New fast switches for the Tore Supra ohmic heating circuit

The Tore Supra ohmic heating circuit is equipped with four fast make switches and one fast opening switch. After many years of operation, it became necessary to substitute this equipment by modern components with similar ratings. An extensive research has been undertaken to find fast switches able to withstand more than 2500 operations per year without maintenance, at a make current of 54 kA, a voltage of 12 kV and with a closing time of less than 15 ms. At the end of the investigation, it was decided to replace the old components by fast mechanical switches proposed by the Efremov Institute and based on a prototype developed for ITER. This paper presents the technical requirements and the characteristics of the switches and describes the operational experience gained with these components during operating campaigns of 2002 and 2003.