Current Drive

Externally sustaining the plasma current using beams or waves, beyond what the plasma self-generates.

Steady-state tokamaks must drive part of their plasma current externally, using neutral beams or radio-frequency waves, to supplement the self-generated bootstrap current. Current-drive efficiency directly affects the plant power ledger.

HYPERION drives the non-bootstrap share of its 9.66 MA current with 25.9 MW of auxiliary power.

Steady-state operation requires sustaining the plasma current indefinitely, so whatever the bootstrap effect does not supply must be driven externally by beams or waves. Current-drive efficiency directly inflates or deflates the plant's recirculating power. HYPERION's 25.9 MW of auxiliary power both heats the plasma and drives its non-bootstrap current.