Configuration and maintenance of the ARIES-ST power plant

ARIES-ST is a 1000 MWe fusion power plant based an a low aspect ratio "spherical torus" (ST) plasma. The configuration and maintenance study of ARIES-ST was devoted to develop a credible configuration to accommodate the unique features of a highly-elongated low aspect ratio ST plasma, and to allow rapid replacement of the power core. Emphasis has been placed on design features leading to high overall availability of the power plant. Mechanical joints are possible in the normal conducting single-turn toroidal field coil system. This enables replacement of the entire power core as one single piece, and a relatively simple blanket and centerpost replacement scheme. Three general options for the ARIES-ST overall configuration and maintenance scheme have been explored. The final power core design configuration uses vertical maintenance from below.