Current Status and Future Technical Challenges for Tokamak Magnets

Abstract

Magnet technology for fusion in the last decade has been focusing mostly on the development of magnets for tokamaks—the most advanced fusion concept at the moment. The largest and the most complex tokamak under development is ITER. To demonstrate adequate design approaches to large magnets for ITER and to develop industrial capabilities, two large model coils and three insert coils, all using full-scale conductor, were built and tested by the international collaboration during 1994-2002. The status of the magnet technology and directions of future developments are discussed in this paper.