Application of Electron Bernstein Wave heating and current drive to high beta plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efthimion, P.C.

2002-01-01

Electron Bernstein Waves (EBW) can potentially heat and drive current in high-beta plasmas. Electromagnetic waves can convert to EBW via two paths. O-mode heating, demonstrated on W-7AS, requires waves be launched within a narrow k-parallel range. Alternately, in high-beta plasmas, the X-mode cutoff and EBW conversion layers are millimeters apart, so the fast X-mode can tunnel to the EBW branch. We are studying the conversion of EBW to the X-mode by measuring the radiation temperature of the cyclotron emission and comparing it to the electron temperature. In addition, mode conversion has been studied with an approximate kinetic full-wave code. We have enhanced EBW mode conversion to ∼ 100% by encircling the antenna with a limiter that shortens the density scale length at the conversion layer in the scrape off of the CDX-U spherical torus (ST) plasma. Consequently, a limiter in front of a launch antenna achieves efficient X-mode coupling to EBW. Ray tracing and Fokker-Planck codes have been used to develop current drive scenarios in NSTX high-beta (∼ 40%) ST plasmas and a relativistic code will examine the potential synergy of EBW current drive with the bootstrap current. (author)

Burn stability of tokamak fusion plasmas with synergetic current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, D.; Lisak, M.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.

1991-01-01

The stability of thermonuclear burn in Tokamak-reactors with non-inductive current generated with the simultaneous application of various methods is investigated. Particular emphasis is given to the ITER synergetic current drive scenario involving LH waves, neoclassical effects and NB injection. For ITER-like confinement laws, it is shown that this scenario may be unstable on the plasma skin time scale. Figs

Study of fast wave current drive in a KT-2 tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, B.G.; Hamamatsu, Kiyotaka

1996-02-01

Global analysis of fast wave current drive in a KT-2 tokamak plasma is performed by using the code, TASKW1, developed by JAERI and Okayama University (Dr. Fukuyama), which solves the kinetic wave equation in a one dimensional slab geometry. A phase-shifted antenna array is used to inject toroidal momentum to electrons. To find guidelines of optimum antenna design for efficient current drive, accessibility conditions are derived. The dependence of the current drive efficiency on launching conditions such as the total number of antennas, phase and spacing is investigated for two cases of wave frequency; f=30 MHz ( cH ) and f=225 MHz (=5f cH ). (author)

Turbulent current drive mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

McDevitt, Christopher J.; Tang, Xian-Zhu; Guo, Zehua

2017-08-01

Mechanisms through which plasma microturbulence can drive a mean electron plasma current are derived. The efficiency through which these turbulent contributions can drive deviations from neoclassical predictions of the electron current profile is computed by employing a linearized Coulomb collision operator. It is found that a non-diffusive contribution to the electron momentum flux as well as an anomalous electron-ion momentum exchange term provide the most efficient means through which turbulence can modify the mean electron current for the cases considered. Such turbulent contributions appear as an effective EMF within Ohm's law and hence provide an ideal means for driving deviations from neoclassical predictions.

Neoclassical Physics for Current Drive in Tokamak Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duthoit, F.X.

2012-03-01

The Lie transform formalism is applied to charged particle dynamics in tokamak magnetic topologies, in order to build a Fokker-Planck type operator for Coulomb collisions usable for current drive. This approach makes it possible to reduce the problem to three dimensions (two in velocity space, one in real space) while keeping the wealth of phase-space cross-term coupling effects resulting from conservation of the toroidal canonical momentum (axisymmetry). This kinetic approach makes it possible to describe physical phenomena related to the presence of strong pressure gradients in plasmas of an unspecified form, like the bootstrap current which role will be paramount for the future ITER machine. The choice of coordinates and the method used are particularly adapted to the numerical resolution of the drift kinetic equation making it possible to calculate the particle distributions, which may present a strong variation with respect to the Maxwellian under the effect of an electric field (static or produced by a radio-frequency wave). This work, mainly dedicated to plasma physics of tokamaks, was extended to those of space plasmas with a magnetic dipole configuration. (author)

FWCD (fast wave current drive) and ECCD (electron cyclotron current drive) experiments on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Austin, M.; Baity, F.W.

1994-01-01

Fast wave current drive and electron cyclotron current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak as part of the advanced tokamak program. The goal of this program is to develop techniques for controlling the profile of the current density in order to access regimes of improved confinement and stability. The experiments on fast wave current drive used a four strap antenna with 90deg phasing between straps. A decoupler was used to help maintain the phasing, and feedback control of the plasma position was used to keep the resistive loading constant. RF pickup loops demonstrate that the directivity of the antenna is as expected. Plasma currents up to 0.18 MA were driven by 1.5 MW of fast wave power. Electron cyclotron current drive experiments at 60 GHz have shown 0.1 MA of plasma current driven by 1 MW of power. New fast wave and electron cyclotron heating systems are in development for DIII-D, so that the goals of the advanced tokamak program can be carried out. (author)

Neutral beam current drive with balanced injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1990-01-01

Current drive with fast ions has proved its capability to sustain a tokamak plasma free of externally induced electric fields in a stationary state. The suprathermal ion population within the toroidal plasma was created by quasi-tangential and uni-directional injection of high-energy neutral atoms, their ionisation and subsequent deceleration by collisions with the background plasma particles. In future large tokamaks of the NET/INTER-type, with reactor-relevant values of plasma density and temperature, this current drive scheme is expected to maintain the toroidal current at the plasma centre, as current drive by lower hybrid waves will be restricted to the outer plasma regions owing to strong wave damping. Adequate penetration of the neutral atoms through the dense plasma requires particle energies of several hundred kilovolts per nucleon since beam absorption scales roughly with the ratio beam energy over density. The realisation of such high-energy high-power neutral beams, based on negative ion technology, is now under study. (author) 7 refs., 2 figs

Plasma response to sustainment with imposed-dynamo current drive in HIT-SI and HIT-SI3

Science.gov (United States)

Hossack, A. C.; Jarboe, T. R.; Chandra, R. N.; Morgan, K. D.; Sutherland, D. A.; Penna, J. M.; Everson, C. J.; Nelson, B. A.

2017-07-01

The helicity injected torus—steady inductive (HIT-SI) program studies efficient, steady-state current drive for magnetic confinement plasmas using a novel experimental method. Stable, high-beta spheromaks have been sustained using steady, inductive current drive. Externally induced loop voltage and magnetic flux are oscillated together so that helicity and power injection are always positive, sustaining the edge plasma current indefinitely. Imposed-dynamo current drive (IDCD) theory further shows that the entire plasma current is sustained. The method is ideal for low aspect ratio, toroidal geometries with closed flux surfaces. Experimental studies of spheromak plasmas sustained with IDCD have shown stable magnetic profiles with evidence of pressure confinement. New measurements show coherent motion of a stable spheromak in response to the imposed perturbations. On the original device two helicity injectors were mounted on either side of the spheromak and the injected mode spectrum was predominantly n  =  1. Coherent, rigid motion indicates that the spheromak is stable and a lack of plasma-generated n  =  1 energy indicates that the maximum q is maintained below 1 during sustainment. Results from the HIT-SI3 device are also presented. Three inductive helicity injectors are mounted on one side of the spheromak flux conserver. Varying the relative injector phasing changes the injected mode spectrum which includes n  =  2, 3, and higher modes.

High Field Side Lower Hybrid Current Drive Simulations for Off- axis Current Drive in DIII-D

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wukitch S.J.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Efficient off-axis current drive scalable to reactors is a key enabling technology for developing economical, steady state tokamak. Previous studies have focussed on high field side (HFS launch of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD in double null configurations in reactor grade plasmas and found improved wave penetration and high current drive efficiency with driven current profile peaked near a normalized radius, ρ, of 0.6-0.8, consistent with advanced tokamak scenarios. Further, HFS launch potentially mitigates plasma material interaction and coupling issues. For this work, we sought credible HFS LHCD scenario for DIII-D advanced tokamak discharges through utilizing advanced ray tracing and Fokker Planck simulation tools (GENRAY+CQL3D constrained by experimental considerations. For a model and existing discharge, HFS LHCD scenarios with excellent wave penetration and current drive were identified. The LHCD is peaked off axis, ρ∼0.6-0.8, with FWHM Δρ=0.2 and driven current up to 0.37 MA/MW coupled. For HFS near mid plane launch, wave penetration is excellent and have access to single pass absorption scenarios for variety of plasmas for n||=2.6-3.4. These DIII-D discharge simulations indicate that HFS LHCD has potential to demonstrate efficient off axis current drive and current profile control in DIII-D existing and model discharge.

Noncircular plasma shape analysis in long-pulse current drive experiment in TRIAM-1M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minooka, Mayumi; Kawasaki, Shoji; Jotaki, Eriko; Moriyama, Shin-ichi; Nagao, Akihiro; Nakamura, Kazuo; Hiraki, Naoji; Nakamura, Yukio; Itoh, Satoshi

1991-01-01

Plasma cross section was noncircularized and the plasma shape was analyzed in order to study the characteristics of the plasma in long-pulse current drive experiments in high-field superconducting tokamak TRIAM-1M. Filament approximation method was adopted, since on-line processing by data processing computer is possible. The experiments of the noncircularization were carried out during 30-to 60-sec discharges. As a result, it became clear that D-shape plasma of elongation ratio 1.4 was maintained stably. By the analysis the internal inductance and poloidal beta were assessed, and so informations about the plasma current profile and internal pressure were obtained. (author)

Lower hybrid current drive at ITER-relevant high plasma densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cesario, R.; Amicucci, L.; Cardinali, A.; Castaldo, C.; Marinucci, M.; Panaccione, L.; Pericoli-Ridolfini, V.; Tuccillo, A. A.; Tudisco, O.; Calabro, G.

2009-01-01

Recent experiments indicated that a further non-inductive current, besides bootstrap, should be necessary for developing advanced scenario for ITER. The lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) should provide such tool, but its effectiveness was still not proved in operations with ITER-relevant density of the plasma column periphery. Progress of the LH deposition modelling is presented, performed considering the wave physics of the edge, and different ITER-relevant edge parameters. Operations with relatively high edge electron temperatures are expected to reduce the LH || spectral broadening and, consequently, enabling the LH power to propagate also in high density plasmas ( || is the wavenumber component aligned to the confinement magnetic field). New results of FTU experiments are presented, performed by following the aforementioned modeling: they indicate that, for the first time, the LHCD conditions are established by operating at ITER-relevant high edge densities.

The Bootstrap Current and Neutral Beam Current Drive in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Politzer, P.A.

2005-01-01

Noninductive current drive is an essential part of the implementation of the DIII-D Advanced Tokamak program. For an efficient steady-state tokamak reactor, the plasma must provide close to 100% bootstrap fraction (f bs ). For noninductive operation of DIII-D, current drive by injection of energetic neutral beams [neutral beam current drive (NBCD)] is also important. DIII-D experiments have reached ∼80% bootstrap current in stationary discharges without inductive current drive. The remaining current is ∼20% NBCD. This is achieved at β N [approximately equal to] β p > 3, but at relatively high q 95 (∼10). In lower q 95 Advanced Tokamak plasmas, f bs ∼ 0.6 has been reached in essentially noninductive plasmas. The phenomenology of high β p and β N plasmas without current control is being studied. These plasmas display a relaxation oscillation involving repetitive formation and collapse of an internal transport barrier. The frequency and severity of these events increase with increasing β, limiting the achievable average β and causing modulation of the total current as well as the pressure. Modeling of both bootstrap and NBCD currents is based on neoclassical theory. Measurements of the total bootstrap and NBCD current agree with calculations. A recent experiment based on the evolution of the transient voltage profile after an L-H transition shows that the more recent bootstrap current models accurately describe the plasma behavior. The profiles and the parametric dependences of the local neutral beam-driven current density have not yet been compared with theory

Noninductive current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uckan, N.A.

1985-01-01

Various current drive mechanisms may be grouped into four classes: (1) injection of energetic particle beams; (2) launching of rf waves; (3) hybrid schemes, which are combinations of various rf schemes (rf plus beams, rf and/or beam plus ohmic heating, etc.); and (4) other schemes, some of which are specific to reactor plasma conditions requiring the presence of alpha particle or intense synchrotron radiation. Particle injection schemes include current drive by neutral beams and relativistic electron beams. The rf schemes include current drive by the lower hybrid (LH) waves, the electron waves, the waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies, etc. Only a few of these approaches, however, have been tested experimentally, with the broadest data base available for LH waves. Included in this report are (1) efficiency criteria for current drive, (2) current drive by neutral beam injection, (3) LH current drive, (4) electron cyclotron current drive, (5) current drive by ion cyclotron waves - minority species heating, and (6) current drive by other schemes (such as hybrids and low frequency waves)

Combined RF current drive and bootstrap current in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, S. D.; Bers, A.; Ram, A. K.

1999-01-01

By calculating radio frequency current drive (RFCD) and the bootstrap current in a consistent kinetic manner, we find synergistic effects in the total noninductive current density in tokamaks [1]. We include quasilinear diffusion in the Drift Kinetic Equation (DKE) in order to generalize neoclassical theory to highly non-Maxwellian electron distributions due to RFCD. The parallel plasma current is evaluated numerically with the help of the FASTEP Fokker-Planck code [2]. Current drive efficiency is found to be significantly affected by neoclassical effects, even in cases where only circulating electrons interact with the waves. Predictions of the current drive efficiency are made for lower hybrid and electron cyclotron wave current drive scenarios in the presence of bootstrap current

Stability, energetic particles, waves, and current drive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stambaugh, R.D.

2005-01-01

This is the summary paper for the subjects of plasma stability, energetic particles, waves, and current drive for the 20th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, 1-6 November 2004, Vilamoura, Portugal. Material summarized herein was drawn from 65 contributed papers and 21 overview papers. The distribution of contributed papers by subjects is shown. Significant advances were reported on the principal instabilities in magnetically confined plasmas, even looking forward to the burning plasma state. Wave-plasma physics is maturing and novel methods of current drive and noninductive current generation are being developed. (author)

Prospects for Off-axis Current Drive via High Field Side Lower Hybrid Current Drive in DIII-D

Science.gov (United States)

Wukitch, S. J.; Shiraiwa, S.; Wallace, G. M.; Bonoli, P. T.; Holcomb, C.; Park, J. M.; Pinsker, R. I.

2017-10-01

An outstanding challenge for an economical, steady state tokamak is efficient off-axis current drive scalable to reactors. Previous studies have focused on high field side (HFS) launch of lower hybrid waves for current drive (LHCD) in double null configurations in reactor grade plasmas. The goal of this work is to find a HFS LHCD scenario for DIII-D that balances coupling, power penetration and damping. The higher magnetic field on the HFS improves wave accessibility, which allows for lower n||waves to be launched. These waves penetrate farther into the plasma core before damping at higher Te yielding a higher current drive efficiency. Utilizing advanced ray tracing and Fokker Planck simulation tools (GENRAY+CQL3D), wave penetration, absorption and drive current profiles in high performance DIII-D H-Mode plasmas were investigated. We found LH scenarios with single pass absorption, excellent wave penetration to r/a 0.6-0.8, FWHM r/a=0.2 and driven current up to 0.37 MA/MW coupled. These simulations indicate that HFS LHCD has potential to achieve efficient off-axis current drive in DIII-D and the latest results will be presented. Work supported by U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, using User Facility DIII-D, under Award No. DE-FC02-04ER54698 and Contract No. DE-FC02-01ER54648 under Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing Initiative.

Fast wave current drive in neutral beam heated plasmas on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Forest, C.B.; Pinsker, R.I.

1997-04-01

The physics of non-inductive current drive and current profile control using the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on the DIII-D tokamak. In non-sawtoothing discharges formed by neutral beam injection (NBI), the radial profile of the fast wave current drive (FWCD) was determined by the response of the loop voltage profile to co, counter, and symmetric antenna phasings, and was found to be in good agreement with theoretical models. The application of counter FWCD increased the magnetic shear reversal of the plasma and delayed the onset of sawteeth, compared to co FWCD. The partial absorption of fast waves by energetic beam ions at high harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency was also evident from a build up of fast particle pressure near the magnetic axis and a correlated increase in the neutron rate. The anomalous fast particle pressure and neutron rate increased with increasing NBI power and peaked when a harmonic of the deuterium cyclotron frequency passed through the center of the plasma. The experimental FWCD efficiency was highest at 2 T where the interaction between the fast waves and the beam ions was weakest; as the magnetic field strength was lowered, the FWCD efficiency decreased to approximately half of the maximum theoretical value

Heating and current drive on NSTX

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, J. R.; Batchelor, D.; Carter, M.; Hosea, J.; Ignat, D.; LeBlanc, B.; Majeski, R.; Ono, M.; Phillips, C. K.; Rogers, J. H.; Schilling, G.

1997-04-01

Low aspect ratio tokamaks pose interesting new challenges for heating and current drive. The NSTX (National Spherical Tokamak Experiment) device to be built at Princeton is a low aspect ratio toroidal device that has the achievement of high toroidal beta (˜45%) and non-inductive operation as two of its main research goals. To achieve these goals significant auxiliary heating and current drive systems are required. Present plans include ECH (Electron cyclotron heating) for pre-ionization and start-up assist, HHFW (high harmonic fast wave) for heating and current drive and eventually NBI (neutral beam injection) for heating, current drive and plasma rotation.

Fast wave current drive in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Callis, R.W.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Forest, C.B.; Freeman, R.L.; Gohil, P.; Harvey, R.W.; Ikezi, H.; Lin-Liu, Y.-R.

1995-02-01

The non-inductive current drive from fast Alfven waves launched by a directional four-element antenna was measured in the DIII-D tokamak. The fast wave frequency (60 MHz) was eight times the deuterium cyclotron frequency at the plasma center. An array of rf pickup loops at several locations around the torus was used to verify the directivity of the four-element antenna. Complete non-inductive current drive was achieved using a combination of fast wave current drive (FWCD) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) in discharges for which the total plasma current was inductively ramped down from 400 to 170 kA. For discharges with steady plasma current, up to 110 kA of FWCD was inferred from an analysis of the loop voltage, with a maximum non-inductive current (FWCD, ECCD, and bootstrap) of 195 out of 310 kA. The FWCD efficiency increased linearly with central electron temperature. For low current discharges, the FWCD efficiency was degraded due to incomplete fast wave damping. The experimental FWCD was found to agree with predictions from the CURRAY ray-tracing code only when a parasitic loss of 4% per pass was included in the modeling along with multiple pass damping

Oscillating field current drive for reversed field pinch discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoenberg, K.F.; Gribble, R.F.; Baker, D.A.

1984-06-01

Oscillating Field Current Drive (OFCD), also known as F-THETA pumping, is a steady-state current-drive technique proposed for the Reversed Field Pinch (RFP). Unlike other current-drive techniques, which employ high-technology, invasive, and power intensive schemes using radio frequency or neutral particle injection, F-THETA pumping entails driving the toroidal and poloidal magnetic field circuits with low-frequency (audio) oscillating voltage sources. Current drive by this technique is a consequence of the strong nonlinear plasma coupling in the RFP. Because of its low frequency and efficient plasma coupling, F-THETA pumping shows excellent promise as a reactor-relevant current-drive technique. A conceptual and computational study of this concept, including its experimental and reactor relevance, is explored in this paper

Power and momentum relations in rotating magnetic field current drive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hugrass, W N [Flinders Univ. of South Australia, Bedford Park. School of Physical Sciences

1984-01-01

The use of rotating magnetic fields (RMF) to drive steady currents in plasmas involves a transfer of energy and angular momentum from the radio frequency source feeding the rotating field coils to the plasma. The power-torque relationships in RMF systems are discussed and the analogy between RMF current drive and the polyphase induction motor is explained. The general relationship between the energy and angular momentum transfer is utilized to calculate the efficiency of the RMF plasma current drive. It is found that relatively high efficiencies can be achieved in RMF current drive because of the low phase velocity and small slip between the rotating field and the electron fluid.

Electron cyclotron heating and current drive approach for low-temperature startup plasmas using O-X-EBW mode conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Bigelow, T.S.

1997-01-01

A mechanism for heating and driving currents in very overdense plasmas is considered based on a double-mode conversion: Ordinary mode to Extraordinary mode to electron Bernstein wave. The possibility of using this mechanism for plasma buildup and current ramp in the National Spherical Torus Experiment is investigated

Heating and current drive on NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, J.R.; Batchelor, D.; Carter, M.; Hosea, J.; Ignat, D.; LeBlanc, B.; Majeski, R.; Ono, M.; Phillips, C.K.; Rogers, J.H.; Schilling, G.

1997-01-01

Low aspect ratio tokamaks pose interesting new challenges for heating and current drive. The NSTX (National Spherical Tokamak Experiment) device to be built at Princeton is a low aspect ratio toroidal device that has the achievement of high toroidal beta (∼45%) and non-inductive operation as two of its main research goals. To achieve these goals significant auxiliary heating and current drive systems are required. Present plans include ECH (Electron cyclotron heating) for pre-ionization and start-up assist, HHFW (high harmonic fast wave) for heating and current drive and eventually NBI (neutral beam injection) for heating, current drive and plasma rotation. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Experiments of full non-inductive current drive on HT-7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, X.D.; Wu, Z.W.; Chen, Z.Y.; Gong, X.Z.; Wang, H.; Xu, D.; Huang, Y.; Luo, J.; Gao, X.; Hu, L.; Zhao, J.; Wan, B.N.; Li, J.

2005-01-01

Some experimental results of steady-state operation and full non-inductive current drive have been obtained on HT-7. Three types of experiment are used to study long pulse discharge, quasi-steady-state operation and full non-inductive current drive. The experiments show that the plasma current in the full non-inductive drive case is instable due to no adjusting effect of OH heating field, when the waveguide tube discharge lead to the LHW power injecting tokamak plasma decrease. This instability of plasma current will increase the interaction of plasma with limiter and first surface and bring impurity. All discharges of full non-inductive current drive are terminated because of impurity spurting. To adjust the LHW injection power for control the loop voltage during long pulse discharge is the most effective method for steady-state operation on HT-7. (author)

Analysis on Θ pumping for tokamak current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyamoto, Kenro; Naito, Osamu

1986-01-01

Analytical results of Θ pumping for the tokamak current drive are presented. Diffusion of externally applied oscillating electric field into the tokamak plasma is examined when the plasma is normal. When the oscillating electric field is parallel to the stationary toroidal plasma current and the induced current density by the applied electric field becomes larger than the average density of the toroidal plasma current over the plasma cross section, the radial profile of the safety factor has the extremum near the plasma boundary region and MHD instabilities are excited. It is assumed that anomalous diffusion of the induced current localized in the plasma boundary region takes place, so that the extreme value in the radial profile of the safety factor disappears. The anomalously diffused electric field due to this relaxation process has net d. c component and its non-zero value of the time average is estimated. Then the condition of the tokamak current drive by Θ pumping is derived. Some numerical results are presented for an example of a fusion grade plasma. (author)

Predictions of fast wave heating, current drive, and current drive antenna arrays for advanced tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Baity, F.W.; Carter, M.D.

1994-01-01

The objective of the advanced tokamak program is to optimize plasma performance leading to a compact tokamak reactor through active, steady state control of the current profile using non-inductive current drive and profile control. To achieve these objectives requires compatibility and flexibility in the use of available heating and current drive systems--ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF), neutral beams, and lower hybrid. For any advanced tokamak, the following are important challenges to effective use of fast waves in various roles of direct electron heating, minority ion heating, and current drive: (1) to employ the heating and current drive systems to give self-consistent pressure and current profiles leading to the desired advanced tokamak operating modes; (2) to minimize absorption of the fast waves by parasitic resonances, which limit current drive; (3) to optimize and control the spectrum of fast waves launched by the antenna array for the required mix of simultaneous heating and current drive. The authors have addressed these issues using theoretical and computational tools developed at a number of institutions by benchmarking the computations against available experimental data and applying them to the specific case of TPX

A study on the NB heating and current drive in fusion plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Seung Ho; In, S. R.; Lee, K. W.; Oh, B. H.; Jin, J. T.; Chang, D. H.; Chang, D. S.; Kim, T. S.; Song, W. S.

2013-03-01

Final destination of the project is to establish the research basis of heating and current drive for large tokamak, such as KSTAR, or next generation fusion reactor through the neutral beam injection (NBI). On the 1 st -stage to achieve the objectives: 1) Required capability of an ion source(with an output power of 2 MW neutral beam, a beam energy of 100 keV) which is a main component of KSTAR NBI-1 system was proven by the design, manufacturing, and performance test during the past three years. 2) Until the development of new ion source, the NB heating experiments were performed to achieve the NB heating of KSTAR plasma with more than 1.0 MW for the 2 nd -year and more than 1.5 MW for the 3 rd -year by using a prototype ion source upgraded for the 1 st -year. From these experiments, the heating power above the H-mode threshold was supplied to the H-mode operation of KSTAR plasma and contributed to the NB diagnostics, such as CES and MSE, by using the NB. Finally, the basis of NB heating and current drive for the KSTAR was prepared by the 1 st -stage research

Rotating magnetic field current drive-theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnelly, I.J.

1989-01-01

Rotating magnetic fields have been used to drive plasma current and establish a range of compact torus configurations, named rotamaks. The current drive mechanism involves a ponderomotive force acting on the electron fluid. Recent extensions of the theory indicate that this method is most suitable for driving currents in directions perpendicular to the steady magnetic fields

Neutral beam current drive scaling in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, G.D.; Bhadra, D.K.; Burrell, K.H.

1989-03-01

Neutral beam current drive scaling experiments have been carried out on the DIII-D tokamak at General Atomics. These experiments were performed using up to 10 MW of 80 keV hydrogen beams. Previous current drive experiments on DIII-D have demonstrated beam driven currents up to 340 kA. In the experiments reported here we achieved beam driven currents of at least 500 kA, and have obtained operation with record values of poloidal beta (εβ/sub p/ = 1.4). The beam driven current reported here is obtained from the total plasma current by subtracting an estimate of the residual Ohmic current determined from the measured loop voltage. In this report we discuss the scaling of the current drive efficiency with plasma conditions. Using hydrogen neutral beams, we find the current drive efficiency is similar in Deuterium and Helium target plasmas. Experiments have been performed with plasma electron temperatures up to T/sub e/ = 3 keV, and densities in the range 2 /times/ 10 19 m/sup /minus/3/ 19 m/sup /minus/3/. The current drive efficiency (nIR/P) is observed to scale linearly with the energy confinement time on DIII-D to a maximum of 0.05 /times/ 10 20 m/sup /minus/2/ A/W. The measured efficiency is consistent with a 0-D theoretical model. In addition to comparison with this simple model, detailed analysis of several shots using the time dependent transport code ONETWO is discussed. This analysis indicates that bootstrap current contributes approximately 10--20% of the the total current. Our estimates of this effect are somewhat uncertain due to limited measurements of the radial profile of the density and temperatures. 4 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A.; Assis, A.S. de

1997-01-01

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves 9GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A. [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Assis, A.S. de [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

1997-12-31

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves (GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Predictions of of fast wave heating, current drive, and current drive antenna arrays for advanced tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Baity, F.W.; Carter, M.D.

1995-01-01

The objective of the advanced tokamak program is to optimize plasma performance leading to a compact tokamak reactor through active, steady state control of the current profile using non-inductive current drive and profile control. To achieve this objective requires compatibility and flexibility in the use of available heating and current drive systems - ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF), neutral beams, and lower hybrid. For any advanced tokamak, the following are important challenges to effective use of fast waves in various role of direct electron heating, minority ion heating, and current drive: (1) to employ the heating and current drive systems to give self-consistent pressure and current profiles leading to the desired advanced tokamak operating modes; (2) to minimize absorption of the fast waves by parasitic resonances, which limit current drive; (3) to optimize and control the spectrum of fast waves launched by the antenna array for the required mix of simultaneous heating and current drive. The paper addresses these issues using theoretical and computational tools developed at a number of institutions by benchmarking the computations against available experimental data and applying them to the specific case of TPX. (author). 6 refs, 3 figs

Current drive by electron cyclotron waves in NET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, G.; Schep, T.J.; Westerhof, E.

1989-01-01

A potentially attractive scenario for steady-state operations in the Next European Torus relies on the use of lower-hybrid (LH) waves for non-inductive current drive in the plasma periphery and of electron cyclotron (EC) waves in the aim of determining the best options for the ECN current drive system and of evaluating the expected current drive efficiency. (author). 7 refs.; 6 figs.; 1 tab

Mechanisms of the negative synergy effect between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive in tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shaoyong; Hong Binbin; Tang Changjian; Yang Wen; Zhang Xinjun

2013-01-01

The synergy current drive by combining electron cyclotron wave (ECW) with lower hybrid wave (LHW) can be used to either increase the noninductive current drive efficiency or shape the plasma current profile. In this paper, the synergy current drive by ECW and LHW is studied with numerical simulation. The nonlinear relationship between the wave powers and the synergy current of ECW and LHW is revealed. When the LHW power is small, the synergy current reduces as the ECW power increases, and the synergy current is even reduced to lower than zero, which is referred as negative synergy in the this context. Research shows that the mechanism of the negative synergy is the peaking effect of LHW power profile and the trapped electrons effect. The present research is helpful for understanding the physics of synergy between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive, it can also instruct the design of experiments. (authors)

Review of experiments on current drive in tokamaks by means of RF waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooke, W.

1984-01-01

Experimental results on lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas are reviewed. Pulse lengths of 3.5 seconds and currents above 400 kA have been generated at plasma densities such that the wave frequency is greater than about twice the lower hybrid frequency. Current drive ceases above a critical density, nsub(c). However, nsub(c) increases with wave frequency. So that for f = 4.6 GHz current drive has been seen at n-barsub(e) approx.= 10 14 cm -3 and a density limit has yet to be established. Evidence for a collisional scaling law for current-drive efficiency is summarized. Detailed measurements of bremsstrahlung x-rays show a distribution which is qualitatively similar to that predicted by quasilinear theory. Microwave emission at frequencies less than the plasma frequency may shed light on the current-drive mechanism. Applications of current drive including plasma and current start-up and transformer recharging are discussed. (author)

Progress of neutral beam R and D for plasma heating and current drive at JAERI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohara, Y.

1995-01-01

Recent progress and future plans regarding development of a high power negative ion source at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) are described. The neutral beam injection system, which is expected to play an important role not only in plasma heating but also in the plasma current drive in the fusion reactor, requires a high power negative ion source which can produce negative deuterium ion beams with current of order 20A at energy above 1MeV. In order to realize such a high power negative ion beam, intensive research and development has been carried out at JAERI since 1984. The negative hydrogen ion beam current of 10A achieved in recent years almost equals the value required for the fusion reactor. With regard to the negative ion acceleration, a high current negative ion beam of 0.2A has been accelerated up to 350keV electrostatically. On the basis of this recent progress, two development plans have been initiated as an intermediate step towards the fusion reactor. One is to develop a 500keV, 10MW negative ion based neutral beam injection system for JT-60U to demonstrate the neutral beam current drive in a high density plasma. The other is to develop a 1MeV, 1A ion source to demonstrate high current negative ion acceleration up to 1MeV. On the basis of this research and development, an efficient and reactor relevant neutral beam injection system will be developed for an experimental fusion reactor such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. ((orig.))

Low-frequency current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, V.S.; Miller, R.L.; Ohkawa, T.

1990-01-01

For ω much-lt Ω i , where Ω i is the ion cyclotron frequency, circularly polarized waves can drive current far exceeding the current resulting from linearly polarized waves. Further, the efficiency can be independent of plasma density. In some cases, this circular polarization may be interpreted in terms of helicity injection. For tokamak applications, where the wavenumber in the toroidal direction is a real quantity, wave helicity is injected only with finite E z waves, where z is the direction of the static magnetic field. The Alfven waves are possible current drive candidates but, in the cylindrical model considered, the compressional wave is weakly damped because E z =0, while the shear Alfven wave is totally absorbed at the surface because of finite E z . A mixture of the two modes is shown to drive an oscillatory surface current even though the efficiency is high and independent of density. A more promising current drive candidate is a fast wave that propagates to the plasma interior and is damped by the minority cyclotron resonance. Near the minority mode conversion region, the fast wave is left-handed circularly polarized and it has a small but finite E z component at high electron temperatures. The current drive efficiency, although not as high as that of the Alfven wave, is still good and independent of density, making it attractive for fusion reactors

Enhanced lower hybrid current drive experiments on HT-7 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Weici; Kuang Guangli; Liu Yuexiu; Ding Bojiang; Shi Yaojiang

2003-01-01

Effective Lower Hybrid Current Driving (LHCD) and improved confinement experiments in higher plasma parameters (I p >200 kA, n e >2 x 10 13 cm -3 , T e ≥1 keV) have been curried out in optimized LH wave spectrum and plasma parameters in HT-7 superconducting tokamak. The dependence of current driving efficiency on LH power spectrum, plasma density (anti n e ) and toroidal magnetic field B T has been obtained under optimal conditions. A good CD efficiency was obtained at higher plasma current and higher electron density. The improvement of the energy confinement time is accompanied with the increase in line averaged electron density, and in ion and electron temperatures. The highest current driving efficiency reached η CD =I p (anti n e )R/P RF ≅1.05 x 10 19 Am -2 /W. Wave-plasma coupling was sustained in a good state and the reflective coefficient was less than 5%. The experiments have also demonstrated the ability of LH wave in the start-up and ramp-up of the plasma current. The measurement of the temporal distribution of plasma parameter shows that lower hybrid leads to a broader profile in plasma parameter. The LH power deposition profile and the plasma current density profile were modeled with a 2D Fokker-Planck code corresponding to the evolution process of the hard x-ray detector array

Current drive by asymmetrical heating in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gahl, J.M.

1986-01-01

This report describes the first experimental observation of current generation by asymmetrical heating of ions. A unidirectional fast Alfven wave launched by a slow-wave antenna inside the Texas Tech Tokamak, asymmetrically heated the ions. Measurements of the asymmetry of the toroidal plasma current with probes at the top and bottom of the toroidal plasma column confirmed the current generation indirectly. Current generation, obtained in a one-species, hydrogen plasma, is a phenomenon which had not been predicted previously. Calculations of the dispersion relation for the fast Alfven wave near the fundamental cyclotron resonance in a one-species, hydrogen plasma, using warm plasma theory, support the experimental results

Current drive studies for the ARIES steady-state tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mau, T.K.; Ehst, D.A.; Mandrekas, J.

1994-01-01

Steady-state plasma operating scenarios are designed for three versions of the ARIES reactor, using non-inductive current drive techniques that have an established database. R.f. waves, including fast and lower hybrid waves, are the reference drivers for the D-T burning ARIES-I and ARIES-II/IV, while neutral beam injection is employed for ARIES-III which burns D- 3 He. Plasma equilibria with a high bootstrap-current component have been used, in order to minimize the recirculating power fraction and cost of electricity. To maintain plasma stability, the driven current profile has been aligned with that of equilibrium by proper choices of the plasma profiles and power launch parameters. Except for ARIES-III, the current-drive power requirements and the relevant technology developments are found to be quite reasonable. The wave-power spectrum and launch requirements are also considered achievable with a modest development effort. Issues such as an improved database for fast-wave current drive, lower-hybrid power coupling to the plasma edge, profile control in the plasma core, and access to the design point of operation remain to be addressed. ((orig.))

Lower hybrid current drive in shaped tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesner, J.

1993-01-01

A time dependent lower hybrid current drive tokamak simulation code has been developed. This code combines the BALDUR tokamak simulation code and the Bonoli/Englade lower hybrid current drive code and permits the study of the interaction of lower hybrid current drive with neutral beam heating in shaped cross-section plasmas. The code is time dependent and includes the beam driven and bootstrap currents in addition to the current driven by the lower hybrid system. Examples of simulations are shown for the PBX-M experiment which include the effect of cross section shaping on current drive, ballooning mode stabilization by current profile control and sawtooth stabilization. A critical question in current drive calculations is the radial transport of the energetic electrons. The authors have developed a response function technique to calculate radial transport in the presence of an electric field. The consequences of the combined influences of radial diffusion and electric field acceleration are discussed

Advanced antenna system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.F.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Nascimento, I.C.; Degasperi, F.T.; Lerche, E.

1998-01-01

An advanced antenna system that has been developed for investigation of Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in the TCABR tokamak is described. The main goal was the development of such a system that could insure the excitation of travelling single helicity modes with predefined wave mode numbers M and N. The system consists of four similar modules with poloidal windings. The required spatial spectrum is formed by proper phasing of the RF feeding currents. The impedance matching of the antenna with the four-phase oscillator is accomplished by resonant circuits which form one assembly unit with the RF feeders. The characteristics of the antenna system design with respect to the antenna-plasma coupling and plasma wave excitation, for different phasing of the feeding currents, are summarised. The antenna complex impedance Z=Z R +Z I is calculated taking into account both the plasma response to resonant excitation of fast Alfven waves and the nonresonant excitation of vacuum magnetic fields in conducting shell. The matching of the RF generator with the antenna system during plasma heating is simulated numerically, modelling the plasma response with mutually coupled effective inductances with corresponding active Z R and reactive Z I impedances. The results of the numerical simulation of the RF system performance, including both the RF magnetic field spectrum analysis and the modeling of the RF generator operation with plasma load, are presented. (orig.)

Numerical modeling of lower hybrid heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valeo, E.J.; Eder, D.C.

1986-03-01

The generation of currents in toroidal plasma by application of waves in the lower hybrid frequency range involves the interplay of several physical phenomena which include: wave propagation in toroidal geometry, absorption via wave-particle resonances, the quasilinear generation of strongly nonequilibrium electron and ion distribution functions, and the self-consistent evolution of the current density in such a nonequilibrium plasma. We describe a code, LHMOD, which we have developed to treat these aspects of current drive and heating in tokamaks. We present results obtained by applying the code to a computation of current ramp-up and to an investigation of the possible importance of minority hydrogen absorption in a deuterium plasma as the ''density limit'' to current drive is approached

Plasma Heating and Current Drive by Neutral Beam and Alpha Particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kikuchi, M; Okumura, Y [Fusion Research and Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (Japan)

2012-09-15

The purpose of plasma heating is to raise the plasma temperature enough to produce a deuterium and tritium reaction (D + T {yields} {sup 4}He + n). The required plasma temperature T is in the range of 10-30 keV. Since the high temperature plasma is confined by a strong magnetic field, injection of energetic ions from outside to heat the plasma is difficult due to the Lorenz force. The most efficient way to heat the plasma by energetic particles is to inject high energy 'neutrals' which get ionized in the plasma. Neutral beam injection (NBI) with a beam energy much above the average kinetic energy of the plasma electrons or ions is used (beam energy typically {approx}40 keV - 1 MeV). This heating scheme is similar to warming up cold water by pouring in hot water. There are two types of neutral beam, called P-NBI and N-NBI (P- and N- means 'positive' and 'negative', respectively). P-NBI uses the acceleration of positively charged ions and their neutralization, while N-NBI uses the acceleration of negative ions (electrons attached to neutral atoms) and their neutralization. Details are given in NBI technology Section. The first demonstration of plasma heating by P-NBI was made in ORMAK and ATC in 1974, while that by N-NBI was made in JT-60U for the first time in 1996. ITER has also adopted the N-NBI system as the heating and current drive system with a beam energy of 1 MeV. Figure A typical bird's eye view of a tokamak with N-NBI and N-NBI (JT-60U) is shown. (author)

Fast-wave current drive modelling for large non-circular tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Goldfinger, R.C.; Jaeger, E.F.; Carter, M.D.; Swain, D.W.; Ehst, D.; Karney, C.F.F.

1990-01-01

It is widely recognized that a key element in the development of an attractive tokamak reactor, and in the successful achievement of the mission of ITER, is the development of an efficient steady-state current drive technique. Fast waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies hold the promise to drive steady-state currents with the required efficiency and to effectively heat the plasma to ignition. Advantages over other heating and current drive techniques include low cost per watt and the ability to penetrate to the center of high-density plasmas. The primary issues that must be resolved are: can an antenna array be designed to radiate the required spectrum of waves and have adequate coupling properties? Will the rf power be efficiently absorbed by electrons in the desired velocity range without unacceptable parasitic damping by fuel ions or α particles? What will the efficiency of current drive be when toroidal effects such as trapped particles are included? Can a practical rf system be designed and integrated into the device? We have addressed these issues by performing extensive calculations with ORION, a 2-D code, and the ray tracing code RAYS, which calculate wave propagation, absorption and current drive in tokamak geometry, and with RIP, a 2-D code that self-consistently calculates current drive with MHD equilibrium. An important figure of merit in this context is the integrated, normalized current drive efficiency. The calculations that we present here emphasize the ITER device. We consider a low-frequency scenario such that no ion resonances appear in the machine, and a high-frequency scenario such that the deuterium second harmonic resonance is just outside the plasma and the tritium second harmonic is in the plasma, midway between the magnetic axis and the inside edge. In both cases electron currents are driven by combined TTMP and Landau damping of the fast waves

Impact of electron trapping on RF current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, G.; Engelmann, F.

