Finite toroidal flow generated by unstable tearing mode in a toroidal plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, G. Z., E-mail: haogz@swip.ac.cn; Wang, A. K.; Xu, Y. H.; He, H. D.; Xu, M.; Qu, H. P.; Peng, X. D.; Xu, J. Q.; Qiu, X. M. [Southwestern Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 432, Chengdu 610041 (China); Liu, Y. Q. [Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Sun, Y. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academic of Sciences, P.O. Box 1126, Hefei 230031 (China); Cui, S. Y. [School of Mathematics and Statistics Science, Ludong University, Yantai 264025 (China)

2014-12-15

The neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity torque and electromagnetic torque, generated by tearing mode (TM) in a toroidal plasma, are numerically investigated using the MARS-Q code [Liu et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 042503 (2013)]. It is found that an initially unstable tearing mode can intrinsically drive a toroidal plasma flow resulting in a steady state solution, in the absence of the external momentum input and external magnetic field perturbation. The saturated flow is in the order of 0.5%ω{sub A} at the q=2 rational surface in the considered case, with q and ω{sub A} being the safety factor and the Alfven frequency at the magnetic axis, respectively. The generation of the toroidal flow is robust, being insensitive to the given amplitude of the perturbation at initial state. On the other hand, the flow amplitude increases with increasing the plasma resistivity. Furthermore, the initially unstable tearing mode is fully stabilized by non-linear interaction with the self-generated toroidal flow.

Neoclassical poloidal and toroidal rotation in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y.B.; Diamond, P.H.; Groebner, R.J.

1991-01-01

Explicit expressions for the neoclassical poloidal and toroidal rotation speeds of primary ion and impurity species are derived via the Hirshman and Sigmar moment approach. The rotation speeds of the primary ion can be significantly different from those of impurities in various interesting cases. The rapid increase of impurity poloidal rotation in the edge region of H-mode discharges in tokamaks can be explained by a rapid steepening of the primary ion pressure gradient. Depending on ion collisionality, the poloidal rotation speed of the primary ions at the edge can be quite small and the flow direction may be opposite to that of the impurities. This may cast considerable doubts on current L to H bifurcation models based on primary ion poloidal rotation only. Also, the difference between the toroidal rotation velocities of primary ions and impurities is not negligible in various cases. In Ohmic plasmas, the parallel electric field induces a large impurity toroidal rotation close to the magnetic axis, which seems to agree with experimental observations. In the ion banana and plateau regime, there can be non-negligible disparities between primary ion and impurity toroidal rotation velocities due to the ion density and temperature gradients. Detailed analytic expressions for the primary ion and impurity rotation speeds are presented, and the methodology for generalization to the case of several impurity species is also presented for future numerical evaluation

Effects of Broken Symmetry in Tokamaks: Global Braking of Toroidal Rotation and Self-consistent Determination of Neoclassical Magnetic Islands Velocity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazzaro, Enzo

2009-01-01

Established results of neoclassical kinetic theory are used in a fluid model to show that in low collisionality regimes (ν and 1/ν) the propagation velocity of Neoclassical Tearing Modes (NTM) magnetic islands of sufficient width is determined self-consistently by the Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity (NTV) appearing because of broken symmetry. The NTV effect on bulk plasma rotation, may also explain recent observations on momentum transport. At the same time this affects the role of the neoclassical ion polarization current on neoclassical tearing modes (NTM) stability.

Self-consistent perturbed equilibrium with neoclassical toroidal torque in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong-Kyu; Logan, Nikolas C.

2017-01-01

Toroidal torque is one of the most important consequences of non-axisymmetric fields in tokamaks. The well-known neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) is due to the second-order toroidal force from anisotropic pressure tensor in the presence of these asymmetries. This work shows that the first-order toroidal force originating from the same anisotropic pressure tensor, despite having no flux surface average, can significantly modify the local perturbed force balance and thus must be included in perturbed equilibrium self-consistent with NTV. The force operator with an anisotropic pressure tensor is not self-adjoint when the NTV torque is finite and thus is solved directly for each component. This approach yields a modified, non-self-adjoint Euler-Lagrange equation that can be solved using a variety of common drift-kinetic models in generalized tokamak geometry. The resulting energy and torque integral provides a unique way to construct a torque response matrix, which contains all the information of self-consistent NTV torque profiles obtainable by applying non-axisymmetric fields to the plasma. This torque response matrix can then be used to systematically optimize non-axisymmetric field distributions for desired NTV profiles. Published by AIP Publishing.

Turbulent and neoclassical toroidal momentum transport in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abiteboul, J.

2012-10-01

The goal of magnetic confinement devices such as tokamaks is to produce energy from nuclear fusion reactions in plasmas at low densities and high temperatures. Experimentally, toroidal flows have been found to significantly improve the energy confinement, and therefore the performance of the machine. As extrinsic momentum sources will be limited in future fusion devices such as ITER, an understanding of the physics of toroidal momentum transport and the generation of intrinsic toroidal rotation in tokamaks would be an important step in order to predict the rotation profile in experiments. Among the mechanisms expected to contribute to the generation of toroidal rotation is the transport of momentum by electrostatic turbulence, which governs heat transport in tokamaks. Due to the low collisionality of the plasma, kinetic modeling is mandatory for the study of tokamak turbulence. In principle, this implies the modeling of a six-dimensional distribution function representing the density of particles in position and velocity phase-space, which can be reduced to five dimensions when considering only frequencies below the particle cyclotron frequency. This approximation, relevant for the study of turbulence in tokamaks, leads to the so-called gyrokinetic model and brings the computational cost of the model within the presently available numerical resources. In this work, we study the transport of toroidal momentum in tokamaks in the framework of the gyrokinetic model. First, we show that this reduced model is indeed capable of accurately modeling momentum transport by deriving a local conservation equation of toroidal momentum, and verifying it numerically with the gyrokinetic code GYSELA. Secondly, we show how electrostatic turbulence can break the axisymmetry and generate toroidal rotation, while a strong link between turbulent heat and momentum transport is identified, as both exhibit the same large-scale avalanche-like events. The dynamics of turbulent transport are

Effects of 3D magnetic perturbations on toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.

