The ASDEX Upgrade ICRF system: Operational experience and developments

The ICRF system at the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak is in operation since May 1992. Following some modifications of which the major one was the installation of 3dB couplers it has become a reliable additional heating system. The maximum power coupled into the plasma has been raised up to 7.2MW (90% of the installed RF power) for short pulses and up to 6.2MW for pulses several second long with energy of up to 29MJ. A power of 5MW is delivered on a regular basis to replace two NBI sources.