Stabilization of vertical plasma position in the PHiX tokamak with saddle coils

Saddle coils (SCs) are proposed as coils with a stabilizing effect of a vertical plasma position. This effect comes from an average magnetic field along a magnetic field line. Magnetic field line tracing was performed to investigate the structure and the quantitative values of the averaged magnetic field generated by SCs and toroidal magnetic field coils (TFCs). Experiments to stabilize the vertical position of the plasma were also carried out in a small tokamak device, PHiX. It was experimentally demonstrated that the averaged magnetic field generated with SCs and TFCs could stabilize the vertically unstable plasmas. In addition, three-dimensional equilibrium calculation using VMEC suggested that the plasmas were vertically elongated on the toroidal average when the vertical positions were stabilized by SCs. From the above results, it was shown that the non-axisymmetric magnetic fields generated by SCs could realize the plasmas with stable vertical position and an elongated cross-section

Absence of viral interference and different susceptibility to interferon between hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in human hepatocyte chimeric mice

Background/Aims: Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicate in the liver and show resistance against innate immunity and interferon (IFN) treatment. Whether there is interference between these two viruses is still controversial. We investigated the interference between these two viruses and the mode of resistance against IFN. Methods: We performed infection experiments with either or both of the two hepatitis viruses in human hepatocyte chimeric mice. Huh7 cell lines with stable production of HBV were also established and transfected with HCV JFH1 clone. Mice and cell lines were treated with IFN. The viral levels in mice sera and culture supernatants and messenger RNA levels of IFN-stimulated genes were measured. Results: No apparent interference between the two viruses was seen ill vivo. Only a small (0.3 log) reduction in serum HBV and a rapid reduction in HCV were observed after IFN treatment, regardless of infection with the other virus. In ill vitro studies, no interference between the two viruses was observed. The effect of IFN on each virus was not affected by the presence of the other virus. IFN-induced reductions of viruses in culture supernatants were similar to those in ill vivo study. Conclusions: No interference between the two hepatitis viruses exists in the liver in the absence of hepatitis. The mechanisms of IFN resistance of the two viruses target different areas of the IFN system

Type Tests of JT-60SA Central Solenoid / Equilibrium Field (CS/EF) Super-Conducting Magnet Power Supplies

JT-60SA is a superconducting tokamak in theframework of the broader approach agreement between Europeand Japan. For this international project among its various procurements,the Italian National Agency for new technology energyand sustainable economic development (ENEA) is providing fourac/dc converters for the central solenoid (CS) superconductingmagnets, two ac/dc converters for the equilibrium field (EF)superconducting magnets, and two ac/dc converters for the fastplasma position control coils (FPPCC). Furthermore, ENEA isalso providing six converter transformers of which four areof the dry type for FPPCC power supplies (PSs) and two ofoil type for CS PSs. CS/EF PSs feed poloidal superconductingmagnets of JT-60SA, whose purpose is the generation of strongmagnetic fields able to induce and confine the plasma currentin a prefixed geometrical configuration. The control systemof CS/EF PSs has to be able to reproduce in real-time areference current or voltage profile, known as “scenario” andthese are particularly critical in these systems for the highcurrents required and for the high magnetic energy stored in thesuperconducting magnets. All performed type tests, carried outin accordance to the IEC60146 Standards, pointed toward a gooddynamic behavior of the control system both for forward and forreverse rectifier bridges, assuring the smooth transitions betweendifferent operating modes: single mode, circulating current modeand dual mode. This is the focus of this paper

Type Tests of JT-60SA Central Solenoid / Equilibrium Field (CS/EF) Super-Conducting Magnet Power Supplies