2011-01-01

Small three-dimensional (3D) magnetic field perturbations have many interesting and possibly useful effects on tokamak and quasi-symmetric stellarator plasmas. Plasma transport equations that include these effects, most notably on diamagnetic-level toroidal plasma flows, have recently been developed. The 3D field perturbations and their plasma effects can be classified according to their toroidal mode number n: low n (say 1-5) resonant (with field line pitch, q = m/n) and non-resonant fields, medium n (∼20, due to toroidal field ripple) and high n (due to microturbulence). Low n non-resonant fields induce a neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) that damps toroidal rotation throughout the plasma towards an offset rotation in the counter-current direction. Recent tokamak experiments have generally confirmed and exploited these predictions by applying external low n non-resonant magnetic perturbations. Medium n toroidal field ripple produces similar effects plus possible ripple-trapping NTV effects and ion direct losses in the edge. A low n (e.g. n = 1) resonant field is mostly shielded by the toroidally rotating plasma at and inside the resonant (rational) surface. If it is large enough it can stop plasma rotation at the rational surface, facilitate magnetic reconnection there and lead to a growing stationary magnetic island (locked mode), which often causes a plasma disruption. Externally applied 3D magnetic perturbations usually have many components. In the plasma their lowest n (e.g. n = 1) externally resonant components can be amplified by kink-type plasma responses, particularly at high β. Low n plasma instabilities (e.g. resistive wall modes, neoclassical tearing modes) cause additional 3D magnetic perturbations in tokamak plasmas. Tearing modes in their nonlinear (Rutherford) regime bifurcate the topology and form magnetic islands. Finally, multiple resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can, if not shielded by plasma rotation effects, cause local magnetic

The effect of sheared toroidal rotation on pressure driven magnetic islands in toroidal plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hegna, C. C. [Departments of Engineering Physics and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2016-05-15

The impact of sheared toroidal rotation on the evolution of pressure driven magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas is investigated using a resistive magnetohydrodynamics model augmented by a neoclassical Ohm's law. Particular attention is paid to the asymptotic matching data as the Mercier indices are altered in the presence of sheared flow. Analysis of the nonlinear island Grad-Shafranov equation shows that sheared flows tend to amplify the stabilizing pressure/curvature contribution to pressure driven islands in toroidal tokamaks relative to the island bootstrap current contribution. As such, sheared toroidal rotation tends to reduce saturated magnetic island widths.

International school of plasma physics course on instabilities and confinement in toroidal plasmas. Varenna (Italy), September 27-October 9, 1971

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-11-01

The lectures of a Varenna Summer School about the theme Instabilities and Confinement in toroidal Plasmas are given. The topics included are: high-beta toroidal pinches, non-MHD instabilities and anomalous transport, analogy between turbulent transfer in velocity space and plasma collisioned transport in real space, the magnetohydrodynamic approach of plasma confinement in closed magnetic configurations, properties of isodynamical equilibrium configurations and their generalization, transport theory for toroidal plasmas, plasma physics, low-β toroidal machines, the neoclassical theory of transit time magnetic pumping, radio frequency heating of toroidal plasmas, plasma heating at lower hybrid frequency, RF-plasma heating with L-structures, numerical simulation, dynamical stabilization of low frequency waves in inhomogeneous plasmas, dynamic and feedback stabilization of plasmas and problems with nuclear fusion reactors

Neoclassical transport of impurtities in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirshman, S.P.; Sigmar, D.J.

1981-05-01

Tokamak plasmas are inherently comprised of multiple ion species. This is due to wall-bred impurities and, in future reactors, will result from fusion-born alpha particles. Relatively small concentrations of highly charged non-hydrogenic impurities can strongly influence plasma transport properties whenever n/sub I/e/sub I/ 2 /n/sub H/e 2 greater than or equal to (m/sub e//m/sub H/)/sup 1/2/. The determination of the complete neoclassical Onsager matrix for a toroidally confined multispecies plasma, which provides the linear relation between the surface averaged radial fluxes and the thermodynamic forces (i.e., gradients of density and temperature, and the parallel electric field), is reviewed. A closed set of one-dimensional moment equations is presented for the time evolution of thermodynamic and magnetic field quantities which results from collisional transport of the plasma and two dimensional motion of the magnetic flux surface geometry. The effects of neutral beam injection on the equilibrium and transport properties of a toroidal plasma are consistently included

Effects of electrostatic trapping on neoclassical transport in an impure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazeltine, R.D.; Ware, A.A.

1976-01-01

Contamination of a toroidally confined plasma by highly charged impurity ions can produce substantial variation of the electrostatic potential within a magnetic surface. The resulting electrostatic trapping and electrostatic drifts, of hydrogen ions and electrons, yields significant alterations in neoclassical transport theory. A transport theory which includes these effects is derived from the drift-kinetic equation, with an ordering scheme modeled on the parameters of recent tokamak experiments. The theory self-consistently predicts that electrostatic trapping should be fully comparable to magnetic trapping, and provides transport coefficients which, depending quadratically upon the temperature and pressure gradients, differ markedly from the standard neoclassical coefficients for a pure plasma

Neoclassical Drift of Circulating Orbits Due toToroidal Electric Field in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, Hong; Guan, Xiaoyin; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2011-01-01

In tokamaks, Ware pinch is a well known neoclassical effect for trapped particles in response to a toroidal electric field. It is generally believed that there exists no similar neoclassical effect for circulating particles without collisions. However, this belief is erroneous, and misses an important effect. We show both analytically and numerically that under the influence of a toroidal electric field parallel to the current, the circulating orbits drift outward toward the outer wall with a characteristic velocity O ((var e psilon) -1 ) larger than the E x B velocity, where (var e psilon) is the inverse aspect-ratio of a tokamak. During a RF overdrive, the toroidal electric field is anti-parallel to the current. As a consequence, all charged particles, including backward runaway electrons, will drift inward towards the inner wall.

Experimental study of neoclassical currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zarnstorff, M.C.; Prager, S.C.

1985-05-01

A detailed experimental study is presented of the bootstrap and Pfirsch-Schlueter currents that are predicted by neoclassical transport theory. In a toroidal octupole, on magnetic surfaces within the separatrix, the observed parallel plasma currents are in excellent quantitative agreement with neoclassical theory with regard to the spatial structure (along a magnetic surface), collisionality dependence and toroidal magnetic field dependence. On magnetic surfaces outside the separatrix, the ion portion of the parallel current is in agreement with neoclassical theory but the electron parallel current is observed to obtain a unidirectional component which deviates from and exceeds the theoretical prediction

Locked magnetic island chains in toroidally flow damped tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzpatrick, R; Waelbroeck, F L

2010-01-01

The physics of a locked magnetic island chain maintained in the pedestal of an H-mode tokamak plasma by a static, externally generated, multi-harmonic, helical magnetic perturbation is investigated. The non-resonant harmonics of the external perturbation are assumed to give rise to significant toroidal flow damping in the pedestal, in addition to the naturally occurring poloidal flow damping. Furthermore, the flow damping is assumed to be sufficiently strong to relax the pedestal ion toroidal and poloidal fluid velocities to fixed values determined by neoclassical theory. The resulting neoclassical ion flow causes a helical phase-shift to develop between the locked island chain and the resonant harmonic of the external perturbation. Furthermore, when this phase-shift exceeds a critical value, the chain unlocks from the resonant harmonic and starts to rotate, after which it decays away and is replaced by a helical current sheet. The neoclassical flow also generates an ion polarization current in the vicinity of the island chain which either increases or decreases the chain's radial width, depending on the direction of the flow. If the polarization effect is stabilizing, and exceeds a critical amplitude, then the helical island equilibrium becomes unstable, and the chain again decays away. The critical amplitude of the resonant harmonic of the external perturbation at which the island chain either unlocks or becomes unstable is calculated as a function of the pedestal ion pressure, the neoclassical poloidal and toroidal ion velocities and the poloidal and toroidal flow damping rates.

