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Fusion Engineering and Design

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fusengdes

Performance of the TJ-II ECRH system with the new 80 kV

50 A high voltage power supply
A. Fernndez a, , J.M. de la Fuente b , D. Ganuza b , I. Kirpitchev a , J. Alonso a , F. Garca b ,
E. Ascasbar a , J.M. del Ro b , I. Garca b , A. Ros a , P. lvarez a , A. Tolkachev a , G. Cataln a
a
b

Laboratorio Nacional de Fusin, EURATOM-CIEMAT Association, Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Grupo JEMA, Paseo del Circuito 10, 20160 Lasarte-Oria, Spain

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 30 July 2008
Received in revised form 16 December 2008
Accepted 16 December 2008
Available online xxx
Keywords:
Plasma heating
Power supplies
Gyrotron
Solid-state

a b s t r a c t
The ECRH system of the TJ-II stellarator consists of two triode 53.2 GHz gyrotrons, which can deliver
a maximum power of 300 kW each, during 1 s. Both gyrotrons are fed by a common high voltage power
supply (HVPS). During the last experimental campaigns the performance of the gyrotrons were limited by
the HVPS, whose maximum output current was limited to 30 A and the ripple level of the output voltage
was around 7%. In order to guarantee the reliability of the ECRH system and to improve its performance,
a new HVPS has been developed and manufactured by the company JEMA and was commissioned at
CIEMAT during 2007. The design is based on solid-state technology and high frequency commutation
techniques. The new unit reaches 80 kV and 50 A during a maximum pulse length of 1 s. The complete
design, testing and commissioning of the HVPS are presented, as well as the routine operation of the
ECRH system during the TJ-II experimental campaign.
2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
The TJ-II stellarator is a medium size heliac (R = 1.5 m, <a> = 0.2 m
and B0 = 0.95 T) in operation in Madrid [1]. The TJ-II plasmas are
created and heated by electron cyclotron waves in the second harmonic (f = 53.2 GHz). The maximum ECRH power is 600 kW and is
generated by two triode type gyrotrons. A common high voltage
power supply (HVPS) has to feed both gyrotrons, which are driven
separately by a high voltage anode modulator (HVM). The HVPS
is connected between cathode and collector and the HVM of each
gyrotron is connected between the anode and the cathode. The
combination of the two voltages sets out the acceleration voltage
between anode and cathode. The HVM is also capable of modulating
the anode to cathode voltage, providing the required RF power modulation up to 10 kHz. The old HVPS was limited to 30 A and the ripple
level of the output voltage was around 7%, therefore the power of
the gyrotrons was restricted to 200 kW and the microwave power
was not stable enough: undesired amplitude modulation and shifts
in the frequency spectra. Moreover, due to failures in the old control
system, spurious switch-offs occurred during the last experimental
campaigns and too many TJ-II discharges were lost.
In order to guarantee the reliability of the ECRH system and
to improve the performance of the gyrotrons, a new HVPS, based

on solid-state technology and high frequency commutation techniques, has been designed and manufactured by the company JEMA.
The new unit reaches 80 kV and 50 A during a maximum pulse
length of 1 s. The new solution includes a matching transformer,
which isolates the AC input and provides the DC current for the
12 pulses Silicon Controlled Rectier (SCR). This rectier generates
stabilized 700 V continuous voltage and it consists of 2 stacks of
thyristors. The DC bus is connected to 32 IGBT invertors, which operate at 2.7 kHz. The pulse width modulated output of each converter
is connected to a high frequency transformer, which provides the
main isolation from the low voltage to the high voltage side. The
square waveform obtained at the secondary of each transformer is
rectied by means of a diode bridge. The connection in series of
the 64 diode bridges provides the required 80 kV DC at the output. In case of arcing in the gyrotrons the HVPS switches-off in less
than 5 s, which limits the energy deposited in the gyrotrons and a
crow-bar protection is not needed. The level of the output voltage
ripple is 2.5% peak to peak and it is reduced with an additional lter
to 1.26%. All the functions of the HVPS are controlled by a central
system based on a SIMATIC S7 PLC.
2. High voltage power supply main features
Its main characteristics are the following:

Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 91 346 66 46; fax: +34 91 346 61 24.
E-mail address: angela.curto@ciemat.es (A. Fernndez).

Maximum output voltage: 80 kV DC.

Voltage regulation: 30 kV a 80 kV.

0920-3796/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2008.12.092

Please cite this article in press as: A. Fernndez, et al., Performance of the TJ-II ECRH system with the new 80 kV 50 A high voltage power supply,
Fusion Eng. Des. (2009), doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2008.12.092

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Fig. 1. Circuit diagram.

Maximum output current: 50 A.

