COMPASS – website
Hosting institution: Institute of Plasma Physics, CAS
The COMPASS research infrastructure consists of the tokamak and auxiliary systems and represents one of the key facilities in a joint European effort to master the thermonuclear fusion within the EUROfusion consortium (European Consortium for Development of Fusion Energy). COMPASS operates in divertor plasma configuration with ITER-like plasma cross-section allowing to address the key problems in construction and future exploitation of the ITER tokamak (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). COMPASS provides open access for a wide user community and enhances education in the field of high temperature magnetized plasma physics. Furthermore, COMPASS provides expertise in development of plasma control and data acquisition systems and development of advanced diagnostics for edge plasma physics as well as in several aspects of tokamak construction. It has established intensive collaboration with Czech and world-leading research organisations and universities. On the European level, COMPASS is exploited mainly within the EUROfusion consortium and collaborates with ITER.
Future development
Scientific strategy of COMPASS is based on further enhancement of the tokamak, auxiliary systems and services mainly in the field of edge plasma physics, where COMPASS represents an important element of the European fusion research. The enhancement will focus on further improvement of the tokamak performance, namely, on increase of the plasma energy density as well as on implementation of new diagnostic systems for the divertor region. Construction and installation of new systems for plasma heating will enable to reach higher plasma temperatures and, therefore, also new plasma confinement regimes. Graphite components in the divertor region will be replaces by the tungsten components similarly as in ITER. In a long-term period, the COMPASS tokamak will be upgraded by a new central solenoid to prolong significantly the plasma discharge length.
Socio-economic impact
Diagnostic and operating systems of COMPASS represent the cutting-edge technologies. Development and production of these systems in collaboration with COMPASS research infrastructure have, therefore, a direct impact on innovations and increase the skills, technological level and know-how of participating companies. Operation of the COMPASS tokamak has also significant effect on the educational and trainning activities in the field of thermonuclear fusion in the Czech Republic and abroad.
