Deformation measurement of internal components of ASDEX Upgrade using optical strain sensors

A fibre-optic measurement system to analyse the deformation of in-vessel components has successfully been developed, installed and commissioned at ASDEX Upgrade (AUG). This technology has thereby been qualified for in-vessel use at experimental fusion devices. AUG is equipped with an internal conductor for passive plasma stabilisation called the Passive Stabilisation Loop (PSL), on which the recently installed 16 internal coils (B-coils) are directly mounted. The PSL structure is highly prone to vibrations, and the risk of resonant oscillations in response to B-coil induced forces necessitated the development of the present diagnostic. The diagnostic system consists of 34 fibre-optic strain sensors incorporated in two glass fibres. It is completely insensitive to electromagnetic disturbances. The fibres are customised to avoid inconvenient excess fibre length in the vacuum vessel. They were tested for their neutron tolerance and vacuum compatibility prior to installation. The actual sensors are embedded in stainless steel carriers that were attached to the PSL, which is made of copper, by laser welding. Appropriate welding parameters were determined in view of the metallurgical dissimilarity. The weld quality was approved by tensile tests and microscopic investigations. Accurate in-vessel positioning of the sensors was assured using a 3D measurement system and coordinates from CAD. The data acquisition allows a sampling rate of 1 kHz. It was shown that the temporal and spatial resolutions of the system are sufficient to resolve the potentially dangerous bending eigenmodes of the PSL rings.

► A fibre-optic measurement for the deformation of in-vessel components has successfully been installed and commissioned at ASDEX Upgrade.
► This technology has thereby been qualified for in-vessel use at experimental nuclear fusion devices.
► The sensors were tested for their neutron tolerance and vacuum compatibility.
► Installation was done by copper–steel laser beam welding.
► The temporal and spatial resolutions of the system are sufficient to resolve oscillations due to internal coils and plasma disruptions.