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Abstract

In the Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, IPP, in Greifswald, a new stellerator is being built for fusion research experiments, the so called Wendelstein 7-X Experiment. JEMA Company has designed, manufacture and supply the turnkey system which energises the ten control coils in the stellerator. The system comprises ten independent Switch-mode power supplies, and the central distribution stations for power, cooling and control facilities. Each power supply must provide a controlled current compounded of direct current and 0–20 Hz bandwidth ac current in a range of almost 3 kA at low voltage, 30 V, in four quadrants. Positive and negative voltage and sinusoidal current with low harmonic distortion is required by load. The selected design is based on Switch-mode-power supply technology (SMPS) providing the system with a very high regulation response (very low current and voltage ripple) and excellent input power factor, keeping the grid total harmonic distortion (THD) under minimum values. The sources can be operated locally as independent systems or they can be co-ordinated from a main control keeping current synchronisation requirements. The system in its entirety requires a high efficiency due to thermal considerations and reduced space. The system presented here introduces a decisive solution for the future power supplies to superconducting or regular coils, where the regulation, precision and ripple are the basic requirements for the design. During year 2000 the design stage was covered and in 2001 a first prototype for the power supplies was manufactured and successfully tested at factory. The entire system has been installed over this year after the series fabrication and it is currently working at IPP facilities, waiting for the acceptance tests scheduled before end of the year. This paper aims to explain the different stages the company went through in order to get validation of the power supply system and make it running at its last location.