ITER limiters moveable during plasma discharge and optimization of ferromagnetic inserts to minimize toroidal field ripple

Ioki, Kimihiro; Chuyanov, V.*; Elio, F.*; Garkusha, D.*; Gribov, Y.*; Lamzin, E.*; Morimoto, Masaaki; Shimada, Michiya; Sugihara, Masayoshi; Terasawa, Atsumi; Utin, Y.*; Wang, X.*

Two important design updates have been made in the ITER VV and in-vessel components recently. One is the introduction of limiters moveable during a plasma discharge, and the other is optimization of the ferromagnetic insert configuration to minimize the toroidal field ripple. In the new limiter concept, the limiters are retracted by 8 cm during the plasma flat top phase in the divertor configuration. This concept gives important advantages: (1) the particle and heat loads due to disruptions, ELMs and blobs on the limiters will be mitigated approximately by a factor 1.5 or more; (2) the gap between the plasma and the ICRH antenna can be reduced to improve the coupling of the ICRH power. The ferromagnetic inserts have previously not been planned to be installed in the outboard midplane region between equatorial ports due to irregularity of tangential ports for NB injection. The result is a relatively large ripple (1 %) in a limited region of the plasma, which nevertheless seems acceptable from the plasma performance viewpoint. However, toroidal field flux lines fluctuate 10 mm due to the large ripple in the FW region. To avoid problems due to the large TF flux line fluctuation, additional ferromagnetic inserts are now planned to be installed in the equatorial port region.