Measurement of safety factor using Hall probes on CASTOR tokamak

Hall sensors offer an attractive true non-inductive method of magnetic field measurements for fusion devices. However, there is only limited experience in using of these sensors in such demanding environment (high heat loads, radiation, and electromagnetic noise). Recently, a combined magnetic probe was developed for CASTOR tokamak, which contains 3 Hall sensors and 3 coils arranged to measure all three components of magnetic field approximately in a single point of space. The probe is compatible with in-vessel use well in confinement region of CASTOR. It is fully controlled by multi-functional electronic system that drives the Hall probes, amplifies their output signals, performs the A/D conversion and stores the measured data on PC. The bandwidth of the system is up to 200 kHz. Design of the system and its implementation on CASTOR is reviewed. Results obtained using this diagnostic on CASTOR tokamak is presented. Radial profile of the poloidal magnetic field is used to deduce radial profile of safety factor.     

New Approaches to the Creation of Strong Fields by Means of Permanent Magnets and to the Development of Sensor Devices for Their Mapping

New solutions in the field of creating compact strong permanent magnets and magnetometers for mapping of magnetic fields are considered in the present paper. It is demonstrated that the magnetic field induction can be increased up to 4 T. An array of the Hall sensors based on III–V semiconductors is used for mapping of magnetic fields.     

Investigation of stability of ITER candidate Hall sensors under neutron irradiation

Hall sensors offer an attractive true non-inductive method of magnetic field measurements for fusion reactors. Their use for steady state magnetic diagnostics of ITER is presently limited by their questionable radiation and thermal stability. Issues of stable and reliable operation in ITER like radiation and thermal environment are addressed by the contribution. Recently, novel Hall sensors, compatible with temperatures up to 200°C, were developed and their radiation stability was tested at LVR-15 experimental fission reactor. Overview of the experimental set-up on LVR-15 reactor is given. Degradation of the sensor’s sensitivity by several tens of percents was observed after neutron irradiation by the total neutron fluence of 2 × 10¹⁷ n/cm² in LVR-15. This level of neutron fluence is comparable to that expected to occur over the whole ITER life time for a sensor location just outside the ITER vessel. The in-situ recalibration techniques are expected to handle the observed degree of Hall sensors performance degradation in ITER environment.