Effects of orbit squeezing on neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity in tokamaks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Shaing, K.C.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Chu, M.S.; Bécoulet, M.; Cahyna, Pavel

2008-01-01

Roč. 15, č. 8 (2008), 082505-1-082505-8 ISSN 1070-664X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : plasma boundary layers * plasma instability * plasma magnetohydrodynamics * plasma toroidal confinement * plasma transport processes * Tokamak devices Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.427, year: 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2965146

Collisional boundary layer analysis for neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity in tokamaks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Shaing, K.C.; Cahyna, Pavel; Bécoulet, M.; Park, J.-K.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Chu, M.S.

2008-01-01

Roč. 15, č. 8 (2008), 082506-1-7 ISSN 1070-664X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : plasma boundary layers * plasma toroidal confinement * Tokamak devices Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.427, year: 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2969434

Neoclassical Simulation of Tokamak Plasmas using Continuum Gyrokinetc Code TEMPEST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, X Q

2007-01-01

We present gyrokinetic neoclassical simulations of tokamak plasmas with self-consistent electric field for the first time using a fully nonlinear (full-f) continuum code TEMPEST in a circular geometry. A set of gyrokinetic equations are discretized on a five dimensional computational grid in phase space. The present implementation is a Method of Lines approach where the phase-space derivatives are discretized with finite differences and implicit backwards differencing formulas are used to advance the system in time. The fully nonlinear Boltzmann model is used for electrons. The neoclassical electric field is obtained by solving gyrokinetic Poisson equation with self-consistent poloidal variation. With our 4D (ψ, θ, ε, μ) version of the TEMPEST code we compute radial particle and heat flux, the Geodesic-Acoustic Mode (GAM), and the development of neoclassical electric field, which we compare with neoclassical theory with a Lorentz collision model. The present work provides a numerical scheme and a new capability for self-consistently studying important aspects of neoclassical transport and rotations in toroidal magnetic fusion devices

Gyrokinetic Studies on Turbulence-Driven and Neoclassical Nondiffusive Toroidal-Momentum Transport and the Effect of Residual Fluctuations in Strong ExB Shear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, W. X.; Hahm, T. S.; Ethier, S.; Rewoldt, G.; Lee, W. W.; Tang, W. M.; Kaye, S. M.; Diamond, P. H.

2009-01-01

A significant inward flux of toroidal momentum is found in global gyrokinetic simulations of ion temperature gradient turbulence, leading to core plasma rotation spin-up. The underlying mechanism is identified to be the generation of residual stress due to the k parallel symmetry breaking induced by global quasistationary zonal flow shear. Simulations also show a significant off-diagonal element associated with the ion temperature gradient in the neoclassical momentum flux, while the overall neoclassical flux is small. In addition, the residual turbulence found in the presence of strong ExB flow shear may account for neoclassical-level ion heat and anomalous momentum transport widely observed in experiments

Neoclassical simulation of tokamak plasmas using the continuum gyrokinetic code TEMPEST.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, X Q

2008-07-01

We present gyrokinetic neoclassical simulations of tokamak plasmas with a self-consistent electric field using a fully nonlinear (full- f ) continuum code TEMPEST in a circular geometry. A set of gyrokinetic equations are discretized on a five-dimensional computational grid in phase space. The present implementation is a method of lines approach where the phase-space derivatives are discretized with finite differences, and implicit backward differencing formulas are used to advance the system in time. The fully nonlinear Boltzmann model is used for electrons. The neoclassical electric field is obtained by solving the gyrokinetic Poisson equation with self-consistent poloidal variation. With a four-dimensional (psi,theta,micro) version of the TEMPEST code, we compute the radial particle and heat fluxes, the geodesic-acoustic mode, and the development of the neoclassical electric field, which we compare with neoclassical theory using a Lorentz collision model. The present work provides a numerical scheme for self-consistently studying important dynamical aspects of neoclassical transport and electric field in toroidal magnetic fusion devices.

Physical mechanism determining the radial electric field and its radial structure in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, Katsumi; Miura, Yukitoshi; Itoh, Sanae

1994-10-01

Radial structures of plasma rotation and radial electric field are experimentally studied in tokamak, heliotron/torsatron and stellarator devices. The perpendicular and parallel viscosities are measured. The parallel viscosity, which is dominant in determining the toroidal velocity in heliotron/torsatron and stellarator devices, is found to be neoclassical. On the other hand, the perpendicular viscosity, which is dominant in dictating the toroidal rotation in tokamaks, is anomalous. Even without external momentum input, both a plasma rotation and a radial electric field exist in tokamaks and heliotrons/torsatrons. The observed profiles of the radial electric field do not agree with the theoretical prediction based on neoclassical transport. This is mainly due to the existence of anomalous perpendicular viscosity. The shear of the radial electric field improves particle and heat transport both in bulk and edge plasma regimes of tokamaks. (author) 95 refs

Neoclassical dissipation and resistive wall modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaing, K.C.

2004-01-01

It is shown that the critical toroidal plasma flow speed that is required to stabilize the resistive wall mode in tokamaks is reduced by a factor of the order of B/B θ or of 1.265ε 3sol4 B/B θ depending on the plasma parameters when the perturbed neoclassical viscosity driven current is taken into account. Here, B is the magnetic field strength, B θ is the poloidal magnetic field strength, and ε is the inverse aspect ratio. This effect is illustrated using an existing model for the resistive wall modes by including the neoclassical dissipation in the derivation of the dispersion relation. The derivation is based on fluid equations with the plasma viscosity, calculated using kinetic equation, as the closure. The reduction of the critical toroidal speed is a consequence of the parallel (to the magnetic field B) momentum equation when neoclassical viscosity becomes important. The results are compared with experimental observations in tokamaks

Large orbit neoclassical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Z.; Tang, W.M.; Lee, W.W.

1997-01-01

Neoclassical transport in the presence of large ion orbits is investigated. The study is motivated by the recent experimental results that ion thermal transport levels in enhanced confinement tokamak plasmas fall below the open-quotes irreducible minimum levelclose quotes predicted by standard neoclassical theory. This apparent contradiction is resolved in the present analysis by relaxing the basic neoclassical assumption that the ions orbital excursions are much smaller than the local toroidal minor radius and the equilibrium scale lengths of the system. Analytical and simulation results are in agreement with trends from experiments. The development of a general formalism for neoclassical transport theory with finite orbit width is also discussed. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Toroidal modeling of plasma response and resonant magnetic perturbation field penetration

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Liu, Y.Q.; Kirk, A.; Sun, Y.; Cahyna, Pavel; Chapman, I.T.; Denner, P.; Fishpool, G.; Garofalo, A.M.; Harrison, J.R.; Nardon, E.

2012-01-01

Roč. 54, č. 12 (2012), s. 124013-124013 ISSN 0741-3335 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : tokamak * resonant magnetic perturbation * neoclassical toroidal viscosity Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.369, year: 2012 http://iopscience.iop.org/0741-3335/54/12/124013/pdf/0741-3335_54_12_124013.pdf

Effects of 3D Magnetic Perturbations on Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.