JT-60SA is a Superconducting Tokamak in the framework of the Broader Approach Agreement between Europe and Japan. For this International Project among its various procurements, the Italian National Agency for New Technology Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) is providing: four AC/DC converters for the central solenoid superconducting magnets (CS1, CS2, CS3 and CS4 PSs rated ±20 kA and ±1 kV); two AC/DC converters for the Equilibrium Field superconducting magnets (EF1 and EF6 PSs rated in the range +10 kA -20 kA and ±1 kV); and two AC/DC converters Fast Plasma Position Control Coils (rated ±5 kA and ±1 kV). Furthermore, ENEA is also providing six converter transformers of which: four dry type for FPPCC PSs and two oil type for CS PSs. These systems, being procured by ENEA through a contract signed in August 2013 with Industrial Suppliers (Poseico and Jema in Join-Venture), have been already constructed and they are in advanced testing phase. The basic devices of a CS/EF PS consist in: a thyristors rectifier or base PS, a converter transformer, a crowbar (to protect by over-voltages and/or over-currents); whereas the load of the CS/EF PS is a Super-Conducting Magnet, whose purpose is the generation of strong magnetic fields able to induce and confine the plasma current in a prefixed geometrical configuration. This requires that the control system of CS/EF PSs is able to comply with a reference current profile, known as “scenario”. The scenarios are particularly critical in these systems for the high currents required and hence for the high magnetic energy stored. The installed total electric power in JT-60SA is about 400 MVA, with a peak of reactive power equal to 330 MVAR and an energy consumption up to 1.5 GJ. The main characteristics of CS/EF base thyristor rectifier are: 4-quadrant AC/DC converter 12-pulses with circulating current in back-to-back configuration, with a DC current of ±20 kA, a DC voltage of 1 kV and an accuracy of ±1%. The design phase was completed in 2015, the construction of all EF/CS PSs was completed in 2016 whereas all PSs were tested in 2016 except EF PSs that are currently ongoing. All performed type tests were carried out both in closed loop feedback current control and in open loop feed forward voltage control and in accordance to the IEC60146 Standards. The electric load used for these tests the consists of three inductances connected in series, whole resulting values of 3.3mH and 3mΩ. The measure electric scheme is fed by the 30kV electric power grid and by an autotransformer, that offers the possibility to increase or decrease the voltage that is going to the converter transformers, that power the EF/CS PS. These tests, made at full current, pointed out a good dynamic behaviour of the control system both for forward and for reverse rectifier bridges, assuring the smooth transitions between different operating modes: single mode, circulating current mode and dual mode. This is the focus of the paper. The complete systems will be delivered to Japan by 2017.27th IEEE Symposium on Fusion Engineering (SOFE-2017

Development of Supervisory Control System for Magnet Power Supplies in JT-60SA

Magnet power supply (PS) system of JT-60SA is being implemented within the Broader Approach Agreement aiming to achieve first plasma in 2020. The system consists of several components such as DC power supply, switching network unit, quench protection circuit and motor-generator. All the componentshave their own internal controller (LCC) for stand-alone operation so the individual commissioning are in progress and almost completed. The next step scheduled is a combination test with all components in which supervisory control system manage LCCs remotely. The supervisory system covers the following roles: 1) machine status monitoring; 2) discharge sequence management; 3) real-time reference waveforms management; 4) data acquisition; 5) machine protection; 6) human safety. The supervisory system consists of several subsystems; PS supervising computer (PS-SC), PS programmable logic controller (PS-PLC), PS internal protectionsystem(PS-IPS) and PS safety interlock system (PS-SIS). PS-SC covers the primary roles in 1) – 4) which is built on CompactPCIs with real-time OS INtime. PS-SC and LCCs are linked through a Reflective Memory (RM) network to share common data in real-time (4 kHz). PS-SC is also linked to the upstream JT-60SA supervisory control system (SCSDAS) via another RM network as an interface for the power supply internal control systems. During discharge sequence, PS-SC also manages motor-generator speed, AC circuit breakers OPEN/CLOSE status with a controller PS-PLC and magnets current according to request from SCSDAS. PS-IPS covers the function of 5) which is implemented on FPGA. PS-IPS is connected to LCCs via fiber optical and hard-wired signals. In case of emergency events such as magnet quench and earth quake, PS-IPS commands to shut down the magnets currents immediately. PS-SIS plays the role in 6) such as status and permission of fence OPEN/CLOSE and grounding switch for maintenance. In this presentation, overview and development of the supervisory system are described.30th edition of the Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT 2018