1987-01-01

The impact of the presence of trapped electrons on noninductive current drive by RF waves in tokamak plasmas is investigated. The appropriate response function, allowing to express the current drive efficiency J/P by a simple analytical formula, has been derived. The approach displays the reasons for the degradation of the current drive efficiency away from the plasma axis in the case of methods relying on the diffusion of electrons in the velocity component perpendicular to the confining magnetic field. It is shown that this degradation is appreciable even for large resonant parallel velocities. (author) [pt

Steady-state dynamo and current drive in a nonuniform bounded plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mett, R.R.; Taylor, J.B.

1991-03-01

Current drive due to helicity injection and dynamo effect are examined in an inhomogeneous bounded plasma. Averaged over a magnetic surface, there is in general no dynamo effect independent of resistivity -- contrary to the results found previously for an unbounded plasma. The dynamo field is calculated explicitly for an incompressible visco-resistive fluid in the plane-slab model. In accord with our general conclusion, outside the Alfven resonant layer it is proportional to the resistivity. Within the resonant layer there is a contribution which is enhanced, relative to its value outside the layer, by a factor (ωa 2 /(η + ν)), where ω is the wave frequency, a the plasma radius, η the magnetic diffusivity, and ν the kinematic viscosity. However, this contribution vanishes when integrated across the layer. The average field in the layer is enhanced by factor (ωa 2 /(η + ν)) 2/3 and is proportional to the shear in the magnetic field and the cube root of the gradient of the Alfven speed. These results are interpreted in terms of helicity balance, and reconciled with the infinite medium calculations. 15 refs

Theory of current-drive in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1986-12-01

The continuous operation of a tokamak fusion reactor requires, among other things, a means of providing continuous toroidal current. Such operation is preferred to the conventional pulsed operation, where the plasma current is induced by a time-varying magnetic field. A variety of methods has been proposed to provide continuous current, including methods which utilize particle beams or radio frequency waves in any of several frequency regimes. Currents as large as half a mega-amp have now been produced in the laboratory by such means, and experimentation in these techniques has now involved major tokamak facilities worldwide

The effect of non-inductive current drive on tokamak transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helander, P; Akers, R J; Valovic, M; Peysson, Y

2005-01-01

Non-inductive current drive causes cross-field neoclassical transport in a tokamak, in much the same way that the toroidal electric field used to drive the plasma current produces the so-called Ware pinch. This transport can be either inwards or outwards, depending on the current drive mechanism, and can be either larger or smaller than the analogous Ware pinch. A Green's function formalism is used to calculate the transport produced by wave-driven currents, which is found to be inwards for electron-cyclotron and lower-hybrid current drive. Its magnitude is proportional to the collisionality of the current-carrying electrons and therefore smaller than the Ware pinch when the resonant electrons are suprathermal. In contrast, neutral-beam current drive produces outward particle transport when the beams are injected in the same toroidal direction as the plasma current, and inward particle transport otherwise. This transport is somewhat larger than the corresponding Ware pinch. Together, they may explain an observation made on several tokamaks over the years, most recently on MAST, that density profiles tend to be more peaked during counter-injection

Electron heating and current drive by mode converted slow waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeski, R.; Phillips, C.K.; Wilson, J.R.

1994-01-01

An approach to obtaining efficient single pass mode conversion at high parallel wave number from the fast magnetosonic wave to the slow ion Bernstein wave, in a two-ion species tokamak plasma, is described. The intent is to produce localized electron heating or current drive via the mode converted slow wave. In particular, this technique can be adapted to off-axis current drive for current profile control. Modeling for the case of deuterium-tritium plasmas in TFTR is presented

Electron heating and current drive by mode converted slow waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeski, R.; Phillips, C.K.; Wilson, J.R.

1994-08-01

An approach to obtaining efficient single pass mode conversion at high parallel wavenumber from the fast magnetosonic wave to the slow ion Bernstein wave, in a two ion species tokamak plasma, is described. The intent is to produce localized electron heating or current drive via the mode converted slow wave. In particular, this technique can be adapted to off-axis current drive for current profile control. Modelling for the case of deuterium-tritium plasmas in TFTR is presented

Assessment of quasi-linear effect of RF power spectrum for enabling lower hybrid current drive in reactor plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Cesario, Roberto; Cardinali, Alessandro; Castaldo, Carmine; Amicucci, Luca; Ceccuzzi, Silvio; Galli, Alessandro; Napoli, Francesco; Panaccione, Luigi; Santini, Franco; Schettini, Giuseppe; Tuccillo, Angelo Antonio

2017-10-01

The main research on the energy from thermonuclear fusion uses deuterium plasmas magnetically trapped in toroidal devices. To suppress the turbulent eddies that impair thermal insulation and pressure tight of the plasma, current drive (CD) is necessary, but tools envisaged so far are unable accomplishing this task while efficiently and flexibly matching the natural current profiles self-generated at large radii of the plasma column [1-5]. The lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) [6] can satisfy this important need of a reactor [1], but the LHCD system has been unexpectedly mothballed on JET. The problematic extrapolation of the LHCD tool at reactor graded high values of, respectively, density and temperatures of plasma has been now solved. The high density problem is solved by the FTU (Frascati Tokamak Upgrade) method [7], and solution of the high temperature one is presented here. Model results based on quasi-linear (QL) theory evidence the capability, w.r.t linear theory, of suitable operating parameters of reducing the wave damping in hot reactor plasmas. Namely, using higher RF power densities [8], or a narrower antenna power spectrum in refractive index [9,10], the obstacle for LHCD represented by too high temperature of reactor plasmas should be overcome. The former method cannot be used for routinely, safe antenna operations, Thus, only the latter key is really exploitable in a reactor. The proposed solutions are ultimately necessary for viability of an economic reactor.

Fast wave current drive experiment on the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Harvey, R.W.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Mayberry, M.J.; Prater, R.; Porkolab, M.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffman, J.D.; James, R.A.; Kawashima, H.

1992-06-01

One method of radio-frequency heating which shows theoretical promise for both heating and current drive in tokamak plasmas is the direct absorption by electrons of the fast Alfven wave (FW). Electrons can directly absorb fast waves via electron Landau damping and transit-time magnetic pumping when the resonance condition ω - κ parallele υ parallele = O is satisfied. Since the FW accelerates electrons traveling the same toroidal direction as the wave, plasma current can be generated non-inductively by launching FW which propagate in one toroidal direction. Fast wave current drive (FWCD) is considered an attractive means of sustaining the plasma current in reactor-grade tokamaks due to teh potentially high current drive efficiency achievable and excellent penetration of the wave power to the high temperature plasma core. Ongoing experiments on the DIII-D tokamak are aimed at a demonstration of FWCD in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF). Using frequencies in the ICRF avoids the possibility of mode conversion between the fast and slow wave branches which characterized early tokamak FWCD experiments in the lower hybrid range of frequencies. Previously on DIII-D, efficient direct electron heating by FW was found using symmetric (non-current drive) antenna phasing. However, high FWCD efficiencies are not expected due to the relatively low electron temperatures (compared to a reactor) in DIII-D

Current drive and sustain experiments with the bootstrap current in JT-60

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Mitsuru; Azumi, Masafumi; Tani, Keiji; Tsuji, Shunji; Kubo, Hirotaka

1989-11-01

The current drive and sustain experiments with the neoclassical bootstrap current are performed in the JT-60 tokamak. It is shown that up to 80% of total plasma current is driven by the bootstrap current in extremely high β p regime (β p = 3.2) and the current drive product I p (bootstrap) n-bar e R p up to 4.4 x 10 19 MAm -2 has been attained with the bootstrap current. The experimental resistive loop voltages are compared with the calculations using the neoclassical resistivity with and without the bootstrap current and the Spitzer resistivity for a wide range of the plasma current (I p = 0.5 -2 MA) and the poloidal beta (β p = 0.1 - 3.2). The calculated resistive loop voltage is consistent with the neoclassical prediction including the bootstrap current. Current sustain with the bootstrap current is tested by terminating the I p feedback control during the high power neutral beam heating. An enhancement of the L/R decay time than those expected from the plasma resistivity with measured T e and Zeff has been confirmed experimentally supporting the large non-inductive current in the plasma and is consistent with the neoclassical prediction. A new technique to calculate the bootstrap current in multi-collisionality regime for finite aspect ratio tokamak has bee developed. The neoclassical bootstrap current is calculated directly through the force balance equations between viscous and friction forces according to the Hirshman-Sigmar theory. The bootstrap current driven by the fast ion component is also included. Ballooning stability of the high β p plasma are analyzed using the current profiles including the bootstrap current. The plasma pressure is close to the ballooning limit in high β p discharges. (author)

Lower hybrid heating and current drive in ignitor shear reversal scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbato, E; Pinaccione, L [Italian Agengy for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment, Centro Ricerche Frascati, Rome (Italy). Dip. Energia

1996-05-01

Injection of Lower Hybrid (LH) Wave power at 8 GHz is considered into IGNITOR shear reversal scenarios, characterized by a reduced plasma current and density. Power deposition calculation are performed to establish whether LH waves can be used both as central heating and off axis current drive tool. It turns out that LH waves can be used (a) for central plasma heating purpose during the current vamp phase, to freeze the shear reversed configuration, at the power level of {approx}10 MW. (b) to drive a current in the outer part of the plasma at the power level of 20 MW. In this way around 1/3-1/6 of the total current in the proper plasma position (i.e. where q is minimum) is driven.

Current-drive and plasma formation experiments on the Versator-II tokamak using lower-hybrid and electron-cyclotron waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colborn, J.A.

1992-01-01

During lower-hybrid current-driven (LHCD) tokamak discharges with thermal electron temperature T e ∼ 150 eV, a two-parallel-temperature tail is observed in the electron distribution function. The cold tail extends to parallel energy E parallel ∼ 4.5 keV with temperature T cold tail ∼ 1.5 keV, and the hot tail extends to E parallel > 150 keV with T hot tail > 40 keV. Fokker-Planck computer simulations suggest the cold tail is created by low power, high-N parallel sidelobes in the lower-hybrid antenna spectrum, and that these sidelobes bridge the spectral gap, enabling current drive on small tokamaks such as Versator. During plasma-formation experiments using 28 GHz electroncyclotron (EC) waves, the plasma is born near the EC layer, then moves toward the upper-hybrid (UH) layer within 100-200μs. Wave power is detected in the plasma with frequency f = 300 MHz. Measured turbulent plasma fluctuations are correlated with decay-wave amplitude. Electron-cyclotron current-drive (ECCD) is observed with loop voltage V loop ≤ 0 and fully sustained plasma current I p approx-lt 15 kA at densities up to [n e ] = 2 x 10 12 cm -3 . The efficiency falls rapidly to zero as the density is raised, suggesting the ECCD depends on low collisonality. The EC waves enhance magnetic turbulence in the frequency range 50 kHz approx-lt f approx-lt 400 kHz by up to an order of magnitude. The time-of-arrival of the turbulence to probes at the plasma boundary is longer when the EC layer is farther from the probes

Studies of non-inductive current drive in the CDX-U tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Y.S.

1993-01-01

Two types of novel, non-inductive current drive concepts for starting-up and maintaining tokamak discharges, dc-helicity injection and internally-generated pressure-driven currents, have been developed on the CDX-U tokamak. To study the equilibrium and transport of these plasmas, a full set of magnetic diagnostics was installed. By applying a finite element method and a least squares error fitting technique, internal plasma current distributions are reconstructed from the measurements. Electron density distributions were obtained from 2 mm interferometer measurements by a similar least squares error technique utilizing magnetic flux configurations obtained by the magnetic analysis. Neoclassical pressure-driven currents in ECH plasmas are modeled with the reconstructed magnetic structure, using the electron density distribution and the electron temperature profile measured by a Langmuir probe. In the dc-helicity injection scheme, the need to increase injection current and maintain plasma equilibrium restricts possible arrangements. Several injection configurations were investigated, with the best found to be outside injection with a single divertor configuration, where the cathode is placed at the low field side of the x-point. Both pressure-driven and dc-helicity injected tokamaks show the importance of plasma equilibrium in obtaining high plasma current. Programmed vertical field operation has proven to be very important in achieving high plasma current. These non-inductive current drive techniques show great potential as efficient current drive methods for future steady-state and/or long-pulse fusion reactors

Lower-hybrid heating and current drive on PLT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooke, W.; Bernabei, S.; Boyd, D.

1983-02-01

Steady currents up to 165 kA for 3.5 seconds and 420 kA for 0.3 seconds have been maintained by 800 MHz lower hybrid waves. For line-averaged densities up to 7 x 10 12 cm - 3 the current is maintained with no input power from the ohmic heating transformer. The waves are launched with an array of six waveguides. Measurements of X rays and electron cyclotron radiation show that the rf power produces and maintains a suprathermal tail of electrons apparently independent of the number of fast electrons in the plasma prior to turning on the rf power. Measurements of current-drive efficiency and the electron tail provide direct evidence for a resonant wave-particle interaction. The radial profile of the rf-sustained current inferred from x-ray measurements is peaked in the center of the plasma and appears to obey the same q-value restraints as the inductively driven ohmic heating current. Current drive is observed to be accompanied always by radiation at frequencies greater than or equal to #betta#/sub ce/ and less than or equal to #betta#/sub pe/. The connection between this radiation and the current-drive mechanism is under study

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-04-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-{beta} MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3{<=} m {<=} 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20{<=} n {<=}20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the `net` current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j{sub 0z} for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 {<=} n {<=} -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10); (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author).

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1997-01-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-β MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3≤ m ≤ 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20≤ n ≤20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the 'net' current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j 0z for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 ≤ n ≤ -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10; (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author)

Investigation of lower hybrid current drive during H-mode in EAST tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Miao-Hui; Ding Bo-Jiang; Kong Er-Hua; Zhang Lei; Zhang Xin-Jun; Qian Jin-Ping; Yan Ning; Han Xiao-Feng; Shan Jia-Fang; Liu Fu-Kun; Wang Mao; Xu Han-Dong; Wan Bao-Nian

2011-01-01

H-mode discharges with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) alone are achieved in EAST divertor plasma over a wide parameter range. These H-mode discharges are characterized by a sudden drop in D α emission and a spontaneous rise in main plasma density. Good lower hybrid (LH) coupling during H-mode is obtained by putting the plasma close to the antenna and by injecting D 2 gas from a pipe near the grill mouse. The analysis of lower hybrid current drive properties shows that the LH deposition profile shifts off axis during H-mode, and current drive (CD) efficiency decreases due to the increase in density. Modeling results of H-mode discharges with a general ray tracing code GENRAY are reported. (physics of gases, plasmas, and electric discharges)

Comments on ICRH current drive in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fried, B.; Hellsten, T.; Moreau, D.

1989-01-01

To study current drive via the mode-converted slow wave during ICRH an assessment for which plasma compositions and wave number mode conversion from the magnetosonic wave to the slow wave can dominate is made. A simple slab model is used to investigate the competition between mode conversion and minority cyclotron absorption for a deuterium plasma with H + and 3 He 2+ minority species in JET. A 3 He 2+ minority should be more appropriate for mode conversion current drive than H + because the 3 He 2+ concentration can be chosen near its optimum for the ''Budden absorption'' without bringing the ion hybrid resonance and the cyclotron resonance so close that the minority absorption dominates. 3 He 2+ minority also allows operation at toroidal numbers which are characteristic of present JET antennae. (author)

ICRF current drive by using antenna phase control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, Y.; Itoh, K.

1987-01-01

A global analysis of current drive in tokamaks by using waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF), considering the entire antenna-plasma system, is presented. A phase shifted antenna array is used to inject toroidal momentum into the electrons. Within the context of quasi-linear theory, a Fokker-Planck calculation is combined with an ICRF wave propagation-absorption analysis which includes kinetic effects and realistic boundary conditions. The radial profile of the current induced by the mode converted ion Bernstein wave and by the magnetosonic fast wave is obtained, together with the global current drive efficiency (total induced current/total emitted power from the antennas) in the high density and temperature plasma regime. The phase dependence of the global efficiency is investigated by changing the launching conditions such as the total antenna number and the antenna spacing. In medium size tokamaks, the electron power absorption and the associated driven current are found to be affected considerably by the plasma cavity resonance. It is also found that the global efficiency is sensitive to the antenna spacing. When the antenna spacing is increased, the global efficiency is reduced by counter current generation. (author)

Study of lower hybrid current drive for the demonstration reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molavi-Choobini, Ali Asghar [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-kord Branch, Shahr-e-kord (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Naghidokht, Ahmed [Dept. of Physics, Urmia University, Urmia (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karami, Zahra [Dept. of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-06-15

Steady-state operation of a fusion power plant requires external current drive to minimize the power requirements, and a high fraction of bootstrap current is required. One of the external sources for current drive is lower hybrid current drive, which has been widely applied in many tokamaks. Here, using lower hybrid simulation code, we calculate electron distribution function, electron currents and phase velocity changes for two options of demonstration reactor at the launched lower hybrid wave frequency 5 GHz. Two plasma scenarios pertaining to two different demonstration reactor options, known as pulsed (Option 1) and steady-state (Option 2) models, have been analyzed. We perceive that electron currents have major peaks near the edge of plasma for both options but with higher efficiency for Option 1, although we have access to wider, more peripheral regions for Option 2. Regarding the electron distribution function, major perturbations are at positive velocities for both options for flux surface 16 and at negative velocities for both options for flux surface 64.

Synergy between electron cyclotron and lower hybrid current drive on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, G.; Artaud, J.F.; Dumont, R.J.; Imbeaux, F.; Bibet, P.; Berger-By, G.; Bouquey, F.; Clary, J.; Darbos, C.; Ekedahl, A.; Hoang, G.T.; Lennholm, M.; Maget, P.; Magne, R.; Segui, J.L.; Bruschi, A.; Granucci, G.

2005-01-01

Improvement (up to a factor ∼ 4) of the electron cyclotron (EC) current drive efficiency in plasmas sustained by lower hybrid (LH) current drive has been demonstrated in stationary conditions on the Tore Supra tokamak. This was made possible by feedback controlled discharges at zero loop voltage, constant plasma current and density. This effect, predicted by kinetic theory, results from a favorable interplay of the velocity space diffusions induced by the two waves: the EC wave pulling low-energy electrons out of the Maxwellian bulk, and the LH wave driving them to high parallel velocities. (author)

High-efficiency toroidal current drive using low-phase-velocity kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1991-09-01

A method for obtaining efficient current drive in Tokamaks using low-phase-velocity (v ρ = ω/K parallel ∝ 0.1v te ) kinetic Alfen wave is proposed. The wave momentum, imparted primarily to the trapped electrons by Landau damping, is stored as the canonical angular momentum via the Ware pinch. In steady state, collisions restore the pinched electrons to their original phase-space configuration, in the process releasing the stored canonical angular momentum to the background ions and electrons in proportion to the respective collision frequencies. Despite the loss of a part of the original impulse to the plasma ions, well over half the wave momentum is ultimately delivered to the bulk-plasma electrons, resulting in an efficient current drive. A normalized current-drive efficiency γ = R 0 20 > I/P ∝ 2 would be feasible using the subthermal kinetic-Alfen-wave current drive in a Tokamak of reactor parameters. Optimum antenna loading conditions are described. The problem of accessibility is discussed. In an elongated, high-β plasma with a density dependence n e ∝ (1-ρ 2 ) Χn , accessibility is restricted to ρ > or approx. 3/(4A Χn ), where A is the aspect ratio. For current drive at still lower values of ρ, operation in conjunction with fast-wave current drive is suggested. (orig.)

Numerical analysis on the synergy between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S Y; Hong, B B; Liu, Y; Lu, W; Huang, J; Tang, C J; Ding, X T; Zhang, X J; Hu, Y J

2012-01-01

The synergy between electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) and lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is investigated numerically with the parameters of the HL-2A tokamak. Based on the understanding of the synergy mechanisms, a high current driven efficiency or a desired radial current profile can be achieved through properly matching the parameters of ECCD and LHCD due to the flexibility of ECCD. Meanwhile, it is found that the total current driven by the electron cyclotron wave (ECW) and the lower hybrid wave (LHW) simultaneously can be smaller than the sum of the currents driven by the ECW and LHW separately, when the power of the ECW is much larger than the LHW power. One of the reasons leading to this phenomenon (referred to as negative synergy in this context) is that fast current-carrying electrons tend to be trapped, when the perpendicular velocity driven by the ECW is large and the parallel velocity decided by the LHW is correspondingly small. (paper)

Development of high-power inverter supply for current drive of FRC plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitano, Katsuhisa; Higashikozono, Takamitsu; Okada, Shigefumi; Goto, Seiichi

2003-01-01

High-Power RF supply is developed for the current drive of FRC (Field Reversed Configuration) plasma. The rotating magnetic field is produced by the four antennas set in the parallel direction to the geometrical axis of the FRC and faced each other. The sinusoidal currents with shifted phases by 90 degree each other should be supplied to the antennas. The two power supplies are necessary if a pair of the antennas faced oppositely are connected. Considering the plasma parameters, the rotating field of 50-100kHz and 50G at the center axis is expected to be required. We develop the adequate RF power supply for the purpose. The power supply consists of the inverter circuit, the step-up transformer and the LC tank ciruit. For the switching device of the inverter circuit, the IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) is adopted. The inverter circuit is full bridge type. To operate it at high voltages, its arm consists of the 3 IGBTs arranged series. The output of the inverter is connected to the tank circuit by way of the step-up transformer with air core. The tank circuit is the parallel circuit of the antenna and the capacitor. By the adjustment of the frequency of the inverter output to the resonance frequency of the tank circuit, the large sinusoidal waveform current is obtained. The developed power supply can produce the current of 5kA at 10kV to the dummy antenna with almost the same inductance of the antenna. (author)

Neoclassical effects on RF current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, K.; Antonsen, T.M. Jr.

1986-01-01

Neoclassical effects on RF current drive which arise because of the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field in tokamak devices are analysed. A bounce averaged 2-D Fokker-Planck equation is derived from the drift kinetic equation and is solved numerically. The model features current drive due to a strong RF wave field. The efficiency of current drive by electron cyclotron waves is significantly reduced when the waves are absorbed at the low magnetic field side of a given flux surface, whereas the efficiency remains at the same level as in the homogeneous ideal plasma when the waves are absorbed at the high field side. The efficiency of current drive by fast waves (compressional Alfven waves) with low phase velocity (vsub(parallel)/vsub(th)<1) is significantly degraded by neoclassical effects, no matter where the wave is absorbed, and the applicability of this wave seems, therefore, to be doubtful. (author)

Recent QUEST experiments on non-inductive current drive and plasma-wall interaction towards steady state operation of spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanada, K.; Zushi, H.; Idei, H.; Nakamura, K.; Nagashima, Y.; Hasegawa, M.; Fujisawa, A.; Higashijima, A.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Ishiguro, M.; Tashima, S.; Kalinnikova, E.I.; Mitarai, O.; Maekawa, T.; Fukuyama, A.; Takase, Y.; Gao, X.; Liu, H.; Qian, J.; Ono, M.; Raman, R.; Peng, M.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. Steady state operation (SSO) of magnetic fusion devices is one of the goals for fusion research. Development of non-inductive current drive and investigation of plasma-wall interaction (PWI) are issues to be resolved for SSO. Because of the very limited central solenoid (CS) flux in a spherical tokamak (ST), methods for non-inductive plasma current start-up and sustainment are necessary. Fully non-inductive plasma up to approximately 5 min was successfully demonstrated on the spherical tokamak QUEST. Furthermore, recharging of the center solenoid coil was also achieved in OH+RF plasmas with plasma current feedback using the CS. During the plasma start-up phase, precession motion of trapped electrons can drive some current, which plays an essential role in forming a closed flux surface. On QUEST, the main parts of the plasma facing components (PFCs) are covered by tungsten plates (W) or coated by W plasma spray and are actively cooled by water circulation. The increase in water temperature quantitatively provides the deposited power to each PFC. The power balance during long duration discharges has been studied for various types of magnetic configurations such as limiter, upper and lower single-null divertor discharges. As, the temperature of any PFCs reaches a steady-state condition during long pulse, the power balance can be obtained. It is found that the discharge duration of QUEST is significantly limited by particle imbalance shown by gradual increment of plasma and neutral density. The additional influx of neutrals was provided by recycling of hydrogen, which is still uncontrollable. A point model of particle balance was applied to a long-duration divertor discharge, and it was found that a small increment of particle-influx occurred around the end of the long duration discharge. A post-mortem analysis of surface-attaching specimen during an experimental campaign indicates that the increased amount of neutral influx could be

Experimental demonstration of synergy between electron cyclotron and lower hybrid current drive on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artaud, J.F.; Giruzzi, G.; Dumont, R.J.; Imbeaux, F.; Bibet, P.; Bouquey, F.; Clary, J.; Ekedahl, A.; Hoang, G.T.; Lennholm, M.; Magne, R.; Segui, J.L.

2004-01-01

Non-inductive current drive (CD) has two main applications in tokamaks: sustainment of a substantial fraction of the toroidal plasma current necessary for the plasma confinement and control of the plasma stability and transport properties by appropriate shaping of the current density profile. For the first kind of applications, lower hybrid (LH) waves are known to provide the highest efficiency (defined as the ratio of the driven current to the injected wave power), although with limited control capability. Conversely, electron cyclotron (EC) waves drive highly localized currents, and are therefore particularly suited for control purposes, but their CD efficiency is much lower than that of LH waves (typically, an order of magnitude in present day experiments). Various calculations have demonstrated an interesting property: the current driven by the simultaneous use of the two waves, I(LH+EC), can be significantly larger than the sum I(LH)+I(EC) of the currents separately driven by the two waves in the same plasma conditions. This property, called synergy effect. The peculiar experimental conditions attainable on the Tore Supra tokamak have allowed the first experimental demonstration of the synergy between EC and LH current drive. The significant improvement of the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) efficiency in the presence of low hybrid current drive (LHCD), predicted by kinetic theory and confirmed by stationary experiments on Tore Supra, opens up the possibility of using ECCD as an efficient current profile control tool in LHCD plasmas

A Lower Hybrid Current Drive System for Alcator C-Mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernabei, S.; Hosea, J.C.; Loesser, D.; Rushinski, J.; Wilson, J.R.; Bonoli, P.; Grimes, M.; Parker, R.; Porkolab, M.; Terry, D.; Woskov, P.

2001-01-01

A Lower Hybrid Current Drive system is being constructed jointly by Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) for installation on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, with the primary goal of driving plasma current in the outer region of the plasma. The Lower Hybrid (LH) system consists of 3 MW power at 4.6 GHz with a maximum pulse length of 5 seconds. Twelve klystrons will feed an array of 4-vertical and 24-horizontal waveguides mounted in one equatorial port. The coupler will incorporate some compact characteristics of the multijunction power splitting while retaining full control of the toroidal phase. In addition a dynamic phase control system will allow feedback stabilization of MHD modes. The desire to avoid possible waveguide breakdown and the need for compactness have resulted in some innovative technical solution which will be presented

Bootstrap and fast wave current drive for tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.

1991-09-01

Using the multi-species neoclassical treatment of Hirshman and Sigmar we study steady state bootstrap equilibria with seed currents provided by low frequency (ICRF) fast waves and with additional surface current density driven by lower hybrid waves. This study applies to reactor plasmas of arbitrary aspect ratio. IN one limit the bootstrap component can supply nearly the total equilibrium current with minimal driving power ( o = 18 MA needs P FW = 15 MW, P LH = 75 MW). A computational survey of bootstrap fraction and current drive efficiency is presented. 11 refs., 8 figs

Electron Bernstein wave heating and current drive effects in QUEST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idei, H.; Zushi, H.; Hanada, K.; Nakamura, K.; Fujisawa, A.; Nagashima, Y.; Hasegawa, M.; Matsuoka, K.; Watanabe, H.; Yoshida, N.; Tokunaga, K.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.; Kalinnikova, E.; Sakaguchi, M.; Itado, T.; Tashima, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Ejiri, A.; Takase, Y.; Igami, H.; Kubo, S.; Toi, K.; Isobe, M.; Nagaoka, K.; Nakanishi, H.; Nishino, N.; Ueda, Y.; Kikuchi, Mitsuru; Fujita, Takaaki; Mitarai, O.; Maekawa, T.

2012-11-01

Electron Bernstein Wave Heating and Current Drive (EBWH/CD) effects have been first observed in over dense plasmas using the developed phased-array antenna (PAA) system in QUEST. Good focusing and steering properties tested in the low power facilities were confirmed with a high power level in the QUEST device. The new operational window to sustain the plasma current was observed in the RF-sustained high-density plasmas at the higher incident RF power. Increment and decrement of the plasma current and the loop voltage were observed in the over dense ohmic plasma by the RF injection respectively, indicating the EBWH/CD effects. (author)

Current-drive theory I: survey of methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1986-01-01

A variety of methods may be employed to drive toroidal electric current in a plasma torus. The most promising scheme is the injection of radiofrequency waves into the torus to push electrons or ions. The pushing mechanism can be either the direct conversion of wave to particle momentum, or a more subtle effect involving the alteration by waves of interparticle collisions. Alternatively, current can be produced through the injection of neutral beams, the reflection of plasma radiation, or the injection of frozen pellets. The efficacy of these schemes, in a variety of regimes, will be assessed. 9 refs

Beat-wave excitation and current driven in tokamak plasma. Vol. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohamed, B F [Plasma physics Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

1996-03-01

Wave heating current drive in tokamaks is a growing subject in the plasma physics literature. For current drive in tokamaks by electromagnetic waves, different methods have been proposed recently. One of the promising schemes for current drive remains the beat wave scheme. This technique employs two CO- or counterpropagating monochromatic laser beams (or microwaves) whose frequency difference matches the plasma frequency, while the wave number difference (or sum, in the case of counterpropagating) determine the wave number of the resulting plasma beat wave. In this work, the basic analysis of a beat wave current drive scheme in which collinear waves are used is discussed. by assuming a Gaussian profile for the amplitude of these pump waves, the amplitudes of the longitudinal and radial fields of the beat wave due to the nonlinear wave interactions have been calculated. Besides, the transfer of momentum flux that accompanies the transfer of wave action in beat-wave scattering will be used to drive the toroidal radial currents in tokamaks. self-generated magnetic fields due to those currents were also calculated. 1 fig.

Stability, current drive and heating, energetic particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razumova, K.

2001-01-01

The paper summarizes the results presented at the conference Fusion Energy 2000 (FEC 2000) in relation to the following subjects: 1. The possibility of realizing plasma parameters for ITER needs, advanced regimes in tokamaks and stellarators. 2. Stability of plasmas with an appreciable component of fast particles. 3. Low aspect ratio tokamaks. 4. New results with auxiliary heating and current drive methods. 5. β limit and neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) stabilization. 6. Internal transport barriers. (author)

Electron-cyclotron current drive in the tokamak physics experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, G.R.; Kritz, A.H.; Radin, S.H.

1992-01-01

Ray-tracking calculations provide estimates of the electron-cyclotron heating (ECH) power required to suppress tearing modes near the q=2 surface in the Tokamak Physics Experiment. Effects of finite beam width and divergence are included, as are the effects of scattering of the ECH power by drift-wave turbulence. A frequency of about 120 GHz allows current drive on the small-R (high-B) portion of q=2, while 80 GHz drives current on the large-R (low-B) portion. The higher frequency has the advantages of less sensitivity to wave and plasma parameters and of no trapped-electron degradation of current-drive efficiency. Less than 1 MW suffices to suppress tearing modes even with high turbulence levels

HEATING AND CURRENT DRIVE BY ELECTRON CYCLOTRON WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.

2003-01-01

OAK-B135 The physics model of electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and current drive (ECCD) is becoming well validated through systematic comparisons of theory and experiment. This work has shown that ECH and ECCD can be highly localized and robustly controlled in toroidal plasma confinement systems, leading to applications including stabilization of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities like neoclassical tearing modes, control and sustainment of desired profiles of current density and plasma pressure, and studies of localized transport in laboratory plasmas. The experimental work was supported by a broad base of theory based on first principles which is now well encapsulated in linear ray tracing codes describing wave propagation, absorption, and current drive and in fully relativistic quasilinear Fokker-Planck codes describing in detail the response of the electrons to the energy transferred from the wave. The subtle balance between wave-induced diffusion and Coulomb relaxation in velocity space provides an understanding of the effects of trapping of current-carrying electrons in the magnetic well. Strong quasilinear effects and radial transport of electrons, which may broaden the driven current profile, have also been observed under some conditions and appear to be consistent with theory, but in large devices these are usually insignificant. The agreement of theory and experiment, the wide range of established applications, and the technical advantages of ECH support the application of ECH in next-step tokamaks and stellarators

Current-drive theory II: the lower-hybrid wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1986-01-01

The theory of current-drive seeks to predict the efficiency with which an external power source can produce current in a plasma torus. The theory, which is now well supported by experimental data, becomes especially simple in the important limit of lower-hybrid or electron-cyclotron waves interacting with superthermal electrons. The solution of an equation adjoint to the linearized Fokker-Planck equation gives both the steady-state and ramp-up current-drive efficiencies. Other phenomena, such as rf-induced runaway rates, rf-induced radiation, etc., may be calculated by this method, and analytical solutions have been obtained in several limiting cases. 12 refs

Modulational instability development and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popel, S.I.; Vladimirov, S.V.; Tsytovich, V.N.

1992-01-01

Recently many investigations on current driven by lower-hybrid (LH) waves in a plasma of toroidal nuclear fusion installations are carried out. Usually a theoretical approach taking into account quasilinear and binary collisions effects is used to describe current drive. However a problem of comparison of the results obtained with the aid of the above theoretical approach and experimental data takes place. Namely the experimentally observed currents driven by LH waves is two-three orders of magnitude larger than those calculated. The above discrepancy between theory and experiment is related with the existence of the so-called ''spectral gap'', that is the gap between the parallel phase velocities of LH waves ω/k || (where ω, k || are LH wave frequency and a component of wavenumber k parallel to the external magnetic field) which are necessary for effective Landau damping of LH waves (i.e. velocities as high as several electron thermal velocities) and the lowest parallel phase velocity in the injected LH wave spectrum. Experimentally observed current drive may be explained if one accounts for filling of the ''spectral gap'' by LH waves. Some nonlinear effects have been drawn in current drive description to explain the ''spectral gap'' filling by LH waves. However the LH wave modulational instability (MI) effect has not been considered yet in application to current drive description. The aim of this paper is to investigate this MI influence. We shall show that for sufficiently intensive pump level of LH wave the MI can lead to ''spectral gap'' filling. (author) 4 refs

Progress with helicity injection current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarboe, T.R.; Raman, R.; Nelson, B.A.

2003-01-01

Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) experiments in the NSTX and HIT-II devices are reported. NSTX has produced toroidal currents of 0.4 MA and pulse lengths of up to 0.33 s. These discharges nearly fill the NSTX main chamber, and show the n=1 rotating distortion characteristic of high-performance CHI plasmas. CHI has been used in HIT-II to provide a closed flux startup plasma for inductive drive. The CHI startup method saves transformer volt-seconds and greatly improves reproducibility and reliability of inductively driven discharges, even in the presence of diminishing wall conditions. (author)

RF Current Drive in Internal Transport Barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peysson, Y.; Basiuk, V.; Huysmans, G. [Association EURATOM-CEA, CEA/DSM/DRFC, CEA-Cadarache, 13 - St Paul-lez-Durance (France); Decker, J.; Bers, A.; Ram, A.K. [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)

2005-07-01

The current drive problem in regimes with internal transport barrier is addressed using a fast solver of the electron drift kinetic equation which may be used for arbitrary tokamak plasma magnetic equilibrium and any type of electron radio-frequency wave. Parametric studies are performed for the Lower Hybrid and Electron Cyclotron waves. (authors)

Noninductive current drive for INTOR: A comparison of four driver options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.; Evans, K. Jr.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Ignat, D.W.; Mau, T.K.

1987-01-01

The current drive power and normalized efficiency are calculated for the INTOR tokamak, including spatial profiles of the plasma and current density. Current drive requirements are computed for purely steady state operation with no electromotive force and also in the presence of a reversed emf typical of start-up or transformer recharging. Results are obtained for lower-hybrid-waves, high frequency fast waves, low frequency fast waves and neutral beam injection

Kinetic theory of rf current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mett, R.R.

1992-01-01

Current drive and helicity injection by plasma waves are examined with the use of kinetic theory. The Vlasov equation yields a general current drive formula that contains resonant and nonresonant (ponderomotivelike) contributions. Standard quasilinear current drive is described by the former, while helicity current drive may be contained in the latter. Since direct analytical comparison of the sizes of the two terms is, in general, difficult, a new approach is taken. Solution of the drift-kinetic equation shows that the standard Landau damping/transit time magnetic pumping quasilinear diffusion coefficient is the only contribution to steady-state current drive to leading order in ε=ρ L /l, where ρ L is the Larmor radius and l is the inhomogeneity scale length. All nonresonant contributions, including the helicity, appear at higher order, after averages are taken over a flux surface, over azimuth, and over time. Consequently, at wave frequencies well below the electron cyclotron frequency, a wave helicity flux perpendicular to the magnetic field does not influence the parallel motion of electrons to leading order and therefore will not drive a significant current. Any current associated with a wave helicity flux is then either ion current (and thus inefficient) or electron current stemming from effects not included in the drift-kinetic treatment, such as cyclotron, collisional, or nonlinear (i.e., not quasilinear)

Intense relativistic electron beam injector system for tokamak current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, V.L.; Creedon, J.M.; Ecker, B.M.; Helava, H.I.

1983-01-01

We report experimental and theoretical studies of an intense relativistic electron beam (REB) injection system designed for tokamak current drive experiments. The injection system uses a standard high-voltage pulsed REB generator and a magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) to drive an REB-accelerating diode in plasma. A series of preliminary experiments has been carried out to test the system by injecting REBs into a test chamber with preformed plasma and applied magnetic field. REBs were accelerated from two types of diodes: a conventional vacuum diode with foil anode, and a plasma diode, i.e., an REB cathode immersed in the plasma. REB current was in the range of 50 to 100 kA and REB particle energy ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 MeV. MITL power density exceeded 10 GW/cm 2 . Performance of the injection system and REB transport properties is documented for plasma densities from 5 x 10 12 to 2 x 10 14 cm -3 . Injection system data are compared with numerical calculations of the performance of the coupled system consisting of the generator, MITL, and diode

Combined kinetic and transport modeling of radiofrequency current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumont, R.; Giruzzi, G.; Barbato, E.

2000-07-01

A numerical model for predictive simulations of radiofrequency current drive in magnetically confined plasmas is developed. It includes the minimum requirements for a self consistent description of such regimes, i.e., a 3-D ,kinetic equation for the electron distribution function, 1-D heat and current transport equations, and resonant coupling between velocity space and configuration space dynamics, through suitable wave propagation equations. The model finds its full application in predictive studies of complex current profile control scenarios in tokamaks, aiming at the establishment of internal transport barriers by the simultaneous use of various radiofrequency current drive methods. The basic properties of this non-linear numerical system are investigated and illustrated by simulations applied to reversed magnetic shear regimes obtained by Lower Hybrid and Electron Cyclotron current drive for parameters typical of the Tore Supra tokamak. (authors)

Off-axis current drive and real-time control of current profile in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, T.; Ide, S.; Oikawa, T.; Fujita, T.; Ishikawa, M.; Seki, M.; Matsunaga, G.; Hatae, T.; Naito, O.; Hamamatsu, K.; Sueoka, M.; Hosoyama, H.; Nakazato, M.

2008-01-01

Aiming at optimization of current profile in high-β plasmas for higher confinement and stability, a real-time control system of the minimum of the safety factor (q min ) using the off-axis current drive has been developed. The off-axis current drive can raise the safety factor in the centre and help to avoid instability that limits the performance of the plasma. The system controls the injection power of lower-hybrid waves, and hence its off-axis driven current in order to control q min . The real-time control of q min is demonstrated in a high-β plasma, where q min follows the temporally changing reference q min,ref from 1.3 to 1.7. Applying the control to another high-β discharge (β N = 1.7, β p = 1.5) with m/n = 2/1 neo-classical tearing mode (NTM), q min was raised above 2 and the NTM was suppressed. The stored energy increased by 16% with the NTM suppressed, since the resonant rational surface was eliminated. For the future use for current profile control, current density profile for off-axis neutral beam current drive (NBCD) is for the first time measured, using the motional Stark effect diagnostic. Spatially localized NBCD profile was clearly observed at the normalized minor radius ρ of about 0.6-0.8. The location was also confirmed by multi-chordal neutron emission profile measurement. The total amount of the measured beam driven current was consistent with the theoretical calculation using the ACCOME code. The CD location in the calculation was inward shifted than the measurement

Fast wave and electron cyclotron current drive in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Austin, M.E.

