Thales Gyrotron Sets New Record in Plasma Heating
Developed in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics specifically for the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, Thale’s TH1507U has achieved a significant milestone by reaching a total output of 1.3 megawatts in radiofrequency at a frequency of 140 gigahertz for 360 seconds.
A gyrotron is a high-powered linear beam vacuum tube that generates millimeter-wave electromagnetic waves by the cyclotron resonance of electrons in a strong magnetic field. Thales’s gyrotron plays a crucial role in the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator project by providing heating and stabilization of the plasma, which are essential for reaching the temperatures required for magnetic confinement nuclear fusion.
The Wendelstein 7-X project is the world’s largest and most powerful stellarator, which not only aims to enhance the fundamental understanding of plasmas, but also to contribute to the development of commercial fusion reactors.
The main assembly of Wendelstein 7-X was completed in 2014 and the first plasma was received in December 2015. At the end of 2018, experiments were temporarily suspended after two successful operational phases to allow for necessary upgrades. When Wendelstein 7-X generated a record plasma ( a maximum discharge length of 8 min was achieved with a total heating energy of 1.3 GJ) in February 2023, it was shut down for further improvements, in particular for installation of a new gyrotron. In September 2024, Wendelstein 7-X started a new experimental campaign.