The most important initiative on fusion R&D is currently ITER: the international tokamak reactor scale experiment being assembled in France. In tokamaks, instabilities can develop under certain operational conditions or as a consequence of a loss of plasma control. These instabilities eventually lead to the rapid loss of thermal and magnetic energy, a phenomenon known as plasma disruption.

Plasma disruptions cause thermal and mechanical loading to the tokamak components. Due to the high amounts of stored thermal and magnetic energies in ITER, the in-vessel components, such as the first wall panels and the divertor, will receive significant thermal loads. Furthermore, the in-vessel components, the vacuum vessel and the coils in the tokamak must also bear substantial mechanical loads. Disruption mitigation will be essential to reducing thermal and mechanical loading in order to guarantee the lifetime of these components.

Objectives

The event aims to serve as a forum to help coordinate experimental, theoretical and modelling work in the field of plasma disruptions with special emphasis on developing a solid basis for possible mitigation strategies in ITER and next generation fusion devices.

Target Audience

The event aims to bring together junior and senior scientific fusion project leaders, plasma physicists, including theoreticians and experimentalists, and experts (researchers and engineers) in the field of plasma disruptions.