1995-01-01

The non-inductive current drive from directional fast Alfven and electron cyclotron waves was measured in the DIII-D tokamak in order to demonstrate these forms of radiofrequency (RF) current drive and to compare the measured efficiencies with theoretical expectations. The fast wave frequency was 8 times the deuterium cyclotron frequency at the plasma centre, while the electron cyclotron wave was at twice the electron cyclotron frequency. Complete non-inductive current drive was achieved using a combination of fast wave current drive (FWCD) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) in discharges for which the total plasma current was inductively ramped down from 400 to 170 kA. For steady current discharges, an analysis of the loop voltage revealed up to 195 kA of a non-inductive current (out of 310 kA) during combined electron cyclotron and fast wave injection, with a maximum of 110 kA of FWCD and 80 kA of ECCD achieved (not simultaneously). The peakedness of the current profile increased with RF current drive, indicating that the driven current was centrally localized. The FWCD efficiency increased linearly with the central electron temperature as expected; however, the FWCD was severely degraded in low current discharges owing to incomplete fast wave absorption. The measured FWCD agreed with the predictions of a ray tracing code only when a parasitic loss of 4% per pass was included in the modelling along with multiple pass absorption. Enhancement of the second harmonic ECCD efficiency by the toroidal electric field was observed experimentally. The measured ECCD was in good agreement with Fokker-Planck code predictions. (author). 41 refs, 13 figs, 1 tab

Effects of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution on Z-pinch characteristics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Duan Yao-Yong; Guo Yong-Hui; Wang Wen-Sheng; Qiu Ai-Ci

2005-01-01

A two-dimensional, three-temperature radiation magneto-hydrodynamics model is applied to the investigation of evolutional trends in x-ray radiation power, energy, peak plasma temperature and density as functions of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution by using the typical experimental parameters of tungsten wire-array Z-pinch on the Qiangguang-Ⅰ generator. The numerical results show that as the drive current rise-time is shortened, x-ray radiation peak power, energy, peak plasma density and peak ion temperature increase approximately linearly, but among them the x-ray radiation peak power increases more quickly. As the initial plasma density distribution in the radial direction becomes gradually flattened, the peak radiation power and the peak ion-temperature almost exponentially increase, while the radiation energy and the peak plasma density change only a little. The main effect of shortening drive current rise-time is to enhance compression of plasma, and the effect of flattening initial load density distribution in the radial direction is to raise the plasma temperature. Both of the approaches elevate the x-ray peak radiation power.

Particle simulation of intense electron cyclotron heating and beat-wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, B.I.

1987-01-01

High-power free-electron lasers make new methods possible for heating plasmas and driving current in toroidal plasmas with electromagnetic waves. We have undertaken particle simulation studies with one and two dimensional, relativistic particle simulation codes of intense pulsed electron cyclotron heating and beat-wave current drive. The particle simulation methods here are conventional: the algorithms are time-centered, second-order-accurate, explicit, leap-frog difference schemes. The use of conventional methods restricts the range of space and time scales to be relatively compact in the problems addressed. Nevertheless, experimentally relevant simulations have been performed. 10 refs., 2 figs

Recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonen, T.C.; Jackson, G.L.; Mahdavi, M.A.; Petrie, T.W.; Politzer, P.A.; Taylor, T.S.; Lazarus, E.A.

1994-02-01

This paper describes recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments. Describes are experiments with improved wall conditioning, divertor particle pumping, radiative divertor experiments, studies of plasma shape and high poloidal beta

Lower-hybrid counter current drive for edge current density modification in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenstermacher, M.E.; Nevins, W.M.; Porkolab, M.; Bonoli, P.T.; Harvey, R.W.

1994-01-01

Each of the Advanced Tokamak operating modes in DIII-D is thought to have a distinctive current density profile. So far these modes have only been achieved transiently through experiments which ramp the plasma current and shape. Extension of these modes to steady state requires non-inductive current profile control, e.g., with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD). Calculations of LHCD have been done for DIII-D using the ACCOME and CQL3D codes, showing that counter driven current at the plasma edge can cancel some of the undesirable edge bootstrap current and potentially extend the VH-mode. Results will be presented for scenarios using 2.45 GHz LH waves launched from both the midplane and off-axis ports. The sensitivity of the results to injected power, n e and T e , and launched wave spectrum will also be shown

Recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonen, T.C.; Jackson, G.L.; Lazarus, E.A.; Mahdavi, M.A.; Petrie, T.W.; Politzer, P.A.; Taylor, T.S.

1995-01-01

This paper describes recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments. Described are experiments with improved wall conditioning, divertor particle pumping, radiative divertor experiments, studies of plasma shape and high poloidal β. ((orig.))

Recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simonen, T.C. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Jackson, G.L. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Lazarus, E.A. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Mahdavi, M.A. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Petrie, T.W. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Politzer, P.A. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Taylor, T.S. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); DIII-D Team

1995-01-01

This paper describes recent DIII-D high power heating and current drive experiments. Described are experiments with improved wall conditioning, divertor particle pumping, radiative divertor experiments, studies of plasma shape and high poloidal {beta}. ((orig.)).

On the evaluation of currents in a tokamak plasma during combined Ohmic and RF current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1986-09-01

By taking into account the rf-generated enhancement of the plasma electric conductivity (as formulated by Fisch in the limit of weak dc electric fields) a relation is derived between the ratio of rf to Ohmically driven currents and other plasma parameters to be measured before and after the rf onset under the condition of constant net plasma current. (author)

Full-wave simulations of current profiles for fast magnetosonic wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitrieva, M.V.; Eriksson, L.-G.; Gambier, D.J.

1992-12-01

Numerical simulations of current drive in tokamaks by fast waves (FWCD) have been performed in the range of the ion cyclotron and at lower frequencies via 3-Dimensional numerical code ICTOR. Trapped particles effects were taken into account in the calculation of the fast wave current drive efficiency and the bootstrap current generation. The global efficiency of FWCD if found to be γ∼ 0.1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for the Joint European Torus tokamak (JET) parameters at a central electron temperature of ∼ 10 kev. The efficiency of FWCD for reactor-like plasmas is found to be γ∼0.3 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for ∼ 100% of FWCD and γ∼ 1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for FWCD and ∼ 65% of bootstrap in a total current of ∼ 25MA at a 25kev central temperature with a density of ∼10 20 m -3 and major radius R ∼ 8m. Non-inductive current density profiles are studied. Broad FWCD current profiles are obtained for flat reactor temperature and density profiles with bootstrap current concentrated at the plasma edge. The possibility of a steady-state reactor on full wave (FW) with a large fraction of bootstrap current is discussed. It appears to be impractical to rely on such an external current driven (CD) scheme for a reactor as long a γ is less than 2 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 . (Author)

Current drive with fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.

1993-01-01

Current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection. Fast wave experiments were performed using a 4-strap antenna with 1 MW of power at 60 MHz. These experiments showed effective heating of electrons, with a global heating efficiency equivalent to that of neutral injection even when the single pass damping was calculated to be as small as 5%. The damping was probably due to the effect of multiple passes of the wave through the plasma. Fast wave current drive experiments were performed with a toroidally directional phasing of the antenna straps. Currents driven by fast wave current drive (FWCD) in the direction of the main plasma current of up to 100 kA were found, not including a calculated 40 kA of bootstrap current. Experiments with FWCD in the counter current direction showed little current drive. In both cases, changes in the sawtooth behavior and the internal inductance qualitatively support the measurement of FWCD. Experiments on electron cyclotron current drive have shown that 100 kA of current can be driven by 1 MW of power at 60 GHz. Calculations with a Fokker-Planck code show that electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) can be well predicted when the effects of electron trapping and of the residual electric field are included. Experiments on driving current with neutral injection showed that effective current drive could be obtained and discharges with full current drive were demonstrated. Interestingly, all of these methods of current drive had about the same efficiency. (Author)

Current profile evolution during fast wave current drive on the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Forest, C.B.; Baity, F.W.

1995-06-01

The effect of co and counter fast wave current drive (FWCD) on the plasma current profile has been measured for neutral beam heated plasmas with reversed magnetic shear on the DIII-D tokamak. Although the response of the loop voltage profile was consistent with the application of co and counter FWCD, little difference was observed between the current profiles for the opposite directions of FWCD. The evolution of the current profile was successfully modeled using the ONETWO transport code. The simulation showed that the small difference between the current profiles for co and counter FWCD was mainly due to an offsetting change in the o at sign c current proffie. In addition, the time scale for the loop voltage to reach equilibrium (i.e., flatten) was found to be much longer than the FWCD pulse, which limited the ability of the current profile to fully respond to co or counter FWCD

Lower hybrid heating and current drive in Iter operation scenarios and outline system design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-11-01

Lower Hybrid Waves (LHW) are considered a valid method of plasma heating and the best demonstrated current drive method. Current drive by LHW possesses the unique feature, as compared to the other methods, to retain a good current drive efficiency in plasma regions of low to medium temperature, or in low-β phases of the discharges. This makes them an essential element to realize the so called 'advanced steady-state Tokamak scenarios' in which a hollow current density profile (deep shear reversal) - established during the ramp-up of the plasma current - offers the prospects of improved confinement and an MHD-stable route to continuous burn. This report contains both modelling and design studies of an LHW system for ITER. It aims primarily at the definition of concepts and parameters for steady-state operation using LHW combined with Fast Waves (FW), or other methods of generating a central seed current for high bootstrap current operation. However simulations addressing the use of LHW for current profile control in the high current pulsed operation scenario are also presented. The outline design of a LHW system which covers the needs for both pulsed and steady-state operation is described in detail. (author). 28 refs., 49 figs

Analytical calculation of current drive synergy between LH and EC waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumont, R.; Giruzzi, G.

2001-01-01

An analytical model for the evaluation of electron cyclotron current drive efficiency improvement in lower hybrid current drive regimes is presented. The adjoint equation is written and solved by a perturbation treatment, allowing to derive a response function including both collisional and lower hybrid effects, in the limit where the former still dominate. This allows an analytical demonstration of the current drive synergy effects, previously found by numerical solutions of the kinetic equation. The model is especially useful for the determination of appropriate wave parameters optimizing this synergy effect, such as the EC launching angles suitable for a given LH target plasma. Under these conditions, it is shown that a significant improvement of the ECCD efficiency can be obtained

COMPASS-D magnetic equilibria with LH and NBI current drive

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hronová-Bilyková, Olena; Fuchs, Vladimír; Pánek, Radomír; Urban, Jakub; Žáček, František; Stöckel, Jan; Voitsekhovitch, I.; Valovič, M.; Fitzgerald, M.

2006-01-01

Roč. 56, suppl.B (2006), B24-B30 ISSN 0011-4626. [Symposium on Plasma Physics and Technology/22nd./. Praha, 26.6.2006-29.6.2006] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : tokamak * COMPASS-D * magnetic equilibrium * ACCOME code * ASTRA code * Neutral Beam Injection * Low Hybrid Current Drive Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 0.568, year: 2006

Current drive by spheromak injection into a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.R.; Bellan, P.M.

1990-01-01

The authors report the first observation of current drive by spheromak injection into a tokamak due to the process of helicity injection. Current drive is observed in Caltech's ENCORE tokamak (30% increase, ΔI > 1 kA) only when both the tokamak and injected spheromak have the same sign of helicity (where helicity is defined as positive if current flows parallel to magnetic field lines and negative if anti-parallel). The initial increase (decrease) in current is accompanied by a sharp decrease (increase) in loop voltage and the increase in tokamak helicity is consistent with the helicity content of the injected spheromak. In addition, the injection of the spheromak raises the tokamak central density by a factor of six. The introduction of cold spheromak plasma causes sudden cooling of the tokamak discharge from 12 eV to 4 eV which results in a gradual decline in tokamak plasma current by a factor of three. In a second experiment, the authors inject spheromaks into the magnetized toroidal vacuum vessel (with no tokamak plasma). An m = 1 magnetic structure forms in the vessel after the spheromak undergoes a double tilt; once in the cylindrical entrance between gun and tokamak, then again in the tokamak vessel. A horizontal shift of the spheromak equilibrium is observed in the direction opposite that of the static toroidal field. In the absence of net toroidal flux, the structure develops a helical pitch as predicted by theory. Experiments with a number of refractory metal coatings have shown that tungsten and chrome coatings provide some improvement in spheromak parameters. They have also designed and will soon construct a larger, higher current spheromak gun with a new accelerator section for injection experiments on the Phaedrus-T tokamak

Investigation of runaway electrons in the current ramp-up by a fully non-inductive lower hybrid current drive on the EAST tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, H W; Zha, X J; Zhong, F C; Hu, L Q; Zhou, R J

2013-01-01

The possibility of using a lower hybrid wave (LHW) to ramp up the plasma current (I p ) from a low level to a high enough level required for fusion burn in the EAST (experimental advanced superconducting tokamak) tokamak is examined experimentally. The focus in this paper is on investigating how the relevant plasma parameters evolve during the current ramp-up (CRU) phase driving by a lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) with poloidal field (PF) coil cut-off, especially the behaviors of runaway electrons generated during the CRU phase. It is found that the intensity of runaway electron emission increases first, and then decreases gradually as the discharge goes on under conditions of PF coil cut-off before LHW was launched into plasma, PF coil cut-off at the same time as LHW was launched into plasma, as well as PF coil cut-off after LHW was launched into plasma. The relevant plasma parameters, including H α line emission (Ha), impurity line emission (UV), soft x-ray emission and electron density n e , increase to a high level. The loop voltage decreases from positive to negative, and then becomes zero because of the cut-off of PF coils. Also, the magnetohydrodynamic activity takes place during the CRU driving by LHCD. (paper)

Effect of Wave Accessibility on Lower Hybrid Wave Current Drive in Experimental Advanced Superconductor Tokamak with H-Mode Operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xin-Xia; Xiang Nong; Gan Chun-Yun

2015-01-01

The effect of the wave accessibility condition on the lower hybrid current drive in the experimental advanced superconductor Tokamak (EAST) plasma with H-mode operation is studied. Based on a simplified model, a mode conversion layer of the lower hybrid wave between the fast wave branch and the slow wave branch is proved to exist in the plasma periphery for typical EAST H-mode parameters. Under the framework of the lower hybrid wave simulation code (LSC), the wave ray trajectory and the associated current drive are calculated numerically. The results show that the wave accessibility condition plays an important role on the lower hybrid current drive in EAST plasma. For wave rays with parallel refractive index n ‖ = 2.1 or n ‖ = 2.5 launched from the outside midplane, the wave rays may penetrate the core plasma due to the toroidal geometry effect, while numerous reflections of the wave ray trajectories in the plasma periphery occur. However, low current drive efficiency is obtained. Meanwhile, the wave accessibility condition is improved if a higher confined magnetic field is applied. The simulation results show that for plasma parameters under present EAST H-mode operation, a significant lower hybrid wave current drive could be obtained for the wave spectrum with peak value n ‖ = 2.1 if a toroidal magnetic field B T = 2.5 T is applied. (paper)

Current drive with fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Chiu, S.C.; deGrassie, J.S.; Harvey, R.W.; Ikel, H.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Luce, T.C.; James, R.A.; Porkolab, M.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffmann, D.J.; Kawashima, H.; Trukhin, V.

1992-09-01

Current drive experiments have been performed on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves, electron cyclotron waves, and neutral injection. Fast wave experiments were performed using a 4-strap antenna with 1 MW of power at 60 MHz. These experiments showed effective heating of electrons, with a global heating efficiency equivalent to that of neutral injection even when the single pass damping was calculated to be as small as 5%. The damping was probably due to the effect of multiple passes of the wave through the plasma. Fast wave current drive experiments were performed with a toroidally directional phasing of the antenna straps. Currents driven by fast wave current drive (FWCD) in the direction of the main plasma current of up to 100 kA were found, not including a calculated 40 kA of bootstrap current. Experiments with FWCD in the counter current direction showed little current drive. In both cases, changes in the sawtooth behavior and the internal inductance qualitatively support the measurement of FWCD. Experiments on electron cyclotron current drive have shown that 100 kA of current can be driven by 1 MW of power at 60 GHz. Calculations with a Fokker-Planck code show that electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) can be well predicted when the effects of electron trapping and of the residual electric field are included. Experiments on driving current with neutral injection showed that effective current drive could be obtained and discharges with full current drive were demonstrated. Interestingly, all of these methods of current drive had about the same efficiency, 0.015 x 10 20 MA/MW/m 2

Hot spots and dark current in advanced plasma wakefield accelerators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. G. Manahan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dark current can spoil witness bunch beam quality and acceleration efficiency in particle beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerators. In advanced schemes, hot spots generated by the drive beam or the wakefield can release electrons from higher ionization threshold levels in the plasma media. These electrons may be trapped inside the plasma wake and will then accumulate dark current, which is generally detrimental for a clear and unspoiled plasma acceleration process. Strategies for generating clean and robust, dark current free plasma wake cavities are devised and analyzed, and crucial aspects for experimental realization of such optimized scenarios are discussed.

Comparison between voltage by turn measured on different tokamaks operating in hybrid wave current drive regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Briffod, G.; Hoang, G.T.

1987-06-01

On a tokamak in a current drive operation with a hybrid wave, the R.F. current is estimated from the voltage drop by plasma turn generated by R.F. power application. This estimated current is not proportional to the injected power. There still exists in the plasma an electric field corresponding to the current part produced by induction. The role evaluation of this parameter on the current drive efficiency is important. In this report the relation voltage-R.F. current is studied on Petula and results on the voltage evolution by turn on different machines are compared [fr

Existence of non-unique steady state solutions to the RMF current drive equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hugrass, W N [Flinders Univ. of South Australia, Bedford Park. School of Physical Sciences

1985-05-04

It is shown that the value of the d.c. current driven in a plasma cylinder by means of a rotating magnetic field (RMF) is not unique for R/delta >= 6 and eBsub(..omega..)/..nu..sub(ei)m approx.R/delta, where R is the radius of the plasma cylinder, delta is the classical skin depth, ..nu..sub(ei) is the electron-ion momentum transfer collision frequency, Bsub(..omega..) is the magnitude of the rotating magnetic field, e is the electron charge and m is the electron mass. This effect is predicted using three distinct approaches: (i) a steady state anaysis which ignores the second and higher harmonics of the fields and currents; (ii) a qualitative model which utilizes the analogy between the RMF current drive technique and the operation of the induction motor; (iii) a solution of the initial boundary value equations describing the RMF current drive in cylindrical plasmas.

Considerations on ECFH current drive and bootstrap current for W VII-X

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasparino, U.; Maassberg, H.

1988-01-01

Low shear is the characteristic of all proposed Wendelstein VII-X configurations. To avoid low harmonic rational numbers within the rotational transform profile, the current contribution to the rotational transform, Δt a α I/B, should be typically less than 10%. This leads to an upper limit of 50 kA (at B = 2.5 T) for the tolerable net toroidal current. A considerable net toroidal current (bootstrap current) is expected by neoclassical theory in the plateau and the low-collisionality regimes. Both radial transport as well as the bootstrap current densities depend sensitively on the magnetic configuration (see A. Montvai, this workshop). In case of an axisymmetric configuration with dimension and plasma parameters as predicted for the high- regime of WVII-X ( ∼ 5%), this current (∼ 0.5/1 MA) would dominate the rotational transform profile. This requires a reduction of magnitude of the bootstrap current to some % of the value of an equivalent tokamak. This reduction must act on the current profile itself and should not be merely obtained by having two channels of currents of different sign at different radii. Due to the possibility of controlling absorbed power and driven current profiles, electron cyclotron waves are a natural candidate for current profile control. Linear calculations show the possibility to drive a counteracting current with a profile similar to the bootstrap one. For ∼ 5% conditions, however, the optimium current drive efficiency (η ∼ 10 kA per MW) is far too low to make ECF-current drive suitable

Modeling of LH current drive in self-consistent elongated tokamak MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackfield, D.T.; Devoto, R.S.; Fenstermacher, M.E.; Bonoli, P.T.; Porkolab, M.; Yugo, J.

1989-01-01

Calculations of non-inductive current drive typically have been used with model MHD equilibria which are independently generated from an assumed toroidal current profile or from a fit to an experiment. Such a method can lead to serious errors since the driven current can dramatically alter the equilibrium and changes in the equilibrium B-fields can dramatically alter the current drive. The latter effect is quite pronounced in LH current drive where the ray trajectories are sensitive to the local values of the magnetic shear and the density gradient. In order to overcome these problems, we have modified a LH simulation code to accommodate elongated plasmas with numerically generated equilibria. The new LH module has been added to the ACCOME code which solves for current drive by neutral beams, electric fields, and bootstrap effects in a self-consistent 2-D equilibrium. We briefly describe the model in the next section and then present results of a study of LH current drive in ITER. 2 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

The effects of electron cyclotron heating and current drive on toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamak plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Sharapov, S. E.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Bobkov, B.; Classen, I. G. J.; Ferreira, J.; Figueiredo, A.; Fitzgerald, M.; Galdon-Quiroga, J.; Gallart, D.; Geiger, B.; Gonzalez-Martin, J.; Johnson, T.; Lauber, P.; Mantsinen, M.; Nabais, F.; Nikolaeva, V.; Rodriguez-Ramos, M.; Sanchis-Sanchez, L.; Schneider, P. A.; Snicker, A.; Vallejos, P.; the AUG Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

2018-01-01

Dedicated studies performed for toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in ASDEX-Upgrade (AUG) discharges with monotonic q-profiles have shown that electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) can make TAEs more unstable. In these AUG discharges, energetic ions driving TAEs were obtained by ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). It was found that off-axis ECRH facilitated TAE instability, with TAEs appearing and disappearing on timescales of a few milliseconds when the ECRH power was switched on and off. On-axis ECRH had a much weaker effect on TAEs, and in AUG discharges performed with co- and counter-current electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), the effects of ECCD were found to be similar to those of ECRH. Fast ion distributions produced by ICRH were computed with the PION and SELFO codes. A significant increase in T e caused by ECRH applied off-axis is found to increase the fast ion slowing-down time and fast ion pressure causing a significant increase in the TAE drive by ICRH-accelerated ions. TAE stability calculations show that the rise in T e causes also an increase in TAE radiative damping and thermal ion Landau damping, but to a lesser extent than the fast ion drive. As a result of the competition between larger drive and damping effects caused by ECRH, TAEs become more unstable. It is concluded, that although ECRH effects on AE stability in present-day experiments may be quite significant, they are determined by the changes in the plasma profiles and are not particularly ECRH specific.

Dynamic modelling of tearing mode stabilization by RF current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, G.; Zabiego, M.; Gianakon, T.A.; Garbet, X.; Bernabei, S.

1998-01-01

The theory of tearing mode stabilization in toroidal plasmas by RF-driven currents that are modulated in phase with the island rotation is investigated. A time scale analysis of the phenomena involved indicates that transient effects, such as finite time response of the driven currents, island rotation during the power pulses, and the inductive response of the plasma, are intrinsically important. A dynamic model of such effects is developed, based on a 3-D Fokker-Planck code coupled to both the electric field diffusion and the island evolution equations. Extensive applications to both Electron Cyclotron and Lower Hybrid current drive in ITER are presented. (author)

Radiofrequency launchers for plasma heating and current drive. Report on the IAEA Technical Committee Meeting, held at Naka-machi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan, 10-12 November 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Imai, T.; Yamamoto, T.

1995-01-01

The objective of the meeting was to review the present status of the plasma and RF launcher interaction for plasma heating and current drive in various frequency regimes (ion cyclotron to electron cyclotron) and to discuss a possible technical solution for the RF launchers to be installed on large fusion machines. The 23 papers presented during the meeting can be found in the published proceedings. This report of the meeting includes the various contributions presented at the meeting in summary fashion, describing the status of the heating and current drive experiments and the technologies of launching systems with different frequencies, innovative ideas for launching systems for next stage large fusion devices and new RF systems under development. 23 refs, 3 tabs

Study of non-inductive current drive using high energy neutral beam injection on JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oikawa, Toshihiro

2004-01-01

The negative ion based neutral beam (N-NB) current drive was experimentally studied. The N-NB driven current density was determined over a wide range of electron temperatures by using the motional Stark effect spectroscopy. Theoretical prediction of the NB current drive increasing with beam energy and electron temperature was validated. A record value of NB current drive efficiency 1.55 x 10 19 Am -2 W -1 was achieved simultaneously with high confinement and high beta at at a plasma current of 1.5 MA under a fully non-inductively current driven condition. The experimental validation of NB current drive theory for MHD quiescent plasmas gives greater confidence in predicting the NB current drive in future reactors. However, it was also found that MHD instabilities caused a degradation of NB current drive. A beam-driven instability expelled N-NB fast ions carrying non-inductive current from the central region. The lost N-NB driven current was estimated to be 7% of the total N-NB driven current. For the neoclassical tearing mode (NTM), comparisons of the measured neutron yield and fast ion pressure profile with transport code calculations revealed that the loss of fast ions increases with the NTM activity and that fast ions at higher energies suffer larger transport than at lower energies. (author)

The driving frequency effects on the atmospheric pressure corona jet plasmas from low frequency to radio frequency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dan Bee; Jung, H.; Gweon, B.; Rhee, J. K.; Choe, W.; Moon, S. Y.

2011-01-01

Lately, the atmospheric pressure jet type corona plasma, which has been typically driven by dc to low frequency (LF: several tens of kHz), is often generated by using radio frequency of 13.56 MHz. Yet, the relationship between the plasma and its driving frequency has seldom been investigated. Hence, in this study, dependence of the atmospheric pressure corona plasma characteristics on the driving frequency was explored experimentally from LF to rf (5 kHz-13.56 MHz). The plasmas generated by the driving frequency under 2 MHz were cylindrical shape of several tens of millimeters long while the 13.56 MHz plasma is spherical and a few millimeters long. As the driving frequency was increased, the plasma length became shortened. At the lower driving frequencies (below 2 MHz), the plasmas existed as positive streamer and negative glow for each half period of the applied voltage, but the discharge was more continuous in time for the 13.56 MHz plasma. It was inferred from the measured I-V curves that the higher driving frequency induced higher discharge currents, and the gas temperature was increased as the driving frequency was increased.

Simulation of lower hybrid current drive in enhanced reversed shear plasmas in the tokamak fusion test reactor using the lower hybrid simulation code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaita, R.; Bernabei, S.; Budny, R.

1996-01-01

The Enhanced Reversed Shear (ERS) mode has already shown great potential for improving the performance of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) and other devices. Sustaining the ERS, however, remains an outstanding problem. Lower hybrid (LH) current drive is a possible method for modifying the current profile and controlling its time evolution. To predict its effectiveness in TFTR, the Lower Hybrid Simulation Code (LSC) model is used in the TRANSP code and the Tokamak Simulation Code (TSC). Among the results from the simulations are the following. (1) Single-pass absorption is expected in TFTR ERS plasmas. The simulations show that the LH current follows isotherms of the electron temperature. The ability to control the location of the minimum in the q profile (q min ) has been demonstrated by varying the phase velocity of the launched LH waves and observing the change in the damping location. (2) LH current drive can been used to sustain the q min location. The tendency of qmin to drift inward, as the inductive current diffuses during the formation phase of the reversed shear discharge, is prevented by the LH current driven at a fixed radial location. If this results in an expanded plasma volume with improved confinement as high power neutral beam injection is applied, the high bootstrap currents induced during this phase can then maintain the larger qmin radius. (3) There should be no LH wave damping on energetic beam particles. The values of perpendicular index of refraction in the calculations never exceed about 20, while ions at TFR injection energies are resonant with waves having values closer to 100. Other issues being addressed in the study include the LH current drive efficiency in the presence of high bootstrap currents, and the effect of fast electron diffusion on LH current localization

Particle pinch with fully noninductive lower hybrid current drive in Tore Supra.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoang, G T; Bourdelle, C; Pégourié, B; Schunke, B; Artaud, J F; Bucalossi, J; Clairet, F; Fenzi-Bonizec, C; Garbet, X; Gil, C; Guirlet, R; Imbeaux, F; Lasalle, J; Loarer, T; Lowry, C; Travère, J M; Tsitrone, E

2003-04-18

Recently, plasmas exceeding 4 min have been obtained with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) in Tore Supra. These LHCD plasmas extend for over 80 times the resistive current diffusion time with zero loop voltage. Under such unique conditions the neoclassical particle pinch driven by the toroidal electric field vanishes. Nevertheless, the density profile remains peaked for more than 4 min. For the first time, the existence of an inward particle pinch in steady-state plasma without toroidal electric field, much larger than the value predicted by the collisional neoclassical theory, is experimentally demonstrated.

Monte Carlo simulation of lower hybrid current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sipilae, S.K.; Heikkinen, J.A.

1994-01-01

In the report a method for noninductive current drive studies based on three-dimensional simulation of test particle orbits is presented. A Monte Carlo momentum diffusion operator is developed to model the wave-particle interaction. The scheme can be utilised in studies of current drive efficiency as well as in examining the current density profiles caused by waves with a finite parallel wave number spectrum and a nonuniform power deposition profile in a toroidal configuration space of arbitrary shape. Calculations performed with a uniform poorer deposition profile of lower hybrid waves for axisymmetric magnetic configurations having different aspect ratios and poloidal cross-section shape confirm the semianalytic estimates for the current drive efficiency based on the solutions of the flux surface averaged Fokker-Planck equation for configurations with circular poloidal cross section. The consequences of the combined effect of radial diffusion, magnetic trapping and radially nonhomogeneous power deposition and background plasma parameter profiles are investigated

The targeted heating and current drive applications for the ITER electron cyclotron system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henderson, M.; Darbos, C.; Gandini, F.; Gassmann, T.; Loarte, A.; Omori, T.; Purohit, D. [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St. Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Saibene, G.; Gagliardi, M. [Fusion for Energy, Josep Pla 2, Barcelona 08019 (Spain); Farina, D.; Figini, L. [Istituto di Fisica del Plasma CNR, 20125 Milano (Italy); Hanson, G. [US ITER Project Office, ORNL, 1055 Commerce Park, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Poli, E. [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Takahashi, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan)

2015-02-15

A 24 MW Electron Cyclotron (EC) system operating at 170 GHz and 3600 s pulse length is to be installed on ITER. The EC plant shall deliver 20 MW of this power to the plasma for Heating and Current Drive (H and CD) applications. The EC system is designed for plasma initiation, central heating, current drive, current profile tailoring, and Magneto-hydrodynamic control (in particular, sawteeth and Neo-classical Tearing Mode) in the flat-top phase of the plasma. A preliminary design review was performed in 2012, which identified a need for extended application of the EC system to the plasma ramp-up, flattop, and ramp down phases of ITER plasma pulse. The various functionalities are prioritized based on those applications, which can be uniquely addressed with the EC system in contrast to other H and CD systems. An initial attempt has been developed at prioritizing the allocated H and CD applications for the three scenarios envisioned: ELMy H-mode (15 MA), Hybrid (∼12 MA), and Advanced (∼9 MA) scenarios. This leads to the finalization of the design requirements for the EC sub-systems.

The essential theory of fast wave current drive with full wave method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yan; Gong Xueyu; Yang Lei; Yin Chenyan; Yin Lan

2007-01-01

The full wave numerical method is developed for analyzing fast wave current drive in the range of ion cyclotron waves in tokamak plasmas, taking into account finite larmor radius effects and parallel dispersion. the physical model, the dispersion relation on the assumption of Finite Larmor Radius (FLR) effects and the form of full wave be used for computer simulation are developed. All of the work will contribute to further study of fast wave current drive. (authors)

Tokamak plasma current disruption infrared control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kugel, H.W.; Ulrickson, M.

1987-01-01

This patent describes a device for magnetically confining a plasma driven by a plasma current and contained within a toroidal vacuum chamber, the device having an inner toroidal limiter on an inside wall of the vacuum chamber and an arrangement for the rapid prediction and control in real time of a major plasma disruption. The arrangement is described which includes: scanning means sensitive to infrared radiation emanating from within the vacuum chamber, the infrared radiation indicating the temperature along a vertical profile of the inner toroidal limiter. The scanning means is arranged to observe the infrared radiation and to produce in response thereto an electrical scanning output signal representative of a time scan of temperature along the vertical profile; detection means for analyzing the scanning output signal to detect a first peaked temperature excursion occurring along the profile of the inner toroidal limiter, and to produce a detection output signal in repsonse thereto, the detection output signal indicating a real time prediction of a subsequent major plasma disruption; and plasma current reduction means for reducing the plasma current driving the plasma, in response to the detection output signal and in anticipation of a subsequent major plasma disruption

Simulations of ICRF-fast wave current drive on DIIID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.

1990-06-01

Self-consistent calculations of MHD equilibria, generated by fast wave current drive and including the bootstrap effect, were done to guide and anticipate the results of upcoming experiments on the DIIID tokamak. The simulations predict that 2 MW of ICRF power is more than adequate to create several hundred kiloamperes in steady state; the total current increases with the temperature and density of the target plasma. 12 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab

Radiofrequency Waves, Heating and Current Drive in Magnetically Confined Plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porkolab, M; Bonoli, P T; Temkin, R J [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA (United States); Pinsker, R I; Prater, R [General Atomics, San Diego, California (United States); Wilson, J R [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ (United States)

2012-09-15

The need for supplementary heating of magnetically confined plasmas to fusion relevant temperatures ({approx}20 keV) has been recognized from the beginning of modern fusion plasma research. Although in tokamaks the plasmas are formed initially by ohmic heating (P{Omega}{approx}{eta}{sub R}j, where j is the current density and {eta}{sub R} is the resistivity) its effectiveness deteriorates with increasing temperature since the resistivity decreases as T{sub e}{sup -3/2}, and losses due to bremsstrahlung radiation increase as Z{sub eff}{sup 3} T{sub e}{sup 1/2} (where Z{sub eff} is the effective ion charge), and the plasma current cannot be raised to arbitrarily large values because of MHD stability limits. In addition, energy losses due to thermal conduction P{sub loss} are typically anomalously large compared to neoclassical predictions and the dependence on temperature is not well understood. Thus, the simplest form of steady state power balance indicates that losses due to radiation and heat conduction must be balanced by auxiliary heating of some form, P{sub aux}, which may simply be stated as P{sub {Omega}} + P{sub {alpha}} - P{sub loss} P{sub aux} where P{sub {alpha}} is the power input provided by alpha particles, which does not become significant until the temperature exceeds some tens of keV, depending on confinement and density. (author)

Confinement improvement with rf poloidal current drive in the reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hokin, S.; Sarff, J.; Sovinec, C.; Uchimoto, E.

1994-01-01

External control of the current profile in a reversed-field pinch (RFP), by means such as rf poloidal current drive, may have beneficial effects well beyond the direct reduction of Ohmic input power due to auxiliary heating. Reduction of magnetic turbulence associated with the dynamo, which drives poloidal current in a conventional RFP, may allow operation at lower density and higher electron temperature, for which rf current drive becomes efficient and the RFP operates in a more favorable regime on the nτ vs T diagram. Projected parameters for RFX at 2 MA axe studied as a concrete example. If rf current drive allows RFX to operate with β = 10% (plasma energy/magnetic energy) at low density (3 x 10 19 m -3 ) with classical resistivity (i.e. without dynamo-enhanced power input), 40 ms energy confinement times and 3 keV temperatures will result, matching the performance of tokamaks of similar size

Non-inductive current drive and RF heating in SST-1 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

Steady state superconducting tokamak (SST-1) machine is being developed for 1000 sec operation at different operating parameters. Radio Frequency (RF) and neutral beam injection (NBI) methods are planned in SST-1 for noninductive current drive and heating. In this paper, we describe the non-inductive current drive and RF heating methods that are being developed for this purpose. SST-1 is a large aspect ratio tokamak configured to run double-null divertor plasmas with significant elongation (κ = 1.7-1.9) and triangularity (δ = 0.4-0.7). SST-1 has a major radius of 1.1 in and minor radius of 0.2 m. Circular and shaped plasma experiments would be conducted at 1.5 and 3 T toroidal magnetic field in three different phases with I p = 110 kA and 220 kA. Two main factors have been considered during the development of auxiliary systems, namely, high heat flux (1 MW/m 2 ) incident on the plasma facing antennae components and fast feedback for constant power input due to small energy confinement time (∼ 10 ms). (author)

Electron cyclotron current drive experiments in LHCD plasmas using a remote steering antenna on the TRIAM-1M tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idei, H.; Hanada, K.; Zushi, H.; Ohkubo, K.; Hasegawa, M.; Kubo, S.; Nishi, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Sato, K.N.; Nakamura, K.; Sakamoto, M.; Iyomasa, A.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.; Notake, T.; Shimozuma, T.; Ito, S.; Hoshika, H.; Maezono, N.; Nakashima, K.; Ogawa, M.

2006-01-01

A remote steering antenna was recently developed for electron cyclotron heating and current drive (ECH/ECCD) experiments on the TRIAM-1M tokamak. This is the first application of the remote steering antenna concept for ECH/ECCD experiments, which have conditions relevant to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Fundamental ECH and ECCD experiments were conducted in the ITER frequency from the low field using this antenna system. In addition to the angles near 0 0 , the launcher was a symmetric direction antenna with an extended steering-angle capability of ±(8 0 -19 0 ). The output beam from the antenna was a well-defined Gaussian with a proper steering angle. The Gaussian content and the steering-angle accuracy were 0.85 and -0.5 0 , respectively. The high power tests measured the antenna transmission efficiency at 0.90-0.94. The efficiencies obtained in the low and high power tests were consistent with the calculations using higher-order modes. In order to excite the pure O/X-modes in the oblique injection, two polarizers were used to control the elliptical polarization of the incident beam for the ECCD experiments. The fundamental O/X-mode ECH/ECCD was applied to lower hyrid current drive plasmas at the optimized incident polarization. In the X-mode experiment, at medium density (∼1 x 10 19 m -3 ), clear differences in the plasma current and the hard x-ray intensity were observed between the co- and counter-steering injections due to the ECCD effect on the coupling of forward fast electrons

Spectral Effects on Fast Wave Core Heating and Current Drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, C.K.; Bell, R.E.; Berry, L.A.; Bonoli, P.T.; Harvey, R.W.; Hosea, J.C.; Jaeger, E.F.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Ryan, P.M.; Taylor, G.; Valeo, E.J.; Wilson, J.R.; Wright, J.C.; Yuh, H. and the NSTX Team

2009-01-01

Recent results obtained with high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating and current drive (CD) on NSTX strongly support the hypothesis that the onset of perpendicular fast wave propagation right at or very near the launcher is a primary cause for a reduction in core heating efficiency at long wavelengths that is also observed in ICRF heating experiments in numerous tokamaks. A dramatic increase in core heating efficiency was first achieved in NSTX L-mode helium majority plasmas when the onset for perpendicular wave propagation was moved away from the antenna and nearby vessel structures. Efficient core heating in deuterium majority L mode and H mode discharges, in which the edge density is typically higher than in comparable helium majority plasmas, was then accomplished by reducing the edge density in front of the launcher with lithium conditioning and avoiding operational points prone to instabilities. These results indicate that careful tailoring of the edge density profiles in ITER should be considered to limit rf power losses to the antenna and plasma facing materials. Finally, in plasmas with reduced rf power losses in the edge regions, the first direct measurements of high harmonic fast wave current drive were obtained with the motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostic. The location and radial dependence of HHFW CD measured by MSE are in reasonable agreement with predictions from both full wave and ray tracing simulations

Current-drive by lower hybrid waves in the presence of energetic alpha-particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisch, N.J.; Rax, J.M.

1991-10-01

Many experiments have now proved the effectiveness of lower hybrid waves for driving toroidal current in tokamaks. The use of these waves, however, to provide all the current in a reactor is thought to be uncertain because the waves may not penetrate the center of the more energetic reactor plasma, and, if they did, the wave power may be absorbed by alpha particles rather than by electrons. This paper explores the conditions under which lower-hybrid waves might actually drive all the current. 26 refs.

A relativistic model of electron cyclotron current drive efficiency in tokamak plasmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin-Liu Y.R.

