Ohmic

Heating (OH) Network

Category: Energy
Reference: TDF0026

Broker Company Name: STFC Innovations Ltd
Broker Name: Helen Rogerson
Telephone: +44 (0)1925603122
Email: Helen.Rogerson@stfc.ac.uk

Abstract
Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) has
fabricated a large-scale Ohmic Heating (OH)
network a switching network that connects
the driving energy source to the JET tokamak to
induce and maintain the plasma current.

S1 Switch awaiting installation on the

OHC

The bespoke OH network consists of high current opening and closing switches, a
counter-pulse circuit, commutating resistors, and various safety and protection
devices and their controls. The apparatus could be used for three broad areas of
application:

Testing (e.g. high current, high voltage, withstand, load, or destructive) of

industrial circuit components such as switches and busbars
High current or high voltage OH application onsite (e.g. smelting or chemical
industries)
High-speed data acquisition for analysis

Description
Ohmic heating (aka resistive heating, or Joule heating) is used to induce and
maintain the plasma current in the JET tokamak; raising the temperature of the
plasma to around 20,000,000 C. The OH network constructed at CCFE consists of
high current opening and closing switches, a counter-pulse circuit, commutating
resistors, and various safety and protection devices and their controls.
The switching network can withstand currents of up to 40 kA and has an (80 bar) air
blast system to eliminate the arc when the switch is opened. A counter-pulse circuit
is installed in case of arc re-strike, which charges a bank of high storage capacitors
(1.2 mF at 25 kV).

Innovations and advantages of the offer

The OH network currently supplies approximately 1 MW of power to the JET
tokamak, and is capable of producing plasma currents of up to 5 million amperes.
The facility is thus unique in its high power capability and as such is suitable for
industrial-scale testing and OH applications, while the nature of its intended use
makes it suitable for high-speed data analysis applications as well.


The purpose-built facility has been used extensively for high power fusion
applications. It is rigorously maintained and tested by experts. Safety and protection
devices are already installed.

Software monitoring the air supply to the OHC

Application
The OHC is used to induce and maintain the plasma current in the JET nuclear fusion
tokamak.
The apparatus could potentially be used for three broad domains of application:

High current, high voltage, withstand, or destructive testing of industrial

circuit components such as switches and busbars
High current or high voltage OH application onsite (e.g. smelting or chemical
industries)
High speed data acquisition for data analysis

Comments on the technology by the broker

This technology has been identified in the framework of the FUTTA (Fusion
Technology Transfer Action) project, funded by the European Commission, and with
the collaboration of Eurofusion.


This Technology Description was downloaded from www.esa-tec.eu