JET: 40 successful years of fusion research, from First Plasma to DTE3

Fernanda Rimini

UKAEA

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

12:00pm

NW17-218 Hybrid

PSFC Seminars

Abstract: In June 2023 JET, the largest operating tokamak and the only one capable of D-T operation, has celebrated 40 years since its first plasma pulse.

JET was born from the vision of an exceptionally talented and farsighted team of physicists and engineers. From the start, it was conceived for D-T operation and with Remote-Handling fully integrated in its maintenance processes. Over the years, the main subsystems and the plasma facing components have undergone a large variety of modifications and upgrades, which have allowed JET to remain at the forefront of fusion research throughout its lifespan.

This presentation will celebrate the long and successful life of JET, highlighting its better known, and some of its less well remembered, contributions to fusion research.

Bio: After completing a Master in Physics from Milan University, arrived at JET with a one year grant in 1987 and never went back.

My thesis was on numerical modelling but I soon discovered that experimental fusion physics is a lot more interesting and I have been working in Tokamak Plasma Operation ever since.

My main role is participation in, and management of, scientific and technical research and engineering developments in the European Fusion programme. Main area of competence lies in plasma physics, real-time plasma control, scenario development and integrated machine commissioning. I am one of the JET Expert Session Leaders with overall responsibility for safe tokamak operation close to the technical boundaries of the JET machine, and I have been part of the group of international experts tasked, in 2016/2017, to revise with IO the ITER Research Plan.

I’ve been lucky enough to lead sessions in the JET record-breaking experiments both in DTE1 (1997) and recently in DTE2 (2021).