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A fully relativistic model of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD efficiency based on the adjoint function techniques is considered. Numerical calculations of the current drive efficiency in a tokamak by using the variational approach are performed. A fully relativistic extension of the variational principle with the modified basis functions for the Spitzer function with momentum conservation in the electron-electron collision is described in general tokamak geometry. The model developed has generalized that of Marushchenko’s (N.B . Marushchenko, et al. Fusion Sci. & Tech., 2009, which is extended for arbitrary temperatures and covers exactly the asymptotic for u ≫ 1 when Z → ∞, and suitable for ray-tracing calculations.

RF current drive in a toroidal plasna in the banana regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belikov, V.S.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Plotnik, I.S.

1982-01-01

The use of travelling waves for the steady-state current drive in an axisymmetric toroidal plasma in the banana regime is studied. The treatment is based on a quasi-linear equation for the electron distribution function averaged over the period of the particle motion along the small azimuth of the torus. It is show that the trapped electrons do not absorb the energy of the monochromatic (over frequency) RF field and thus only the circulating electrons contribute to the driving current and to the absorbed RF power. The current and the absorbed power are calculated by using the electron distribution function obtained for the case of narrow wave packet, both the toroidal magnetic field and the distortion of the electron distribution over transverse velocities being taken into consideration. The significant role of the barely carculating electrons is revealed. It is pointed out that the toroidal satellite resonances can affect the RF current drive by spreading and splitting the region of the wave-marticle interaction

Beat wave current drive experiment on the Davis Diverted Tokamak (DDT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, D.Q.; Horton, R.D.; Rogers, J.H.

1993-01-01

The beatwave current drive experiment is summarized. The first phase of the experiment was the construction of the microwave sources and the diagnostics needed to demonstrate the beat wave effects, i.e. the measurement of the electrostatic plasma wave produced by the beating of two high intensity electromagnetic waves. In order to keep the cost of the experiments to a minimum, a low density filament plasma source (10 8 ) to (10 10 particles cm -3 ) was employed and the magnetic field in the toroidal plasma was produced by a dc power supply

RF power diagnostics and control on the DIII-D, 4 MW 30--120 MHz fast wave current drive system (FWCD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, S.W.; Allen, J.C.; Callis, R.W.; Cary, W.P.; Harris, T.E.

1995-10-01

The Fast Wave Current Drive System uses three 2 MW transmitters to drive three antennas inside the DIII-D vacuum vessel. This paper describes the diagnostics for this system. The diagnostics associated with the General Atomics Fast Wave Current Drive System allow the system tuning to be analyzed and modified on a between shot basis. The transmitters can be exactly tuned to match the plasma with only one tuning shot into the plasma. This facilitates maximum rf power utilization

Technology of fast-wave current drive antennas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, D.J.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Haste, G.R.; Ryan, P.M.; Taylor, D.J.; Swain, D.W.; Mayberry, M.J.; Yugo, J.J.

1989-01-01

The design of fast-wave current drive (FWCD) antennas combines the usual antenna considerations (e.g., the plasma/antenna interface, disruptions, high currents and voltages, and thermal loads) with new requirements for spectral shaping and phase control. The internal configuration of the antenna array has a profound effect on the spectrum and the ability to control phasing. This paper elaborates on these considerations, as epitomized by a proof-of-principle (POP) experiment designed for the DIII-D tokamak. The extension of FWCD for machines such as the International Thermonuclear Engineering Reactor (ITER) will require combining ideas implemented in the POP experiment with reactor-relevant antenna concepts, such as the folded waveguide. 6 refs., 8 figs

Fast wave current drive on ITER in the presence of energetic alphas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mau, T.K.

1989-01-01

The impact of energetic alpha particle wave absorption on the range of frequencies for efficient fast wave current drive in an ITER-like fusion reactor core is investigated. The energetic alpha damping decrement is calculated, using an exact slowing down distribution function, and compared to electron and fuel ion damping over a wide range of frequencies. A combination of strong alpha damping and edge electron absorption in the higher ion harmonic regime limits efficient core fast wave current drive to the lower harmonics (1=2.3). However, high frequency fast waves may be employed to generate current in the outer plasma region. 11 refs., 7 figs

An investigation of r.f. travelling wave current drive using the model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertram, W.K.

1988-01-01

Previous experimental investigations in the use of travelling r.f. waves to drive steady toroidal currents in a toroidal plasma have shown that I t , the amount of current driven, is strongly dependent on the ratio of the static toroidal magnetic field B z , to the strength of the r.f. magnetic field B ω . This dependence is characterised by an initial increase and subsequent decrease of I t when B t /B ω increases. It is shown that this observed behaviour is entirely consistent with the behaviour predicted by the current drive model. Results from numerical computations using the model show good quantitative agreement with the published experimental results

Electron cyclotron current drive experiments on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.A.; Giruzzi, G.; Gentile, B. de; Rodriguez, L.; Fyaretdinov, A.; Gorelov, Yu.; Trukhin, V.; Harvey, R.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Matsuda, K.; Politzer, P.; Prater, R.; Snider, R.; Janz, S.

1990-05-01

Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD) experiments on the DIII-D tokamak have been performed using 60 GHz waves launched from the high field side of the torus. Preliminary analysis indicates rf driven currents between 50 and 100 kA in discharges with total plasma currents between 200 and 500 kA. These are the first ECCD experiments with strong first pass absorption, localized deposition of the rf power, and τ E much longer than the slowing-down time of the rf generated current carriers. The experimentally measured profiles for T e , η e and Z eff are used as input for a 1D transport code and a multiply-ray, 3D ray tracing code. Comparisons with theory and assessment of the influence of the residual electric field, using a Fokker-Planck code, are in progress. The ECH power levels were between 1 and 1.5 MW with pulse lengths of about 500 msec. ECCD experiments worldwide are motivated by issues relating to the physics and technical advantages of the use of high frequency rf waves to drive localized currents. ECCD is accomplished by preferentially heating electrons moving in one toroidal direction, reducing their collisionality and thereby producing a non-inductively driven toroidal current. 6 refs., 4 figs

Electron cyclotron current drive experiments on DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R.A. (Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)); Giruzzi, G.; Gentile, B. de; Rodriguez, L. (Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-les-Durance (France)); Fyaretdinov, A.; Gorelov, Yu.; Trukhin, V. (Kurchatov Inst. of Atomic Energy, Moscow (USSR)); Harvey, R.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Matsuda, K.; Politzer, P.; Prater, R.; Snider, R. (General Atomics, San Di

1990-05-01

Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD) experiments on the DIII-D tokamak have been performed using 60 GHz waves launched from the high field side of the torus. Preliminary analysis indicates rf driven currents between 50 and 100 kA in discharges with total plasma currents between 200 and 500 kA. These are the first ECCD experiments with strong first pass absorption, localized deposition of the rf power, and {tau}{sub E} much longer than the slowing-down time of the rf generated current carriers. The experimentally measured profiles for T{sub e}, {eta}{sub e} and Z{sub eff} are used as input for a 1D transport code and a multiply-ray, 3D ray tracing code. Comparisons with theory and assessment of the influence of the residual electric field, using a Fokker-Planck code, are in progress. The ECH power levels were between 1 and 1.5 MW with pulse lengths of about 500 msec. ECCD experiments worldwide are motivated by issues relating to the physics and technical advantages of the use of high frequency rf waves to drive localized currents. ECCD is accomplished by preferentially heating electrons moving in one toroidal direction, reducing their collisionality and thereby producing a non-inductively driven toroidal current. 6 refs., 4 figs.

Potentiality of fast wave current drive in non-maxwellian plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.; O'Brien, M.R.; Cox, M.; Start, D.F.H.

1987-06-01

After a short analysis of the available experimental data on pure fast wave electron current drive we propose a theoretical scaling law for the wave absorption through combined electron Landau damping and transit time magnetic pumping. We then present the result of a fully relativistic calculation which we apply to a bi-Maxwellian electron distribution function and conclude on the requirements to be fulfilled by the energetic tail for obtaining significant damping in Tore-Supra

Modulated Current Drive Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Lohr, J.; Luce, T.C.; Prater, R.; Cox, W.A.; Forest, C.B.; Jayakumar, R.J.; Makowski, M.A.

2005-01-01

A new measurement approach is presented which directly determines the noninductive current profile from the periodic response of the motional Stark effect (MSE) signals to the slow modulation of the external current drive source. A Fourier transform of the poloidal magnetic flux diffusion equation is used to analyze the MSE data. An example of this measurement technique is shown using modulated electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) discharges from the DIII-D tokamak

Fivefold confinement time increase in the Madison Symmetric Torus using inductive poloidal current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoneking, M.R.; Lanier, N.E.; Prager, S.C.; Sarff, J.S.; Sinitsyn, D.

1997-01-01

Current profile control is employed in the Madison Symmetric Torus [R. N. Dexter et al., Fusion Technol. 19, 131 (1991)] reversed field pinch to reduce the magnetic fluctuations responsible for anomalous transport. An inductive poloidal electric-field pulse is applied in the sense to flatten the parallel current profile, reducing the dynamo fluctuation amplitude required to sustain the equilibrium. This technique demonstrates a substantial reduction in fluctuation amplitude (as much as 50%), and improvement in energy confinement (from 1 to 5 ms); a record low fluctuation (0.8%) and record high temperature (615 eV) for this device were observed simultaneously during current drive experiments. Plasma beta increases by 50% and the Ohmic input power is three times lower. Particle confinement improves and plasma impurity contamination is reduced. The results of the transient current drive experiments provide motivation for continuing development of steady-state current profile control strategies for the reversed field pinch. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Stable operating regimes in NET with respect to Alfven wave instabilities during neutral beam current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1989-01-01

Supra-thermal ions can contribute to the steady-state current in future large tokamak machines like NET or ITER. The fast-ion population is generated by collisional slowing-down of high-energy ions which were injected as neutral atoms in quasi-tangential direction and ionized by plasma interactions. Depending on the initial beam shape these fast ions can excite microinstabilities of the Alfven-wave type which are driven by the gradients in velocity-space. The ensuring plasma turbulence is expected to slow down the fast ions very quickly. This effect reduces the current drive efficiency which otherwise is comparable to that of other current drive schemes like lower hybrid waves where the toroidal current is carried by high-energy resonant electrons. (author) 3 refs., 1 fig

Lower hybrid wave current ramp-up and plasma equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong Xueyu

1996-01-01

Questions on lower hybrid driven current and plasma equilibrium are studied. With the induced electric field taken into account, a system of self-consistent equations is obtained. This theory has been applied to some moments of the current ramp-up phase for the Tokamak Engineering Test Breeder (TETB) to study the lower hybrid current drive and MHD equilibrium. So, better electron current and safety factor profiles are obtained

Numerical calculation of high frequency fast wave current drive in a reactor grade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushigusa, Kenkichi; Hamamatsu, Kiyotaka

1988-02-01

A fast wave current drive with a high frequency is estimated for a reactor grade tokamak by the ray tracing and the quasi-linear Fokker-Planck calculations with an assumption of single path absorption. The fast wave can drive RF current with the drive efficiency of η CD = n-bar e (10 19 m -3 )I RC (A)R(m)/P RF (W) ∼ 3.0 when the wave frequency is selected to be f/f ci > 7. A sharp wave spectrum and a ph|| >/υ Te ∼ 3.0 are required to obtain a good efficiency. A center peaked RF current profile can be formed with an appropriate wave spectrum even in the high temperature plasma. (author)

Profile formation and sustainment of autonomous tokamak plasma with current hole configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, N.; Takizuka, T.; Ozeki, T.

2005-01-01

We have investigated the profile formation and sustainment of tokamak plasmas with the current hole (CH) configuration by using 1.5D time-dependent transport simulations. A model of the current limit inside the CH on the basis of the Axisymmetric Tri-Magnetic-Islands equilibrium is introduced into the transport simulation. We found that a transport model with the sharp reduction of anomalous transport in the reversed-shear (RS) region can reproduce the time evolution of profiles observed in JT-60U experiments. The transport becomes neoclassical-level in the RS region, which results in the formation of profiles with internal transport barrier (ITB) and CH. The CH plasma has an autonomous property because of the strong interaction between a pressure profile and a current profile through the large bootstrap current fraction. The ITB width determined by the neoclassical-level transport agrees well with that measured in JT-60U. The energy confinement inside the ITB agrees with the scaling based on the JT-60U data. The scaling means the autonomous limitation of energy confinement in the CH plasma. The plasma with the large CH is sustained with the full current drive by the bootstrap current. The plasma with the small CH and the small bootstrap current fraction shrinks due to the penetration of inductive current. This shrink is prevented and the CH size can be controlled by the appropriate external current drive (CD). The CH plasma is found to respond autonomically to the external CD. (author)

X-ray measurements during plasma current start-up experiments using the lower hybrid wave on the TST-2 spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakatsuki, Takuma; Ejiri, Akira; Kakuda, Hidetoshi

2012-01-01

Non-inductive plasma current start-up experiments using RF power in the lower hybrid frequency range is being conducted on the TST-2 spherical tokamak. Plasma currents of up to 15 kA have been achieved. The effect of direct current drive can be seen by comparing the cases with co-drive and counter-drive. X-rays in various energy ranges were measured to investigate the interaction between the wave and the electrons. Soft X-ray (SX) measurements revealed that the perpendicular SX emission increased significantly as the plasma current increased, and that the tangential SX emission in the direction of RF drive was enhanced more strongly in the co-drive case compared to the counter-drive case. These observations imply that the fast electrons accelerated by the lower hybrid wave contribute to the plasma current. However, RF amplitude modulation experiments showed that the confinement time of these fast electrons are very short (less than 0.05 ms), much shorter than the collisional slowing down time. Hard X-ray spectral measurements showed that the radiation temperature of fast electrons in the co-direction for current drive was higher than that in the counter-direction. These observations are consistent with the existence of RF-driven fast electrons. (author)

Synergy in RF Current Drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumont, R.J.; Giruzzi, G.

2005-01-01

Auxiliary methods for efficient non-inductive current drive in tokamaks generally involve the interaction of externally driven waves with superthermal electrons. Among the possible schemes, Lower Hybrid (LH) and Electron Cyclotron (EC) current drive have been so far the most successful. An interesting aspect of their combined use is the fact that since they involve possibly overlapping domains in velocity and configuration spaces, a synergy between them is expected for appropriate parameters. The signature of this effect, significant improvement of the EC current drive efficiency, results from a favorable interplay of the quasilinear diffusions induced by both waves. Recently, improvements of the EC current drive efficiency in the range of 2-4 have been measured in fully non-inductive discharges in the Tore Supra tokamak, providing the first clear evidence of this effect in steady-state conditions. We present here the experimental aspects of these discharges. The associated kinetic modeling and current state of understanding of the LH-EC synergy phenomenon are also discussed. (authors)

Synergy in RF Current Drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumont, R.J.; Giruzzi, G.

2005-01-01

Auxiliary methods for efficient non-inductive current drive in tokamaks generally involve the interaction of externally driven waves with superthermal electrons. Among the possible schemes, Lower Hybrid (LH) and Electron Cyclotron (EC) current drive have been so far the most successful. An interesting aspect of their combined use is the fact that since they involve possibly overlapping domains in velocity and configuration spaces, a synergy between them is expected for appropriate parameters. The signature of this effect, significant improvement of the EC current drive efficiency, results from a favorable interplay of the quasilinear diffusions induced by both waves. Recently, improvements of the EC current drive efficiency in the range of 2-4 have been measured in fully non-inductive discharges in the Tore Supra tokamak, providing the first clear evidence of this effect in steady-state conditions. We present here the experimental aspects of these discharges. The associated kinetic modeling and current state of understanding of the LH-EC synergy phenomenon are also discussed

Lower hybrid current drive in the presence of electric field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saveliev Alexander

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A new one-dimensional approach to the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD modelling in the presence of an inductive electric field is suggested in this paper. The approach is based on using time-dependent solutions of a well-known Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution function of fast electrons calculated concurrently with solving plasma transport equation in the Automated System for TRansport Analysis (ASTRA [1]. A good agreement between experimental and modelling results is demonstrated for an FT-2 [2] plasma shot. Also new formulae for the steady-state solution of this kinetic equation are found.

Lower hybrid current drive in the presence of electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Saveliev, Alexander; Zakharov, Vladimir

2017-10-01

A new one-dimensional approach to the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) modelling in the presence of an inductive electric field is suggested in this paper. The approach is based on using time-dependent solutions of a well-known Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution function of fast electrons calculated concurrently with solving plasma transport equation in the Automated System for TRansport Analysis (ASTRA) [1]. A good agreement between experimental and modelling results is demonstrated for an FT-2 [2] plasma shot. Also new formulae for the steady-state solution of this kinetic equation are found.

Experimental studies of coaxial plasma gun current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, D.W.

1988-01-01

In this investigation of a coaxial plasma gun, plasma sheath currents and related behavior are examined. Plasma behavior in the gun affects gun characteristics. Plasma gun applications are determined by the plasma behavior. The AFWL PUFF capacitor bank (72 μF, 29 nH, 120 kV) drives the plasma gun using a deuterium fill gas. The gas breakdown site is isolated from the dielectric/vacuum interface in the AFWL system. Two gas values deliver gas in the system. The first delivers gas from the gun breech and the second optional valve delivers gas to the gun muzzle. Currents and voltages are measured by Rogowski coils, B probes and capacitive voltage probes. A O-D slug model is used to predict the current, inductance, gun voltage and plasma sheath velocity. The slug model assumes the sheath transits the gun with all mass in the sheath. In the snowplow mode, the plasma sheath is thin with a sharp current rise and drop. Our system operated in a transition mode between the snowplow and deflagration modes with early snowplow behavior and late deflagration behavior. Neutrons are produced in a plasma pinch at the gun muzzle, indicating snowplow behavior. The slug theory models overall gun behavior to experimental accuracy. Experimental results are compared to four theories for plasma sheath velocities: the Alfven collisionally limited model, the Rosenbluth model, the Fishbine saturated model and a single particle drift model. Experimental velocities vary from 10 5 to 10 6 m/s. Only the single particle drift and the slug model calculations are of the right magnitude (8 x 10 5 m/s). The Fishbine and the Rosenbluth models predict slower velocities (2 x 10 5 m/s). The Alfven model is not applicable to this system

A current drive by using the fast wave in frequency range higher than two timeslower hybrid resonance frequency on tokamaks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Sun Ho

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An efficient current drive scheme in central or off-axis region is required for the steady state operation of tokamak fusion reactors. The current drive by using the fast wave in frequency range higher than two times lower hybrid resonance (w>2wlh could be such a scheme in high density, high temperature reactor-grade tokamak plasmas. First, it has relatively higher parallel electric field to the magnetic field favorable to the current generation, compared to fast waves in other frequency range. Second, it can deeply penetrate into high density plasmas compared to the slow wave in the same frequency range. Third, parasitic coupling to the slow wave can contribute also to the current drive avoiding parametric instability, thermal mode conversion and ion heating occured in the frequency range w<2wlh. In this study, the propagation boundary, accessibility, and the energy flow of the fast wave are given via cold dispersion relation and group velocity. The power absorption and current drive efficiency are discussed qualitatively through the hot dispersion relation and the polarization. Finally, those characteristics are confirmed with ray tracing code GENRAY for the KSTAR plasmas.

Fokker-Planck modeling of current penetration during electron cyclotron current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merkulov, A.; Westerhof, E.; Schueller, F. C.

2007-01-01

The current penetration during electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) on the resistive time scale is studied with a Fokker-Planck simulation, which includes a model for the magnetic diffusion that determines the parallel electric field evolution. The existence of the synergy between the inductive electric field and EC driven current complicates the process of the current penetration and invalidates the standard method of calculation in which Ohm's law is simply approximated by j-j cd =σE. Here it is proposed to obtain at every time step a self-consistent approximation to the plasma resistivity from the Fokker-Planck code, which is then used in a concurrent calculation of the magnetic diffusion equation in order to obtain the inductive electric field at the next time step. A series of Fokker-Planck calculations including a self-consistent evolution of the inductive electric field has been performed. Both the ECCD power and the electron density have been varied, thus varying the well known nonlinearity parameter for ECCD P rf [MW/m -3 ]/n e 2 [10 19 m -3 ] [R. W. Harvey et al., Phys. Rev. Lett 62, 426 (1989)]. This parameter turns out also to be a good predictor of the synergetic effects. The results are then compared with the standard method of calculations of the current penetration using a transport code. At low values of the Harvey parameter, the standard method is in quantitative agreement with Fokker-Planck calculations. However, at high values of the Harvey parameter, synergy between ECCD and E parallel is found. In the case of cocurrent drive, this synergy leads to the generation of large amounts of nonthermal electrons and a concomitant increase of the electrical conductivity and current penetration time. In the case of countercurrent drive, the ECCD efficiency is suppressed by the synergy with E parallel while only a small amount of nonthermal electrons is produced

Electron Energy Confinement for HHFW Heating and Current Drive Phasing on NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosea, J.C.; Bernabei, S.; Biewer, T.; LeBlanc, B.; Phillips, C.K.; Wilson, J.R.; Stutman, D.; Ryan, P.; Swain, D.W.

2005-01-01

Thomson scattering laser pulses are synchronized relative to modulated HHFW power to permit evaluation of the electron energy confinement time during and following HHFW pulses for both heating and current drive antenna phasing. Profile changes resulting from instabilities require that the total electron stored energy, evaluated by integrating the midplane electron pressure P(sub)e(R) over the magnetic surfaces prescribed by EFIT analysis, be used to derive the electron energy confinement time. Core confinement is reduced during a sawtooth instability but, although the electron energy is distributed outward by the sawtooth, the bulk electron energy confinement time is essentially unaffected. The radial deposition of energy into the electrons is noticeably more peaked for current drive phasing (longer wavelength excitation) relative to that for heating phasing (shorter wavelength excitation) as is expected theoretically. However, the power delivered to the core plasma is reduced consider ably for the current drive phasing, indicating that surface/peripheral damping processes play a more important role for this case

Exploration of one-dimensional plasma current density profile for K-DEMO steady-state operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, J.S. [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, L. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Byun, C.-S.; Na, D.H.; Na, Y.-S. [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Y.S., E-mail: yhwang@snu.ac.kr [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • One-dimensional current density and its optimization for the K-DEMO are explored. • Plasma current density profile is calculated with an integrated simulation code. • The impact of self and external heating profiles is considered self-consistently. • Current density is identified as a reference profile by minimizing heating power. - Abstract: Concept study for Korean demonstration fusion reactor (K-DEMO) is in progress, and basic design parameters are proposed by targeting high magnetic field operation with ITER-sized machine. High magnetic field operation is a favorable approach to enlarge relative plasma performance without increasing normalized beta or plasma current. Exploration of one-dimensional current density profile and its optimization process for the K-DEMO steady-state operation are reported in this paper. Numerical analysis is conducted with an integrated plasma simulation code package incorporating a transport code with equilibrium and current drive modules. Operation regimes are addressed with zero-dimensional system analysis. One-dimensional plasma current density profile is calculated based on equilibrium, bootstrap current analysis, and thermal transport analysis. The impact of self and external heating profiles on those parameters is considered self-consistently, where thermal power balance and 100% non-inductive current drive are the main constraints during the whole exploration procedure. Current and pressure profiles are identified as a reference steady-state profile by minimizing the external heating power with desired fusion power.

On the merits of heating and current drive for tearing mode stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Lazzari, D.; Westerhof, E.

2009-01-01

Neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) are magnetohydrodynamic modes that can limit the performance of high β discharges in a tokamak, leading eventually to a plasma disruption. A NTM is sustained by the perturbation of the 'bootstrap' current, which is a consequence of the pressure flattening across a magnetic island. Control and suppression of this mode can be achieved by means of electron cyclotron waves (ECWs) which allow the deposition of highly localized power at the island location. The ECW power replenishes the missing bootstrap current by generating a current perturbation either inductively, through a temperature perturbation (electron cyclotron resonance heating), or non-inductively by direct current drive (electron cyclotron current drive). Although both methods have been applied successfully to experiments showing a predominance of ECRH for medium-sized limiter tokamaks (TEXTOR, T-10) and of ECCD for mid-to-large-sized divertor tokamaks (AUG, DIII-D, JT-60), conditions determining their relative importance are still unclear. We address this problem with a numerical study focused on the contributions of heating and current drive to the temporal evolution of NTMs as described by the modified Rutherford equation. For the effects of both heating as well as current drive, simple analytical expressions have been found in terms of an efficiency fore-factor times a 'geometrical' term depending on the power deposition width w dep , location and modulation. When the magnetic island width w equals the width of the deposition profile, w ∼ w dep , both geometric terms are practically identical. Whereas for current drive the geometric term approaches a constant for small island widths and is inversely proportional to (w/w dep ) 2 for large island widths, the heating term approaches a constant for large island widths and is proportional to (w/w dep ) for small island widths. For medium-sized tokamaks (TEXTOR, AUG) the heating and current drive efficiencies are of the

Research activities and plan of electron cyclotron wave startup and Alfven wave current drive at SUNIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhe; He Yexi; Tan Yi

2009-01-01

Using electromagnetic waves to startup and sustain plasma current takes a important role in the research program of the SUNIST spherical tokamak. Electron cyclotron ware (ECW) current startup have been investigated and revealed two totally different regimes. In the regime of very low working pressure, a plasma current of about 2 kA is obtained with a steadily applied vertical field of 12 Gauss and 40 kW/2.45 GHz microwave injection. In addition, the physics of the transient process during ECW startup in the relatively high working pressure regime is analyzed. The hardware preparation for the experimental research of Alfven wave current drive is being performed. The Alfven wave antenna system consists of four models in toroidal direction and two antenna straps in poloidal direction for each module and the rf generator has been designed as a four-phase oscillator (4x100 kW, 0.5 - 1 Mhz).The impedance spectrum of the antenna system is roughly evaluated by 1-D cylindrical magneto-hydrodynamic calculation. To investigate the wave-plasma interaction in ECW startup and Alfven wave current drive, upgrade of the device, especially in equilibrium control and diagnostics, is ongoing. (author)

Plasma simulation by macroscale, electromagnetic particle code and its application to current-drive by relativistic electron beam injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, M.; Sato, T.

1985-01-01

A new implicit macroscale electromagnetic particle simulation code (MARC) which allows a large scale length and a time step in multi-dimensions is described. Finite mass electrons and ions are used with relativistic version of the equation of motion. The electromagnetic fields are solved by using a complete set of Maxwell equations. For time integration of the field equations, a decentered (backward) finite differencing scheme is employed with the predictor - corrector method for small noise and super-stability. It is shown both in analytical and numerical ways that the present scheme efficiently suppresses high frequency electrostatic and electromagnetic waves in a plasma, and that it accurately reproduces low frequency waves such as ion acoustic waves, Alfven waves and fast magnetosonic waves. The present numerical scheme has currently been coded in three dimensions for application to a new tokamak current-drive method by means of relativistic electron beam injection. Some remarks of the proper macroscale code application is presented in this paper

ICRF heating and current drive experiments on TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, J.H.; Hosea, J.C.; Phillips, C.K.

1996-01-01

Recent experiments in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) at TFTR have focused on the RF physics relevant to advanced tokamak D-T reactors. Experiments performed either tested confinement in reactor relevant plasmas or tested specific ICRF heating scenarios under consideration for reactors. H-minority heating was used to supply identical heating sources for matched D-T and D only L-mode plasmas to determine the species scaling for energy confinement. Second harmonic tritium heating was performed with only thermal tritium ions in an L-mode target plasma, verifying a possible start-up scenario for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Direct electron heating in Enhanced Reverse Shear (ERS) plasmas has been found to delay the back transition out of the ERS state. D-T mode conversion of the fast magnetosonic wave to an Ion Berstein Wave (IBW) for off-axis heating and current drive has been successfully demonstrated for the first time. Parasitic Li 7 cyclotron damping limited the fraction of the power going to the electrons to less than 30%. Similar parasitic damping by Be 9 could be problematic in ITER. Doppler shifted fundamental resonance heating of beam ions and alpha particles has also been observed

RF heating and current drive on NSTX with high harmonic fast waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, P.M.; Swain, D.W.; Rosenberg, A.L.

2003-01-01

NSTX is a small aspect ratio tokamak (R = 0.85 m, a = 0.65 m). The High Harmonic Fast Wave (HHFW) system is a 30 MHz, 12-element array capable of launching both symmetric and directional wave spectra for plasma heating and non-inductive current drive. It has delivered up to 6 MW for short pulses and has routinely operated at ∼3 MW for 100-400 ms pulses. Results include strong, centrally-peaked electron heating in both D and He plasmas for both high and low phase velocity spectra. H-modes were obtained with application of HHFW power alone, with stored energy doubling after the L-H transition. Beta poloidal as large as unity has been obtained with significant fractions (0.4) of bootstrap current. Differences in the loop voltage are observed depending on whether the array is phased to drive current in the co- or counter-current directions. A fast ion tail with energies extending up to 140 keV has been observed when HHFW interacts with 80 keV neutral beams; neutron rate and lost ion measurements, as well as modeling, indicate significant power absorption by the fast ions. Radial rf power deposition and driven current profiles have been calculated with ray tracing and kinetic full-wave codes and compared with measurements. (author)

Start-up of plasma current by electron Bernstein wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maekawa, Takashi; Tanaka, Hitoshi; Uehide, Masaki

2009-01-01

Electron cyclotron current drive by electron Bernstein (EB) waves for the start-up and ramp-up of toroidal plasma current with no central solenoid in tokamaks is discussed. It is shown that high N// EB waves have ability to ramp-up the current against the counter voltage from self-induction, where N// is the parallel refractive index to the magnetic field, and they are especially suitable for initial current start-up phase where the bulk electron temperature is low enough to ensure high N// EB waves. (author)

MHD simulations of DC helicity injection for current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sovinec, C.R.; Prager, S.C.

1994-12-01

MHD computations of DC helicity injection in tokamak-like configurations show current drive with no ''loop voltage'' in a resistive, pressureless plasma. The self-consistently generated current profiles are unstable to resistive modes that partially relax the profile through the MHD dynamo mechanism. The current driven by the fluctuations leads to closed contours of average poloidal flux. However, the 1% fluctuation level is large enough to produce a region of stochastic magnetic field. A limited Lundquist number (S) scan from 2.5 x 10 3 to 4 x 10 4 indicates that both the fluctuation level and relaxation increase with S

Review of current drive theory: selected topics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1993-01-01

Two themes in current drive theory in tokamaks are reviewed, both relevant to the progression of tokamak experiments toward the reactor regime. First, the physics of the tail electrons is reviewed. These electrons are capable of carrying enormous rf-driven electric current, and, in the course of current-drive experiments worldwide not only has the current drive effect been demonstrated, but the underlying physical description of these tail electrons has been established. Second, anticipating the presence of the energetic alpha particles that result from D-T reactions in a reactor, certain mechanisms through which these alpha particles can be used to facilitate current-drive are reviewed. (Author)

The production of high poloidal tokamak equilibria in Versator II by means of RF current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luckhardt, S.C.; Chen, K.-I.; Kesner, J.; Kirkwood, R.; Lane, B.; Porkolab, M.; Squire, J.

1989-01-01

Experiments on the Versator II device have been carried out in a regime of low plasma current with the aim of reaching high poloidal beta, β p . Lower-Hybrid RF current drive is used to produce an energetic electron population which carries the plasma current and pressure. In this mode of operation, plasmas with εβ p approaching unity appear attainable. Data from equilibrium magnetic analysis, hard x-ray, and density profiles display an outward magnetic axis shift in agreement with equilibrium theory, and further indicate that q(O) is in the range of 4-6. PEST code modeling of these experiments suggests that some of these plasmas may be near or beyond the transition to the second stability region for ballooning modes. (author)

Observation of instability-induced current redistribution in a spherical-torus plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Menard, J E; Bell, R E; Gates, D A; Kaye, S M; LeBlanc, B P; Levinton, F M; Medley, S S; Sabbagh, S A; Stutman, D; Tritz, K; Yuh, H

2006-09-01

A motional Stark effect diagnostic has been utilized to reconstruct the parallel current density profile in a spherical-torus plasma for the first time. The measured current profile compares favorably with neoclassical theory when no large-scale magnetohydrodynamic instabilities are present in the plasma. However, a current profile anomaly is observed during saturated interchange-type instability activity. This apparent anomaly can be explained by redistribution of neutral beam injection current drive and represents the first observation of interchange-type instabilities causing such redistribution. The associated current profile modifications contribute to sustaining the central safety factor above unity for over five resistive diffusion times, and similar processes may contribute to improved operational scenarios proposed for ITER.

Electron cyclotron heating and current drive: Present experiments to ITER. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvey, R.W.; Nevins, W.M.; Smith, G.R.; Lloyd, B.; O'Brien, M.R.; Warrick, C.D.

1995-08-01

Electron cyclotron (EC) power has technological and physics advantages for heating and current drive in a tokamak reactor, and advances in source development make it credible for applications in ITER. Strong single pass absorption makes heating to ignition particularly simple. The optimized EC current drive (ECCD) efficiency (left-angle n right-angle IR/P) shows a linear temperature scaling at temperatures up to ∼ 15 keV. For temperatures above 30 keV, the efficiency saturates at approximately 0.3·10 20 A/(m 2 W) for a frequency of 220 GHz in an ITER target plasma with toroidal field of 6 T, due primarily to harmonic overlap [G.R. Smith et al., Phys. Fluids 30 3633 (1987)] and to a lesser extent due to limitations arising from relativistic effects [N.J. Fisch, Phys. Rev. A 24 3245 (1981)]. The same efficiency can also be obtained at 170 GHz for the same plasma equilibrium except that the magnetic field is reduced to (170/220) x 6 T = 4.6 T. The ECCD efficiencies are obtained with the comprehensive 3D, bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck CQL3D codes [R.W. Harvey and M.G. McCoy, Proc. IAEA TCM/Advances in Simulation and Modeling in Thermonuclear Plasmas 1992, Montreal], and BANDIT3D [M.R. O'Brien, M. Cox, C.D. Warrick, and F. S. Zaitsev, ibid.

Finite Larmor radius effects on Alfven wave current drive in low-aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1998-01-01

Alfven wave current drive (AWCD) in low-aspect ratio (A≡R/a=1/ε > or approx. 1) tokamaks (LARTs) is studied numerically. For this, the full-wave equation (E parallel ≠0) with a Vlasov-based dielectric tensor is solved by relaxation techniques, subject to appropriate boundary conditions at the plasma centre and at the plasma-vacuum interface, as well as the concentric antenna current sheet and at the external metallic wall. A systematic investigation of the physical characteristics of the AWCD generated in LARTs when kinetic effects are considered is carried out and illustrative results are presented and discussed. (author)

Fast wave current drive in reactor scale tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.

1992-01-01

The IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Fast Wave Current Drive in Reactor Scale Tokamaks, hosted by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee (Centres d'Etudes de Cadarache, under the Euratom-CEA Association for fusion) aimed at discussing the physics and the efficiency of non-inductive current drive by fast waves. Relevance to reactor size tokamaks and comparison between theory and experiment were emphasized. The following topics are described in the summary report: (i) theory and modelling of radiofrequency current drive (theory, full wave modelling, ray tracing and Fokker-Planck calculations, helicity injection and ponderomotive effects, and alternative radio-frequency current drive effects), (ii) present experiments, (iii) reactor applications (reactor scenarios including fast wave current drive; and fast wave current drive antennas); (iv) discussion and summary. 32 refs

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litaudon, X.; Crisanti, F.; Alper, B.

2002-01-01

Quasi-steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high-confinement regime with internal transport barriers (ITBs). The ITB has been maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high-performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high-performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to 1.0 MA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower-hybrid current drive. (author)

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litaudon, X.; Crisanti, F.; Alper, B.

2002-01-01

Quasi steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high confinement regime with Internal Transport Barriers, ITBs. The ITBs' performances are maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to LOMA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower hybrid current drive. (authors)

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Litaudon, X. [Association Euratom-CEA Cadarache, Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Crisanti, F. [Association Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Centro Ricerche Frascati (Italy); Alper, B. [Euratom-UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon (United Kingdom)] [and others

2002-01-01

Quasi steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high confinement regime with Internal Transport Barriers, ITBs. The ITBs' performances are maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to LOMA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower hybrid current drive. (authors)

Theory and experiments on RF plasma heating, current drive and profile control in TORE SUPRA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.

1994-01-01

This paper reviews the main experimental and theoretical achievements related to the study of RF heating and non-inductive current drive and particularly phenomena related to the current density profile control and the potentiality of producing stationary enhanced performance regimes: description of the Lower Hybrid (LH) and Ion Cyclotron Resonant Frequency (ICRF) systems; long pulse coupling performance of the RF systems; observation of the transition to the so-called ''stationary LHEP regime'' in which the (flat) central current density and (peaked) electron temperature profiles are fully decoupled; experiments on ICRF sawtooth stabilization with the combined effect of LHCD modifying the current density profile; diffusion of fast electrons generated by LH waves; ramp-up experiments in which the LH power provided a significant part of the resistive poloidal flux and flux consumption scaling; theory of spectral wave diffusion and multipass absorption; fast wave current drive modelling with the Alcyon full wave code; a reflector LH antenna concept. 18 figs., 48 refs

Measurement of current drive profile using electron cyclotron wave attenuation near the O-mode cutoff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidone, I.; Meyer, R.L.; Caron, X.

1992-01-01

A method for determining the radial profile of the lower-hybrid current drive in tokamaks using electron cyclotron attenuation of the O mode for frequencies ω near the cutoff frequency is discussed. The basic idea is that, for a given wave frequency, the cutoff plays the role of a spatial filter selecting a variable portion of the noninductive current. It is shown that the incremental attenuation resulting from a small increase of ω displays specific features related to the current density near the cutoff point. Using the relation between the wave damping and the current density, it is possible to determine the radial profile of the current drive from the wave attenuation measurements. A numerical application is also presented for plasma parameters in the reactor regime

Resistivity effects in non-inductive RF current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves: the case of conventional and small aspect ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

Supplementary non-inductive current drive and heating are necessary to bring Tokamak plasmas into the ignition regime. The resonant excitation of shear Alfven waves (SAW) - in the continuum range (CR) or/and in the discrete global Alfven eigenmode spectrum (GAE's) - represents one potential, suitable method for this purpose. Within the framework of ideal MHD, the current drive (CD) via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas has been considered by Cuperman et al (1996) and Komoshvili et al. (1996). This work is concerned with the investigation of the non-ideal resistive MHD effects on both the excitation of SAW's (CR's and GAE's) and the generation of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas. The research covers Tokamak aspect ratios ranging between large value cases (R/a = 10) and the very tight value case (R/ a = 1.2). (authors)

Plasma conditions for non-Maxwellian electron distributions in high current discharges and laser-produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitney, K.G.; Pulsifer, P.E.

1993-01-01

Results from the standard quasilinear theory of ion-acoustic and Langmuir plasma microturbulence are incorporated into the kinetic theory of the electron distribution function. The theory is then applied to high current discharges and laser-produced plasmas, where either the current flow or the nonlinear laser-light absorption acts, respectively, as the energy source for the microturbulence. More specifically, the theory is applied to a selenium plasma, whose charge state is determined under conditions of collisional-radiative equilibrium, and plasma conditions are found under which microturbulence strongly influences the electron kinetics. In selenium, we show that this influence extends over a wide range of plasma conditions. For ion-acoustic turbulence, a criterion is derived, analogous to one previously obtained for laser heated plasmas, that predicts when Ohmic heating dominates over electron-electron collisions. This dominance leads to the generation of electron distributions with reduced high-energy tails relative to a Maxwellian distribution of the same temperature. Ion-acoustic turbulence lowers the current requirements needed to generate these distributions. When the laser heating criterion is rederived with ion-acoustic turbulence included in the theory, a similar reduction in the laser intensity needed to produce non-Maxwellian distributions is found. Thus we show that ion-acoustic turbulence uniformly (i.e., by the same numerical factor) reduces the electrical and heat conductivities, as well as the current (squared) and laser intensity levels needed to drive the plasma into non-Maxwellian states

Generation of runaway electrons during deterioration of lower hybrid power coupling in lower hybrid current drive plasmas in the HT-7 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z Y; Ju, H J; Zhu, J X; Li, M; Cai, W D; Liang, H F; Wan, B N; Shi, Y J; Xu, H D

2009-01-01

Efficient coupling of lower hybrid (LH) power from the wave launcher to the plasma is a very important issue in lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments. The large unbalanced reflections in the grill trigger the LH protection system, which will trip the power, resulting in the reduction of the coupled LH power. The generation of runaway electrons has been investigated in LHCD plasmas with deterioration of LH coupling in the HT-7 tokamak. The deterioration of LH coupling results in an increase of the loop voltage and a more energetic fast electron population. These two effects favor the generation of a runaway population. It is found that most of the fast electrons generated by LH waves through parallel electron Landau damping were converted into a runaway population through the acceleration from the toroidal electric field when significant deterioration of LH coupling occurs.

