JET

JET The Joint European Torus

JET – the Joint European Torus

A collective European experiment to investigate the potential of fusion power

JET – the world’s largest tokamak

Used by researchers from more than 40 laboratories – hosted and operated by Culham Centre for Fusion

Energy in the UK

How JET works

JET’s objectives

JET was designed to study plasma behaviour in conditions and dimensions approaching those

required in a fusion reactor

JET highlights

• The first tokamak to achieve controlled fusion power (1991)

• The only device capable of using Deuterium and Tritium fuel

• World record of 16 megawatts of fusion power (1997) – around 65% of power input

• Flexible design that can be upgraded to keep pace with scientific progress

JET’s specifications

• Plasma volume: 200 cubic metres

• Plasma radius 3 metres (major) / 0.9 metres (minor)

• Magnetic field: up to 3.5 Tesla• Core temperature: up to 200

million degrees C• Pulse length: up to 60 seconds• Materials: Inconel (vessel),

beryllium (wall), tungsten (divertor)

Remote Handling

Remote controlled manipulator has allowed many engineering modifications, including recent installation of ‘ITER-like’ inner wall

JET and ITER

JET has a key role in taking fusion forward, as one of the main test machines for ITER

Future plans

• Deuterium and tritium ‘dress rehearsal’ for ITER being prepared for 2017, using JET’s unique tritium capabilities

• Continue as close as possible to the start of ITER operations, to support technical preparations and train fusion experts