Power and Magnet Systems
Power systems energize and protect the magnets, drive plasma current, and supply heating, together forming the machine's electrical backbone.
The electrical backbone
The breeder's power and magnet systems energize the superconducting coils, protect them against quench, drive the 9.66 MA plasma current, and supply plasma heating. This is the electrical backbone that turns supplied power into confining field and hot plasma.
Main elements
- Magnet power supplies to energize the toroidal and poloidal field coils
- Quench protection to safely dissipate stored energy if a magnet loses superconductivity
- Central solenoid and current drive to establish and sustain plasma current
- Heating systems to bring the plasma to fusion conditions
Quench protection
A superconducting magnet at 16.84 T stores enormous energy. If part of the coil loses superconductivity (a quench), that energy must be removed safely and fast. Quench protection is therefore a central safety and design function, and demonstrating it is part of the magnet gate G2.
Recirculating load
These systems draw substantial power, magnets, current drive, and heating. In a foundry this is acceptable because the machine needs only gain, not net electricity; the recirculating load does not have to be beaten by generated power. This is precisely the threshold the breeder is designed to avoid needing to cross.
The power and magnet systems are designs for a machine not yet built. They are commissioned in stages, with magnet energization and quench protection verified before plasma operation.