Simulation of enhanced tokamak performance on DIII-D using fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grassie, J.S. de; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Chan, V.S.; Prater, R.; John, H. St.; Baity, F.W.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffman, D.H.

1993-01-01

The fast magnetosonic wave is now recognized to be a leading candidate for noninductive current drive for the tokamak reactor due to the ability of the wave to penetrate to the hot dense core region. Fast wave current drive (FWCD) experiments on DIII-D have realized up to 120 kA of rf current drive, with up to 40% of the plasma current driven noninductively. The success of these experiments at 60 MHz with a 2 MW transmitter source capability has led to a major upgrade of the FWCD system. Two additional transmitters, 30 to 120 MHz, with a 2 MW source capability each, will be added together with two new four-strap antennas in early 1994. Another major thrust of the DIII-D program is to develop advanced tokamak modes of operation, simultaneously demonstrating improvements in confinement and stability in quasi-steady-state operation. In some of the initial advanced tokamak experiments on DIII-D with neutral beam heated (NBI) discharges it has been demonstrated that energy confinement time can be improved by rapidly elongating the plasma to force the current density profile to be more centrally peaked. However, this high-l i phase of the discharge with the commensurate improvement in confinement is transient as the current density profile relaxes. By applying FWCD to the core of such a κ-ramped discharge it may be possible to sustain the high internal inductance and elevated confinement. Using computational tools validated on the initial DIII-D FWCD experiments we find that such a high-l i advanced tokamak discharge should be capable of sustainment at the 1 MA level with the upgraded capability of the FWCD system. (author) 16 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Investigation of the LH wave energy conversion and current drive efficiency in the HT-7 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z.Y.; Wan, B.N.; Shi, Y.J.; Lin, S.Y.; Hu, L.Q.; Asif, M.

2005-01-01

Lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) plasmas in the presence of DC electric filed have been investigated based on Karney-Fisch theory in the HT-7 tokamak. The relatively small scatter in the experimental data with various values of waveguide phasing and lower hybrid power, when plotted in the Karney-Fisch diagram, confirms that a reasonable theoretical interpretation is possible for the HT-7 data. The full non-inductively current drive efficiencies are obtained by fitting the experimental data to the theoretical curve. The efficiency strongly depends on the lower hybrid wave phase velocity

Simulations of enhanced reversed shear TFTR discharges with lower hybrid current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesner, J.; Bateman, G.

1996-01-01

The BALDUR based BBK code permits predictive simulations of time-dependent tokamak discharges and has the capability to include neutral beam heating, pellet injection, bootstrap currents and lower hybrid current drive. BALDUR contains a theory based multi-regime transport model and previous work has shown excellent agreement with both L-mode and supershot TFTR discharges. These simulations reveal that core transport is dominated by η i and trapped electron modes and the outer region by resistive ballooning. We simulate enhanced reverse shear discharges by beginning with a supershot simulation with a reversed shear profile. Similarly to the TFTR experiments the reversed shear profile is obtained through the programming of the current during startup and the freezing in of these profiles by subsequent heating. At the time of transition into the enhanced confinement regime we turn off the η i and trapped-electron mode transport. We examine the further modification of the plasma current profile that can be obtained with the application of lower hybrid current drive. The results of these simulations will be discussed

Alpha effect of Alfven waves and current drive in reversed field pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Prager, S.C.

1997-10-01

Circularly polarized Alfven waves give rise to an α-dynamo effect that can be exploited to drive parallel current. In a open-quotes laminarclose quotes magnetic the effect is weak and does not give rise to significant currents for realistic parameters (e.g., in tokamaks). However, in reversed field pinches (RFPs) in which magnetic field in the plasma core is stochastic, a significant enhancement of the α-effect occurs. Estimates of this effect show that it may be a realistic method of current generation in the present-day RFP experiments and possibly also in future RFP-based fusion reactors

The jet 10-MW lower hybrid current drive system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gormezano, C.; Bosia, G.; Brinkschulte, H.; David, C.; Dobbing, J.A.; Kaye, A.S.; Jacquinot, J.; Lloyd, B.; Knowlton, S.; Moreau, D.

1987-01-01

A Lower Hybrid system to control the plasma current profile is being prepared so that a higher central electron temperature can be obtained. The proposed system is designed to launch 10 MW of power at f = 3.7 GHz through a single port in JET, producing between 1 and 2 MA of RF driven current at an average density of 5 x 10 19 m -3 . Current drive efficiency is maximized by using a low value of the parallel wave number spectrum (N// - 1.3 - 2.3). The final launcher will be made of 48 multijunctions fed by 24 klystrons with the proper phasing. Dynamic matching of the launcher will be optimized by moving the launcher in real time during the pulse. A first stage (2 MW) is presently under construction. The full system is being designed to be in operation in 1990

Progress in the ITER electron cyclotron heating and current drive system design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omori, Toshimichi, E-mail: toshimichi.omori@iter.org [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Albajar, Ferran; Bonicelli, Tullio; Carannante, Giuseppe; Cavinato, Mario; Cismondi, Fabio [Fusion for Energy, Josep Pla 2, Barcelona 08019 (Spain); Darbos, Caroline [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Denisov, Grigory [Institute of Applied Physics Russian Academy of Sciences, 46 Ulyanov Street, Nizhny Novgorod 603950 (Russian Federation); Farina, Daniela [Istituto di Fisica del Plasma, Association EURATOM-ENEA-CNR, Milano (Italy); Gagliardi, Mario [Fusion for Energy, Josep Pla 2, Barcelona 08019 (Spain); Gandini, Franco; Gassmann, Thibault [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Goodman, Timothy [CRPP, Association EURATOM-Confédération Suisse, EPFL Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Hanson, Gregory [US ITER Project Office, ORNL, 055 Commerce Park, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Henderson, Mark A. [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Kajiwara, Ken [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka-shi, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); McElhaney, Karen [US ITER Project Office, ORNL, 055 Commerce Park, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Nousiainen, Risto [Fusion for Energy, Josep Pla 2, Barcelona 08019 (Spain); Oda, Yasuhisa [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka-shi, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Oustinov, Alexander [Institute of Applied Physics Russian Academy of Sciences, 46 Ulyanov Street, Nizhny Novgorod 603950 (Russian Federation); and others

2015-10-15

Highlights: • EC system is designed with an ability to upgrade in power to 28 MW then 40 MW. • The TL is capable of 3 buildings movements; ±15 mm displacements at the worst. • Improved power deposition access injecting 20 MW across nearly the entire plasma. • Ensured nuclear safety by appropriate definition of confinement boundaries. • Proposed I&C architecture for the overall EC plant was successfully reviewed. - Abstract: An electron cyclotron system is one of the four auxiliary plasma heating systems to be installed on the ITER tokamak. The ITER EC system consists of 24 gyrotrons with associated 12 high voltage power supplies, a set of evacuated transmission lines and two types of launchers. The whole system is designed to inject 20 MW of microwave power at 170 GHz into the plasma. The primary functions of the system include plasma start-up, central heating and current drive, and magneto-hydrodynamic instabilities control. The design takes present day technology and extends towards high power CW operation, which represents a large step forward as compared to the present state of the art. The ITER EC system will be a stepping stone to future EC systems for DEMO and beyond. The EC system is faced with significant challenges, which not only includes an advanced microwave system for plasma heating and current drive applications but also has to comply with stringent requirements associated with nuclear safety as ITER became the first fusion device licensed as basic nuclear installations as of 9 November 2012. Since conceptual design of the EC system established in 2007, the EC system has progressed to a preliminary design stage in 2012, and is now moving forward towards a final design. The majority of the subsystems have completed the detailed design and now advancing towards the final design completion.

Progress in the ITER electron cyclotron heating and current drive system design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omori, Toshimichi; Albajar, Ferran; Bonicelli, Tullio; Carannante, Giuseppe; Cavinato, Mario; Cismondi, Fabio; Darbos, Caroline; Denisov, Grigory; Farina, Daniela; Gagliardi, Mario; Gandini, Franco; Gassmann, Thibault; Goodman, Timothy; Hanson, Gregory; Henderson, Mark A.; Kajiwara, Ken; McElhaney, Karen; Nousiainen, Risto; Oda, Yasuhisa; Oustinov, Alexander

2015-01-01

Highlights: • EC system is designed with an ability to upgrade in power to 28 MW then 40 MW. • The TL is capable of 3 buildings movements; ±15 mm displacements at the worst. • Improved power deposition access injecting 20 MW across nearly the entire plasma. • Ensured nuclear safety by appropriate definition of confinement boundaries. • Proposed I&C architecture for the overall EC plant was successfully reviewed. - Abstract: An electron cyclotron system is one of the four auxiliary plasma heating systems to be installed on the ITER tokamak. The ITER EC system consists of 24 gyrotrons with associated 12 high voltage power supplies, a set of evacuated transmission lines and two types of launchers. The whole system is designed to inject 20 MW of microwave power at 170 GHz into the plasma. The primary functions of the system include plasma start-up, central heating and current drive, and magneto-hydrodynamic instabilities control. The design takes present day technology and extends towards high power CW operation, which represents a large step forward as compared to the present state of the art. The ITER EC system will be a stepping stone to future EC systems for DEMO and beyond. The EC system is faced with significant challenges, which not only includes an advanced microwave system for plasma heating and current drive applications but also has to comply with stringent requirements associated with nuclear safety as ITER became the first fusion device licensed as basic nuclear installations as of 9 November 2012. Since conceptual design of the EC system established in 2007, the EC system has progressed to a preliminary design stage in 2012, and is now moving forward towards a final design. The majority of the subsystems have completed the detailed design and now advancing towards the final design completion.

Requirements for alignment of electron cyclotron current drive for neoclassical tearing mode stabilization in ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Haye, R.J.; Ferron, J.R.; Humphreys, D.A.; Luce, T.C.; Petty, C.C.; Prater, R.; Strait, E.J.; Welander, A.S.

2008-01-01

ITER will rely on electron cyclotron stabilization of neoclassical tearing mode islands. The large size and low torque applied in ITER imply slow plasma rotation and susceptibility to island locking by the resistive wall; locking is likely to lead to a loss of the high confinement H-mode, a beta collapse and possibly disruption. 'Front' steering of the launcher, with narrower electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), has resolved the issue in 'remote' steering of the driven current being too broad and relatively ineffective. However, narrower current drive places demands on alignment of the current drive on the rational surface that is being stabilized. DIII-D alignment techniques with and without (preemptive) an island are reviewed. The results are used to check models for the effect of misalignment and are then applied to ITER. Criteria for accuracy of alignment as a function of injected power and for the necessary time response of the controller are presented

Fast-ion transport and neutral beam current drive in ASDEX upgrade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geiger, B.; Weiland, M.; Jacobsen, Asger Schou

2015-01-01

The neutral beam current drive efficiency has been investigated in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak by replacing on-axis neutral beams with tangential off-axis beams. A clear modification of the radial fast-ion profiles is observed with a fast-ion D-alpha diagnostic that measures centrally peaked profiles...... during on-axis injection and outwards shifted profiles during off-axis injection. Due to this change of the fast-ion population, a clear modification of the plasma current profile is predicted but not observed by a motional Stark effect diagnostic. The fast-ion transport caused by MHD activity has been...

Radial profiles of hard X-ray emission during steady state current drive in the TRIAM-1M tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Y.; Takabatake, Y.; Jotaki, E.; Moriyama, S.; Nagao, A.; Nakamura, K.; Hiraki, N.; Itoh, S.

1990-01-01

The hard X-ray emission from the TRIAM-1M tokamak plasma during steady state lower hybrid current drive with a discharge duration of a few minutes was measured with sodium iodide scintillation spectrometers. The radial profiles of the X-ray emission were also measured and indicate that, in the low density regime (n e =(1-3)x10 12 cm -3 ), the current carrying high energy electrons are mainly in the inner region of the plasma column and their radial profile remains unchanged during current drive. On the other hand, high density discharges (n e =(3-6)x10 12 cm -3 ) are always accompanied by an abrupt drop of the plasma current, and the X-ray emission profile changes from peaked to broad. This change can be attributed to the conditions of wave accessibility. As the electron density increases, the accessibility of the plasma to lower hybrid waves with low values of the parallel wave number n parallel is significantly reduced and high energy electrons resonating with the waves are produced at the plasma periphery. Interaction of these electrons with the limiters causes an increase of the electron density in this region; waves with low n parallel then become completely excluded from the inner part of the plasma column. This interpretation is supported by measurements of the density profile and impurity radiation, and has been confirmed in an investigation of discharges with additional gas puffing. (author). 17 refs, 21 figs

Current challenges in autonomous driving

Science.gov (United States)

Barabás, I.; Todoruţ, A.; Cordoş, N.; Molea, A.

2017-10-01

Nowadays the automotive industry makes a quantum shift to a future, where the driver will have smaller and smaller role in driving his or her vehicle ending up being totally excluded. In this paper, we have investigated the different levels of driving automatization, the prospective effects of these new technologies on the environment and traffic safety, the importance of regulations and their current state, the moral aspects of introducing these technologies and the possible scenarios of deploying the autonomous vehicles. We have found that the self-driving technologies are facing many challenges: a) They must make decisions faster in very diverse conditions which can include many moral dilemmas as well; b) They have an important potential in reducing the environmental pollution by optimizing their routes, driving styles by communicating with other vehicles, infrastructures and their environment; c) There is a considerable gap between the self-drive technology level and the current regulations; fortunately, this gap shows a continuously decreasing trend; d) In case of many types of imminent accidents management there are many concerns about the ability of making the right decision. Considering that this field has an extraordinary speed of development, our study is up to date at the submission deadline. Self-driving technologies become increasingly sophisticated and technically accessible, and in some cases, they can be deployed for commercial vehicles as well. According to the current stage of research and development, it is still unclear how the self-driving technologies will be able to handle extreme and unexpected events including their moral aspects. Since most of the traffic accidents are caused by human error or omission, it is expected that the emergence of the autonomous technologies will reduce these accidents in their number and gravity, but the very few currently available test results have not been able to scientifically underpin this issue yet. The

Lower hybrid current drive experiments in Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.

1991-12-01

Two large multi junction launchers have allowed to couple up to 6 MW to the plasma. The current drive efficiency was about 2 x 10 19 Am -2 /W with LH power alone at a volume-averaged electron temperature of 1.4 keV. Experiments with combined LHCD and ion cyclotron resonant heating allowed to inject up to 7.5 MW into the plasma. The electron energy content followed fairly well the Rebut-Lallia scaling law. At n e = 1.5 x 10 19 m -3 , sawteeth were suppressed and m = 1 MHD oscillations appeared. The central electron temperature then reached 8 keV for 3.6 MW injected. LH power modulation experiments performed at n e = 4 x 10 19 m -3 showed a delayed central electron heating despite the off-axis creation of suprathermal electrons, thus ruling out the possibility of direct heating through central wave absorption. Successful pellet fueling of a partially LH driven plasma was obtained, in which 28 successive pellets could penetrate up to half radius as in ohmic discharges, with 50 to 80% of the pellet content deposited in the plasma. First attempts to combine LHCD with ergodic divertor discharges showed that, when the plasma edge was subject to a radial magnetic perturbation smaller than the ergodicity threshold, a strong stationary radiation (MARFE) was triggered, locked near the inner wall. The radiated power then amounted to 90% of the total input power with no indication of a radiative collapse

Numerical studies on the stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes by radio frequency current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Q.; Zhang, X.D.; Guenter, S.

2004-01-01

Numerical modeling on the stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes by localized radio frequency (rf) current drive has been carried out to study the effects of various wave and plasma parameters on the stabilization and the associated physics. The change of the rf current profile due to the magnetic island has been taken into account by modeling the two-dimensional transport of the fast electrons induced by the rf wave. It is found that, when the rf deposition width is much larger than the island width, the modulated rf current drive to deposit the rf current around the island's o point has a stronger stabilizing effect than a nonmodulated one. The slowing down time of the fast electrons and the initial island width when applying the rf wave are also found to be important in determining the stabilizing effect

Fast-wave ion cyclotron current drive for ITER and prospects for near-term proof-of-principle experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swain, D.W.; Batchelor, D.B.; Carter, M.D.; Jaeger, E.F.; Ryan, P.M.; Hoffman, D.J.

1989-01-01

Low-frequency fast-wave current drive (FWCD) with frequencies in the range from 30 to 100 MHz looks promising for current drive in ITER. Its theoretical efficiencies are comparable to other current-drive techniques, and it could be significantly cheaper than other proposed current drive methods because of the ready availability of inexpensive (<$1/W), efficient, multi-megawatt rf power sources. The most critical issues for FWCD are concerns about the acceptability and survivability of an appropriate antenna launching system and the lack of an experimental demonstration of FWCD in a large tokamak. We describe an antenna array that is flush with the first wall of ITER and should be able to survive in the plasma environment, present theoretical calculations of FWCD in ITER, and show results from a brief survey of some present-day tokamaks in which it might be possible to carry out FWCD proof-of-principle experiments. 4 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devoto, R.S.

1986-01-01

The theory of neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks is reviewed. Experiments are discussed where neutral beams have been used to drive current directly and also indirectly through neoclassical effects. Application of the theory to an experimental test reactor is described. It is shown that neutral beams formed from negative ions accelerated to 500 to 700 keV are needed for this device

Neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devoto, R.S.

1987-01-01

The theory of neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks is reviewed. Experiments are discussed where neutral beams have been used to drive current directly and also indirectly through neoclassical effects. Application of the theory to an experimental test reactor is described. It is shown that neutral beams formed from negative ions accelerated to 500-700 keV are needed for this device

Lower hybrid current drive in Tore Supra and JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.; Gormezano, C.

1991-01-01

Recent Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments in TORE SUPRA and JET are reported. Large multijunction launchers have allowed the coupling of 5MW to the plasma for several seconds with a maximum of 3.8 kW/cm 2 . Measurements of the scattering matrices of the antennae show good agreement with theory. The current drive efficiency in TORE SUPRA is about 0.2 x 10 20 Am -2 /W with LH power alone and reaches 0.4 x 10 20 Am -2 /W in JET thanks to a high volume-averaged electron temperature (1.9 keV) and also to a synergy between Lower Hybrid and Fast Magnetosonic Waves. At n e = 1.5 x 10 19 m -3 in TORE SUPRA, sawteeth are suppressed and m = 1MHD oscillations the frequency of which clearly depends on the amount of LH power are observed on soft X-rays, and also on non-thermal ECE. In Jet ICRH produced sawtooth free periods are extended by the application of LHCD and current profile broadening has been clearly observed consistent with off-axis fast electron populations. LH power modulation experiments performed in TORE SUPRA at n e = 4 x 10 19 m -3 show a delayed central electron heating despite the off-axis creation of suprathermal electrons, thus ruling out the possibility of a direct heating through central wave absorption. A possible explanation in terms of anomalous fast electron transport and classical slowing down would yield a diffusion coefficient of the order of 10 m 2 /s for the fast electrons. Finally, successful pellet fuelling of a partially LH driven plasma was obtained in TORE SUPRA, 28 successive pellets allowing the density to rise to n e = 4 x 10 19 m -3 . This could be achieved by switching the LH power off for 90 ms before each pellet injection, i.e. without modifying significantly the current density profile

Lower hybrid current drive in Tore Supra and jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreau, D.; Gormezano, C.

1991-07-01

Recent Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments in TORE SUPRA and JET are reported. Large multijunction launchers have allowed the coupling of 5 MW to the plasma for several seconds with a maximum of 3.8 kW/cm 2 . Measurements of the scattering matrices of the antennae show good agreement with theory. The current drive efficiency in TORE SUPRA is about 0.2 x 10 20 Am -2 /W with LH power alone and reaches 0.4 x 10 20 Am -2 /W in JET thanks to a high volume-averaged electron temperature (1.9 keV) and also to a synergy between Lower Hybrid and Fast Magnetosonic Waves. At average n e = 1.5 x 10 19 m -3 in TORE SUPRA, sawteeth are suppressed and m = 1 MHD oscillations the frequency of which clearly depends on the amount of LH power are observed on soft X-rays, and also on non-thermal ECE. In JET ICRH produced sawtooth-free periods are extended by the application of LHCD (2.9 s. with 4 MW ICRH) and current profile broadening has been clearly observed consistent with off-axis fast electron populations. LH power modulation experiments performed in TORE SUPRA at average n e = 4 x 10 19 m -3 show a delayed central electron heating despite the off-axis creation of suprathermal electrons, thus ruling out the possibility of a direct heating through central wave absorption. A possible explanation in terms of anomalous fast electron transport and classical slowing down would yield a diffusion coefficient of the order of 10 m 2 /s for the fast electrons. Other interpretations such as an anomalous heat pinch or a central confinement enhancement cannot be excluded. Finally, successful pellet fuelling of a partially LH driven plasma was obtained in TORE SUPRA, 28 successive pellets allowing the density to rise to average n e = 4 x 10 19 m -3 . This could be achieved by switching the LH power off for 90 ms before each pellet injection, i.e. without modifying significantly the current density profile

Current-drive on the Versator-II tokamak with a slotted-waveguide fast-wave coupler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colborn, J.A.

1987-11-01

A slotted-waveguide fast-wave coupler has been constructed, without dielectric, and used to drive current on the Versator-II tokamak. Up to 35 kW of net microwave power at 2.45 GHz has been radiated into plasmas with 2 x 10 12 cm -3 ≤ mean of n/sub e/ ≤ 1.2 x 10 13 cm -3 and B/sub tor/ ≅ 1.0 T. The launched spectrum had a peak near N/sub parallel/ = -2.0 and a larger peak near N/sub parallel/ = 0.7. Radiating efficiency of the antenna was roughly independent of antenna position except when the antenna was at least 0.2 cm outside the limiter, in which case the radiating efficiency slightly improved as the antenna was moved farther outside. When the coupler was inside the limiter, radiating efficiency improved moderately with increased mean of n/sub e/. Current-drive efficiency was comparable to that of the slow wave and was not affected when the antenna spectrum was reversed; however, no current was driven for mean of n/sub e/ ≤ 2 x 10 12 cm -3 . These results indicate the fast wave was launched, but a substantial part of the power may have been mode-converted to the slow wave, possibly via a downshift in N/sub parallel/, and these slow waves may have been responsible for most of the driven current. Relevant theory for waves in plasma, current-drive efficiency, and coupling of the slotted-waveguide is discussed, the antenna design method is explained, and future work, including the construction of a much-improved probe-fed antenna, is described. 42 refs., 45 figs

Control of the current density profile with lower hybrid current drive on PBX-M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, R.E.; Bernabei, S.; Chu, T.K.; Gettelfinger, G.; Greenough, N.; Hatcher, R.; Ignat, D.; Jardin, S.; Kaita, R.; Kaye, S.; Kozub, T.; Kugel, H.; LeBlanc, B.; Okabayashi, M.; Paul, S.; Sauthoff, N.; Sesnic, S.; Sun, Y.; Takahashi, H.; Tighe, W.; Valeo, E.; von Goeler, S.; Jones, S.; Kesner, J.; Luckhardt, S.; Paoletti, F.; Levinton, F.; Timini, F.

1993-07-01

Lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is being explored as a means to control the current density profile on PBX-M with the goal of raising the central safety factor q(O) to values of 1.5-2 to facilitate access to a full-volume second stable regime. Initial experiments have been conducted with up to 400 kW of 4.6 GHz LH power in circular and indented plasmas with modest parameters. A tangential-viewing two-dimensional hard x-ray imaging diagnostic has been used to observe the bremsstrahlung emission from the suprathermal electrons generated during LHCD. Hollow hard x-ray images have indicated off-axis localization of the driven current. A serious obstacle to the control of the current density profile with LHCD is the concomitant generation of MHD activity, which can seriously degrade the confinement of suprathermal electrons. By combining neutral beam injection with LHCD, an MHD-free condition has been obtained where q(O) is raised above 1

A current profile model for magnetic analysis of the start-up phase of toroidal plasmas driven by electron cyclotron heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshinaga, T.; Uchida, M.; Tanaka, H.; Maekawa, T.

2007-01-01

An estimation model of plasma current density distribution for the start-up phase of toroidal plasmas generated by electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in the low aspect ratio torus experiment device is presented. The model assumes a power law parabolic current profile having seven fitting parameters. Its position, extent and broadness (or steepness) are fitted by adjusting these parameters to the observed magnetic flux signals. The adequacy of the model has been examined and confirmed by comparisons of the reconstructed current profiles and the resultant poloidal flux surfaces with the plasma images at visible light range at various stages of start-up discharges, including both the initial open field phase, the subsequent closed field phase, the current decay phase after ECH is turned off and also by a current-profile limiting experiment. This method may be useful for the study of non-inductive start-up experiments by ECH, where there is no appropriate MHD constraint on the current distribution as that in the full tokamak discharge plasmas

Optimization of OH coil recharging scenario of quasi-steady operation in tokamak fusion reactor by lower hybrid wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugihara, M.; Fujisawa, N.; Nishio, S.; Iida, H.

1984-01-01

Using simple physical model equations optimum plasma and rf parameters for an OH coil recharging scenario of quasi-steady operation in tokamak fusion reactors by lower hybrid wave current drive are studied. In this operation scenario, the minimization of the recharge time of OH coils or stored energy for it will be essential and can be realized by driving sufficient current without increasing the plasma temperature too much. Low density and broad spectrum are shown to be favorable for the minimization. In the case of FER (Fusion Experimental Reactor under design study in JAERI) baseline parameters, the minimum recharge time is 3-5 s/V s. (orig.)

Whistlers, helicons, and lower hybrid waves: The physics of radio frequency wave propagation and absorption for current drive via Landau damping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinsker, R. I.

2015-01-01

This introductory-level tutorial article describes the application of plasma waves in the lower hybrid range of frequencies (LHRF) for current drive in tokamaks. Wave damping mechanisms in a nearly collisionless hot magnetized plasma are briefly described, and the connections between the properties of the damping mechanisms and the optimal choices of wave properties (mode, frequency, wavelength) are explored. The two wave modes available for current drive in the LHRF are described and compared. The terms applied to these waves in different applications of plasma physics are elucidated. The character of the ray paths of these waves in the LHRF is illustrated in slab and toroidal geometries. Applications of these ideas to experiments in the DIII-D tokamak are discussed

[Magnetic helicity and current drive in fusion devices]. Final technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The research program focused on two main themes: (i) magnetic helicity and (ii) current drive by low-frequency waves. At first these themes seemed unrelated, but as time progressed, they became interwoven, and ultimately closely connected. A sub-theme is that while the MHD model of a plasma stimulates many intriguing counter-intuitive ideas for creating and sustaining magnetic confinement configurations, usually the crux of these schemes involves some sort of breakdown of MHD, i.e., involves physics which transcends MHD

An analysis of JET fast-wave heating and current drive experiments directly related to ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatnagar, V P; Eriksson, L; Gormezano, C; Jacquinot, J; Kaye, A; Start, D F.H. [Commission of the European Communities, Abingdon (United Kingdom). JET Joint Undertaking

1994-07-01

The ITER fast-wave system is required to serve a variety of purposes, in particular, plasma heating to ignition, current profile and burn control and eventually, in conjunction with other schemes, a central non-inductive current drive (CD) for the steady-state operation of ITER. The ICRF heating and current drive data that has been obtained in JET are analyzed in terms of dimensionless parameters, with a view to ascertaining its direct relevance to key ITER requirements. The analysis is then used to identify areas both in physics and technological aspects of ion-cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) and CD that require further experimentation in ITER-relevant devices such as JET to establish the required data base. (authors). 12 refs., 8 figs.

An analysis of JET fast-wave heating and current drive experiments directly related to ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, V.P.; Eriksson, L.; Gormezano, C.; Jacquinot, J.; Kaye, A.; Start, D.F.H.

1994-01-01

The ITER fast-wave system is required to serve a variety of purposes, in particular, plasma heating to ignition, current profile and burn control and eventually, in conjunction with other schemes, a central non-inductive current drive (CD) for the steady-state operation of ITER. The ICRF heating and current drive data that has been obtained in JET are analyzed in terms of dimensionless parameters, with a view to ascertaining its direct relevance to key ITER requirements. The analysis is then used to identify areas both in physics and technological aspects of ion-cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) and CD that require further experimentation in ITER-relevant devices such as JET to establish the required data base. (authors). 12 refs., 8 figs

First lower hybrid current drive experiments at 3.7 GHz in Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonon, G.; Goniche, M.; Moreau, D.

1989-01-01

The results of electromagnetic waves injection in the Tore Supra plasma, at a frequency of 3.7 GHz, are reported. The process is applied for current generation and plasma heating, through Landau damping on the electron population. The experimental set-up is described. The lower hybrid current drive experiments in Tore Supra are carried out under the following conditions: major and minor radii of the plasma are respectively 2.37 m and 0.77 m and the toroidal magnetic field is 1.8 Teslas. A multijunction-grill composed of 128 waveguides is applied. Up to 1.25 MW of rf power is injected in Tore Supra, after less than 30 plasma shots. The results lead to the conclusion that the coupling, not yet optimized, is good enough for safe klystron operation with no circulator. The measured value RIp P RF -1 (δV L /V L ) obtained on Tore Supra (Bt = 1.8 T) is closed to one observed on PETULA-B (Bt = 2.75 T) at the same frequency and density

Plasma-current structures of plasma focus during the current disruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krokhin, O.N.; Kalachev, N.V.; Malafeev, Yu.S.; Nikulin, V.Ya; Polukhin, S.N.; Tsybenko, S.P.

2000-01-01

The results are presented of an investigation of the plasma structures arising during the current disruption in the Dense Plasma Focus (DPF). The study was performed using the laser-shadow and interferometry methods together with measurements of current and X-ray radiation. An analysis of the experimental results shows that for the construction of a multi mega-amperes current disruption device, the Filippov type of DPF (in comparison with the Mather type) is to be preferred since the processes occurring in the X-ray regime are much faster than in the pinch regime, and this type of plasma focus is geometrically more suitable for the assembly of such a current disrupter.This disrupter is now under construction, based on the 'Tulip' DPF installation

Modeling of the electron distribution based on bremsstrahlung emission during lower hybrid current drive on PLT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevens, J.E.; von Goeler, S.; Bernabei, S.; Bitter, M.; Chu, T.K.; Efthimion, P.; Fisch, N.; Hooke, W.; Hosea, J.; Jobes, F.

1985-03-01

Lower hybrid current drive requires the generation of a high energy electron tail anisotropic in velocity. Measurements of bremsstrahlung emission produced by this tail are compared with the calculated emission from reasonable model distributions. The physical basis and the sensitivity of this modeling process are described and the plasma properties of current driven discharges which can be derived from the model are discussed.

Modeling of the electron distribution based on bremsstrahlung emission during lower hybrid current drive on PLT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, J.E.; von Goeler, S.; Bernabei, S.

1985-03-01

Lower hybrid current drive requires the generation of a high energy electron tail anisotropic in velocity. Measurements of bremsstrahlung emission produced by this tail are compared with the calculated emission from reasonable model distributions. The physical basis and the sensitivity of this modeling process are described and the plasma properties of current driven discharges which can be derived from the model are discussed

Measurement of current drive profile using electron cyclotron wave attenuation near the O-mode cut-off

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidone, I.

1991-01-01

A method for determining the radial profile of the lower-hybrid current drive in tokamaks uing electron-cyclotron attenuation of the O-mode for frequencies ω near the cut-off frequency is discussed. The basic idea is that for a given wave frequency, the cut-off plays the role of a spatial filter selecting a variable portion of the non-inductive current. It is shown that the incremental attenuation resulting from a small increase of ω displays specific features related to the current density near the cut-off point. Using the relation between the wave damping and the current density it is possible to determine the radial profile of the current drive from the wave attenuation measurements. A numerical application is also presented for plasma parameters in the reactor regime

FED-A, an advanced performance FED based on low safety factor and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Y.K.M.; Rutherford, P.H.

1983-08-01

The FED-A study aims to quantify the potential improvement in cost-effectiveness of the Fusion Engineering Device (FED) by assuming low safety factor q (less than 2 as opposed to about 3) at the plasma edge and noninductive current drive (as opposed to only inductive current drive). The FED-A performance objectives are set to be : (1) ignition assuming International Tokamak Reactor (INTOR) plamsa confinement scaling, but still achieving a fusion power amplification Q greater than or equal to 5 when the confinement is degraded by a factor of 2; (2) neutron wall loading of about 1 MW/m 2 , with 0.5 MW/m 2 as a conservative lower bound; and (3) more clearly power-reactor-like operations, such as steady state

Heating and current drive requirements towards steady state operation in ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poli, F. M.; Kessel, C. E.; Gorelenkova, M. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Bonoli, P. T. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Batchelor, D. B. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6169 (United States); Harvey, B.; Petrov, Y. [CompX, Box 2672, Del Mar, CA 92014 (United States)

2014-02-12

Steady state scenarios envisaged for ITER aim at optimizing the bootstrap current, while maintaining sufficient confinement and stability to provide the necessary fusion yield. Non-inductive scenarios will need to operate with Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. However, the large pressure gradients associated with ITBs in regions of weak or negative magnetic shear can be conducive to ideal MHD instabilities, reducing the no-wall limit. The E × B flow shear from toroidal plasma rotation is expected to be low in ITER, with a major role in the ITB dynamics being played by magnetic geometry. Combinations of H/CD sources that maintain weakly reversed magnetic shear profiles throughout the discharge are the focus of this work. Time-dependent transport simulations indicate that, with a trade-off of the EC equatorial and upper launcher, the formation and sustainment of quasi-steady state ITBs could be demonstrated in ITER with the baseline heating configuration. However, with proper constraints from peeling-ballooning theory on the pedestal width and height, the fusion gain and the maximum non-inductive current are below the ITER target. Upgrades of the heating and current drive system in ITER, like the use of Lower Hybrid current drive, could overcome these limitations, sustaining higher non-inductive current and confinement, more expanded ITBs which are ideal MHD stable.

Heating and current drive requirements towards steady state operation in ITER

Science.gov (United States)

Poli, F. M.; Bonoli, P. T.; Kessel, C. E.; Batchelor, D. B.; Gorelenkova, M.; Harvey, B.; Petrov, Y.

2014-02-01

Steady state scenarios envisaged for ITER aim at optimizing the bootstrap current, while maintaining sufficient confinement and stability to provide the necessary fusion yield. Non-inductive scenarios will need to operate with Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. However, the large pressure gradients associated with ITBs in regions of weak or negative magnetic shear can be conducive to ideal MHD instabilities, reducing the no-wall limit. The E × B flow shear from toroidal plasma rotation is expected to be low in ITER, with a major role in the ITB dynamics being played by magnetic geometry. Combinations of H/CD sources that maintain weakly reversed magnetic shear profiles throughout the discharge are the focus of this work. Time-dependent transport simulations indicate that, with a trade-off of the EC equatorial and upper launcher, the formation and sustainment of quasi-steady state ITBs could be demonstrated in ITER with the baseline heating configuration. However, with proper constraints from peeling-ballooning theory on the pedestal width and height, the fusion gain and the maximum non-inductive current are below the ITER target. Upgrades of the heating and current drive system in ITER, like the use of Lower Hybrid current drive, could overcome these limitations, sustaining higher non-inductive current and confinement, more expanded ITBs which are ideal MHD stable.

Study of non inductive current generation in a plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rax, J.M.

1987-01-01

The problem of non-thermal bremsstrahlung during lower hybrid current drive is considered. The proposed method shows the role of the Compton effects at low frequencies and allows us to establish the link between the emitted power and the absorbed power at high frequency. The non-thermal emission is considered as a kinematical mode conversion between the absorbed radio-frequency mode and the emitted X ray photons. The fast electrons diagnostics and the ways to reach the wave structure are shown. Kinetic and electromagnetic problems concerning current generation are described. The plasma properties and diagnostics in the case of a non inductive current generation are discussed [fr

Review of lower hybrid wave heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gormezano, C.

1986-01-01

Interaction of Lower Hybrid waves and plasmas is a very versatile method which has proven to be effective in a large range of applications: bulk ion heating, bulk electron heating, non inductive current drive. If the ratio between the mean velocity of HF induced fast particles and the thermal velocity of the bulk population is relatively small, effective bulk ion heating or bulk electron heating can occur via collisional transfer. If the above ratio is too large, fast ions, which have mainly a perpendicular energy, are poorly confined. Moreover they can be harmful for the discharge (impurities, etc...) since they are lost on the walls. In contrast, HF induced fast electrons gain essentially a parallel momentum from the wave. If unidirectional waves are launched, the dissymetry in electron distribution result in the obtention of an effective non inductive current

Power deposition profile during lower hybrid current drive in Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pecquet, A.L.; Moreau, D.; Fall, T.; Lasalle, J.; Lecoustey, P.; Mattioli, M.; Peysson, Y.; Auge, N.; Rodriguez, L.; Talvard, M.; Hubbard, A.; Moret, J.M.

1991-01-01

Lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments have been performed in Tore Supra in various density regimes. The total power coupled to the plasma reached 4MW and a strong electron heating has been observed. To investigate the power deposition mechanism on the electrons, r.f power modulation experiments have been performed. These experiments allow us to estimate the power deposition profiles on both thermal and non-thermal electrons and also to study their respective time responses. From these studies it is possible to deduce a thermal heating scenario which agrees with the experimental results

Current control for magnetized plasma in direct-current plasma-immersion ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Deli; Chu, Paul K.

2003-01-01

A method to control the ion current in direct-current plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII) is reported for low-pressure magnetized inductively coupled plasma. The ion current can be conveniently adjusted by applying bias voltage to the conducting grid that separates plasma formation and implantation (ion acceleration) zones without the need to alter the rf input power, gas flux, or other operating conditions. The ion current that diminishes with an increase in grid bias in magnetized plasmas can be varied from 48 to 1 mA by increasing the grid voltage from 0 to 70 V at -50 kV sample bias and 0.5 mTorr hydrogen pressure. High implantation voltage and monoenergetic immersion implantation can now be achieved by controlling the ion current without varying the macroscopic plasma parameters. The experimental results and interpretation of the effects are presented in this letter. This technique is very attractive for PIII of planar samples that require on-the-fly adjustment of the implantation current at high implantation voltage but low substrate temperature. In some applications such as hydrogen PIII-ion cut, it may obviate the need for complicated sample cooling devices that must work at high voltage

Surface currents associated with external kink modes in tokamak plasmas during a major disruption

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, C. S.; Bhattacharjee, A.

2017-10-01

The surface current on the plasma-vacuum interface during a disruption event involving kink instability can play an important role in driving current into the vacuum vessel. However, there have been disagreements over the nature or even the sign of the surface current in recent theoretical calculations based on idealized step-function background plasma profiles. We revisit such calculations by replacing step-function profiles with more realistic profiles characterized by a strong but finite gradient along the radial direction. It is shown that the resulting surface current is no longer a delta-function current density, but a finite and smooth current density profile with an internal structure, concentrated within the region with a strong plasma pressure gradient. Moreover, this current density profile has peaks of both signs, unlike the delta-function case with a sign opposite to, or the same as the plasma current. We show analytically and numerically that such current density can be separated into two parts, with one of them, called the convective current density, describing the transport of the background plasma density by the displacement, and the other part that remains, called the residual current density. It is argued that consideration of both types of current density is important and can resolve past controversies.

Current Drive in a Ponderomotive Potential with Sign Reversal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

N.J. Fisch; J.M. Rax; I.Y. Dodin

2003-07-30

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect can practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional radio-frequency current-drive techniques, since different considerations come into play.

Current Drive in a Ponderomotive Potential with Sign Reversal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Rax, J.M.; Dodin, I.Y.

2003-01-01

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect can practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional radio-frequency current-drive techniques, since different considerations come into play

Real-time control of current and pressure profiles in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laborde, L.

