Mechanical design of the second ICRF antenna for EAST

In order to satisfy the requirements of heating plasma on EAST project, 3 MW ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating system will be available at the second stage. Based on this requirement, the second ICRF antenna, has been designed for EAST. The antenna which is planned to operate with a frequency ranging from 30 MHz to 110 MHz, comprises four poloidal current straps. The antenna has many cooling channels inside the current straps, faraday shield and baffle to remove the dissipated RF loss power and incoming plasma heat loads. The antenna is supported via a cantilever support box to the external support structure. Its assembly is plugged in the port and fixed on the support box. External slideway and bellows allow the antenna to be able to move in the radial direction. The key components of the second ICRF antenna has been designed together with structural and thermal analysis presented.

► The second ICRF antenna of EAST is capable of coupling higher power than the former ICRF antenna due to it has been designed with four current straps.
► Many cooling channels have been designed for the key components of faraday shied, current strap, baffles and transmission lines, which can remove the dissipated RF loss power and incoming heat loads on them and make ICRF antenna being capable of coupling higher power in constant wave operation.
► Extra structure via cantilever support beam has been designed to support the forepart of the ICRF antenna.
► Numerical analysis by applying the thermo-mechanical coupling method have been applied to analyze for the key components of ICRF antenna.