus project [lecture]

The next step in the magnetic fusion programme within Europe is the construction of a fully nuclear machine, where ignited plasmas, heated completely by internal thermonuclear reactions, can be studied. To co-ordinate this step within Europe, the Next European Torus (NET) project was established in Germany in 1983. The project is now in a predesign phase where a single reference concept is being developed into a preliminary design. The objectives of NET and the choice of major parameters are given. The design of the machine is briefly described, with the design of remote handling equipment, the toroidal field coils, and the blanket-first wall structure being covered in more detail. (UK)