2005-12-01

Recent progress in the field of 'advanced tokamak scenarios' prefigure the operation regime of a future thermonuclear fusion power plant. Compared to the reference regime, these scenarios offer a longer plasma confinement time thanks to increased magnetohydrodynamic stability and to a better particle and energy confinement through a reduction of plasma turbulence. This should give access to comparable fusion performances at reduced plasma current and could lead to a steady state fusion reactor since the plasma current could be entirely generated non-inductively. Access to this kind of regime is provided by the existence of an internal transport barrier, linked to the current profile evolution in the plasma, which leads to steep temperature and pressure profiles. The comparison between heat transport simulations and experiments allowed the nature of the barriers to be better understood as a region of strongly reduced turbulence. Thus, the control of this barrier in a stationary manner would be a remarkable progress, in particular in view of the experimental reactor ITER. The Tore Supra and JET tokamaks, based in France and in the United Kingdom, constitute ideal instruments for such experiments: the first one allows stationary plasmas to be maintained during several minutes whereas the second one provides unique fusion performances. In Tore Supra, real-time control experiments have been accomplished where the current profile width and the pressure profile gradient were controlled in a stationary manner using heating and current drive systems as actuators. In the JET tokamak, the determination of an empirical static model of the plasma allowed the current and pressure profiles to be simultaneously controlled and so an internal transport barrier to be sustained. Finally, the identification of a dynamic model of the plasma led to the definition of a new controller capable, in principle, of a more efficient control. (author)

Traveling wave antenna for fast wave heating and current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezi, H.; Phelps, D.A.

1995-07-01

The traveling wave antenna for heating and current drive in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies is shown theoretically to have loading and wavenumber spectrum which are largely independent of plasma conditions. These characteristics have been demonstrated in low power experiments on the DIII-D tokamak, in which a standard four-strap antenna was converted to a traveling wave antenna through use of external coupling elements. The experiments indicate that the array maintains good impedance matching without dynamic tuning during abrupt changes in the plasma, such as during L- to H-mode transitions, edge localized mode activity, and disruptions. An analytic model was developed which exhibits the features observed in the experiments. Guidelines for the design of traveling wave antennas are derived from the validated model

Role of the lower hybrid spectrum in the current drive modeling for DEMO scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinali, A.; Castaldo, C.; Cesario, R.; Santini, F.; Amicucci, L.; Ceccuzzi, S.; Galli, A.; Mirizzi, F.; Napoli, F.; Panaccione, L.; Schettini, G.; Tuccillo, A. A.

2017-07-01

The active control of the radial current density profile is one of the major issues of thermonuclear fusion energy research based on magnetic confinement. The lower hybrid current drive could in principle be used as an efficient tool. However, previous understanding considered the electron temperature envisaged in a reactor at the plasma periphery too large to allow penetration of the coupled radio frequency (RF) power due to strong Landau damping. In this work, we present new numerical results based on quasilinear theory, showing that the injection of power spectra with different {n}// widths of the main lobe produce an RF-driven current density profile spanning most of the outer radial half of the plasma ({n}// is the refractive index in a parallel direction to the confinement magnetic field). Plasma kinetic profiles envisaged for the DEMO reactor are used as references. We demonstrate the robustness of the modeling results concerning the key role of the spectral width in determining the lower hybrid-driven current density profile. Scans of plasma parameters are extensively carried out with the aim of excluding the possibility that any artefact of the utilised numerical modeling would produce any novelty. We neglect here the parasitic effect of spectral broadening produced by linear scattering due to plasma density fluctuations, which mainly occurs for low magnetic field devices. This effect will be analyzed in other work that completes the report on the present breakthrough.

A computational model for lower hybrid current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Englade, R.C.; Bonoli, P.T.; Porkolab, M.

1983-01-01

A detailed simulation model for lower hybrid (LH) current drive in toroidal devices is discussed. This model accounts reasonably well for the magnitude of radio frequency (RF) current observed in the PLT and Alcator C devices. It also reproduces the experimental dependencies of RF current generation on toroidal magnetic field and has provided insights about mechanisms which may underlie the observed density limit of current drive. (author)

Plasma bullet current measurements in a free-stream helium capillary jet

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Jun-Seok; Walsh, James L.; Bradley, James W.

2012-06-01

A commercial current monitor has been used to measure the current associated with plasma bullets created in both the positive and negative half cycles of the sinusoidal driving voltage sustaining a plasma jet. The maximum values of the positive bullet current are typically ˜750 µA and persist for 10 µs, while the peaks in the negative current of several hundred μA are broad, persisting for about 40 µs. From the time delay of the current peaks with increasing distance from the jet nozzle, an average bullet propagation speed has been measured; the positive and negative bullets travel at 17.5 km s-1 and 3.9 km s-1 respectively. The net space charge associated with the bullet(s) has also been calculated; the positive and negative bullets contain a similar net charge of the order of 10-9 C measured at all monitor positions, with estimated charged particle densities nb of ˜1010-1011 cm-3 in the bullet.

Heating, current drive and energetic particles studies on JET in preparation of ITER operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noterdaeme, J.-M.; Budny, R.; Cardinali, A.

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes the recent work on JET in the three areas of heating, current drive and energetic particles. The achievements have extended the possibilities of JET, have a direct connection to ITER operation and provide new and interesting physics. Toroidal rotation profiles of plasmas heated far off axis with little or no refueling or momentum input are hollow with only small differences on whether the power deposition is located on the low field side or on the high field side. With LH current drive the magnetic shear was varied from slightly positive to negative. The improved coupling (through the use of plasma shaping and CD 4 ) allowed up to 3.4 MW of P LH in ITB plasmas with more than 15MW of combined NBI and ICRF heating. The q profile with negative magnetic shear and the ITB could be maintained for the duration of the high heating pulse (8s). Fast ions have been produced in JET with ICRF to simulate alpha particles: by using third harmonic 4 He heating, beam injected 4 He at 120 kV were accelerated to energies above 2 MeV, taking advantage of the unique capability of JET to use NBI with 4 He and to confine MeV class ions. ICRF heating was used to replicate the dynamics of alpha heating and the control of an equivalent Q=10 'burn' was simulated. (author)

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1997-01-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({ω Alf (r)} min Alf (r)} max ) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs (ω Alf (r)} min ) exist, are considered. (Here, ω Alf (r) ≡ ω Alf [n(r), B 0 (r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author)

Combined operation of pellet injection and lower hybrid current drive on ASDEX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soeldner, F.X.; Mertens, V.; Bosch, H.S.; Kornherr, M.; Lang, R.; Leuterer, F.; Loch, R.; Sandmann, W.; Bartiromo, R.; Ushigusa, K.

1990-10-01

Simultaneous operation of Lower Hybrid-current drive and pellet injection could be successfully achieved. With peripheral ablation of the pellets by suprathermal electrons, the same net inward flux of particles is found as with deep penetration of pellets into ohmically heated plasmas. The density profile n e (r) peaks with the same increment of the peaking factor Q n = n eo / e > in both cases. The global energy confinement time rises with density, τ E ∝ anti n e , in the combined operation. (orig.)

Electron cyclotron resonance heating and current drive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fidone, I.; Castejon, F.

1992-07-01

A brief summary of the theory and experiments on electron- cyclotron heating and current drive is presented. The general relativistic formulation of wave propagation and linear absorption is considered in some detail. The O-mode and the X-mode for normal and oblique propagation are investigated and illustrated by several examples. The experimental verification of the theory in T-10 and D- III-D is briefly discussed. Quasilinear evolution of the momentum distribution and related applications as, for instance, non linear wave, damping and current drive, are also considered for special cases of wave frequencies, polarization and propagation. In the concluding section we present the general formulation of the wave damping and current drive in the absence of electron trapping for arbitrary values of the wave frequency. (Author) 13 refs.

Electron - cyclotron resonance heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidone, I.; Castejon, F.

1992-01-01

A brief summary of the theory and experiments on electron- cyclotron heating and current drive is presented. The general relativistic formulation of wave propagation and linear absorption is considered in some detail. The O-mode and the X-mode for normal and oblique propagation are investigated and illustrated by several examples. The experimental verification of the theory in T-10 and D- III-D is briefly discussed. Quasilinear evolution of the momentum distribution and related applications as, for instance, non linear wave, damping and current drive, are also considered for special cases of wave frequencies, polarization and propagation. In the concluding section we present the general formulation of the wave damping and current drive in the absence of electron trapping for arbitrary values of the wave frequency. (Author) 13 refs

Electron-cyclotron resonance heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filone, I.

1992-01-01

A brief summary of the theory and experiments on electron-cyclotron heating and current drive is presented. the general relativistic formulation of wave propagation and linear absorption is considered in some detail. The O-mode and the X-mode for normal and oblique propagation are investigated and illustrated by several examples. The experimental verification of the theory in T-10 and D-III-D is briefly discussed. Quasilinear evolution of the momentum distribution and related applications as, for instance, non linear wave damping and current drive, are also considered for special cases of wave frequencies, polarization and propagation. In the concluding section we present the general formulation of the wave damping and current drive in the absence of electron trapping for arbitrary values of the wave frequency. (author) 8 fig. 13 ref

COMPLETE SUPPRESSION OF THE m=2/n-1 NEOCLASSICAL TEARING MODE USING ELECTRON CYCLOTRON CURRENT DRIVE ON DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PETTY, CC; LAHAYE, LA; LUCE, TC; HUMPHREYS, DA; HYATT, AW; PRATER, R; STRAIT, EJ; WADE, MR

2003-01-01

A271 COMPLETE SUPPRESSION OF THE M=2/N-1 NEOCLASSICAL TEARING MODE USING ELECTRON CYCLOTRON CURRENT DRIVE ON DIII-D. The first suppression of the important and deleterious m=2/n=1 neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) is reported using electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) to replace the ''missing'' bootstrap current in the island O-point. Experiments on the DIII-D tokamak verify the maximum shrinkage of the m=2/n=1 island occurs when the ECCD location coincides with the q = 2 surface. The DIII-D plasma control system is put into search and suppress mode to make small changes in the toroidal field to find and lock onto the optimum position, based on real time measurements of dB θ /dt, for complete m=2/n=1 NTM suppression by ECCD. The requirements on the ECCD for complete island suppression are well modeled by the modified Rutherford equation for the DIII-D plasma conditions

Electron cyclotron current drive efficiency in an axisymmetric tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutierrez-Tapia, C.; Beltran-Plata, M. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Dept. de Fisica, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2004-07-01

The neoclassical transport theory is applied to calculate electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) efficiency in an axisymmetric tokamak in the low-collisionality regime. The tokamak ordering is used to obtain a system of equations that describe the dynamics of the plasma where the nonlinear ponderomotive (PM) force due to high-power radio-frequency (RF) waves is included. The PM force is produced around an electron cyclotron resonant surface at a specific poloidal location. The ECCD efficiency is analyzed in the cases of first and second harmonics (for different impinging angles of the RF waves) and it is validated using experimental parameter values from TCV and T-10 tokamaks. The results are in agreement with those obtained by means of Green's function techniques. (authors)

Fast wave current drive on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

deGrassie, J.S.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Forest, C.B.; Ikezi, H.; Prater, R.; Baity, F.W.; Callis, R.W.; Cary, W.P.; Chiu, S.C.; Doyle, E.J.; Ferguson, S.W.; Hoffman, D.J.; Jaeger, E.F.; Kim, K.W.; Lee, J.H.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Murakami, M.; ONeill, R.C.; Porkolab, M.; Rhodes, T.L.; Swain, D.W.

1996-01-01

The physics of electron heating and current drive with the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on DIII-D, in reasonable agreement with theoretical modeling. A recently completed upgrade to the fast wave capability should allow full noninductive current drive in steady state advanced confinement discharges and provide some current density profile control for the Advanced Tokamak Program. DIII-D now has three four-strap fast wave antennas and three transmitters, each with nominally 2 MW of generator power. Extensive experiments have been conducted with the first system, at 60 MHz, while the two newer systems have come into operation within the past year. The newer systems are configured for 60 to 120 MHz. The measured FWCD efficiency is found to increase linearly with electron temperature as γ=0.4x10 18 T e0 (keV) [A/m 2 W], measured up to central electron temperature over 5 keV. A newly developed technique for determining the internal noninductive current density profile gives efficiencies in agreement with this scaling and profiles consistent with theoretical predictions. Full noninductive current drive at 170 kA was achieved in a discharge prepared by rampdown of the Ohmic current. Modulation of microwave reflectometry signals at the fast wave frequency is being used to investigate fast wave propagation and damping. Additionally, rf pick-up probes on the internal boundary of the vessel provide a comparison with ray tracing codes, with clear evidence for a toroidally directed wave with antenna phasing set for current drive. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Tomography of the fast electron Bremsstrahlung emission during lower hybrid current drive on Tore Supra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peysson, Y.; Imbeaux, F. [Association Euratom-CEA, CEA/Cadarache, Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee (DRFC), 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

1999-04-01

A new tomography dedicated to detailed studies of the fast electron Bremsstrahlung emission in the hard X-ray (HXR) energy range between 20 and 200 keV during lower hybrid (LH) current drive experiments on the TORE SUPRA tokamak [Equipe TORE SUPRA, in Proceedings of the 15. Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, Seville (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1995), 1, AIEA-CN-60 / A1-5, p. 105] is presented. Radiation detection is performed by cadmium telluride(CdTe) semiconductors, which have most of the desirable features for a powerful diagnosing of magnetically confined hot plasmas - compact size, high X-ray stopping efficiency, fast timing characteristics, good energy resolution, no sensitivity to magnetic field, reasonable susceptibility to performance degradation from neutron/{gamma}-induced damages. This instrument is made of two independent cameras viewing a poloidal cross-section of the plasma, with respectively 21 and 38 detectors. A coarse spectrometry - 8 energy channels - is carried out for each chord, with an energy resolution of 20 keV. The spatial resolution in the core of the plasma is 4-5 cm, while the time sampling may be lowered down to of 2-4 ms. Powerful inversion techniques based on maximum entropy or regularization algorithms take fully advantage of the large number of line-integrated measurements for very robust estimates of the local HXR profiles as a function of time and photon energy. A detailed account of main characteristics and performances of the diagnostic is reported as well as preliminary results on LH current drive experiments. (authors)

Tomography of the fast electron Bremsstrahlung emission during lower hybrid current drive on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peysson, Y.; Imbeaux, F.

1999-04-01

A new tomography dedicated to detailed studies of the fast electron Bremsstrahlung emission in the hard X-ray (HXR) energy range between 20 and 200 keV during lower hybrid (LH) current drive experiments on the TORE SUPRA tokamak [Equipe TORE SUPRA, in Proceedings of the 15. Conference on Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, Seville (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1995), 1, AIEA-CN-60 / A1-5, p. 105] is presented. Radiation detection is performed by cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductors, which have most of the desirable features for a powerful diagnosing of magnetically confined hot plasmas - compact size, high X-ray stopping efficiency, fast timing characteristics, good energy resolution, no sensitivity to magnetic field, reasonable susceptibility to performance degradation from neutron/γ-induced damages. This instrument is made of two independent cameras viewing a poloidal cross-section of the plasma, with respectively 21 and 38 detectors. A coarse spectrometry - 8 energy channels - is carried out for each chord, with an energy resolution of 20 keV. The spatial resolution in the core of the plasma is 4-5 cm, while the time sampling may be lowered down to of 2-4 ms. Powerful inversion techniques based on maximum entropy or regularization algorithms take fully advantage of the large number of line-integrated measurements for very robust estimates of the local HXR profiles as a function of time and photon energy. A detailed account of main characteristics and performances of the diagnostic is reported as well as preliminary results on LH current drive experiments. (authors)

External kink mode stability of tokamaks with finite edge current density in plasma outside separatrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degtyarev, L.; Martynov, A.; Medvedev, S.; Troyon, F.; Villard, L.

1996-01-01

Large pressure gradients and current density at the plasma edge and accompanying edge-localized MHD instabilities are typical for H-mode discharges. Low-n external kink modes are a possible cause of the instabilities. The paper mostly deals with external kink modes driven by a finite current density at the plasma boundary (so called peeling modes). It was shown earlier that for a single axis plasma embedded into vacuum the peeling modes are stabilized when separatrix is approaching the plasma boundary. For doublet configurations a finite current density at the internal separatrix does not necessarily lead to external kink instability when the current density vanishes at the boundary. However, a finite current density at the plasma boundary outside the separatrix can drive outer peeling modes. The stability properties and structure of these modes depend on the plasma equilibrium outside the separatrix. The influence of plasma shear and pressure gradient at the boundary on the stability of the outer peeling modes in doublets is studied. The stability of kink modes in divertor configurations with plasma outside the separatrix is very sensitive to the boundary conditions set at open field lines. The choice of the boundary conditions and kink mode stability calculations for the divertor configurations are discussed. (author) 4 figs., 5 refs

Stationary high confinement plasmas with large bootstrap current fraction in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakamoto, Y.; Fujita, T.; Ide, S.; Isayama, A.; Takechi, M.; Suzuki, T.; Takenaga, H.; Oyama, N.; Kamada, Y.

2005-01-01

This paper reports the results of the progress in stationary discharges with a large bootstrap current fraction in JT-60U towards steady-state tokamak operation. In the weak shear plasma regime, high-β p ELMy H-mode discharges have been optimized under nearly full non-inductive current drive conditions by the large bootstrap current fraction (f BS ∼ 45%) and the beam driven current fraction (f BD ∼ 50%), which was sustained for 5.8 s in the stationary condition. This duration corresponds to ∼26τ E and ∼2.8τ R , which was limited by the pulse length of negative-ion-based neutral beams. The high confinement enhancement factor H 89 ∼ 2.2 (HH 98y2 ∼ 1.0) was obtained and the profiles of current and pressure reached the stationary condition. In the reversed shear plasma regime, a large bootstrap current fraction (f BS ∼ 75%) has been sustained for 7.4 s under nearly full non-inductive current drive conditions. This duration corresponds to ∼16τ E and ∼2.7τ R . The high confinement enhancement factor H 89 ∼ 3.0 (HH 98y2 ∼ 1.7) was also sustained, and the profiles of current and pressure reached the stationary condition. The large bootstrap current and the off-axis beam driven current sustained this reversed q profile. This duration was limited only by the duration of the neutral beam injection

Traveling-wave antenna for fast-wave heating and current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezi, H.; Phelps, D.A.

1997-01-01

The travelling-wave antenna for heating and current drive in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies is shown theoretically to have loading and wavenumber spectra that are largely independent of plasma conditions. These characteristics have been demonstrated in low-power experiments on the DIII-D tokamak, in which a standard four-strap antenna was converted to a traveling-wave antenna through use of external coupling elements. The experiments indicate that the array maintains good impedance matching without dynamic tuning during abrupt changes in the plasma, such as during L- to H-mode transitions, edge-localized mode activity, and disruptions. An analytic model was developed that exhibits the features observed in the experiments. Guidelines for the design of travelling-wave antennas are derived from the validated model. 11 refs., 14 figs

Studies on fast wave current drive in the JAERI tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Yamamoto, T.; Fujii, T.; Kawashima, H.; Tamai, H.; Saigusa, M.; Imai, T.; Hamamatsu, K.; Fukuyama, A.

1991-01-01

Fast wave electron heating experiment (FWEH) on JFT-2M and JT-60 and analysis of fast wave current drive (FWCD) ability on JT-60U are presented. In the JFT-2M, absorption of fast waves have been investigated by using a phased four-loop antenna array. The absorption of the fast waves has been studied for various plasma parameters by using combination of other additional heating methods such as electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and ion cyclotron heating. It is shown that the absorption efficiency estimated from various methods well correlates with one calculated theoretically in single pass damping. Interaction of the fast waves with fast electrons in combination with ECH has been examined through the measurement of non-thermal electron cyclotron emission (ECE). The observed ECE during FWEH is well explained by the theoretical model, which indicates generation of the appreciable energetic fast electrons by the fast waves. New four-loop array antennas have been employed to improve the absorption of unidirectionally-propagating waves. Characteristics of antenna loading resistance can be reproduced by a coupling calculation code. In JT-60, FWEH experiment in combination with lower hybrid current drive was performed. Power absorption efficiency of fast wave is substantially improved in combination with LHCD of relatively low power for both phasing modes. Bulk electron heating is observed with high-k // mode and coupling with fast electron is confirmed in hard X-ray emission with low-k // mode. The results are consistent with theoretical prediction based on 1.D full wave code. Synergetic effects between FWEH and LHCD are found. Coupling calculation indicates that eight-loop antenna is favourable for keeping high directivity in the required N // -range. Current drive efficiency is calculated with 1-D full wave code including trapped particle effects and higher harmonic ion cyclotron damping

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspects ratio Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

A theoretical investigation of radio frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks was carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell was considered. Toroidal features of low aspect ratio tokamaks were simulated by incorporation of the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R o /a ≡ 1/ε (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. The study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {ω Alf (r)} min ≤ω≥{ω Alf (r)} max , where ω Alf (r)≡ω[n(r),B o (o)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-p, ideal magneto-hydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions was solved, the RF field components were found and subsequently, current drive , power deposition and efficiency were computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm was developed which enables the selection of the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (authors)

Current drive in a ponderomotive potential with sign reversal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Dodin, I.Y.; Rax, J.M.

2003-01-01

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect, which operates somewhat like a Maxwell demon, can be practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current-drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional rf current-drive techniques. It remains, however, for us to identify how the effect might be implemented in a magnetic fusion device in a practical manner

RF generated currents in a magnetized plasma using a slow wave structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poole, B.R.; Cheo, B.R.; Kuo, S.P.; Tang, M.G.

1983-01-01

The generation of a dc current in a plasma by using RF waves is of importance for the operation of steadystate toroidal devices. An experimental investigation in the use of unidirectional, low frequency RF waves to drive currents has been made. Instead of using a natural plasma wave a slow wave guiding structure is used along the entire length of the plasma. When the RF wave is injected an increase in ionization and T/sub e/, and hence the background current is observed. However, the change depends on wave direction: The +k/sub z/ excitation yields a much larger electron current compared with the -k/sub z/ excitation indicating a net wave driven current. The measured modification in electron density and T/sub e/ is independent of wave direction. The current with a standing wave excitation generally falls at the average of the travelling wave (+ or - k/sub z/) driven currents. The net wave driven current is proportional to the feed power at approx. = 10 mA/kW. No saturation of the current is observed with feed powers up to 1 kW. Since the exciting structure is only 1 wavelength long, its k/sub z/ spectrum is relatively broad and hence no sharp resonances are observed as various plasma parameters and B/sub O/ are changed. There is no measurable difference between the power absorbed by the load resistors and the input power to the slow wave structure. Thus the current is driven by the wave field exclamation E exclamation 2 rather than the power absorbed in the plasma. The theoretical background and the physical mechanism is presented

Fast wave current drive on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

deGrassie, J.S.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.

1995-01-01

The physics of electron heating and current drive with the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on DIII-D, in reasonable agreement with theoretical modeling. A recently completed upgrade to the fast wave capability should allow full noninductive current drive in steady state advanced confinement discharges and provide some current density profile control for the Advanced Tokamak Program. DIII-D now has three four-strap fast wave antennas and three transmitters, each with nominally 2 MW of generator power. Extensive experiments have been conducted with the first system, at 60 MHz, while the two newer systems have come into operation within the past year. The newer systems are configured for 60 to 120 MHz. The measured FWCD efficiency is found to increase linearly with electron temperature as γ = 0.4 x 10 18 T eo (keV) [A/m 2 W], measured up to central electron temperature over 5 keV. A newly developed technique for determining the internal noninductive current density profile gives efficiencies in agreement with this scaling and profiles consistent with theoretical predictions. Full noninductive current drive at 170 kA was achieved in a discharge prepared by rampdown of the Ohmic current. Modulation of microwave reflectometry signals at the fast wave frequency is being used to investigate fast wave propagation and damping. Additionally, rf pick-up probes on the internal boundary of the vessel provide a comparison with ray tracing codes, with dear evidence for a toroidally directed wave with antenna phasing set for current drive. There is some experimental evidence for fast wave absorption by energetic beam ions at high cyclotron harmonic resonances

Plasma driving system requirements for commercial tokamak fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, J.N.; Kustom, R.C.; Stacey, W.M. Jr.

1978-01-01

The plasma driving system for a tokamak reactor is composed of an ohmic heating (OH) coil, equilibrium field (EF) coil, and their respective power supplies. Conceptual designs of an Experimental Power Reactor (EPR) and scoping studies of a Demonstration Power Reactor have shown that the driving system constitutes a significant part of the overall reactor cost. The capabilities of the driving system also set or help set important parameters of the burn cycle, such as the startup time, and the net power output. Previous detailed studies on driving system dynamics have helped to define the required characteristics for fast-pulsed superconducting magnets, homopolar generators, and very high power (GVA) power supplies for an EPR. This paper summarizes results for a single reactor configuration together with several design concepts for the driving system. Both the reactor configuration and the driving system concepts are natural extensions from the EPR. Thus, the new results presented in this paper can be compared with the previous EPR results to obtain a consistent picture of how the driving system requirements will evolve--for one particular design configuration

Plasma driving system requirements for commercial tokamak fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, J.N.; Kustom, R.C.; Stacey, W.M. Jr.

1977-01-01

The plasma driving system for a tokamak reactor is composed of an ohmic heating (OH) coil, equilibrium field (EF) coil, and their respective power supplies. Conceptual designs of an Experimental Power Reactor (EPR) and scoping studies of a Demonstration Power Reactor have shown that the driving system constitutes a significant part of the overall reactor cost. The capabilities of the driving system also set or help set important parameters of the burn cycle, such as the startup time, and the net power output. Previous detailed studies on driving system dynamics have helped to define the required characteristics for fast-pulsed superconducting magnets, homopolar generators, and very high power (GVA) power supplies for an EPR. This paper summarizes results for a single reactor configuration together with several design concepts for the driving system. Both the reactor configuration and the driving system concepts are natural extensions from the EPR. Thus, the new results can be compared with the previous EPR results to obtain a consistent picture of how the driving system requirements will evolve--for one particular design configuration

Measurement of toroidal plasma current in RF heated helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besshou, Sakae

1993-01-01

This report describes the measurement of toroidal plasma current by a semiflexible Rogowski coil in a helical vacuum chamber. A Rogowski coil measures the toroidal plasma current with a resolution of 0.1 kA, frequency range of up to 1 kHz and sensitivity of 6.5 x 10 -9 V · s/A. We measured the spontaneous toroidal plasma current (from -1.2 to +1.2 kA) under electron cyclotron resonance heating at 0.94 T toroidal field in the Heliotron-E device. We found that the measured direction of toroidal plasma current changes its sign as in the predicted behavior of a neoclassical diffusion-driven bootstrap current, depending on the horizontal position of the plasma column. We explain the observed plasma currents in terms of the compound phenomenon of an ohmic current and a neoclassical diffusion-driven current. The magnitude of the neoclassical current component is smaller than the value predicted by a collisionless neoclassical theory. (author)

Plasma bullet current measurements in a free-stream helium capillary jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Jun-Seok; Walsh, James L; Bradley, James W

2012-01-01

A commercial current monitor has been used to measure the current associated with plasma bullets created in both the positive and negative half cycles of the sinusoidal driving voltage sustaining a plasma jet. The maximum values of the positive bullet current are typically ∼750 µA and persist for 10 µs, while the peaks in the negative current of several hundred μA are broad, persisting for about 40 µs. From the time delay of the current peaks with increasing distance from the jet nozzle, an average bullet propagation speed has been measured; the positive and negative bullets travel at 17.5 km s −1 and 3.9 km s −1 respectively. The net space charge associated with the bullet(s) has also been calculated; the positive and negative bullets contain a similar net charge of the order of 10 −9 C measured at all monitor positions, with estimated charged particle densities n b of ∼10 10 –10 11 cm −3 in the bullet. (special)

Design of the RF system for Alfven wave heating and current drive in a TCA/BR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.; Andrade, M.L.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Degaspari, F.T.; Nascimento, I.C.

1995-01-01

The advanced RF system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCA/BR tokamak is presented. The antenna system is capable of exciting the standing and travelling wave M = -1,N = 1,N =-4,-6 with single helicity and thus provides the possibility to improve Alfven wave plasma heating efficiency in TCA/BR tokamak and to increase input power level up to P ≅ 1 MW, without the uncontrolled density rise which was encountered in previous TCA (Switzerland) experiments. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Optimized calculation of the synergy conditions between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive on EAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Wei; Ding Bo-Jiang; Li Miao-Hui; Zhang Xin-Jun; Wang Xiao-Jie; Peysson, Y; Decker, J; Zhang Lei

2016-01-01

The optimized synergy conditions between electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) and lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) with normal parameters of the EAST tokamak are studied by using the C3PO/LUKE code based on the understanding of the synergy mechanisms so as to obtain a higher synergistic current and provide theoretical reference for the synergistic effect in the EAST experiment. The dependences of the synergistic effect on the parameters of two waves (lower hybrid wave (LHW) and electron cyclotron wave (ECW)), including the radial position of the power deposition, the power value of the LH and EC waves, and the parallel refractive indices of the LHW (N ∥ ) are presented and discussed. (paper)

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-05-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min} < {omega} < {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub max}) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs ({omega} < {l_brace}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min}) exist, are considered. (Here, {omega}{sub Alf}(r) {identical_to} {omega}{sub Alf}[n(r), B{sub 0}(r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author).

Low frequency rf current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hershkowitz, N.

1992-01-01

An unshielded antenna for rf heating has been developed and tested during this report period. In addition to design specifications being given, some experimental results are presented utilizing: (1) an unprotected Faraday shield, (2) insulating guard limiters, (3) unshielded antenna experiments, (4) method for detecting small rf driven currents, (5) rf fast wave current drive experiments, (6) alfven wave interactions with electrons, and (7) machine conditioning, impurity generation and density control

Current drive in a tokamak reactor during the heating of fast α particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasheninnikov, S.I.; Soboleva, T.K.

1987-01-01

Expressions are derived for the efficiency of the current drive in the approximation of a straight magnetic field through a solution of the kinetic equation for the distribution function of α particles as they are heated by rf waves. Three mechanisms for the absorption of the rf power in plasma are examined: cyclotron absorption at the fundamental frequency, Landau damping, and magnetic Landau damping. The efficiency of this method is shown to be at worst no lower than the efficiencies of methods involving electron heating

A survey of electron Bernstein wave heating and current drive potential for spherical tokamaks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Urban, Jakub; Decker, J.; Peysson, Y.; Preinhaelter, Josef; Shevchenko, V.; Taylor, G.; Vahala, L.; Vahala, G.

2011-01-01

Roč. 51, č. 8 (2011), 083050-083050 ISSN 0029-5515 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/08/0419; GA MŠk 7G10072 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : spherical tokamak * electron Bernstein wave (EBW) * heating * current drive * electron cyclotron wave Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 4.090, year: 2011 http://iopscience.iop.org/0029-5515/51/8/083050/pdf/0029-5515_51_8_083050.pdf

Design and RF test result of High Power Hybrid Combiner for Helicon Wave Current Drive in KSTAR Plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, S. Y.; Kim, H. J.; Wi, H. H.; Wang, S. J.; Kwak, J. G. [NFRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

200 kW RF power will be injected to plasmas through the traveling wave antenna after combining four klystrons output powers using three hybrid combiners. Each klystron produces 60 kW output at the frequency of 500 MHz. RF power combiners commonly used to divide or combine output powers for various rf and microwave applications. It is divided into several types according to the design type such as Wilkinson combiner, radial and quadrature hybrid combiner. We designed high power hybrid combiners using 6-1/8 inch coaxial line. The power combiner has many advantages such as high isolation, low insertion loss and high power handling capability. In this paper design and rf test results of high power combiners will be described. High power combiners using three coaxial hybrid couplers will be utilized for effectively combining of 500 MHz, 200 kW output powers generated by four klystrons. We have designed, fabricated, and tested a 6-1/8 inch coaxial hybrid combiners at 500 MHz for efficiently off-axis Helicon wave current drive in KSTAR. Simulation and test results of high power coaxial hybrid combiners are good agreement.

Study of the fast electron distribution function in lower hybrid and electron cyclotron current driven plasmas in the WT-3 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogura, K.; Tanaka, H.; Ide, S.

1991-01-01

The distribution function f(p-vector) of fast electrons produced by lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is investigated in the WT-3 tokamak, using a combination of measurements of the hard X-ray (HXR) angular distribution with respect to the toroidal magnetic field and observations of the HXR radial profile. The data obtained indicate the formation of a plateau-like region in f(p-vector) which corresponds to a region of resonant interaction between the lower hybrid (LH) wave and the electrons. The energy of the fast electrons in the peripheral plasma region is observed to be higher than that in the central plasma region under operational conditions with a high plasma current (I p ≥ 80 kA). At low current (I p < or approx. 50 kA), however, the energy of fast electrons is constant along the plasma radius. In the current ramp-up phase, fast electrons are generated in the directions normal to and opposite to the LH wave propagation. The latter case is ascribed to a negatively biased toroidal electric field induced by the current ramp-up. To study the characteristic change of f(p-vector) for various current drive mechanisms, HXR measurements are performed in electron cyclotron current driven (ECCD) plasma and in Ohmic heating (OH) plasma. In ECCD plasma, the perpendicular energy of fast electrons increases, which indicates that fast electrons are accelerated perpendicularly by electron cyclotron heating. In both LHCD and ECCD plasmas, fast electrons flow in the direction opposite to the wave propagation, while no such fast electrons are formed in OH plasma. (author). 33 refs, 16 figs, 1 tab

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1996-08-01

A theoretical investigation of radio-frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks is carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is considered. Toroidal features of low-aspect-ratio tokamaks are simulated by incorporating the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R{sub O}/a ``identical to`` 1/{epsilon}; (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. This study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub min}{r_brace} {<=} {omega} {<=} {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub max}, where {omega}{sub Alf}({tau}) ``identical to`` {omega}{sub Alf}[n({tau}), B{sub O}({tau})] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-{beta} magnetohydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions is solved, the RF field components are found, and subsequently current drive, power deposition and efficiency are computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm is developed that enables one to select the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (Author).

Lower Hybrid Current Drive Experiments in Alcator C-Mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, J. R.; Bonoli, P.; Hubbard, A.; Parker, R.; Schmidt, A.; Wallace, G.; Wright, J.; Bernabei, S.

2007-01-01

A Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) system has been installed on the Alcator C-MOD tokamak at MIT. Twelve klystrons at 4.6 GHz feed a 4x22 waveguide array. This system was designed for maximum flexibility in the launched parallel wave-number spectrum. This flexibility allows tailoring of the lower hybrid deposition under a variety of plasma conditions. Power levels up to 900 kW have been injected into the tokomak. The parallel wave number has been varied over a wide range, n parallel ∼1.6-4. Driven currents have been inferred from magnetic measurements by extrapolating to zero loop voltage and by direct comparison to Fisch-Karney theory, yielding an efficiency of n 20 IR/P∼0.3. Modeling using the CQL3D code supports these efficiencies. Sawtooth oscillations vanish, accompanied with peaking of the electron temperature (T e0 rises from 2.8 to 3.8 keV). Central q is inferred to rise above unity from the collapse of the sawtooth inversion radius, indicating off-axis cd as expected. Measurements of non-thermal x-ray and electron cyclotron emission confirm the presence of a significant fast electron population that varies with phase and plasma density. The x-ray emission is observed to be radialy broader than that predicted by simple ray tracing codes. Possible explanations for this broader emission include fast electron diffusion or broader deposition than simple ray tracing predictions (perhaps due to diffractive effects)

Resistive evolution of current profile in tokamaks, application to the optimization of Tore-supra plasma discharges; Evolution resistive du profil de courant dans les Tokamaks, application a l'optimisation des decharges de Tore Supra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bregeon, R

1999-03-01

In Tokamak plasma physics, current profile shaping has now become a key issue to improve the confinement properties of the plasma discharge. The objective of this work is to study the processes governing the current diffusion when non-inductive current are playing a major role in the discharge. Ultimately, this study aims to identify the key parameters to control the plasma current density profile with external current drive heating systems such as Lower Hybrid Current drive (LHCD) or self generated current drive such as the bootstrap current. Principles of non inductive current drive and heating systems are introduced as well as bootstrap current mechanisms. Then we present the experimental study of plasma parallel electric conductivity to validate existing models. Using these results, the poloidal magnetic field flux diffusion is modelled, using toroidal co-ordinates in order to give an accurate description of the current density profiles evolution. The initial and boundary conditions required for numerical resolution of the diffusion equation are also presented. Finally, we conclude this work with the simulations of two discharges: one with Fast Wave Electron Heating and the second using Lower Hybrid Current Drive. These simulations have multiples aims: validity test of our numerical tool and to show some limits of cylindrical models. Test of electric conductivity and bootstrap current models. To identify the key parameters involved in the current diffusion processes of a high performance plasma discharge on Tore Supra. Such simulations are crucial to determine the amount of non-inductive current required to control and sustain long plasma discharges in steady state. (author)

A survey of electron Bernstein wave heating and current drive potential for spherical tokamaks

Science.gov (United States)

Urban, Jakub; Decker, Joan; Peysson, Yves; Preinhaelter, Josef; Shevchenko, Vladimir; Taylor, Gary; Vahala, Linda; Vahala, George

2011-08-01

The electron Bernstein wave (EBW) is typically the only wave in the electron cyclotron (EC) range that can be applied in spherical tokamaks for heating and current drive (H&CD). Spherical tokamaks (STs) operate generally in high-β regimes, in which the usual EC O- and X-modes are cut off. In this case, EBWs seem to be the only option that can provide features similar to the EC waves—controllable localized H&CD that can be used for core plasma heating as well as for accurate plasma stabilization. The EBW is a quasi-electrostatic wave that can be excited by mode conversion from a suitably launched O- or X-mode; its propagation further inside the plasma is strongly influenced by the plasma parameters. These rather awkward properties make its application somewhat more difficult. In this paper we perform an extensive numerical study of EBW H&CD performance in four typical ST plasmas (NSTX L- and H-mode, MAST Upgrade, NHTX). Coupled ray-tracing (AMR) and Fokker-Planck (LUKE) codes are employed to simulate EBWs of varying frequencies and launch conditions, which are the fundamental EBW parameters that can be chosen and controlled. Our results indicate that an efficient and universal EBW H&CD system is indeed viable. In particular, power can be deposited and current reasonably efficiently driven across the whole plasma radius. Such a system could be controlled by a suitably chosen launching antenna vertical position and would also be sufficiently robust.

Full-wave calculation of fast-wave current drive in tokamaks including kparallel upshifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger, E.F.; Batchelor, D.B.

1991-01-01

Numerical calculations of fast-wave current drive (FWCD) efficiency have generally been of two types: ray tracing or global wave calculations. Ray tracing shows that the projection of the wave number (k parallel) along the magnetic field can vary greatly over a ray trajectory, particularly when the launch point is above or below the equatorial plane. As the wave penetrates toward the center of the plasma, k parallel increases, causing a decrease in the parallel phase speed and a corresponding decrease in the current drive efficiency, γ. But the assumptions of geometrical optics, namely short wavelength and strong single-pass absorption, are not greatly applicable in FWCD scenarios. Eigenmode structure, which is ignored in ray tracing, can play an important role in determining electric field strength and Landau damping rates. In such cases, a full-wave or global solution for the wave fields is desirable. In full-wave calculations such as ORION k parallel appear as a differential operator (rvec B·∇) in the argument of the plasma dispersion function. Since this leads to a differential system of infinite order, such codes of necessity assume k parallel ∼ k var-phi = const, where k var-phi is the toroidal wave number. Thus, it is not possible to correctly include effects of the poloidal magnetic field on k parallel. The problem can be alleviated by expressing the electric field as a superposition of poloidal modes, in which case k parallel is purely algebraic. This paper describes a new full-wave calculation, Poloidal Ion Cyclotron Expansion Solution, which uses poloidal and toroidal mode expansions to solve the wave equation in general flux coordinates. The calculation includes a full solution for E parallel and uses a reduced-order form of the plasma conductivity tensor to eliminate numerical problems associated with resolution of the very short wavelength ion Bernstein wave

Determination of plasma spot current and arc discharge plasma current on the system of plasma cathode electron sources using Rogowski coil technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wirjoadi; Bambang Siswanto; Lely Susita RM; Agus Purwadi; Sudjatmoko

2015-01-01

It has been done the function test experiments of ignitor electrode system and the plasma generator electrode system to determine the current spot plasma and arc discharge plasma current with Rogowski coil technique. Ignitor electrode system that gets power supply from IDPS system can generate the plasma spot current of 11.68 ampere to the pulse width of about 33 μs, this value is greater than the design probably because of electronic components used in the IDPS system was not as planned. For the plasma generator electrode system that gets power from ADPS system capable of producing an arc discharge plasma current around 103.15 amperes with a pulse width of about 96 μs, and this value as planned. Based on the value of the arc discharge plasma current can be determined plasma electron density, which is about 10.12 10"1"9 electrons/m"3, and with this electron density value, an ignitor electrode system and a plasma generator system is quite good if used as a plasma cathode electron source system. (author)

Assessment of Electron-Cyclotron-Current-Drive-Assisted Operation in DEMO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marushchenko N.B.