2010-01-01

Full text: To lowest order tokamaks are two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric magnetic systems. But small 3D magnetic perturbations (both externally applied and from plasma instabilities) have many interesting and useful effects on tokamak (and quasi-symmetric stellarator) plasmas. Plasma transport equations that include these effects, especially on diamagnetic-level toroidal plasma rotation, have recently been developed. The 3D magnetic perturbations and their plasma effects can be classified according to their toroidal mode number n: low n (1 to 5) resonant (q = m/n in plasma) and non-resonant fields, medium n (due to toroidal field ripple), and high n (due to microturbulence). This paper concentrates on low and medium n perturbations. Low n non-resonant magnetic fields induce a neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) that damps toroidal plasma rotation throughout the plasma toward an offset flow in the counter-I p direction; recent tokamak experiments have confirmed and exploited these predictions by applying external low n non-resonant magnetic perturbations. Medium n perturbations have similar effects plus possible ripple trapping and resultant edge ion losses. A low n resonant magnetic field induces a toroidal plasma torque in the vicinity of the rational surface; when large enough it can stop plasma rotation there and lead to a locked mode, which often causes a plasma disruption. Externally applied 3D magnetic perturbations usually have many components; in the plasma their lowest n components are amplified by plasma responses, particularly at high beta. Low n plasma instabilities (e.g., NTMs, RWMs) cause additional 3D magnetic perturbations in tokamak plasmas; tearing modes can bifurcate the topology and form magnetic islands. Finally, multiple resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can cause local magnetic stochasticity and influence H-mode edge pedestal transport. These various effects of 3D magnetic perturbations can be used to control the toroidal plasma

Comparison of parallel viscosity with neoclassical theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, K.; Nakajima, N.

1996-04-01

Toroidal rotation profiles are measured with charge exchange spectroscopy for the plasma heated with tangential NBI in CHS heliotron/torsatron device to estimate parallel viscosity. The parallel viscosity derived from the toroidal rotation velocity shows good agreement with the neoclassical parallel viscosity plus the perpendicular viscosity. (μ perpendicular = 2 m 2 /s). (author)

Mode coupling trigger of neoclassical magnetohydrodynamic tearing modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gianakon, T.A.; Hegna, C.C.; Callen, J.D.

1997-05-01

Numerical studies of the nonlinear evolution of coupled magnetohydrodynamic - type tearing modes in three-dimensional toroidal geometry with neoclassical effects are presented. The inclusion of neoclassical physics introduces an additional free-energy source for the nonlinear formation of magnetic islands through the effects of a bootstrap current in Ohm's law. The neoclassical tearing mode is demonstrated to be destabilized in plasmas which are otherwise Δ' stable, albeit once a threshold island width is exceeded. A possible mechanism for exceeding or eliminating this threshold condition is demonstrated based on mode coupling due to toroidicity with a pre-existing instability at the q = 1 surface

Neo-classical impurity transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stringer, T.E.

The neo-classical theory for impurity transport in a toroidal plasma is outlined, and the results discussed. A general account is given of the impurity behaviour and its dependence on collisionality. The underlying physics is described with special attention to the role of the poloidal rotation

Gyrokinetic particle simulation of neoclassical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Z.; Tang, W.M.; Lee, W.W.

1995-01-01

A time varying weighting (δf ) scheme for gyrokinetic particle simulation is applied to a steady-state, multispecies simulation of neoclassical transport. Accurate collision operators conserving momentum and energy are developed and implemented. Simulation results using these operators are found to agree very well with neoclassical theory. For example, it is dynamically demonstrated that like-particle collisions produce no particle flux and that the neoclassical fluxes are ambipolar for an ion--electron plasma. An important physics feature of the present scheme is the introduction of toroidal flow to the simulations. Simulation results are in agreement with the existing analytical neoclassical theory. The poloidal electric field associated with toroidal mass flow is found to enhance density gradient-driven electron particle flux and the bootstrap current while reducing temperature gradient-driven flux and current. Finally, neoclassical theory in steep gradient profile relevant to the edge regime is examined by taking into account finite banana width effects. In general, in the present work a valuable new capability for studying important aspects of neoclassical transport inaccessible by conventional analytical calculation processes is demonstrated. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

Classical impurity ion confinement in a toroidal magnetized fusion plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, S T A; Den Hartog, D J; Caspary, K J; Magee, R M; Mirnov, V V; Chapman, B E; Craig, D; Fiksel, G; Sarff, J S

2012-03-23

High-resolution measurements of impurity ion dynamics provide first-time evidence of classical ion confinement in a toroidal, magnetically confined plasma. The density profile evolution of fully stripped carbon is measured in MST reversed-field pinch plasmas with reduced magnetic turbulence to assess Coulomb-collisional transport without the neoclassical enhancement from particle drift effects. The impurity density profile evolves to a hollow shape, consistent with the temperature screening mechanism of classical transport. Corroborating methane pellet injection experiments expose the sensitivity of the impurity particle confinement time to the residual magnetic fluctuation amplitude.

Neoclassical viscosities in NCSX and QPS with few toroidal periods and low aspect ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, S.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Ku, L.P.; Mynick, H.E.; Zarnstorff, M.C.; Spong, D.A.; Hirshman, S.P.

2008-01-01

Previously reported benchmarking examples for the analytical formulas of neoclassical viscosities were made implicitly assuming applications in a future integrated simulation system for the LHD (Large Helical Device). Therefore the toroidal period numbers assumed there were mainly N=10. In this kind of calculation, however, an implicit (or sometimes explicit) assumption of ι/N<<1 is sometimes included. This assumption is included not only in simplified bounce averaged drift kinetic equations for ripple diffusions, but also in the equation before the averaging for non-bounce-averaged effects determining neoclassical parallel viscosity and the banana-plateau diffusions. To clarify the applicability of the analytical methods even for configurations with extremely low toroidal period numbers (required for low aspect ratios), we show here recent benchmarking examples in NCSX (National Compact Stellarator Experiment) with N=3 and QPS (Quasi-poloidal Stellarator) with N=2. (author)

Moment equation approach to neoclassical transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirshman, S.P.

1978-01-01

The neoclassical cross-field fluxes for a toroidally confined, axisymmetric plasma are calculated in terms of the thermodynamic forces from the fluid continuity and momentum balance equations. This macroscopic formulation of neoclassical transport theory unifies the numerous complex expressions for the transport coefficients, previously obtained by solving the Fokker--Planck equation, and elucidates their physical basis. In the large aspect ratio limit, the continuous transition in the scaling of the diffusion coefficient throughout various collisionality regimes is shown to depend on the ratio of parallel viscosity coefficients of the plasma species. Comparison of the present results with the kinetic theory expressions for the neoclassical fluxes determines the parallel viscosity coefficients for a multispecies plasma in the long-mean-free-path regime

Calculation of impurity poloidal rotation from measured poloidal asymmetries in the toroidal rotation of a tokamak plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chrystal, C. [University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92186-5608 (United States); Burrell, K. H.; Groebner, R. J.; Kaplan, D. H. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186-5608 (United States); Grierson, B. A. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-0451 (United States)

2012-10-15

To improve poloidal rotation measurement capabilities on the DIII-D tokamak, new chords for the charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CER) diagnostic have been installed. CER is a common method for measuring impurity rotation in tokamak plasmas. These new chords make measurements on the high-field side of the plasma. They are designed so that they can measure toroidal rotation without the need for the calculation of atomic physics corrections. Asymmetry between toroidal rotation on the high- and low-field sides of the plasma is used to calculate poloidal rotation. Results for the main impurity in the plasma are shown and compared with a neoclassical calculation of poloidal rotation.

