Machine modification for active MHD control in RFX

Recent studies on RFP and Tokamak devices call for an active control of the MHD and resistive wall modes to induce plasma mode rotation and to prevent mode phase locking. The results obtained on RFX, where slow rotation of phase locked modes has been induced, support the possibility of extending active MHD mode control through a substantial modification of the device. A new first wall with an integrated system of electric and magnetic transducers has been realised. A close fitting 3 mm thick Cu shell replaces the 65 mm Al shell. A toroidal support structure (TSS) made of stainless steel replaces the shell in supporting all the forces acting on the torus. A system of 192 saddle coils is provided to actively control the MHD modes. This system completely surrounds the toroidal surface and allows the generation of harmonic fields with m = 0 and m = 1 poloidal wave number and with a toroidal spectrum up to n = 24.