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The achievable efficiency for external current drive through electron-cyclotron (EC waves in a demonstration tokamak reactor is discussed. Two possible reactor designs, one for steady state and one for pulsed operation, are considered. It is found that for midplane injection the achievable current drive efficiency is limited by secondharmonic absorption at levels consistent with previous studies. Propagation through the second-harmonic region can be reduced by moving the launch position to the high-field side (this can be obtained by injecting the beam from an upper port in the vacuum vessel. In this case, beam tracing calculations deliver values for the EC current drive efficiency approaching those usually reported for neutral beam current drive.

Characterization of the plasma current quench during disruptions in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerhardt, S.P.; Menard, J.E.

2008-01-01

A detailed analysis of the plasma current quench in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (M.Ono, et al Nuclear Fusion 40, 557 (2000)) is presented. The fastest current quenches are fit better by a linear waveform than an exponential one. Area-normalized current quench times down to .4 msec/m2 have been observed, compared to the minimum of 1.7 msec/m2 recommendation based on conventional aspect ratio tokamaks; as noted in previous ITPA studies, the difference can be explained by the reduced self-inductance at low aspect ratio and high-elongation. The maximum instantaneous dIp/dt is often many times larger than the mean quench rate, and the plasma current before the disruption is often substantially less than the flat-top value. The poloidal field time-derivative during the disruption, which is directly responsible for driving eddy currents, has been recorded at various locations around the vessel. The Ip quench rate, plasma motion, and magnetic geometry all play important roles in determining the rate of poloidal field change

Inside launch electron cyclotron heating and current drive on DITE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashraf, M.; Deliyanakis, N.

1989-01-01

Electron cyclotron resonance heating at 60 GHz has been carried out on DITE (R = 1.2 m, a = 0.24 m) to investigate heating and current drive using the extraordinary mode launched with finite k parallel from the high field side. The first clear evidence of Doppler shifted resonance absorption in a near-thermal plasma is obtained. The heating efficiency is observed to fall sharply at densities above cut-off for the wave. At lower densities the increment in power to the limiter is measured during ECRH and is compared with that expected from the global power balance. The degradation in particle confinement often associated with ECRH is observed as an increased particle flux at the boundary driven by local electrostatic fluctuations. Initial experiments on the electron cyclotron wave driven current at the second harmonic show effects that are consistent with the low efficiency expected from theory including trapped particle effects. (author). 9 refs, 4 figs

Transport simulations of the oscillating field current drive experiment in the ZT-40M reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scardovelli, R.A.; Nebel, R.A.; Werley, K.A.; Miley, G.H.

1987-01-01

Oscillating Field Current Drive (OFCD) is based on the premise that in order to sustain a relaxing Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) plasma, one needs only to supply magnetic helicity at the same rate it is consumed. The purpose of this work is to try to better understand the possible mechanisms underlying these relaxations within the context of different kinds of resistive MHD instabilities

ELECTRON CYCLOTRON CURRENT DRIVE IN DIII-D: EXPERIMENT AND THEORY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PRATER, R; PETTY, CC; LUCE, TC; HARVEY, RW; CHOI, M; LAHAYE, RJ; LIN-LIU, Y-R; LOHR, J; MURAKAMI, M; WADE, MR; WONG, K-L

2003-01-01

A271 ELECTRON CYCLOTRON CURRENT DRIVE IN DIII-D: EXPERIMENT AND THEORY. Experiments on the DIII-D tokamak in which the measured off-axis electron cyclotron current drive has been compared systematically to theory over a broad range of parameters have shown that the Fokker-Planck code CQL3D provides an excellent model of the relevant current drive physics. This physics understanding has been critical in optimizing the application of ECCD to high performance discharges, supporting such applications as suppression of neoclassical tearing modes and control and sustainment of the current profile

Spectral dependence efficiency and localization of non-inductive current-drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in Tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1996-01-01

The non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is studied. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all these as functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e, wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wave numbers). The results reveal the following conclusions. Generation of GAE waves. In the range of poloidal wave numbers -3 0 for m = -l, -2, -3 and -20 10; I-BAR < 0 for m = +1, +2, +3 and n < 10. (iv) The efficiency of the current drive, η = absolute I-BAR/absolute P-BAR, increases in the cases m = -1, -2, -3 with absolute m and absolute 1/n. (v) Detailed information on the relative direction and radial (core) localization of the current drive is obtained. (authors)

Design and simulation for the pulse high-voltage DC power supply (HVPS) of 1.2 MW/2.45 GHz HT-7U lower hybrid current drive system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yiyun; Kuang Guangli; Xu Weihua; Liu Baohua; Lin Jianan; Wu Junshuan; Zheng Guanghua; Yang Chunshen

2000-01-01

The superconducting tokamak HT-7U has been designed by the Institute of Plasma Physics since 1998 and will be set up before 2003. The 1.2 MW/2.45 GHz HT-7U LHCD (Lower hybrid current drive) system which being the most efficient non-induction device can heat the plasma and drive the plasma current has been efficiently in operation now, and a particular design of the 2.8 MW/-35 kV high-voltage DC power supply has been already completed and will apply to the klystron of LHCD on HT-7 and the future HT-7U, and the project of the power supply has been examined and approved professionally by an authorized group of high-level specialist in the Institute of Plasma Physics. The detailed design of the power supply and the simulation results are referred

Control of neoclassical tearing mode by electron cyclotron current drive and non-resonant helical field application in ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, Satoshi; Yamazaki, Kozo; Oishi, Tetsutarou; Arimoto, Hideki; Shoji, Tatsuo

2010-01-01

On tokamak plasmas like ITER, it is necessary to stabilize neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) because the NTM reduces plasma temperature and fusion power output. For the analysis of stabilizing NTM in fusion plasmas, the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) and the non-resonant external helical field (NRHF) application are simulated using the 1.5-dimensional equilibrium/transport simulation code (TOTAL code). The 3/2 NTM is stabilized by only external helical field, but the 2/1 mode is not stabilized by only external helical field in the present model. The stabilization time becomes shorter by the combination of ECCD and NRHF than that by ECCD alone. (author)

High current plasma electron emitter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiksel, G.; Almagri, A.F.; Craig, D.

1995-07-01

A high current plasma electron emitter based on a miniature plasma source has been developed. The emitting plasma is created by a pulsed high current gas discharge. The electron emission current is 1 kA at 300 V at the pulse duration of 10 ms. The prototype injector described in this paper will be used for a 20 kA electrostatic current injection experiment in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) reversed-field pinch. The source will be replicated in order to attain this total current requirement. The source has a simple design and has proven very reliable in operation. A high emission current, small size (3.7 cm in diameter), and low impurity generation make the source suitable for a variety of fusion and technological applications

Optimization of a lower hybrid current drive launcher for ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belo, Jorge H.C.M., E-mail: jbelo@ipfn.ist.utl.pt [Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Goniche, Marc; Hillairet, Julien [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Bizarro, João P.S. [Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Reflection, directivity and E-fields of LHCD PAM launchers for ITER investigated. • Wide range of antenna parameters (junction lengths; phase-shifter heights) regarded. • Broad range of edge plasma considered: from the cut-off density to ELM activity. • Trade-offs between plasma density, reflection coefficient and E-field are necessary. • Additional margins for integration of the launcher in ITER may be achieved. - Abstract: An international R&D program for lower-hybrid current drive (LHCD) in ITER is being conducted to deliver 20 MW (CW) using 500 kW klystrons at 5 GHz, with N{sub ||peak} = 2.0 ± 0.2 for different plasma scenarios. The launcher is based on the passive-active mulitjunction (PAM), a concept more resilient to conditions expected at the plasma edge, notably densities close to cut-off (n{sub ec}) and ELM activity, which lead to significant and abrupt reflection of RF power from the plasma, but even under which it may still attain extremely low power reflection coefficients at the input (R ∼ 1%). It has also a robust and shielded structure; is suitable for long-pulse operation; and has been validated experimentally on FTU and Tore Supra. Here the focus is on the PAM section of the launcher, and the objective is to explore, under broad plasma loading – from n{sub ec} to 10 n{sub ec} – the impact that design parameters such as the junction lengths, phase-shifter heights, and output waveguide widths have on its performance, particularly on R and on the E-fields inside its waveguides; and to explore also a configuration with a different phase-shifter arrangement, the so-called alternative design.

Lower hybrid current drive and heating experiments at the 1 MW rf power level on Alcator C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porkolab, M.; Lloyd, B.; Schuss, J.J.

1983-07-01

Lower hybrid current drive experiments were carried out in the density range 1.0 x 10 13 less than or equal to anti n(cm -3 ) less than or equal to 1.0 x 10 14 , at magnetic fields 6.0 less than or equal to B(T) less than or equal to 10. Using one 16 waveguide array, plasma currents of 150 to 200 kA have been driven by rf powers up to 600 kW for times greater than 100 msec at anti n/sub e/ up to 5 x 10 13 cm -3 . With two arrays at anti n/sub e/ approx. = 4.3 x 10 13 cm -3 at B/sub T/ = 10 T, plasma currents of 160 kA have been maintained by the rf power for 300 msec with zero loop voltage and constant internal inductance

Non-inductive current drive experiments on DIII-D, and future plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prater, R.; Austin, M.; Baity, F.W.; Callis, R.W.; Chiu, S.C.; DeGrassie, J.S.; Freeman, R.L.; Forest, C.B.; Goulding, R.H.; Harvey, R.W.; Hoffman, D.J.; Ikezi, H.; Lohr, J.; James, R.A.; Kupfer, K.; Lin-Liu, Y.R.; Luce, T.C.; Moeller, C.P.; Petty, C.C.; Pinsker, R.I.; Porkolab, M.; Squire, J.; Trukhin, V.

1995-01-01

Experiments on DIII-D (and other tokamaks) have shown that improved performance can follow from optimization of the current density profile. Increased confinement of energy and a higher limit on β have both been found in discharges in which the current density profile is modified through transient means, such as ramping of current or elongation. Peaking of the current distribution to obtain discharges with high internal inductance l i has been found to be beneficial. Alternatively, discharges with broader profiles, as in the VH mode or with high β poloidal, have shown improved performance. Non-inductive current drive is a means to access these modes of improved confinement on a steady state basis. Accordingly, experiments on non-inductive current drive are underway on the DIII-D tokamak using fast waves and electron cyclotron waves. Recent experiments on fast wave current drive have demonstrated the ability to drive up to 180kA of non-inductive current using 1.5MW of power at 60MHz, including the contribution from 1MW of ECCD and the bootstrap current. Higher power r.f. current drive systems are needed to affect strongly the current profile on DIII-D. An upgrade to the fast wave current drive system is underway to increase the total power to 6MW, using two additional antennas and two new 30-120MHz transmitters. Additionally, a 1MW prototype ECH system at 110GHz is being developed (with eventual upgrade to 10MW). With these systems, non-inductive current drive at the 1MA level will be available for experiments on profile control in DIII-D. ((orig.))

Fast wave current drive above the slow wave density limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWilliams, R.; Sheehan, D.P.; Wolf, N.S.; Edrich, D.

1989-01-01

Fast wave and slow wave current drive near the mean gyrofrequency were compared in the Irvine Torus using distinct phased array antennae of similar principal wavelengths, frequencies, and input powers. The slow wave current drive density limit was measured for 50ω ci ≤ω≤500ω ci and found to agree with trends in tokamaks. Fast wave current drive was observed at densities up to the operating limit of the torus, demonstrably above the slow wave density limit

Observation of Self-Generated Flows in Tokamak Plasmas with Lower-Hybrid-Driven Current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ince-Cushman, A.; Rice, J. E.; Reinke, M.; Greenwald, M.; Wallace, G.; Parker, R.; Fiore, C.; Hughes, J. W.; Bonoli, P.; Shiraiwa, S.; Hubbard, A.; Wolfe, S.; Hutchinson, I. H.; Marmar, E.; Bitter, M.; Wilson, J.; Hill, K.

2009-01-01

In Alcator C-Mod discharges lower hybrid waves have been shown to induce a countercurrent change in toroidal rotation of up to 60 km/s in the central region of the plasma (r/a∼<0.4). This modification of the toroidal rotation profile develops on a time scale comparable to the current redistribution time (∼100 ms) but longer than the energy and momentum confinement times (∼20 ms). A comparison of the co- and countercurrent injected waves indicates that current drive (as opposed to heating) is responsible for the rotation profile modifications. Furthermore, the changes in central rotation velocity induced by lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) are well correlated with changes in normalized internal inductance. The application of LHCD has been shown to generate sheared rotation profiles and a negative increment in the radial electric field profile consistent with a fast electron pinch

Sensorless optimal sinusoidal brushless direct current for hard disk drives

Science.gov (United States)

Soh, C. S.; Bi, C.

2009-04-01

Initiated by the availability of digital signal processors and emergence of new applications, market demands for permanent magnet synchronous motors have been surging. As its back-emf is sinusoidal, the drive current should also be sinusoidal for reducing the torque ripple. However, in applications like hard disk drives, brushless direct current (BLDC) drive is adopted instead of sinusoidal drive for simplification. The adoption, however, comes at the expense of increased harmonics, losses, torque pulsations, and acoustics. In this paper, we propose a sensorless optimal sinusoidal BLDC drive. First and foremost, the derivation for an optimal sinusoidal drive is presented, and a power angle control scheme is proposed to achieve an optimal sinusoidal BLDC. The scheme maintains linear relationship between the motor speed and drive voltage. In an attempt to execute the sensorless drive, an innovative power angle measurement scheme is devised, which takes advantage of the freewheeling diodes and measures the power angle through the detection of diode voltage drops. The objectives as laid out will be presented and discussed in this paper, supported by derivations, simulations, and experimental results. The proposed scheme is straightforward, brings about the benefits of sensorless sinusoidal drive, negates the need for current sensors by utilizing the freewheeling diodes, and does not incur additional cost.

Structure and relative importance of ponderomotive forces and current drive generated by converted fast waves in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K

2003-05-12

The generation in low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) of ponderomotive forces and non-inductive current drive by the resonant fast wave-plasma interaction with mode conversion to kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) and subsequent deposition, mainly by resonant electron Landau damping, is considered. The calculations follow the rigorous solution of the full wave equations upon using a dielectric tensor operator consisting of (i) a parallel conductivity including both kinetic effects (collisionless Landau damping on passing electrons) and collisional damping on both trapped electrons and passing electrons+ions and (ii) perpendicular components provided by the resistive two-fluid model equations. The fast waves are launched by an antenna located on the low field side and extending {+-}45 deg. about the equatorial plane. A parametric investigation of the structure and importance of the various components of the ponderomotive forces and current drive generated in START-like plasmas is carried out and their suitability for supplementing the required non-rf toroidal equilibrium current is demonstrated.

Current-driven turbulence in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kluiver, H. de.

1977-10-01

Research on plasma heating in linear and toroidal systems using current-driven turbulence is reviewed. The motivation for this research is presented. Relations between parameters describing the turbulent plasma state and macroscopic observables are given. Several linear and toroidal devices used in current-driven turbulence studies are described, followed by a discussion of special diagnostic methods used. Experimental results on the measurement of electron and ion heating, anomalous plasma conductivity and associated turbulent fluctuation spectra are reviewed. Theories on current-driven turbulence are discussed and compared with experiments. It is demonstrated from the experimental results that current-driven turbulence occurs not only for extreme values of the electric field but also for an experimentally much more accessible and wide range of parameters. This forms a basis for a discussion on possible future applications in fusion-oriented plasma research

Characterization of Input Current Interharmonics in Adjustable Speed Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soltani, Hamid; Davari, Pooya; Zare, Firuz

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the interharmonic generation process in the input current of double-stage Adjustable Speed Drives (ASDs) based on voltage source inverters and front-end diode rectifiers. The effects of the inverter output-side low order harmonics, caused by implementing the double......-edge symmetrical regularly sampled Space Vector Modulation (SVM) technique, on the input current interharmonic components are presented and discussed. Particular attention is also given to the influence of the asymmetrical regularly sampled modulation technique on the drive input current interharmonics....... The developed theoretical analysis predicts the drive interharmonic frequency locations with respect to the selected sampling strategies. Simulation and experimental results on a 2.5 kW ASD system verify the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis....

Influence of driving frequency on oxygen atom density in O2 radio frequency capacitively coupled plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitajima, Takeshi; Noro, Kouichi; Nakano, Toshiki; Makabe, Toshiaki

2004-01-01

The influence of the driving frequency on the absolute oxygen atom density in an O 2 radio frequency (RF) capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) was investigated using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy with pulse modulation of the main plasma. A low-power operation of a compact inductively coupled plasma light source was enabled to avoid the significant measurement errors caused by self-absorption in the light source. The pulse modulation of the main plasma enabled accurate absorption measurement for high plasma density conditions by eliminating background signals due to light emission from the main plasma. As for the effects of the driving frequency, the effect of VHF (100 MHz) drive on oxygen atom production was small because of the modest increase in plasma density of electronegative O 2 in contrast to the significant increase in electron density previously observed for electropositive Ar. The recombination coefficient of oxygen atoms on the electrode surface was obtained from a decay rate in the afterglow by comparison with a diffusion model, and it showed agreement with previously reported values for several electrode materials

Alfven-wave current drive and magnetic field stochasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Hegna, C.C.

1993-01-01

Propagating Alfven waves can generate parallel current through an alpha effect. In resistive MHD however, the dynamo field is proportional to resistivity and as such cannot drive significant currents for realistic parameters. In the search for an enhancement of this effect the authors investigate the role of magnetic field stochasticity. They show that the presence of a stochastic magnetic field, either spontaneously generated by instabilities or induced externally, can enhance the alpha effect of the wave. This enhancement is caused by an increased wave dissipation due to both current diffusion and filamentation. For the range of parameters of current drive experiments at Phaedrus-T tokamak, a moderate field stochasticity leads to significant modifications in the loop voltage

Propagation and scattering in Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horton, W.; Goniche, M.; Peysson, Y.; Decker, J.; Ekedahl, A.; Litaudon, X.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. The propagation and scattering of the 5 GHz RF waves planned for driving and controlling the plasma current in stage 2 of ITER is analyzed with theory, simulations and data from Tore Supra. The internal RF wavenumber spectrum is determined by a combination of elements including the (1) the azimuthal spectrum launched by the antenna, (2) coupling of the radial and azimuthal oscillations of the ray trajectories described the ray Hamiltonian with the radial and the poloidal variation of plasma and scattering from the drift wave turbulence (ref. 1, 2). The scattering of the RF waves from the drift wave turbulence in the plasma is described through a Fokker-Planck equation for the probability density of the rays. The new 4D ray kinetic equation has (1) an edge source from the antenna, (2) a core sink from the electron resonances, and (3) a global scattering rate tensor D ij (k,r,t) derived from the ambient plasma turbulence. The tensor reduces to a parallel and cross-field component with the cross-field component describing side-scatter of the RF waves. The solutions give a spectral distribution for the parallel index of refraction from the antenna to the region of three times the core electron thermal velocity. Strong absorption of the rays occurs where the plateau in the fast electron distribution joins the steeply increasing slope of the thermal electron phase space density (ref. 3). Solutions of the ray kinetic equation with the source, sink and scattering provide the filling of the spectral gap and the efficiency of the LHCD system. The ETG turbulence is modified by the temperature anisotropies and the sharp radial gradients of the LHCD electron distribution function (ref. 3). In the presence of the ETG turbulence projections of the partial differential equations to low-order transport models are derived with dynamical feed-forward/ feedback loops following L-H-ELM modeling (ref. 4). The low-order models may be used with feedback

Phased-array antenna system for electron Bernstein wave heating and current drive experiments in QUEST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idei, H.; Sakaguchi, M.; Kalinnikova, E.I.

2010-11-01

The phased-array antenna system for Electron Bernstein Wave Heating and Current Drive (EBWH/CD) experiments has been developed in the QUEST. The antenna was designed to excite a pure O-mode wave in the oblique injection for the EBWH/CD experiments, and was tested at a low power level. The measured two orthogonal fields were in excellent agreements with the fields evaluated by a developed Kirchhoff code. The heat load and thermal stress in CW 200 kW operation were analyzed with finite element codes. The phased array has been fast scanned [∼10 4 degree/s] to control the incident polarization and angle to follow time evolutions of the plasma current and density. The RF startup and sustainment experiments were conducted using the developed antenna system. The plasma current (< ∼15 kA) with an aspect ratio of 1.5 was started up and sustained by only RF injection. The long pulse discharge of 10 kA was attained for 40 s with the 30 kW injection. (author)

An analysis of current drive by travelling wave based on theory of intrinsic stochasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Akihiko; Midzuno, Yukio.

1982-04-01

The mechanism of the current generation in a collisionless plasma by a train of travelling mirrors with modulated phase velocity is studied based on the theory of intrinsic stochasticity. It is shown that, if the phase modulation is small, the main contribution to the current generation comes from the phase mixing of the trajectories of trapped electrons in each Fourier component of a driving wave. For the case of a moderate phase modulation, however, formation of a large stochastic region due to the overlapping of primary resonances is very effective for increasing the generated current. Large phase modulation has little advantage in the current generation because the stochastic regions are formed, so to speak, at random in the phase plane. The results of analytical evaluation based on the above theory agree quite well with results of numerical experiments. (author)

Modeling of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) and parametric instability (PI) for high performance internal transport barriers (ITBs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cesario, R.; Cardinali, A.; Castaldo, C.; Paoletti, F.; Challis, C.; Mailloux, J.; Mazon, D.

2003-01-01

ITBs (internal transport barrier) with high performance in time duration (4 seconds) were produced at Jet in plasma discharges operating at the plasma current of 2,4 MA and toroidal magnetic field of 3,45 T using lower hybrid (LH) radiofrequency power (2,3 MW) for heating and current drive. The first results of the modeling devoted to calculate the LH power deposition and current density profiles for ITB plasmas are presented. The LH power density profile was first calculated considering the nominal LH power n / spectrum launched by the antenna, a substantially centrally deposition is obtained, many passes (> 10) are necessary for producing a significant fraction of the coupled LH power to be absorbed. In a second step some broadening (20%) of the launched n / power spectrum was considered to simulate the effect of a non-linear wave scattering. Most of the LH power is deposited at the first pass, mainly in the outer half of plasma. The simulation gives a moderate amount (60%) of non-inductive current, including 30% of LHCD fraction. The q-profiles from polarization and from MSE (motional Stark effect) at the beginning and during the main heating phase were analysed. Non-linear plasma edge phenomena allow propagation of some LH power with large n / . Such effect should be retained for a realistic LHCD modeling of ITB plasmas. The consequent enhanced off-axis LHCD is consistent with the observed large ITBs and the obtained large region with low magnetic shear. The LH power might provide a powerful tool for controlling the q-profile for ITB at high plasma current, for potential application to the advanced tokamak regimes

Modeling of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) and parametric instability (PI) for high performance internal transport barriers (ITBs)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cesario, R.; Cardinali, A.; Castaldo, C. [Associazione Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Centro Ricerche Frascadi (Italy); Paoletti, F. [PPPL Pinceton (United States); Challis, C.; Mailloux, J. [Euratom-UKAEA fusion association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX (United Kingdom); Mazon, D. [Association Euratom-CEA Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2003-07-01

ITBs (internal transport barrier) with high performance in time duration (4 seconds) were produced at Jet in plasma discharges operating at the plasma current of 2,4 MA and toroidal magnetic field of 3,45 T using lower hybrid (LH) radiofrequency power (2,3 MW) for heating and current drive. The first results of the modeling devoted to calculate the LH power deposition and current density profiles for ITB plasmas are presented. The LH power density profile was first calculated considering the nominal LH power n{sub /} spectrum launched by the antenna, a substantially centrally deposition is obtained, many passes (> 10) are necessary for producing a significant fraction of the coupled LH power to be absorbed. In a second step some broadening (20%) of the launched n{sub /} power spectrum was considered to simulate the effect of a non-linear wave scattering. Most of the LH power is deposited at the first pass, mainly in the outer half of plasma. The simulation gives a moderate amount (60%) of non-inductive current, including 30% of LHCD fraction. The q-profiles from polarization and from MSE (motional Stark effect) at the beginning and during the main heating phase were analysed. Non-linear plasma edge phenomena allow propagation of some LH power with large n{sub /}. Such effect should be retained for a realistic LHCD modeling of ITB plasmas. The consequent enhanced off-axis LHCD is consistent with the observed large ITBs and the obtained large region with low magnetic shear. The LH power might provide a powerful tool for controlling the q-profile for ITB at high plasma current, for potential application to the advanced tokamak regimes.

High beta plasma operation in a toroidal plasma producing device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, J.F.

1978-01-01

A high beta plasma is produced in a plasma producing device of toroidal configuration by ohmic heating and auxiliary heating. The plasma pressure is continuously monitored and used in a control system to program the current in the poloidal field windings. Throughout the heating process, magnetic flux is conserved inside the plasma and the distortion of the flux surfaces drives a current in the plasma. As a consequence, the total current increases and the poloidal field windings are driven with an equal and opposing increasing current. The spatial distribution of the current in the poloidal field windings is determined by the plasma pressure. Plasma equilibrium is maintained thereby, and high temperature, high beta operation results

Critical power for lower hybrid current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, A.S. de; Sakanaka, P.H.; Azevedo, C.A. de; Busnardo-Neto, J.

1995-11-01

We have solved numerically the quasilinear Fokker-Planck equation which models the critical power for lower hybrid wave current drive. An exact value for the critical power necessary for current saturation, for tokamak current drive experiments, has been obtained. The nonlinear treatment presented here leads to a final profile for the parallel distribution function which is a plateau only in a part of the resonance region. This form of the distribution function is intermediate between two well known results: a plateau throughout the resonance region for the linear strong-source regime, D wave >> D coll and no plateau at all in the resonance region the linear weak-source regimen, D wave coll . The strength of the external power source and the value of the dc electric field are treated as given parameters in the integration scheme. (author). 24 refs, 6 figs

Non-inductive plasma initiation and plasma current ramp-up on the TST-2 spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takase, Y.; Ejiri, A.; Oosako, T.; Shinya, T.; Ambo, T.; Furui, H.; Kato, K.; Nakanishi, A.; Sakamoto, T.; Kakuda, H.; Wakatsuki, T.; Hashimoto, T.; Hiratsuka, J.; Kasahara, H.; Kumazawa, R.; Mutoh, T.; Saito, K.; Seki, T.; Moeller, C.P.; Nagashima, Y.

2013-01-01

Plasma current (I p ) start-up in a spherical tokamak (ST) by waves in the lower-hybrid (LH) frequency range was investigated on TST-2. A low current (∼1 kA) ST configuration can be formed by waves over a broad frequency range (21 MHz–8.2 GHz in TST-2), but further I p ramp-up (to ∼10 kA) is most efficient with waves in the LH frequency range. I p ramp-up to 15 kA was achieved with 60 kW of net RF power P RF in the fast wave (FW) polarization at 200 MHz excited by the inductively coupled combline antenna. X-ray measurements showed that the photon flux and temperature are higher in the direction opposite to I p , consistent with acceleration of electrons by a uni-directional RF wave. There is evidence that the LH wave is excited nonlinearly by the FW, based on the frequency spectra measured by magnetic probes. Similar efficiencies of I p ramp-up were obtained with the inductive combline antenna and the dielectric-loaded waveguide array (‘grill’) antenna, and tendencies for the current drive efficiency to increase with plasma current and toroidal field were observed. During operation of the grill antenna, wavevector components were measured by an array of magnetic probes. Results were qualitatively consistent with expectations based on dispersion relations for the FW and the LH wave. A capacitively coupled combline antenna has been developed to improve coupling to the plasma and the wavenumber spectrum of the excited LH wave, and will be tested in 2013. (paper)

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1999-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

2001-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Increased stable beta in DIII-D by suppression of a neoclassical tearing mode using electron cyclotron current drive and active feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Haye, R.J.

2002-01-01

In DIII-D, the first real-time active control of the electron cyclotron current drive stabilization of a neoclassical tearing mode (here m/n=3/2) is demonstrated. The plasma control system is put into a 'search and suppress' mode to make either small rigid radial position shifts (of order 1 cm) of the entire plasma (and thus the island) or small changes in toroidal field (of order 0.5%) which radially moves the second harmonic resonance location (and thus the rf current drive). The optimum position minimizes the real-time mode amplitude signal. Stabilization occurs despite changes in island location from discharge-to-discharge or from time-to-time. The neutral beam heating power is then programmed to rise after mode suppression by the ECCD. The plasma pressure increases higher than the peak at the onset of the neoclassical tearing mode until the magnetic island reappears. Real-time tracking of the change in location of q=3/2 due to the Shafranov shift with increasing beta is necessary to keep the ECCD at the optimum location in the absence of a mode. (author)

Experimental study of current loss and plasma formation in the Z machine post-hole convolute

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Gomez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Z pulsed-power generator at Sandia National Laboratories drives high energy density physics experiments with load currents of up to 26 MA. Z utilizes a double post-hole convolute to combine the current from four parallel magnetically insulated transmission lines into a single transmission line just upstream of the load. Current loss is observed in most experiments and is traditionally attributed to inefficient convolute performance. The apparent loss current varies substantially for z-pinch loads with different inductance histories; however, a similar convolute impedance history is observed for all load types. This paper details direct spectroscopic measurements of plasma density, temperature, and apparent and actual plasma closure velocities within the convolute. Spectral measurements indicate a correlation between impedance collapse and plasma formation in the convolute. Absorption features in the spectra show the convolute plasma consists primarily of hydrogen, which likely forms from desorbed electrode contaminant species such as H_{2}O, H_{2}, and hydrocarbons. Plasma densities increase from 1×10^{16}  cm^{−3} (level of detectability just before peak current to over 1×10^{17}  cm^{−3} at stagnation (tens of ns later. The density seems to be highest near the cathode surface, with an apparent cathode to anode plasma velocity in the range of 35–50  cm/μs. Similar plasma conditions and convolute impedance histories are observed in experiments with high and low losses, suggesting that losses are driven largely by load dynamics, which determine the voltage on the convolute.

Current drive experiments in the HIT-II spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarboe, T.R.; Gu, P.; Isso, V.A.; Jewell, P.E.; McCollam, K.J.; Nelson, B.A.; Ramon, R.; Redd, A.J.; Sieck, P.E.; Smith, R.J.; Nagata, M.; Uyama, T.

2001-01-01

The Helicity Injected Torus (Hit) program has made progress in understanding relaxation and helicity injection current drive. Helicity-conserving MHD activity during the inductive (Ohmic) current ramp demonstrates the profile flattening needed for coaxial helicity injection (CHI). Results from cathode and anode central column (CC) CHI pulses are consistent with the electron locking model of current drive from a pure n=1 mode. Finally, low density CHI, compatible with Ohmic operation, has been achieved. Some enhancement of CHI discharges with the application of Ohmic is shown. (author)

Design and Preparation of RF System for the Lower Hybrid Fast Wave Heating and Current Drive Research on VEST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Ho; Jeong, Seung Ho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hyun Woo; Lee, Byung Je [Kwang Woon University, Chuncheon (Korea, Republic of); Jo, Jong Gab; Lee, Hyun Young; Hwang, Yong Seok [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Continuous current drive is one of the key issues for tokamak to be a commercial fusion reactor. As a part of new and efficient current drive concept research by using a Lower Hybrid Fast Wave (LHFW), the experimental study is planned on Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus (VEST) and a RF system is being developed in collaboration with Kwang Woon University (KWU), Korea Accelerator Plasma Research Association (KAPRA) and Seoul National University (SNU). The LHFW RF system includes UHF band klystron, inter-digital antenna, RF diagnostics and power transmission sub components such as circulator, DC breaker, vacuum feed-thru. The design and preparation status of the RF system will be presented in the meeting in detail. A RF system has been designed and prepared for the experimental study of efficient current drive by using Lower Hybrid Fast Wave. Overall LHFW RF system including diagnostics is designed to deliver about 10 kW in UHF band. And the key hardware components including klystron and antenna are being prepared and designed through the collaboration with KWU, KAPRA and SNU.

W7-AS contributions to: 10. topical conference on radio frequency power in plasmas, Boston, 1993 - Local transport studies on fusion plasmas, Varenna, 1993 - 5. European theory conference, El Escorial, 1993 - 4. int. workshop on plasma edge theory in fusion devices, Varenna, 1993 - 5. international Toki conference on plasma physics and controlled nuclear fusion, physics and technology of plasma heating and current drive, Toki, 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-03-01

The report contains the following contribution (titles and authors): High Power 140 GHz ECRH Experiments on W7-AS (V. Erckmann); Heat Wave Studies on W7-AS Stellarator (H.J. Hartfuss); Evidence for Temperature Fluctuations in the W7-AS Stellarator (H.J. Hartfuss); Transient Transport Studies in W7-AS (U. Stroth); Open Magnetic Surfaces for Modelling Plasma Transport in the Boundary of Stellarators (F. Sardei); Electron Cyclotron Current Drive and Bootstrap Current (U. Gasparino); Parametrization of Open Magnetic Structures for Modelling Plasma Transport in the Boundary of W7-AS (F. Sardei); 140 GHz ECRH Experiments at the W7-AS Stellarator (V. Erckmann); H.-Mode of W7-AS Stellarator (F. Wagner); New Subjects of H-Mode (F. Wagner); Recent Results with 140 GHz ECRH at the W7-AS Stellarator (V. Erckmann). (orig./HP)

A simultaneous description of fast wave e-TTMP and ion current drive effects on shear in a tokamak: theory and experiments in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, V.P.; Bosia, G.; Jacquinot, J.; Porcelli, F.

1993-01-01

A controlled local modification of the plasma-current profile, the safety factor q or shear (dq/dr) in a tokamak can lead to an improvement in its performance. For example, enhanced confinement in JET discharges with deep pellet injection is found to be associated with a reversal of the shear. Also, a significant control over the sawteeth behaviour in the JET tokamak has been found to occur when the shear at the q = 1 surface is modified by a dipolar-current driven by ICRF in the minority-ion heating regime. This could give a handle on the ejection of fast particles and hence on burn control in a reactor. The above sawtooth control may also be used to ease the ash removal in a reactor. When an ICRH antenna array is phased (Δφ ≠ 0 or π), the excited asymmetric k // -spectrum can drive non inductive currents by interaction of waves both with electrons (TTMP and e-Landau damping) and ions at minority (fundamental) or harmonic cyclotron resonances depending upon the scenario. Therefore, in any modeling of ICRF current drive, both (electron and ion) current drive mechanisms must be included simultaneously to correctly represent the non inductive current drive profile. To devise scenarios of shear control by minority current drive, that take advantage of the inherent electron current drive as well, we have developed a model based on earlier theories to calculate, for the first time, the two effects simultaneously. (author) 11 refs., 5 figs

External heating and current drive source requirements towards steady-state operation in ITER

Science.gov (United States)

Poli, F. M.; Kessel, C. E.; Bonoli, P. T.; Batchelor, D. B.; Harvey, R. W.; Snyder, P. B.

2014-07-01

Steady state scenarios envisaged for ITER aim at optimizing the bootstrap current, while maintaining sufficient confinement and stability to provide the necessary fusion yield. Non-inductive scenarios will need to operate with internal transport barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. However, the large pressure gradients associated with ITBs in regions of weak or negative magnetic shear can be conducive to ideal MHD instabilities, reducing the no-wall limit. The E × B flow shear from toroidal plasma rotation is expected to be low in ITER, with a major role in the ITB dynamics being played by magnetic geometry. Combinations of heating and current drive (H/CD) sources that sustain reversed magnetic shear profiles throughout the discharge are the focus of this work. Time-dependent transport simulations indicate that a combination of electron cyclotron (EC) and lower hybrid (LH) waves is a promising route towards steady state operation in ITER. The LH forms and sustains expanded barriers and the EC deposition at mid-radius freezes the bootstrap current profile stabilizing the barrier and leading to confinement levels 50% higher than typical H-mode energy confinement times. Using LH spectra with spectrum centred on parallel refractive index of 1.75-1.85, the performance of these plasma scenarios is close to the ITER target of 9 MA non-inductive current, global confinement gain H98 = 1.6 and fusion gain Q = 5.

RF heating and current drive on NSTX with high harmonic fast waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, P.M.

2002-01-01

NSTX is a small aspect ratio tokamak with a large dielectric constant (50-100); under these conditions high harmonic fast waves (HHFW) will readily damp on electrons via Landau damping and TTMP. The HHFW system is a 30 MHz, 12-element array capable of launching both symmetric and directional wave spectra for plasma heating and non-inductive current drive. It has delivered up to 6 MW for short pulses and has routinely operated at ∼3-4 MW for 100-200 ms pulses. Results include strong, centrally-peaked electron heating in both D and He plasmas, for both high and low phase velocity spectra. H-modes were obtained with application of HHFW power alone, with stored energy doubling after the L-H transition. Beta poloidal as large as unity has been obtained with large fractions (0.4) of bootstrap current. A fast ion tail with energies extending up to 140 keV has been observed when HHFW interacts with 80 keV neutral beams; neutron rate and lost ion measurements, as well as modeling, indicate significant power absorption by the fast ions. Radial power deposition profiles are being calculated with ray tracing and kinetic full-wave codes and benchmarked against measurements. (author)

Estimation of post disruption plasma temperature for fast current quench Aditya plasma shots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purohit, S.; Chowdhuri, M.B.; Joisa, Y.S.; Raval, J.V.; Ghosh, J.; Jha, R.

2013-01-01

Characteristics of tokamak current quenches are an important issue for the determination of electromagnetic forces that act on the in-vessel components and vacuum vessel during major disruptions. It is observed that thermal quench is followed by a sharp current decay. Fast current quench disruptive plasma shots were investigated for ADITYA tokamak. The current decay time was determined for the selected shots, which were in the range of 0.8 msec to 2.5 msec. This current decay information was then applied to L/R model, frequently employed for the estimation of the current decay time in tokamak plasmas, considering plasma inductance and plasma resistivity. This methodology was adopted for the estimation of the post disruption plasma temperature using the experimentally observed current decay time for the fast current quench disruptive ADITYA plasma shots. The study reveals that for the identified shots there is a constant increase in the current decay time with the post disruption plasma temperature. The investigations also explore the behavior post disruption plasma temperature and the current decay time as a function of the edge safety factor, Q. Post disruption plasma temperature and the current decay time exhibits a decrease with the increase in the value Q. (author)

Current filaments in turbulent magnetized plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martines, E.; Vianello, N.; Sundkvist, D.

2009-01-01

gradient region of a fusion plasma confined in reversed field pinch configuration and in a density gradient region in the Earth magnetosphere are measured and compared, showing that in both environments they can be attributed to drift-Alfvén vortices. Current structures associated with reconnection events......Direct measurements of current density perturbations associated with non-linear phenomena in magnetized plasmas can be carried out using in situ magnetic measurements. In this paper we report such measurements for three different kinds of phenomena. Current density fluctuations in the edge density...... measured in a reversed field pinch plasma and in the magnetosheath are detected and compared. Evidence of current filaments occurring during ELMs in an H-mode tokamak plasma is displayed....

Direct Drive Generator for Renewable Power Conversion from Water Currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segergren, Erik

2005-01-01

In this thesis permanent magnet direct drive generator for power conversion from water currents is studied. Water currents as a power source involves a number of constrains as well as possibilities, especially when direct drive and permanent magnets are considered. The high power fluxes and low current velocities of a water current, in combination with its natural variations, will affect the way the generator is operated and, flowingly, the appearance of the generator. The work in this thesis can, thus, be categorized into two general topics, generator technology and optimization. Under the first topic, fundamental generator technology is used to increase the efficiency of a water current generator. Under the latter topic, water current generators are optimized to a specific environment. The conclusion drawn from this work is that it is possible to design very low speed direct drive generators with good electromagnetic properties and wide efficiency peak

On Ion Cyclotron Current Drive for sawtooth control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksson, L.-G.; Johnson, T.; Hellsten, T.; Mayoral, M.-L.; McDonald, D.; Santala, M.; Vries, P. de; Coda, S.; Sauter, O.; Mueck, A.; Buttery, R.J.; Mantsinen, M.J.; Noterdaeme, J.-M.; Westerhof, E.

