The FTU-D Project

A modification of the FTU tokamak (toroidal field BT = 8T, plasma current IP = 1.6MA, minor radius a = 0.3m, major radius R = 0.93m) is proposed in order to extend the FTU operation to strongly shaped plasmas (FTU-D: R = 1m, a = 0.18 - 0.2m, elongation = 1.6, triangularity up to = 0.8). FTU has a circular vacuum vessel and was built to produce circular plasmas, however unbalancing the currents in the windings of the air core transformer a plasma shaping can be produced. Single Null (SN) and Double Null (DN) equilibria have been studied with a maximum current in the range 0.350-0.450 MA. The scientific aim of the project is the investigation of the advanced tokamak operation, characterised by the simultaneous achievement of high (normalised beta) and high bootstrap current fraction ( fB) in regimes with high-energy confinement obtained by current and pressure profile control. The main features of FTU-D, with respect to other existing tokamaks, are the high magnetic field ( BT = 5 - 2.5T), the high density and aspect ratio value (A = R/a = 5-6) and the possibility of investigating regimes with dominant electron heating.