Pulsed operation. Maximum pulse duration: 1 s.
Duty cycle: 1%.
Rising voltage slope: <5 ms.
Rising current slope: 500 s.
Maximum overvoltage at the connection of the voltage without
load: 2%.
Load commutation:
Current slope: 100 s.
Maximum overvoltage when the load is disconnected: +5%,
2 ms.
Maximum drop of the voltage when the load is connected: 5%,
2 ms.
Maximum output voltage ripple (peak to peak): 3%.
Switch-off time in case of gyrotron breakdown: 5 s.

A DC low pass lter is composed of a fuse and 32 banks of

electrolytic capacitors with a total value of 220 mF. Each bank is
composed of 3 parallel branches and is mounted close to an IGBT
converter. Each parallel branch is composed of 3 Capacitors rated
6800 F and 350 V. The 32 IGBT converters are fed from the 700 V
DC voltage link. Each converter generates the high frequency waveform, which is applied to the primary of a high voltage transformer.
Digital Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) at 2778 Hz is used to
generate the ring pulses of the IGBT modules. The ring strategy
ensures that the converter behaves in any condition as a voltage generator, with low output impedance. The continuous low
impedance feature provides a major improvement in EMC concerns.
The ring of the IGBT converters is not simultaneous in each module. In fact, the ring period of 360 is divided by 32 (number of HV
transformers) providing a polyphasic waveform.

The general arrangement of the HVPS is shown in Fig. 1.

Besides, this design presents several advantages: the voltage is
controlled on the low level side, the IGBTs, the transformers and
the rectiers are assembled in independent modules, the system
is intrinsically safe (it is based on the protections of the IGBTs on
the low level side), it presents a low output inductance and the
digital control by a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is based on a real
feedback of the output voltage on the high level side.

4. Power supply description: high voltage side

3. Power supply description: low voltage side

The insulation between the 15 kV AC input and the intermediate DC link voltage is performed by an oil immersed Matching
Transformer with a rated power of 5.2MVA in pulsed operation
1 s/900 s, and a transformation ratio of 15 kV/660 V. It provides the
DC current for the 12 pulses SCR. The SCR rectier is made of two
thyristorstacks and provides the stabilized voltage of 700 V DC.
Each SCR has an assigned snubber protection and a fuse. The
12 pulses (double hexa-phase) rectier incorporates an equalising
inductor, which limits the AC unbalanced current, and a LC low
pass lter. A DC current unbalance of less than 1% is ensured by an
appropriate symmetry between the bridges and a balancing feedback loop. The interface coil (or Interface Power Transformer (IPT))
is included to limit the AC current shared by the 2 bridges in parallel,
due to the voltage difference component at 300 Hz. An additional
ltering coil is not required because the stray inductance of the
transformers is enough for the function.
A DC link ground switch and discharging and equalising resistors are included between the SCR rectier and the High Frequency
Inverter modules.

The link voltage feeds 32 IGBT converters, which generate a

chopped waveform at 2778 Hz. Each waveform feeds the primary
of a high frequency transformer, which provides the required insulation between the Low voltage and High voltage sides. Each High
Voltage Transformer is fed with the modulated waveform generated by an IGBT converter. Only the secondary of the transformers
have been placed in a sealed box and immersed in oil in order to
achieve the required insulation. The primary is outside the box. This
solution makes the maintainability easier. Amorphous metal cores
are used, in order to generate minimum power losses. The winding
supports are made of polyethylene (PE), which ensures an adequate
insulation. It is also important to note that high voltage insulation
is achieved using low voltage transformers.
Every transformer secondary feeds a single-phase diode bridge
that is used to obtain a DC output from the high voltage transformers. Each diode incorporates an R and RC network connected in
parallel.
Both the transformers and the diode rectiers are placed in a
robust structure in a modular way with natural ventilation. All the
outputs of the rectiers, which provide a DC component, are connected in series to obtain the 80 kV in the output from the converter.
In case of arcing in the gyrotrons the HVPS switches-off in less
than 5 s, which limits the energy deposited in the gyrotrons and
a crowbar protection is not needed.
A High Voltage lter is tted in the output in order to reduce
the output voltage ripple. The lter is made of 50 equal modules
connected in series. The main components of every module are a
capacitor, an IGBT and a resistor also connected in series. The lter
auxiliary supply is given by 50 solar panels with articial light. The

Please cite this article in press as: A. Fernndez, et al., Performance of the TJ-II ECRH system with the new 80 kV 50 A high voltage power supply,
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Fig. 2. Pulse with the resistive load at 80 kV, 50 A and 500 ms. Ch1: VOUT1
(10 kV/div)//Ch2: VDC (200 V/div)//Ch3: IOUT (10 A/div).

solar panels provide the properly insulation of the auxiliary voltage.

