Overview of the early campaign diagnostics for the SPARC tokamak

The SPARC tokamak is a high-field, Bt0 ∼12 T, medium-sized, R0 = 1.85 m, tokamak that is presently under construction in Devens, MA, led by Commonwealth Fusion Systems. It will be used to de-risk the high-field tokamak path to a fusion power plant and demonstrate the commercial viability of fusion energy. SPARC’s first campaign plan is to achieve Qfus > 1 using an ICRF-heated, <10 MW, high current, Ip ∼ 8.5 MA, L-mode fueled by D–T gas injection, and its second campaign will investigate H-mode operations in D–D. To facilitate plasma control and scientific learning, a targeted set of ∼50 plasma diagnostics are being designed and built for operation during these campaigns. While nearly all diagnostics are based on established techniques, the pace of deployment, relative to the first plasma, and the harshness of the thermal, electromagnetic, and radiation environment are unprecedented for medium-sized tokamaks. An overview of the SPARC diagnostic set is given, providing context to further details communicated by the SPARC team in companion publications that are system-specific. The system engineering philosophy for SPARC diagnostics is outlined, and the design and engineering verification process for components inside and outside the primary vacuum boundary are described. Diagnostics are mounted directly to the vacuum vessel as well as housed within a series of eight midplane and 24 off-midplane replaceable port plugs. With limited exceptions, signal conditioning, digitization electronics and cameras as well as lasers and microwave sources are localized to a series of five Diagnostic Lab spaces, totaling ∼350 m2, located >15 m from the center of the tokamak, on the other side of a 2.4 m concrete shielding wall. A series of 31 large-scale penetrations have been included in the SPARC Tokamak Hall to facilitate integration of early campaign diagnostics and to provide upgradability.