Images of the Week

Radiofrequency Building ready for first gyrotrons

The new baseline, which demands more powerful radiowave plasma heating, has modified plans for the Radiofrequency Building. Initially designed to host both the electron and the ion cyclotron heating systems (ECRH and ICRH), it will now be exclusively devoted to the first of the two systems and a new structure, to be located to the southwest of the Assembly Hall, will be added to house ion cyclotron equipment.

The Radiofrequency Heating Building will house the power supplies, wave-generating gyrotrons, and (start of) transmission lines for the electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH). The three-storey structure abuts one wall of the Assembly Hall.

Soon to be handed over to the ITER Organization by Fusion for Energy, the Radiofrequency Building is now ready to receive a first set of two gyrotrons – the radio-wave generating devices capable of producing a microwave beam over a thousand times more powerful than a conventional microwave oven.

The main high voltage power supplies from the Swiss company Ampegon (delivered by Europe) occupy a large portion of the first level of the Radiofrequency Building. All power supply equipment has been installed and final adjustments are underway.

Beginning this week, via an agreement with the Russian Domestic Agency, personnel from the gyrotron manufacturer GYCOM will begin installing the first two gyrotron units that are part of Russian procurement.