Components & Hardware
Central Solenoid
The core magnet that induces and ramps the plasma current.
- Role
- Current induction
- Constraint
- Tight centre column
The central solenoid runs up the machine's centre and acts as a transformer primary, inducing HYPERION's 9.66 MA plasma current. Space for it is famously tight in a compact spherical tokamak, making its flux budget a key design constraint.
Common questions
What is the central solenoid for?
It acts as a transformer primary, inducing and ramping HYPERION's 9.66 MA plasma current. Its available flux swing (volt-seconds) is one reason the breeder also relies on non-inductive current drive and bootstrap current for steady state.
Why is it a hard component in a spherical tokamak?
Because the machine's central column is deliberately slim, there is very little room for the solenoid. That tight flux budget is a defining trade of the compact, low-aspect-ratio design.