In normal operation, the lter runs as a passive RC lter. When a
stop command or a system failure appears, the IGBTs disconnect the
lter from the active polarity avoiding the transfer of the capacitors
energy to the gyrotrons.
The power supply is equipped with 2 voltage dividers. One is
used for the regulation and the other one for the protections. One
precision voltage divider will be used to ensure that a very high
accuracy is guaranteed independently of the temperature drift during operation. The voltage dividers ends are directly connected
to the positive and negative terminals. No reference to ground is
required.
5. Power supply description: control rack
All the system is managed by a central control rack that acquires
the measurements, alarms and events from the distributed control
card that are installed in the different parts of the power supply

Fig. 3. Pulse with both gyrotrons connected (70 kV, 35 A) (2 ms/div). Ch1: VOUT1
(10 kV/div)//Ch2: VDC (200 V/div)//Ch3: IOUT (20 A/div)//Ch4: VOUT2 (10 kV/div).

Fig. 4. Connection and disconnection of one gyrotron during a pulse. This operation is made through the high voltage modulators. Ch1: VOUT1 (10 kV/div)//Ch2: VDC
(200 V/div)//Ch3: IOUT (20 A/div)//Ch4: control signal (5 V/div).

(rectier, inverter, lter) and executes all the needed command to

assure a properly functioning mode of the power supply.
The human machine interface is provided through an SCADA
system installed in a computer in the control room.
6. Power supply testing
Firstly, in the factory, the main components were tested separately. Then, the HVPS was tested to demonstrate compliance with
the main requirements. The high voltage was delivered at the output on no load, increasing the voltage from 30 kV and achieving
80 kV during 1 s, and testing the main protections of overvoltage,
and overcurrent. Then a resistive load of 2 k was connected to
get the nominal operation values: 70 kV and 35 A. Finally, the full
power performance of the equipment was then proven on a 1.5 k
resistive load.

Fig. 5. 80 kV connected to the resistive load. Short-circuit to ground (10 s/div).

Ch1: VOUT (20 kV/div)//Ch3: IOUT (20 A/div).

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get more exibility during the experiments. A test was carried out
to measure the overvoltages that could be present. The result is
shown in Fig. 4. When the rst gyrotron is disconnected there is an
overvoltage of <2 kV and when the second one is disconnected no
overvoltage is present. During the connection the rst gyrotron a
voltage drop of <10 kV, while the voltage drop in the second connection is <5 kV. All these values are in the expected range.
To carry out the short-circuit test a vacuum switch is used to simulate the gyrotron breakdown to verify that the energy deposited is
less than 7 J. The HVPS is connected to the resistive load and 80 kV is
applied, the switch is closed and the protection actuates, the result
is shown in Fig. 5.
In Fig. 6 a detail of the output voltage ripple for a 70 kV pulse
with two gyrotrons is shown. A peak to peak voltage of 880 V (1.26%)
was measured.
7. Regular operation

Fig. 6. 70 kV output voltage ripple. Ch1: VOUT1 (2 kV/div)//Ch3: IOUT (20 A/div)//Zoom
(40 seg/div).

The factory tests were completed in February 2007 and the

installation work on the TJ-II experimental hall was nished by
March 2007, ready for site testing. The dummy load was 1550 .
The equipment was run at different output voltages from 30 kV up
to 80 kV and an output current of 50 A, during a pulse of 500 ms
(see Fig. 2).
After the testing of the protections, both gyrotrons were connected and the results at 70 kV can be seen in Fig. 3. There is a
voltage drop <10 kV, the nominal voltage is recovered in less than
1 ms and there is no overvoltage. When the gyrotrons are disconnected the voltage drops in less than 1 ms and no overvoltage is
present either.
The ECRH system allows us the connection and disconnection
of any of the gyrotrons through the high voltage modulators to

The HVPS was commissioned in May 2007 and it has been

working in two TJ-II experimental campaigns. The reliability of the
ECRH system has signicantly increased. In approximately 2200 TJII shots, only 3 of them were lost due to a failure in the ECRH HVPS.
300 kW microwave power in each gyrotron has been achieved and
the plasma parameters have been improved. Moreover, due to the
decrease in the output voltage ripple, the frequency is more stable
and the spectrum is narrower.
8. Conclusions
The new HVPS for the TJ-II gyrotrons has been successfully commissioned. During the TJ-II experimental campaign the gyrotrons
were delivering routinely 600 kW and the microwave beam was
stable. Only 3 TJ-II discharges were lost due to a failure in the ECRH
HVPS.
Reference
[1] J. Snchez, M. Acedo, A. Alonso, J. Alonso, P. lvarez, F. de Aragn, et al., Nucl.
Fusion 47 (10 (October)) (2007) S677S685.

Please cite this article in press as: A. Fernndez, et al., Performance of the TJ-II ECRH system with the new 80 kV 50 A high voltage power supply,
Fusion Eng. Des. (2009), doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2008.12.092