Calculation of impurity poloidal rotation from measured poloidal asymmetries in the toroidal rotation of a tokamak plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrystal, C; Burrell, K H; Grierson, B A; Groebner, R J; Kaplan, D H

2012-10-01

To improve poloidal rotation measurement capabilities on the DIII-D tokamak, new chords for the charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CER) diagnostic have been installed. CER is a common method for measuring impurity rotation in tokamak plasmas. These new chords make measurements on the high-field side of the plasma. They are designed so that they can measure toroidal rotation without the need for the calculation of atomic physics corrections. Asymmetry between toroidal rotation on the high- and low-field sides of the plasma is used to calculate poloidal rotation. Results for the main impurity in the plasma are shown and compared with a neoclassical calculation of poloidal rotation.

Strong drifts effects on neoclassical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tessarotto, M.; Gregoratto, D.; White, R.B.

1996-01-01

It is well known that strong drifts play an important role in plasma equilibrium, stability and confinement A significant example concerns, in particular for tokamak plasmas, the case of strong toroidal differential rotation produced by E x B drift which is currently regarded as potentially important for its influence in equilibrium, stability and transport. In fact, theoretically, it has been found that shear flow can substantially affect the stability of microinstabilities as well modify substantially transport. Recent experimental observations of enhanced confinement and transport regimes in Tokamaks, show, however, evidence of the existence of strong drifts in the plasma core. These are produced not only by the radial electric field [which gives rise to the E x B drift], but also by density [N s ], temperature [T s ] and mass flow [V = ωRe var-phi , with e var-phi the toroidal unit vector, R the distance for the symmetry axis of the torus and ω being the toroidal angular rotation velocity] profiles which are suitably steep. This implies that, in a significant part of the plasma core, the relevant scale lengths of the gradients [of N s , T s , ω], i.e., respectively L N , L T and L ω can be as large as the radial scale length characterizing the banana orbits, L b . Interestingly enough, the transport estimates obtained appear close or even lower than the predictions based on the simplest neoclassical model. However, as is well known, the latter applies, in a strict sense only in the case of weak drifts and also ignoring even the contribution of shear flow related to strong E x B drift. Thus a fundamental problem appears the extension of neoclassical transport theory to include the effect of strong drifts in Tokamak confinement systems. The goal of this investigation is to develop a general formulation of neoclassical transport embodying such important feature

The comparative analysis of the different mechanisms of toroidal rotation in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabot, R [Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d` Etudes Nucleaires de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee; Parail, V [Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-07-01

The toroidal plasma rotation appears as one the possible mechanism for suppression of plasma turbulence. Several mechanisms are believed to contribute to the toroidal plasma rotation. The results of numerical simulation of the toroidal rotation on JET are presented, where are taken into consideration the following effects: the neoclassical viscosity due to banana and ripple trapped particles, the anomalous viscosity due to plasma turbulence, the momentum input by NBI (neutron beam injection) and ion momentum loss near the separatrix due to prompt ion losses. The NBI appeared to be the principal source of toroidal plasma rotation. 6 refs., 2 figs.

Study of neoclassical transport in LHD plasmas by applying the DCOM/NNW neoclassical transport database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakasa, Arimitsu; Oikawa, Shun-ichi; Murakami, Sadayoshi

2008-01-01

In helical systems, neoclassical transport is one of the important issues in addition to anomalous transport, because of a strong temperature dependency of heat conductivity and an important role in the radial electric field determination. Therefore, the development of a reliable tool for the neoclassical transport analysis is necessary for the transport analysis in Large Helical Device (LHD). We have developed a neoclassical transport database for LHD plasmas, DCOM/NNW, where mono-energetic diffusion coefficients are evaluated by the Monte Carlo method, and the diffusion coefficient database is constructed by a neural network technique. The input parameters of the database are the collision frequency, radial electric field, minor radius, and configuration parameters (R axis , beta value, etc). In this paper, database construction including the plasma beta is investigated. A relatively large Shafranov shift occurs in the finite beta LHD plasma, and the magnetic field configuration becomes complex leading to rapid increase in the number of the Fourier modes in Boozer coordinates. DCOM/NNW can evaluate neoclassical transport accurately even in such a configuration with a large number of Fourier modes. The developed DCOM/NNW database is applied to a finite-beta LHD plasma, and the plasma parameter dependences of neoclassical transport coefficients and the ambipolar radial electric field are investigated. (author)

Neoclassical toroidal viscosity in perturbed equilibria with general tokamak geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Logan, Nikolas C.; Park, Jong-Kyu; Kim, Kimin; Wang, Zhirui [Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Berkery, John W. [Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 (United States)

2013-12-15

This paper presents a calculation of neoclassical toroidal viscous torque independent of large-aspect-ratio expansions across kinetic regimes. The Perturbed Equilibrium Nonambipolar Transport (PENT) code was developed for this purpose, and is compared to previous combined regime models as well as regime specific limits and a drift kinetic δf guiding center code. It is shown that retaining general expressions, without circular large-aspect-ratio or other orbit approximations, can be important at experimentally relevant aspect ratio and shaping. The superbanana plateau, a kinetic resonance effect recently recognized for its relevance to ITER, is recovered by the PENT calculations and shown to require highly accurate treatment of geometric effects.

Radial thermal diffusivity of toroidal plasma affected by resonant magnetic perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanno, Ryutaro; Nunami, Masanori; Satake, Shinsuke; Takamaru, Hisanori; Okamoto, Masao

2012-04-01

We investigate how the radial thermal diffusivity of an axisymmetric toroidal plasma is modified by effect of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), using a drift kinetic simulation code for calculating the thermal diffusivity in the perturbed region. The perturbed region is assumed to be generated on and around the resonance surfaces, and is wedged in between the regular closed magnetic surfaces. It has been found that the radial thermal diffusivity χ r in the perturbed region is represented as χ r = χ r (0) {1 + c r parallel 2 >}. Here r parallel 2 > 1/2 is the strength of the RMPs in the radial directions, means the flux surface average defined by the unperturbed (i.e., original) magnetic field, χ r (0) is the neoclassical thermal diffusivity, and c is a positive coefficient. In this paper, dependence of the coefficient c on parameters of the toroidal plasma is studied in results given by the δ f simulation code solving the drift kinetic equation under an assumption of zero electric field. We find that the dependence of c is given as c ∝ ω b /ν eff m in the low collisionality regime ν eff b , where ν eff is the effective collision frequency, ω b is the bounce frequency and m is the particle mass. In case of ν eff > ω b , the thermal diffusivity χ r evaluated by the simulations becomes close to the neoclassical thermal diffusivity χ r (0) . (author)

