Note: He puff system for dust detector upgrade.

Area of Science:

• Fusion energy research
• Plasma physics
• Materials science

Background:

• Safe operation of magnetic fusion devices like ITER requires monitoring surface dust.
• Electrostatic dust detectors have been developed for remote surface dust detection.
• Potential short circuits from dust and debris pose a risk to detector functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a novel helium puff system for clearing dust from electrostatic detectors.
• To ensure the long-term reliability of dust detection systems in fusion environments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a helium puff system with three 0.45 mm nozzles.
• Testing the system's efficacy in clearing a 5 cm x 5 cm electrostatic dust detector.
• Utilizing two consecutive helium puffs at a 30° angle.

Main Results:

• The helium puff system successfully cleared residual dust from the detector surface.
• Incident debris and fibers that could cause short circuits were also removed.
• Complete clearing of the 5 cm x 5 cm detector surface was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The helium puff system provides an effective solution for maintaining electrostatic dust detector performance.
• This technology is crucial for the safe and reliable operation of future magnetic fusion devices.
• The system demonstrates readiness for deployment in demanding fusion research environments.