Six years of operating experience with Tore Supra, the largest Tokamak with superconducting coils

Tore Supra is the largest Tokamak with superconducting coils. This unique feature enables a large part of the physics programme to be dedicated to long pulse operation (30-60 s). After a brief description of some peculiar aspects of the Tore Supra magnets, the paper reports about the 6 year operating experience. Particular emphasis is put on the mechanical behaviour of the coils under repetitive loadings, on the thermal loads and cooling systems and on the protection and safety systems. Tore Supra has now been routinely operated with a current maintained constant on a whole day basis (total accumulated time at 1.8 K of 14000 Hours) for a programme of more than 16000 shots. While 31 safety discharges have been triggered for undue reasons, only one real quench has been detected for which the protection system reacted as expected.