Theory comparison and numerical benchmarking on neoclassical toroidal viscosity torque

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhirui; Park, Jong-Kyu; Logan, Nikolas; Kim, Kimin; Menard, Jonathan E. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Liu, Yueqiang [Euratom/CCFE Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)

2014-04-15

Systematic comparison and numerical benchmarking have been successfully carried out among three different approaches of neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) theory and the corresponding codes: IPEC-PENT is developed based on the combined NTV theory but without geometric simplifications [Park et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 065002 (2009)]; MARS-Q includes smoothly connected NTV formula [Shaing et al., Nucl. Fusion 50, 025022 (2010)] based on Shaing's analytic formulation in various collisionality regimes; MARS-K, originally computing the drift kinetic energy, is upgraded to compute the NTV torque based on the equivalence between drift kinetic energy and NTV torque [J.-K. Park, Phys. Plasma 18, 110702 (2011)]. The derivation and numerical results both indicate that the imaginary part of drift kinetic energy computed by MARS-K is equivalent to the NTV torque in IPEC-PENT. In the benchmark of precession resonance between MARS-Q and MARS-K/IPEC-PENT, the agreement and correlation between the connected NTV formula and the combined NTV theory in different collisionality regimes are shown for the first time. Additionally, both IPEC-PENT and MARS-K indicate the importance of the bounce harmonic resonance which can greatly enhance the NTV torque when E×B drift frequency reaches the bounce resonance condition.

Observations of neoclassical and anomalous resistivity in toroidal discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etzweiler, J.F.; Brouchous, D.A.

1980-03-01

Plasma resistivity measurements parallel to the magnetic field have been made on the .Wisconsin supported octupole and the Wisconsin levitated octupole. Plasmas ranged in density from 10 8 cm -3 to 10 12 cm -3 and varied from highly collisionless to highly collisional. The measured resistivity was found to agree with neoclassical resistivity theory in the collisional and transition regimes. Highly collisionless plasmas were found to have anomalously high resistivity which obeyed the T/sub e//sup 1/2//n/sub e/ scaling of the transition regime

Computational modeling of neoclassical and resistive magnetohydrodynamic tearing modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gianakon, T.A.; Hegna, C.C.; Callen, J.D.

1996-01-01

Numerical studies of the nonlinear evolution of magnetohydrodynamic-type tearing modes in three-dimensional toroidal geometry with neoclassical effects are presented. The inclusion of neoclassical physics introduces an additional free-energy source for the nonlinear formation of magnetic islands through the effects of a bootstrap current in Ohm close-quote s law. The neoclassical tearing mode is demonstrated to be destabilized in plasmas which are otherwise Δ' stable, albeit once an island width threshold is exceeded. The plasma pressure dynamics and neoclassical tearing growth is shown to be sensitive to the choice of the ratio of the parallel to perpendicular diffusivity (χ parallel /χ perpendicular ). The study is completed with a demonstration and theoretical comparison of the threshold for single helicity neoclassical magnetohydrodynamic tearing modes, which is described based on parameter scans of the local pressure gradient, the ratio of perpendicular to parallel pressure diffusivities χ perpendicular /χ parallel , and the magnitude of an initial seed magnetic perturbation. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Computational modeling of neoclassical and resistive MHD tearing modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gianakon, T.A.; Hegna, C.C.; Callen, J.D.

1996-01-01

Numerical studies of the nonlinear evolution of MHD-type tearing modes in three-dimensional toroidal geometry with neoclassical effects are presented. The inclusion of neoclassical physics introduces an additional free-energy source for the nonlinear formation of magnetic islands through the effects of a bootstrap current in Ohm's law. The neoclassical tearing mode is demonstrated to be destabilized in plasmas which are otherwise Δ' stable, albeit once an island width threshold is exceeded. The plasma pressure dynamics and neoclassical tearing growth is shown to be sensitive to the choice of the ratio of the parallel to perpendicular diffusivity (Χ parallel/Χ perpendicular). The study is completed with a demonstration and theoretical comparison of the threshold for single helicity neoclassical MHD tearing modes, which is described based on parameter scans of the local pressure gradient, the ratio of perpendicular to parallel pressure diffusivities Χ perpendicular/Χ parallel, and the magnitude of an initial seed magnetic perturbation

On Current Drive and Wave Induced Bootstrap Current in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, T.; Johnson, T.

2008-01-01

A comprehensive treatment of wave-particle interactions in toroidal plasmas including collisional relaxation, applicable to heating or anomalous wave induced transport, has been obtained by using Monte Carlo operators satisfying quasi-neutrality. This approach enables a self-consistent treatment of wave-particle interactions applicable to the banana regime in the neoclassical theory. It allows an extension into a regime with large temperature and density gradients, losses and transport of particles by wave-particle interactions making the method applicable to transport barriers. It is found that at large gradients the relationship between radial electric field, parallel velocity, temperature and density gradient in the neoclassical theory is modified such that coefficient in front of the logarithmic ion temperature gradient, which in the standard neoclassical theory is small and counteracts the electric field caused by the density gradient, now changes sign and contributes to the built up of the radial electric field. The possibility to drive current by absorbing the waves on trapped particles has been studied and how the wave-particle interactions affect the bootstrap current. Two new current drive mechanisms are studied: current drive by wave induced bootstrap current and selective detrapping into passing orbits by directed waves.

Nonlocal neoclassical transport in tokamak and spherical torus experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, W. X.; Rewoldt, G.; Tang, W. M.; Hinton, F. L.; Manickam, J.; Zakharov, L. E.; White, R. B.; Kaye, S.

2006-01-01

Large ion orbits can produce nonlocal neoclassical effects on ion heat transport, the ambipolar radial electric field, and the bootstrap current in realistic toroidal plasmas. Using a global δf particle simulation, it is found that the conventional local, linear gradient-flux relation is broken for the ion thermal transport near the magnetic axis. With regard to the transport level, it is found that details of the ion temperature profile determine whether the transport is higher or lower when compared with the predictions of standard neoclassical theory. Particularly, this nonlocal feature is suggested to exist in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono, S. M. Kaye, Y.-K. M. Peng et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)], being consistent with NSTX experimental evidence. It is also shown that a large ion temperature gradient can increase the bootstrap current. When the plasma rotation is taken into account, the toroidal rotation gradient can drive an additional parallel flow for the ions and then additional bootstrap current, either positive or negative, depending on the gradient direction. Compared with the carbon radial force balance estimate for the neoclassical poloidal flow, our nonlocal simulation predicts a significantly deeper radial electric field well at the location of an internal transport barrier of an NSTX discharge

Neoclassical MHD descriptions of tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.; Kim, Y.B.; Sundaram, A.K.

