The WEST programme: Minimizing technology and operational risks of a full actively cooled tungsten divertor on ITER

The WEST programme consists in transforming the Tore Supra tokamak into an X point divertor device, while taking advantage of its long discharge capability. This is obtained by inserting in vessel coils to create the X point while adapting the in-vessel elements to this new geometry. This will allow the full tungsten divertor technology to be used on ITER to be tested in anticipation of its use on ITER under relevant heat loading conditions and pulse duration. The early manufacturing of a significant industrial series of ITER-similar W plasma-facing units will contribute to the ITER divertor manufacturing risk mitigation and to that associated with early W divertor plasma operation on ITER. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.