2006-01-01

Experiments using Ion Cyclotron Current Drive (ICCD) to control sawteeth are presented. In particular, discharges demonstrating shortening of fast ion induced long sawteeth reported in [L.-G. Eriksson et al., Physical Review Letters 92, 235004 (2004)] by ICCD have been analysed in detail. Numerical simulations of the ICCD driven currents are shown to be consistent with the experimental observations. They support the hypothesis that an increase of the magnetic shear, due to the driven current, at the surface where the safety factor is unity was the critical factor for the shortening of the sawteeth. In view of the potential utility of ICCD, the mechanisms for the current drive have been further investigated experimentally. This includes the influence of the averaged energy of the resonating ions carrying the current and the spectrum of the launched waves. The results of these experiments are discussed in the light of theoretical considerations. (author)

Joint Czechoslovak-Soviet workshop on current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

At the Joint Czechoslovak-Soviet Workshop on Current Drive in Tokamaks, five papers dealing with issues of general interest were presented. In a theoretical paper by Klima and Pavlo a one-dimensional model of the lower-hybrid current drive is described and the results of its analysis are used in a numerical simulation using T-7 tokamak parameters. In the second theoretical paper by Vojtsekhovich, Parail and Pereverzev the influence of the LH wave spectrum on the efficiency of the current drive is studied. Two papers deal with a new microwave system designed for experiments on LHCD in the T-7 tokamak. In particular, the power spectra of new four-waveguide grills are computed. In the last paper the non-inductive start-up of the discharge in the T-7 tokamak by means of electron cyclotron waves is investigated. (J.U.)

Q-profile evolution and improved core electron confinement in the full current drive operation on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litaudon, X.; Peysson, Y.; Aniel, T.; Huysmans, G.; Imbeaux, F.; Joffrin, E.; Lasalle, J.; Lotte, Ph.; Schunke, B.; Segui, J.; Tresset, G.; Zabiego, M.

2000-12-01

The formation of a core region with improved electron confinement is reported in the recent full current drive operation of Tore Supra where the plasma current is sustained with the Lower Hybrid, LH, wave. Current profile evolution and thermal electron transport coefficients are directly assessed using the data of the new fast electron Bremsstrahlung tomography that provides the most accurate determination of the LH current and power deposition profiles. The spontaneous rise of the core electron temperature observed a few seconds after the application of the LH power is ascribed to a bifurcation towards a state of reduced electron transport. The role of the magnetic shear is invoked to partly stabilize the anomalous electron turbulence. The electron temperature transition occurs when the q-profile evolves towards a non-inductive state with a non-monotonic shape i.e. when the magnetic shear is reduced close to zero in the plasma core. The improved core confinement phase is often terminated by a sudden MHD activity when the minimum q approaches two. (authors)

Tearing modes in tokamaks with lower hybrid current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, X.Q.

1990-08-01

In this paper, the effect of current drive on the tearing modes in the semi-collisional regime is analyzed using the drift-kinetic equation. A collisional operator is developed to model electron parallel conductivity. For the pure tearing modes the linear and quasilinear growth rates in the Rutherford regimes have been found to have roughly the same forms with a modified resistivity as without current drive. One interesting result is the prediction of a new instability. This instability, driven by the current gradient inside the tearing mode layer, is possibly related to MHD behavior observed in these experiments. 9 refs

The direct wave-drive thruster

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Matthew Solomon

A propulsion concept relying on the direct, steady-state acceleration of a plasma by an inductive wave-launching antenna is presented. By operating inductively in steady state, a Direct Wave-Drive Thruster avoids drawbacks associated with electrode erosion and pulsed acceleration. The generalized relations for the scaling of thrust and efficiency with the antenna current are derived analytically; thrust is shown to scale with current squared, and efficiency is shown to increase with increasing current or power. Two specific configurations are modeled to determine nondimensional parameters governing the antenna-plasma coupling: an annular antenna pushing against a finite-conductivity plasma, and a linear antenna targeting the magnetosonic wave. Calculations from the model show that total thrust improves for increasing excitation frequencies, wavenumbers, plasma densities, and device sizes. To demonstrate the magnetosonic wave as an ideal candidate to drive a DWDT, it is shown to be capable of carrying substantial momentum and able to drive a variable specific impulse. The magnetosonic wave-driven mass flow is compared to mass transport due to thermal effects and cross-field diffusion in order to derive critical power requirements that ensure the thruster channel is dominated by wave dynamics. A proof-of-concept experiment is constructed that consists of a separate plasma source, a confining magnetic field, and a wave-launching antenna. The scaling of the increase of exhaust velocity is analytically modeled and is dependent on a nondimensional characteristic wavenumber that is proportional to the excitation frequency and plasma density and inversely proportional to the magnetic field strength. Experimental validation of the derived scaling behavior is carried out using a Mach probe to measure the flow velocity in the plume. Increases in exhaust velocity are measured as the antenna current increases for varying excitation frequencies and applied magnetic field

Computer simulation of transport driven current in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunan, W.J.; Dawson, J.M.

1993-01-01

Plasma transport phenomena can drive large currents parallel to an externally applied magnetic field. The Bootstrap Current Theory accounts for the effect of Banana diffusion on toroidal current, but the effect is not confined to that transport regime. The authors' 2 1/2-D, electromagnetic, particle simulations have demonstrated that Maxwellian plasmas in static toroidal and vertical fields spontaneously develop significant toroidal current, even in the absence of the open-quotes seed currentclose quotes which the Bootstrap Theory requires. Other simulations, in both toroidal and straight cylindrical geometries, and without any externally imposed electric field, show that if the plasma column is centrally fueled, and if the particle diffusion coefficient exceeds the magnetic diffusion coefficient (as is true in most tokamaks) then the toroidal current grows steadily. The simulations indicate that such fueling, coupled with central heating due to fusion reactions may drive all of the tokamak's toroidal current. The Bootstrap and dynamo mechanisms do not drive toroidal current where the poloidal magnetic field is zero. The simulations, as well as initial theoretical work, indicate that in tokamak plasmas, various processes naturally transport current from the outer regions of the plasma to the magnetic axis. The mechanisms which cause this effective electron viscosity include conventional binary collisions, wave emission and reabsorption, and also convection associated with rvec E x rvec B vortex motion. The simulations also exhibit preferential loss of particles carrying current opposing the bulk plasma current. This preferential loss generates current even at the magnetic axis. If these self-seeding mechanisms function in experiments as they do in the simulations, then transport driven current would eliminate the need for any external current drive in tokamaks, except simple ohmic heating for initial generation of the plasma

Behavior of impurity ion velocities during the pulsed poloidal current drive in the Madison symmetric torus reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakakita, Hajime; Craig, Darren; Anderson, Jay K.; Chapman, Brett E.; Den-Hartog, Daniel J.; Prager, Stewart C.; Biewer, Ted M.; Terry, Stephen D.

2003-01-01

We report on passive measurements of impurity ion velocities during the pulsed poloidal current drive (PPCD) in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch. During PPCD, the electron temperature increased and a sudden reduction of magnetic fluctuations was observed. For this change, we have studied whether plasma velocity is affected. Plasma rotation is observed to decrease during PPCD. From measurements of line intensities for several impurities at 10 poloidal chords, it is found that the impurity line emission shifts outward. The ion temperature of impurities is reasonably connected to that measured by charge exchange recombination spectroscopy from core to edge. (author)

Preliminary oscillating fluxes current drive experiment in DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, S.; Schaffer, M.; Kondoh, Y.

1995-01-01

A preliminary oscillating flux helicity injection experiment was done on DIII-D tokamak. The toroidal flux was modulated by programming the plasma elongation. Instead of programming the surface voltage directly, the plasma current was programmed with a periodic modulation at some phase shift. The theoretical basis of this modulation is discussed in terms of the helicity injection and also introduced by cross-field motion of the modulated plasma. Because the primary winding is well coupled with the plasma current and the power supply is strong, the plasma current behaves as programmed. However, as the plasma shape is not coupled strongly with the shaping and equilibrium coils, the elongation amplitude and phase are affected by the change of plasma current and do not behave as programmed. Because of this, the voltage induced by the helicity injection is low, and the experiment did not test the principle of helicity injection. The injection powers of helicity and energy, and the electric field intensity of the helicity injection model and the cross-field motion of plasma are compared with each other experimentally. The improvement necessary to do the experiment is also proposed. ((orig.))

Comparison between the electron cyclotron current drive experiments on DIII-D and predictions for T-10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohr, J.; Harvey, R.W.; Luce, T.C.; Matsuda, Kyoko; Moeller, C.P.; Petty, C.C.; Prater, R.; James, R.A.; Giruzzi, G.; Gorelov, Y.; DeHaas, J.

1990-11-01

Electron cyclotron current drive has been demonstrated on the DIII-D tokamak in an experiment in which ∼1 MW of microwave power generated ∼50 kA of non-inductive current. The rf-generated portion was about 15% of the total current. On the T-10 tokamak, more than 3 MW of microwave power will be available for current generation, providing the possibility that all the plasma current could be maintained by this method. Fokker-Planck calculations using the code CQL3D and ray tracing calculations using TORAY have been performed to model both experiments. For DIII-D the agreement between the calculations and measurements is good, producing confidence in the validity of the computational models. The same calculations using the T-10 geometry predict that for n e (0) ∼ 1.8 x 10 13 cm -3 , and T e (0) ∼ 7 keV, 1.2 MW, that is, the power available from only three gyrotrons, could generate as much as 150 kA of non-inductive current. Parameter space scans in which temperature, density and resonance location were varied have been performed to indicate the current drive expected under different experimental conditions. The residual dc electric field was considered in the DIII-D analysis because of its nonlinear effect on the electron distribution, which complicates the interpretation of the results. A 110 GHz ECH system is being installed on DIII-D. Initial operations, planned for late 1991, will use four gyrotrons with 500 kW each and 10 second output pulses. Injection will be from the low field side from launchers which can be steered to heat at the desired location. These launchers, two of which are presently installed, are set at 20 degrees to the radial and rf current drive studies are planned for the initial operation. 8 refs., 10 figs

Model for ICRF fast wave current drive in self-consistent MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonoli, P.T.; Englade, R.C.; Porkolab, M.; Fenstermacher, M.E.

1993-01-01

Recently, a model for fast wave current drive in the ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF) range was incorporated into the current drive and MHD equilibrium code ACCOME. The ACCOME model combines a free boundary solution of the Grad Shafranov equation with the calculation of driven currents due to neutral beam injection, lower hybrid (LH) waves, bootstrap effects, and ICRF fast waves. The equilibrium and current drive packages iterate between each other to obtain an MHD equilibrium which is consistent with the profiles of driven current density. The ICRF current drive package combines a toroidal full-wave code (FISIC) with a parameterization of the current drive efficiency obtained from an adjoint solution of the Fokker Planck equation. The electron absorption calculation in the full-wave code properly accounts for the combined effects of electron Landau damping (ELD) and transit time magnetic pumping (TTMP), assuming a Maxwellian (or bi-Maxwellian) electron distribution function. Furthermore, the current drive efficiency includes the effects of particle trapping, momentum conserving corrections to the background Fokker Planck collision operator, and toroidally induced variations in the parallel wavenumbers of the injected ICRF waves. This model has been used to carry out detailed studies of advanced physics scenarios in the proposed Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX). Results are shown, for example, which demonstrate the possibility of achieving stable equilibria at high beta and high bootstrap current fraction in TPX. Model results are also shown for the proposed ITER device

ELECTRON CYCLOTRON CURRENT DRIVE EFFICIENCY IN GENERAL TOKAMAK GEOMETRY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LIN-LUI, Y.R; CHAN, V.S; PRATER, R.

2003-01-01

Green's-function techniques are used to calculate electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) efficiency in general tokamak geometry in the low-collisionality regime. Fully relativistic electron dynamics is employed in the theoretical formulation. The high-velocity collision model is used to model Coulomb collisions and a simplified quasi-linear rf diffusion operator describes wave-particle interactions. The approximate analytic solutions which are benchmarked with a widely used ECCD model, facilitate time-dependent simulations of tokamak operational scenarios using the non-inductive current drive of electron cyclotron waves

Electron-cyclotron wave propagation, absorption and current drive in the presence of neoclassical tearing modes

Science.gov (United States)

Isliker, Heinz; Chatziantonaki, Ioanna; Tsironis, Christos; Vlahos, Loukas

2012-09-01

We analyze the propagation of electron-cyclotron waves, their absorption and current drive when neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs), in the form of magnetic islands, are present in a tokamak plasma. So far, the analysis of the wave propagation and power deposition in the presence of NTMs has been performed mainly in the frame of an axisymmetric magnetic field, ignoring any effects from the island topology. Our analysis starts from an axisymmetric magnetic equilibrium, which is perturbed such as to exhibit magnetic islands. In this geometry, we compute the wave evolution with a ray-tracing code, focusing on the effect of the island topology on the efficiency of the absorption and current drive. To increase the precision in the calculation of the power deposition, the standard analytical flux-surface labeling for the island region has been adjusted from the usual cylindrical to toroidal geometry. The propagation up to the O-point is found to be little affected by the island topology, whereas the power absorbed and the driven current are significantly enhanced, because the resonant particles are bound to the small volumes in between the flux surfaces of the island. The consequences of these effects on the NTM evolution are investigated in terms of the modified Rutherford equation.

Electron-cyclotron wave propagation, absorption and current drive in the presence of neoclassical tearing modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isliker, Heinz; Chatziantonaki, Ioanna; Tsironis, Christos; Vlahos, Loukas

2012-01-01

We analyze the propagation of electron-cyclotron waves, their absorption and current drive when neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs), in the form of magnetic islands, are present in a tokamak plasma. So far, the analysis of the wave propagation and power deposition in the presence of NTMs has been performed mainly in the frame of an axisymmetric magnetic field, ignoring any effects from the island topology. Our analysis starts from an axisymmetric magnetic equilibrium, which is perturbed such as to exhibit magnetic islands. In this geometry, we compute the wave evolution with a ray-tracing code, focusing on the effect of the island topology on the efficiency of the absorption and current drive. To increase the precision in the calculation of the power deposition, the standard analytical flux-surface labeling for the island region has been adjusted from the usual cylindrical to toroidal geometry. The propagation up to the O-point is found to be little affected by the island topology, whereas the power absorbed and the driven current are significantly enhanced, because the resonant particles are bound to the small volumes in between the flux surfaces of the island. The consequences of these effects on the NTM evolution are investigated in terms of the modified Rutherford equation. (paper)

High Voltage, Fast-Switching Module for Active Control of Magnetic Fields and Edge Plasma Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Ziemba, Timothy; Miller, Kenneth; Prager, James; Slobodov, Ilia

2016-10-01

Fast, reliable, real-time control of plasma is critical to the success of magnetic fusion science. High voltage and current supplies are needed to mitigate instabilities in all experiments as well as disruption events in large scale tokamaks for steady-state operation. Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs offer many advantages over IGBTs including lower drive energy requirements, lower conduction and switching losses, and higher switching frequency capabilities; however, these devices are limited to 1.2-1.7 kV devices. As fusion enters the long-pulse and burning plasma eras, efficiency of power switching will be important. Eagle Harbor Technologies (EHT), Inc. developing a high voltage SiC MOSFET module that operates at 10 kV. This switch module utilizes EHT gate drive technology, which has demonstrated the ability to increase SiC MOSFET switching efficiency. The module will allow more rapid development of high voltage switching power supplies at lower cost necessary for the next generation of fast plasma feedback and control. EHT is partnering with the High Beta Tokamak group at Columbia to develop detailed high voltage module specifications, to ensure that the final product meets the needs of the fusion science community.

Study on lower hybrid current drive efficiency at high density towards long-pulse regimes in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, M. H.; Ding, B. J.; Zhang, J. Z.; Gan, K. F.; Wang, H. Q.; Zhang, L.; Wei, W.; Li, Y. C.; Wu, Z. G.; Ma, W. D.; Jia, H.; Chen, M.; Yang, Y.; Feng, J. Q.; Wang, M.; Xu, H. D.; Shan, J. F.; Liu, F. K.; Peysson, Y.

2014-01-01

Significant progress on both L- and H-mode long-pulse discharges has been made recently in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) [J. Li et al., Nature Phys. 9, 817 (2013) And B. N. Wan et al., Nucl. Fusion 53, 104006 (2013).]. In this paper, LHCD experiments at high density in L-mode plasmas have been investigated in order to explore possible methods of improving current drive (CD) efficiency, thus to extend the operational space in long-pulse and high performance plasma regime. It is observed that the normalized bremsstrahlung emission falls much more steeply than 1/n e-av (line-averaged density) above n e-av  = 2.2 × 10 19  m −3 indicating anomalous loss of CD efficiency. A large broadening of the operating line frequency (f = 2.45 GHz), measured by a radio frequency (RF) probe located outside the EAST vacuum vessel, is generally observed during high density cases, which is found to be one of the physical mechanisms resulting in the unfavorable CD efficiency. Collisional absorption of lower hybrid wave in the scrape off layer (SOL) may be another cause, but this assertion needs more experimental evidence and numerical analysis. It is found that plasmas with strong lithiation can improve CD efficiency largely, which should be benefited from the changes of edge parameters. In addition, several possible methods are proposed to recover good efficiency in future experiments for EAST

On ray stochasticity during lower hybrid current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bizarro, J.P.; Moreau, D.

1992-08-01

A comprehensive and detailed analysis is presented on the importance of toroidally induced ray stochasticity for the modelling of lower hybrid current drive and for the dynamics of the launched power spectrum. A combined ray tracing and Fokker-Planck code is used and the injected lower hybrid power distribution in poloidal angle and in parallel wave index is accurately represented by taking into account the poloidal extent of the antenna ad by efficiently covering the full range of its radiated spectrum. The importance of the balance between the wave damping and the exponential divergence of nearby ray trajectories in determining the shape of the predicted lower hybrid power deposition profiles is emphasized. When a sufficiently large number of rays is used to densely cover the region of the launched power spectrum which is affected by stochastic effects, code predictions are shown to be stable with respect to small changes in initial conditions and plasma parameters and to be consistent with experimental data

Heating, current drive and MHD control using ECH in TCV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodman, T.

2001-01-01

The 6 beam 2nd harmonic X-mode (X2), 3MW, ECH/ECCD system of the TCV tokamak allows a fine tailoring of the deposition profiles in the plasma. The sensitivity of the sawtooth period to the deposition location is used to increase the equilibria reconstruction and ray-tracing accuracy. Off-axis ECH, followed by on-axis counter-ECCD produces improved central confinement regimes in which τ Ee exceeds RLW scaling by a factor of 3.5. The PRETOR transport code (incorporating an RLW local transport model but constrained by the experimental density profiles) predicts an extreme sensitivity of τ Ee to the deposition location of the counter-ECCD. This is confirmed by experiments. Sawtooth simulations using PRETOR, including the effects of current drive with inputs from the TORAY ray-tracing code, are in good agreement with experimental results. These results are an initial benchmark for the package of analysis codes, LIUQE/TORAY/PRETOR used during ECH/ECCD experiments on TCV. (author)

Fundamental X-mode electron cyclotron current drive using remote-steering symmetric direction antenna at larger steering angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idei, H.; Hanada, K.; Zushi, H.; Sato, K.N.; Sakamoto, M.; Iyomasa, A.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.; Ohkubo, K.; Kubo, S.; Shimozuma, T.; Ito, S.; Hasegawa, M.; Nakamura, K.; Notake, T.; Hoshika, H.; Maezono, N.; Nishi, S.; Nakashima, K.

2005-01-01

A remote steering antenna has been newly developed for Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive (ECH/ECCD) experiments on the TRIAM-1M tokamak. It is a first application of the remote steering antenna to the ECH/ECCD experiments under the conditions relevant to International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. Our launcher is a symmetric direction antenna with extended steering capability. The larger steering angles of 8-19 degrees are available, in addition to that near 0 degree. The output beam from the antenna is the well-defined Gaussian beam with a correct steering angle. The Gaussian content and the steering angle accuracy are 0.85 and -0.3 degrees, respectively. Antenna transmission efficiency in the high power test is evaluated as 0.95. The efficiencies at the low and high power tests are consistent with those in the calculation with higher-order modes. The difference between plasma currents increased at co- and counter-steering injections [+/-19 degrees] is clearly observed in the superposition to the Lower Hybrid Current Driven (LHCD) plasma of the fundamental X-mode injection. (author)

Two dimensional code for modeling of high ione cyclotron harmonic fast wave heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grekov, D.; Kasilov, S.; Kernbichler, W.

2016-01-01

A two dimensional numerical code for computation of the electromagnetic field of a fast magnetosonic wave in a tokamak at high harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency has been developed. The code computes the finite difference solution of Maxwell equations for separate toroidal harmonics making use of the toroidal symmetry of tokamak plasmas. The proper boundary conditions are prescribed at the realistic tokamak vessel. The currents in the RF antenna are specified externally and then used in Ampere law. The main poloidal tokamak magnetic field and the ''kinetic'' part of the dielectric permeability tensor are treated iteratively. The code has been verified against known analytical solutions and first calculations of current drive in the spherical torus are presented.

Recent progress in lower hybrid current drive theory and experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbato, E.

1998-01-01

In this paper lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experimental milestones paving the way for future experiments are briefly summarized. The current drive efficiency scaling with the electron temperature is discussed. The role of wave propagation in determining the power deposition profile is stressed and methods are discussed to control the current density profile. Modelling of negative central shear configurations, experimentally obtained by LHCD, are reported. A good agreement is found between the modelling results and the experimental findings, thus showing that a good degree of understanding has been achieved in LHCD theory. (author)

Plasma current startup by lower hybrid waves in the JIPP T-IIU tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toi, K.; Ohkubo, K.; Kawahata, K.

1987-04-01

This paper describes the characteristic behaviours of lower hybrid current startup in JIPP T-IIU. The current startup is carried out by injection of 800 MHz lower hybrid waves into cold and low density plasmas (Te = 10 - 20 eV, n-bar e = 1 - 2 x 10 12 cm -3 ) produced by electron cyclotron resonance or lower hybrid waves only. The plasma current rises up with a characteristic rise time τ r (> approx 30 - 50 ms) and approaches a quasi-steady state value I pm (= 5 - 20 kA), when LHW power of 10 - 50 kW is injected into a torus, controlling the vertical field. The rise time is inversely proportional to the bulk electron density n-bar e , and is comparable to the collision time of current-carrying high energy electrons with bulk plasmas. On the other hand, the current drive efficiency in the quasi-steady state is almost independent of n-bar e , i.e., I pm /P LH = 0.4 - 0.7 A/W for n-bar e = 0.8 - 4 x 10 12 cm -3 . The conversion efficiency of rf energy injected into the torus is typically 5 % during current rise phase, and 10 % at the most efficient case. The effects of the initial injection of ECH power and the observed parametric instabilities on the current startup are investigated from a viewpoint of seed current generation. During rapid current rise when appreciably negative loop voltage is observed the bulk electrons are heated up to 150 eV. Various heating mechanisms responsible for the bulk electron heating are discussed. (author)

Advanced electron cyclotron heating and current drive experiments on the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stange Torsten

2017-01-01

Full Text Available During the first operational phase (OP 1.1 of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH was the exclusive heating method and provided plasma start-up, wall conditioning, heating and current drive. Six gyrotrons were commissioned for OP1.1 and used in parallel for plasma operation with a power of up to 4.3 MW. During standard X2-heating the spatially localized power deposition with high power density allowed controlling the radial profiles of the electron temperature and the rotational transform. Even though W7-X was not fully equipped with first wall tiles and operated with a graphite limiter instead of a divertor, electron densities of n e > 3·1019 m-3 could be achieved at electron temperatures of several keV and ion temperatures above 2 keV. These plasma parameters allowed the first demonstration of a multipath O2-heating scenario, which is envisaged for safe operation near the X-cutoff-density of 1.2·1020 m-3 after full commissioning of the ECRH system in the next operation phase OP1.2.

Magnetoacoustic waves in current-carrying plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, M.H.

1980-04-01

The results of theoretical and experimental investigations of the characteristics of magnetoacoustic waves in non-uniform, current-carrying plasmas are reviewed. Dissipative MHD and collisionless theories are considered. Also discussed is the use of magnetoacoustic waves in plasma diagnostics and plasma heating

Effects of electron cyclotron current drive on the evolution of double tearing mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Guanglan; Dong, Chunying; Duan, Longfang

2015-01-01

The effects of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) on the double tearing mode (DTM) in slab geometry are investigated by using two-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamics equations. It is found that, mainly, the double tearing mode is suppressed by the emergence of the secondary island, due to the deposition of driven current on the X-point of magnetic island at one rational surface, which forms a new non-complete symmetric magnetic topology structure (defined as a non-complete symmetric structure, NSS). The effects of driven current with different parameters (magnitude, initial time of deposition, duration time, and location of deposition) on the evolution of DTM are analyzed elaborately. The optimal magnitude or optimal deposition duration of driven current is the one which makes the duration of NSS the longest, which depends on the mutual effect between ECCD and the background plasma. Moreover, driven current introduced at the early Sweet-Parker phase has the best suppression effect; and the optimal moment also exists, depending on the duration of the NSS. Finally, the effects varied by the driven current disposition location are studied. It is verified that the favorable location of driven current is the X-point which is completely different from the result of single tearing mode

Effects of electron cyclotron current drive on the evolution of double tearing mode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Guanglan, E-mail: sunguanglan@nciae.edu.cn; Dong, Chunying [Basic Science Section, North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Langfang 065000 (China); Duan, Longfang [School of Computer and Remote Sensing Information Technology, North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Langfang 065000 (China)

2015-09-15

The effects of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) on the double tearing mode (DTM) in slab geometry are investigated by using two-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamics equations. It is found that, mainly, the double tearing mode is suppressed by the emergence of the secondary island, due to the deposition of driven current on the X-point of magnetic island at one rational surface, which forms a new non-complete symmetric magnetic topology structure (defined as a non-complete symmetric structure, NSS). The effects of driven current with different parameters (magnitude, initial time of deposition, duration time, and location of deposition) on the evolution of DTM are analyzed elaborately. The optimal magnitude or optimal deposition duration of driven current is the one which makes the duration of NSS the longest, which depends on the mutual effect between ECCD and the background plasma. Moreover, driven current introduced at the early Sweet-Parker phase has the best suppression effect; and the optimal moment also exists, depending on the duration of the NSS. Finally, the effects varied by the driven current disposition location are studied. It is verified that the favorable location of driven current is the X-point which is completely different from the result of single tearing mode.

Observation of magnetohydrodynamics instabilities in ion Bernstein wave and lower-hybrid-current driving synergetic discharges on HT-7 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Jianshan; Luo Jiarong; Shen Biao; Zhao Junyu; Hu Liqun; Zhu Yubao; Xu Guosheng; Asif, M.; Gao Xiang; Wan Baonian

2004-01-01

The normalized performance indicated by the product of β N H 89 >2 was achieved by a combination of the lower hybrid current driving (LHCD) and the ion Bernstein wave (IBW) heating in the HT-7 tokamak. More than 80% of the plasma current was sustained by the LHCD and the bootstrap current. Large edge pressure gradients were observed. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities were often driven to terminate the discharge or reduce the discharge performance, when the IBW resonant layer was near the rational surface. The resonant layer of the safety factor q=2 is located at 0.6 a with a=27 cm being the minor radius. The width of magnetic island (the poloidal mode number m=2) was about 2 cm. The plasma energy was reduced quickly by 30% by MHD instabilities. The behaviour of MHD instabilities is reported. A large sawtooth activity (m=1) was observed before inducing MHD (m=2)

Determination of the energy of suprathermal electrons during lower hybrid current drive on PBX-M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

von Goeler, S.; Bernabei, S.; Davis, W.; Ignat, D.; Kaita, R.; Roney, P.; Stevens, J.; Post-Zwicker, A.

1993-06-01

Suprathermal electrons are diagnosed by a hard x-ray pinhole camera during lower hybrid current drive on PBX-M. The experimental hard x-ray images are compared with simulated images, which result from an integration of the relativistic bremsstrahlung along lines-of-sight through the bean-shaped plasma. Images with centrally peaked and radially hollow radiation profiles are easily distinguished. The energy distribution of the suprathermal electrons is analyzed by comparing images taken with different absorber foils. An effective photon temperature is derived from the experimental images, and a comparison with simulated photon temperatures yields the energy of the suprathermal electrons. The analysis indicates that the energy of the suprathermal electrons in the hollow discharges is in the 50 to 100 key range in the center of the discharge. There seems to exist a very small higher energy component close to the plasma edge

High-Current Plasma Electron Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gushenets, J.Z.; Krokhmal, V.A.; Krasik, Ya. E.; Felsteiner, J.; Gushenets, V.

2002-01-01

In this report we present the design, electrical schemes and preliminary results of a test of 4 different electron plasma cathodes operating under Kg h-voltage pulses in a vacuum diode. The first plasma cathode consists of 6 azimuthally symmetrically distributed arc guns and a hollow anode having an output window covered by a metal grid. Plasma formation is initiated by a surface discharge over a ceramic washer placed between a W-made cathode and an intermediate electrode. Further plasma expansion leads to a redistribution of the discharge between the W-cathode and the hollow anode. An accelerating pulse applied between the output anode grid and the collector extracts electrons from this plasma. The operation of another plasma cathode design is based on Penning discharge for preliminary plasma formation. The main glow discharge occurs between an intermediate electrode of the Penning gun and the hollow anode. To keep the background pressure in the accelerating gap at P S 2.5x10 4 Torr either differential pumping or a pulsed gas puff valve were used. The operation of the latter electron plasma source is based on a hollow cathode discharge. To achieve a sharp pressure gradient between the cathode cavity and the accelerating gap a pulsed gas puff valve was used. A specially designed ferroelectric plasma cathode initiated plasma formation inside the hollow cathode. This type of the hollow cathode discharge ignition allowed to achieve a discharge current of 1.2 kA at a background pressure of 2x10 4 Torr. All these cathodes were developed and initially tested inside a planar diode with a background pressure S 2x10 4 Torr under the same conditions: accelerating voltage 180 - 300 kV, pulse duration 200 - 400 ns, electron beam current - 1 - 1.5 kA, and cross-sectional area of the extracted electron beam 113 cm 2

Lower hybrid waves for current drive and heating in reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yugo, J.; Bernabei, S.; Bonoli, P.; Devoto, R.S.; Fenstermacher, M.; Porkolab, M.; Stevens, J.

1988-01-01

Lower hybrid (LH) waves are projected to be an important ingredient for current drive and heating in steady-state operation of reactors, such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) or later power producing tokamaks. We have examined the required frequency and spectrum for such applications and designed a system to meet the specifications. We found that, to avoid damping of LH waves on alpha particles the frequency should be at least 6--8 GHz. At a typical volume average temperature of 14 keV, the LH rays penetrate about 30% of the minor radius, or to about 15 KeV, when N/sub parallel/ is chosen to maximize penetration and the spectral width, ΔN/sub parallel/ is about 0.05 (full width at 0.5 of spectral peak). For use in low density current ramp-up and transformer recharging, N/sub parallel/ is dynamically controlled. We have designed an LH system that satisfies requirements similar to those expected for ITER. It provides a Brambilla array which can be tuned from N/sub parallel/ of 1.0--2.8. An analysis has been performed to evaluate nuclear (1--2 MW/m 2 ), plasma radiation, and rf heating of the LH launcher. 4 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs

Real-time mirror steering for improved closed loop neoclassical tearing mode suppression by electron cyclotron current drive in DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolemen, E., E-mail: ekolemen@pppl.gov [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 45, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451 (United States); Ellis, R. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, PO Box 45, Princeton, NJ 08543-0451 (United States); La Haye, R.J.; Humphreys, D.A.; Lohr, J.; Noraky, S.; Penaflor, B.G.; Welander, A.S. [General Atomics, PO Box 85608, San Diego, CA 92186-5608 (United States)

2013-11-15

Highlights: • We developed neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) control system for DIII-D, which uses six sets of real-time steerable mirrors in order to move the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) deposition location in plasma. • This algorithm accurately finds the NTM island location employing motional Stark effect EFIT MHD equilibrium reconstruction. • Successful NTM suppression and preemption has been achieved in DIII-D using this control system to automatically switches on and off gyrotrons when NTM is detected and rapidly align the NTM island and the ECCD deposition location. -- Abstract: The development and operation of the neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) avoidance and control system for DIII-D, which uses six sets of real-time steerable mirrors in order to move the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) deposition location in plasma, is described. The real-time DIII-D NTM control algorithm residing in the Plasma Control System (PCS) automatically detects an NTM by analysis of the Mirnov diagnostics, employs motional Stark effect (MSE) EFIT MHD equilibrium reconstruction to locate the rational q-surface where the NTM island can be found, then calculates the appropriate mirror position for alignment of the ECCD with the island using ray tracing. The control commands from PCS are sent to the electron cyclotron system to switch on and off or modulate the gyrotrons and to the steerable mirror system to move the steerable mirrors to the requested positions. Successful NTM suppression has been achieved in DIII-D using this control system to rapidly align the NTM island and the ECCD deposition location, and to actively maintain the alignment as plasma conditions change.

Current control necessary for toroidal plasma equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagao, S.

1987-01-01

It is shown that a significant amount of dipole current is necessary for the plasma equilibrium of toroidal configurations in general. Through the vector product with the poloidal field, this dipole current force has to balance with the hoop force of plasma pressure itself of the annular shape. The measurement of such a current of dipole type may be interesting for the confirmation of the plasma equilibrium in the toroidal system. Moreover it is certained that there is a new mode of a tokamak operation with such a dipole current component and with smaller vertical field than that based on the classical tokamak theory. (author) [pt

MHD phenomena in advanced scenarios on ASDEX upgrade and the influence of localised electron heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenter, S.; Gude, A.; Hobirk, J.; Maraschek, M.; Peeters, A.G.; Pinches, S.D.; Schade, S.; Wolf, R.C.; Saarelma, S.

2001-01-01

MHD instabilities in advanced tokamak scenarios on the one hand are favourable as they can contribute to the stationarity of the current profiles and act as a trigger for the formation of internal transport barriers. In particular fishbone oscillations driven by fast particles arising from neutral beam injection (NBI) are shown to trigger internal transport barriers in low and reversed magnetic shear discharges. During the whistling down period of the fishbone oscillation the transport is reduced around the corresponding rational surface, leading to an increased pressure gradient. This behaviour is explained by the redistribution of the resonant fast particles resulting in a sheared plasma rotation due to the return current in the bulk plasma, which is equivalent to a radial electric field. On the other hand MHD instabilities limit the accessible operating regime. Ideal and resistive MHD modes such as double tearing modes, infernal modes and external kinks degrade the confinement or even lead to disruptions in ASDEX Upgrade reversed shear discharges. Localized electron cyclotron heating and current drive is shown to significantly affect the MHD stability of this type of discharges. (author)

MHD phenomena in advanced scenarios on ASDEX Upgrade and the influence of localized electron heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenter, S.; Gude, A.; Hobirk, J.; Maraschek, M.; Schade, S.; Wolf, R.C.; Saarelma, S.

2001-01-01

On the one hand, MHD instabilities in advanced tokamak scenarios are favourable as they can contribute to the stationarity of the current profiles and act as a trigger for the formation of internal transport barriers (ITBs). In particular, fishbone oscillations driven by fast particles arising from NBI are shown to trigger ITBs in low and reversed magnetic shear discharges. During the whistling down period of the fishbone oscillation the transport is reduced around the corresponding rational surface, leading to an increased pressure gradient. This behaviour could be explained by the redistribution of the resonant fast particles resulting in a sheared plasma rotation due to the return current in the bulk plasma, which is equivalent to a radial electric field. On the other hand, MHD instabilities limit the accessible operating regime. Ideal and resistive MHD modes such as double tearing modes, infernal modes and external kinks degrade the confinement or even lead to disruptions in ASDEX Upgrade reversed shear discharges. Localized electron cyclotron heating and current drive are shown to significantly affect the MHD stability of this type of discharge. (author)

Control systems for ITER diagnostics, heating and current drive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simrock, Stefan, E-mail: stefan.simrock@iter.org

2016-11-15

The ITER Diagnostic, Heating and Current Drive systems might appear, on the face of it, to have very different control requirements. There are approximately 45 diagnostic systems, including magnetic sensors for plasma position and shape determination, imaging systems in the IR and visible, Thompson scattering for electron temperature and density, neutron detectors and collective scattering for alpha particle density and energy distribution. The H&CD systems encompass Electron Cyclotron Heating, using 24 1MW, 170 GHz gyrotrons and 5 steerable launchers to deliver 20 MW to the plasma, Ion Cyclotron Heating, using 8 3MW, 40–55 MHz sources and two multi-element launchers to deliver 20 MW to the plasma, and 2 Negative Ion Neutral Beam Injectors, each of which can deliver up to 16.5 MW of 1 MeV beams to the plasma. Although there are substantial differences in the needs for protection, when handling multi-MW heating systems, and in data throughput for many diagnostics, the formal processes needed to translate system requirements into Instrumentation and Control are identical. Due to the distributed procurement of ITER sub-systems and the need to integrate as painlessly as possible to CODAC, the formal processes, together with a substantial degree of standardization, are even more than usually essential. Starting from the technical, safety and protection, integration and operation requirements, a loop of functional analysis and signal listing is used to generate the controller configuration and the conceptual architecture. These elements in their turn lead to the physical and software design. The paper will describe the formal processes of control system design and the methods used by the ITER project to achieve the standardization of systems engineering practices. These have been applied to several use-cases covering all operation relevant phases such as plasma operation, maintenance, testing and conditioning. There are a number of running contracts that are developing

Laser-Plasma Interactions in Drive Campaign targets on the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinkel, D E; Callahan, D A; Moody, J D; Amendt, P A; Lasinski, B F; MacGowan, B J; Meeker, D; Michel, P A; Ralph, J; Rosen, M D; Ross, J S; Schneider, M B; Storm, E; Strozzi, D J; Williams, E A

2016-01-01

The Drive campaign [D A Callahan et al., this conference] on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser [E. I. Moses, R. N. Boyd, B. A. Remington, C. J. Keane, R. Al-Ayat, Phys. Plasmas 16, 041006 (2009)] has the focused goal of understanding and optimizing the hohlraum for ignition. Both the temperature and symmetry of the radiation drive depend on laser and hohlraum characteristics. The drive temperature depends on the coupling of laser energy to the hohlraum, and the symmetry of the drive depends on beam-to-beam interactions that result in energy transfer [P. A. Michel, S. H. Glenzer, L. Divol, et al, Phys. Plasmas 17, 056305 (2010).] within the hohlraum. To this end, hohlraums are being fielded where shape (rugby vs. cylindrical hohlraums), gas fill composition (neopentane at room temperature vs. cryogenic helium), and gas fill density (increase of ∼ 150%) are independently changed. Cylindrical hohlraums with higher gas fill density show improved inner beam propagation, as should rugby hohlraums, because of the larger radius over the capsule (7 mm vs. 5.75 mm in a cylindrical hohlraum). Energy coupling improves in room temperature neopentane targets, as well as in hohlraums at higher gas fill density. In addition cross-beam energy transfer is being addressed directly by using targets that mock up one end of a hohlraum, but allow observation of the laser beam uniformity after energy transfer. Ideas such as splitting quads into “doublets” by re-pointing the right and left half of quads are also being pursued. LPI results of the Drive campaign will be summarized, and analyses of future directions presented. (paper)

Low frequency RF current drive. Final report, January 1, 1988 - May 31, 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hershkowitz, N.

1999-01-01

This report starts with a summary of research done on the Phaedrus Tandom Mirror concept and how this research led to the design and construction of the Phaedrus-T Tokamak. Next it gives a more detailed description of the results from the last four years of research, which include the following areas: (1) first experimental demonstration of AWCD (Alfven Wave Current Drive); (2) current drive location and loop voltage response; (3) trapping and current drive efficiency; and (4) reflectometry

Characteristics of disruptive plasma current decay in the HT-2 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Mitsushi; Takeuchi, Kazuhiro; Otsuka, Michio

1993-01-01

Motions of plasma current channel and time evolutions of eddy current distribution on the vacuum vessel during disruptive plasma current decay were studied experimentally in the Hitachi tokamak HT-2. The plasmas are vertically elongated and circularly shaped plasmas. A disruptive plasma current decay has three phases. During the first phase, a large displacement of the plasma position without plasma current decay is observed. Rapid plasma current decay is observed during the second phase and the decay rate is roughly constant with time. The eddy current distribution is like that due to the shell effect which creates a poloidal field to reduce the plasma displacement. During the third phase, the plasma current decays exponentially. The second phase is observed in slightly elongated and high plasma current (> 20 kA) circularly shaped plasmas. The plasma current decay rates in the second phase depend on the plasma cross sectional shape, but they do not in the third phase. The magnetic axis moves from the plasma area to the vacuum vessel wall between the second and third phases. (author)

Alternating-Current Motor Drive for Electric Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Krauthamer, S.; Rippel, W. E.

1982-01-01

New electric drive controls speed of a polyphase as motor by varying frequency of inverter output. Closed-loop current-sensing circuit automatically adjusts frequency of voltage-controlled oscillator that controls inverter frequency, to limit starting and accelerating surges. Efficient inverter and ac motor would give electric vehicles extra miles per battery charge.