1988-01-01

Considerable progress has been made in extending neoclassical MHD theory and in exploring the linear instabilities, nonlinear behavior and turbulence models it implies for tokamak plasmas. The areas highlighted in this paper include: extension of the neoclassical MHD equations to include temperature-gradient and heat flow effects; the free energy and entropy evolution implied by this more complete description; a proper ballooning mode formalism analysis of the linear instabilities; a new rippling mode type instability; numerical simulation of the linear instabilities which exhibit a smooth transition from resistive ballooning modes at high collisionality to neoclassical MHD modes at low collisionality; numerical simulation of the nonlinear growth of a single helicity tearing mode; and a Direct-Interaction-Approximation model of neoclassical MHD turbulence and the anomalous transport it induces which substantially improves upon previous mixing length model estimates. 34 refs., 2 figs

Effects of MHD-activity-induced low-n error magnetic fields on the neoclassical viscosities in helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Shin

2009-01-01

Effects of the perturbed magnetic field with low toroidal mode numbers (n) are considered. One cause of this type of perturbation, which has recently been studied in tokamaks, is MHD-activities. In helical/stellarator, this low-n perturbation is sometimes artificially added for island diverters. In viewpoint of the neoclassical viscosities, these perturbed magnetic fields affect on both of bounce center drifts of toroidally trapped and ripple-trapped particles. However, in usual neoclassical analyses in helical/stellarator devices assuming periodic magnetic field strength, these effects had not been studied. For future studies in helical/stellarator devices, a method to use bounce-averaged drift kinetic equation for the toroidally trapped particles is proposed. (author)

Intrinsic momentum generation by a combined neoclassical and turbulence mechanism in diverted DIII-D plasma edge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Janghoon; Choe, W. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, C. S.; Ku, S. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Kwon, J. M. [National Fusion Research institute, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Müller, Stefan H. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Garching 85748 (Germany); Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)

2014-09-15

Fluid Reynolds stress from turbulence has usually been considered to be responsible for the anomalous toroidal momentum transport in tokamak plasma. Experiment by Müller et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 115001 (2011)], however, reported that neither the observed edge rotation profile nor the inward momentum transport phenomenon at the edge region of an H-mode plasma could be explained by the fluid Reynolds stress measured with reciprocating Langmuir-probe. The full-function gyrokinetic code XGC1 is used to explain, for the first time, Müller et al.'s experimental observations. It is discovered that, unlike in the plasma core, the fluid Reynolds stress from turbulence is not sufficient for momentum transport physics in plasma edge. The “turbulent neoclassical” physics arising from the interaction between kinetic neoclassical orbit dynamics and plasma turbulence is key in the tokamak edge region across the plasma pedestal into core.

Neoclassical MHD equations for tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.; Shaing, K.C.

1986-03-01

The moment equation approach to neoclassical-type processes is used to derive the flows, currents and resistive MHD-like equations for studying equilibria and instabilities in axisymmetric tokamak plasmas operating in the banana-plateau collisionality regime (ν* approx. 1). The resultant ''neoclassical MHD'' equations differ from the usual reduced equations of resistive MHD primarily by the addition of the important viscous relaxation effects within a magnetic flux surface. The primary effects of the parallel (poloidal) viscous relaxation are: (1) Rapid (approx. ν/sub i/) damping of the poloidal ion flow so the residual flow is only toroidal; (2) addition of the bootstrap current contribution to Ohm's laws; and (3) an enhanced (by B 2 /B/sub theta/ 2 ) polarization drift type term and consequent enhancement of the perpendicular dielectric constant due to parallel flow inertia, which causes the equations to depend only on the poloidal magnetic field B/sub theta/. Gyroviscosity (or diamagnetic vfiscosity) effects are included to properly treat the diamagnetic flow effects. The nonlinear form of the neoclassical MHD equations is derived and shown to satisfy an energy conservation equation with dissipation arising from Joule and poloidal viscous heating, and transport due to classical and neoclassical diffusion

First observation of neoclassical tearing modes in the HL-2A tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Xiaoquan; Yang Qingwei; Liu Yi; Zhou Jun; Feng Beibin; Yuan Baoshan

2010-01-01

The m/n=2/1 neoclassical tearing modes are first observed in HL-2A low density, low beta plasma with central electron cyclotron resonance heating. The neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) are triggered by a sawtooth crash with m/n=1/1 precursors, which are toroidal coupled with a small scale m/n=2/1 mode. The time history of the island width is compared with the prediction of the NTM theory, showing a good agreement between theory and experiment. (authors)

Steady state compact toroidal plasma production

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, William C.

1986-01-01

Apparatus and method for maintaining steady state compact toroidal plasmas. A compact toroidal plasma is formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and held in close proximity to the gun electrodes by applied magnetic fields or magnetic fields produced by image currents in conducting walls. Voltage supply means maintains a constant potential across the electrodes producing an increasing magnetic helicity which drives the plasma away from a minimum energy state. The plasma globally relaxes to a new minimum energy state, conserving helicity according to Taylor's relaxation hypothesis, and injecting net helicity into the core of the compact toroidal plasma. Controlling the voltage so as to inject net helicity at a predetermined rate based on dissipative processes maintains or increases the compact toroidal plasma in a time averaged steady state mode.

Braking due to non-resonant magnetic perturbations and comparison with neoclassical toroidal viscosity torque in EXTRAP T2R

Science.gov (United States)

Frassinetti, L.; Sun, Y.; Fridström, R.; Menmuir, S.; Olofsson, K. E. J.; Brunsell, P. R.; Khan, M. W. M.; Liang, Y.; Drake, J. R.

2015-09-01

The non-resonant magnetic perturbation (MP) braking is studied in the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch (RFP) and the experimental braking torque is compared with the torque expected by the neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) theory. The EXTRAP T2R active coils can apply magnetic perturbations with a single harmonic, either resonant or non-resonant. The non-resonant MP produces velocity braking with an experimental torque that affects a large part of the core region. The experimental torque is clearly related to the plasma displacement, consistent with a quadratic dependence as expected by the NTV theory. The work show a good qualitative agreement between the experimental torque in a RFP machine and NTV torque concerning both the torque density radial profile and the dependence on the non-resonant MP harmonic.

Calculation of the neoclassical conductivity of plasma and fraction of trapped particles for elongated Damavand Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dini, F.; Khorasani, S.

2007-01-01

Configuration of Tokamak plasma has a dominant effect on its parameters. In the calculation of transport, there are some transport coefficients and quantities, where the knowledge of their precise values, according to the system of equations, is essential to be realized. Tokamak has a toroidal configuration, in addition to classical effects, it is necessary to study the neoclassical effects due to the field curvature. The trapped particles in strong electromagnetic fields oscillate on banana-shaped orbits which in turn affect many other collisional transport parameters. Here, a precise estimation of trapped particles based on the standard equilibrium model for an elliptical shape of Tokamak plasma has been carried out using Lin-Liu model. It should be added that in this calculation, the profile of the averaged magnetic field on the flux surfaces has been derived using analytical integration and consideration of an elliptic shape for ellipticity function in the limit of large aspect ratio and zero shift of magnetic flux surfaces. Having the fraction of the trapped particles, by ,following the formulation and using an appropriate model in various collisional regimes, the neoclassical conductivity of plasma in Damavand Tokamak is obtained and the respective variations have been found. The presented results can exploit the computation of transport and other quantities of Damavand Tokamak

Application of plasma focus device to compression of toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuta, Kazunari

