Design and implementation of four 20 kA, 5 kV hybrid switching networks for plasma ignition in the international tokamak JT-60SA

Burini, F.*; Kuate-Fone, Y.*; Taddia, G.*; Tenconi, S.*; Lampasi, A.*; Zito, P.*; 松川 誠; 島田 勝弘; Coletti, A.*; Novello, L.*

Proceedings of 40th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON 2014), p.5035 - 5040, 2014/10

https://doi.org/10.1109/IECON.2014.7049265

This paper describes the design and implementation of the Switching Network Unit (SNU) for the superconducting Central Solenoid coils of the international nuclear fusion experiment JT-60SA to be built in Naka, Japan. The SNU can interrupt a current up to 20 kA in less than 1 ms to create a voltage up to 5 kV. It is realized with a hybrid switch integrating an electro-mechanical device and a solid state Static Circuit Breaker, parallel connected. SNU resistance can be pre-arranged and dynamically reduced by a solid state making switch. Preliminary test results confirmed the current balance of the multiple parallel branches constituting the solid state switch and proper behavior of the devices, confirming simulations results. Further applications could be medium voltage DC networks (either naval or land based); higher DC voltages are practicable.