1980-01-01

A new concept of compressing a toroidal plasma using a plasma focus device is considered. Maximum compression ratio of toroidal plasma is determined merely by the initial density ratio of the toroidal plasma to a sheet plasma in a focus device because of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. An initiation senario of plasma-linear is also proposed with a possible application of this concepts to the creation of a burning plasma in reversed field configurations, i.e., burning plasma vortex. (author)

Structure of the radial electric field and toroidal/poloidal flow in high temperature toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, Katsumi

2001-01-01

The structure of the radial electric field and toroidal/poloidal flow is discussed for the high temperature plasma in toroidal systems, tokamak and Heliotron type magnetic configurations. The spontaneous toroidal and poloidal flows are observed in the plasma with improved confinement. The radial electric field is mainly determined by the poloidal flow, because the contribution of toroidal flow to the radial electric field is small. The jump of radial electric field and poloidal flow are commonly observed near the plasma edge in the so-called high confinement mode (H-mode) plasmas in tokamaks and electron root plasma in stellarators including Heliotrons. In general the toroidal flow is driven by the momentum input from neutral beam injected toroidally. There is toroidal flow not driven by neutral beam in the plasma and it will be more significant in the plasma with large electric field. The direction of these spontaneous toroidal flows depends on the symmetry of magnetic field. The spontaneous toroidal flow driven by the ion temperature gradient is in the direction to increase the negative radial electric field in tokamak. The direction of spontaneous toroidal flow in Heliotron plasmas is opposite to that in tokamak plasma because of the helicity of symmetry of the magnetic field configuration. (author)

Finite-orbit-width effect and the radial electric field in neoclassical transport phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satake, S.; Okamoto, M.; Nakajima, N.; Sugama, H.; Yokoyama, M.; Beidler, C.D.

2005-01-01

Modeling and detailed simulation of neoclassical transport phenomena both in 2D and 3D toroidal configurations are shown. The emphasis is put on the effect of finiteness of the drift-orbit width, which brings a non-local nature to neoclassical transport phenomena. Evolution of the self-consistent radial electric field in the framework of neoclassical transport is also investigated. The combination of Monte-Carlo calculation for ion transport and numerical solver of ripple-averaged kinetic equation for electrons makes it possible to calculate neoclassical fluxes and the time evolution of the radial electric field in the whole plasma region, including the finite-orbit-width (FOW) effects and global evolution of geodesic acoustic mode (GAM). The simulation results show that the heat conductivity around the magnetic axis is smaller than that obtained from standard neoclassical theory and that the evolution of GAM oscillation on each flux surface is coupled with other surfaces if the FOW effect is significant. A global simulation of radial electric field evolution in a non-axisymmetric plasma is also shown. (author)

Rotation and neoclassical ripple transport in ITER

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, E. J.; Landreman, M.; Poli, F. M.; Spong, D. A.; Smith, H. M.; Dorland, W.

2017-11-01

Neoclassical transport in the presence of non-axisymmetric magnetic fields causes a toroidal torque known as neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV). The toroidal symmetry of ITER will be broken by the finite number of toroidal field coils and by test blanket modules (TBMs). The addition of ferritic inserts (FIs) will decrease the magnitude of the toroidal field ripple. 3D magnetic equilibria in the presence of toroidal field ripple and ferromagnetic structures are calculated for an ITER steady-state scenario using the variational moments equilibrium code (VMEC). Neoclassical transport quantities in the presence of these error fields are calculated using the stellarator Fokker-Planck iterative neoclassical conservative solver (SFINCS). These calculations fully account for E r , flux surface shaping, multiple species, magnitude of ripple, and collisionality rather than applying approximate analytic NTV formulae. As NTV is a complicated nonlinear function of E r , we study its behavior over a plausible range of E r . We estimate the toroidal flow, and hence E r , using a semi-analytic turbulent intrinsic rotation model and NUBEAM calculations of neutral beam torque. The NTV from the \\vert{n}\\vert = 18 ripple dominates that from lower n perturbations of the TBMs. With the inclusion of FIs, the magnitude of NTV torque is reduced by about 75% near the edge. We present comparisons of several models of tangential magnetic drifts, finding appreciable differences only for superbanana-plateau transport at small E r . We find the scaling of calculated NTV torque with ripple magnitude to indicate that ripple-trapping may be a significant mechanism for NTV in ITER. The computed NTV torque without ferritic components is comparable in magnitude to the NBI and intrinsic turbulent torques and will likely damp rotation, but the NTV torque is significantly reduced by the planned ferritic inserts.

Analysis of neoclassical edge plasma transport with gyroviscosity and inertia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogister, A.; Antonov, N.

1996-01-01

It is shown that the ambipolarity constraint which results from neoclassical transport theory with gyroviscosity and inertia sets lower limits on the edge density and/or temperature and/or Z eff gradients. Toroidal momentum co, respectively counter, -injection reduces, respectively increases these lower bounds. Generally speaking, co, respectively counter, -injection increases, respectively reduces, the rotation velocities. The theory has so far been developed for the high collisionality regime only. (orig.)

Compression of toroidal plasma by imploding plasma-liner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuta, Kazunari.

1979-07-01

A new concept of compressing a plasma in a closed magnetic configuration by a version of liner implosion flux compression technique is considered. The liner consists of a dense plasma cylinder, i.e. the plasma-liner. Maximum compression ratio of toroidal plasma is determined just by the initial density ratio of the toroidal plasma to the liner plasma because of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. A start-up senario of plasma-liner is also proposed with a possible application of this concept to the creation of a burning plasma in reversed field configurations, i.e. burning plasma vortex. (author)

Benchmark test of drift-kinetic and gyrokinetic codes through neoclassical transport simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satake, S.; Sugama, H.; Watanabe, T.-H.; Idomura, Yasuhiro

2009-09-01

Two simulation codes that solve the drift-kinetic or gyrokinetic equation in toroidal plasmas are benchmarked by comparing the simulation results of neoclassical transport. The two codes are the drift-kinetic δf Monte Carlo code (FORTEC-3D) and the gyrokinetic full- f Vlasov code (GT5D), both of which solve radially-global, five-dimensional kinetic equation with including the linear Fokker-Planck collision operator. In a tokamak configuration, neoclassical radial heat flux and the force balance relation, which relates the parallel mean flow with radial electric field and temperature gradient, are compared between these two codes, and their results are also compared with the local neoclassical transport theory. It is found that the simulation results of the two codes coincide very well in a wide rage of plasma collisionality parameter ν * = 0.01 - 10 and also agree with the theoretical estimations. The time evolution of radial electric field and particle flux, and the radial profile of the geodesic acoustic mode frequency also coincide very well. These facts guarantee the capability of GT5D to simulate plasma turbulence transport with including proper neoclassical effects of collisional diffusion and equilibrium radial electric field. (author)

Effects of fast ions and an external inductive electric field on the neoclassical parallel flow, current, and rotation in general toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Noriyoshi; Okamoto, Masao.

1992-05-01

Effects of external momentum sources, i.e., fast ions produced by the neutral beam injection and an external inductive electric field, on the neoclassical ion parallel flow, current, and rotation are analytically investigated for a simple plasma in general toroidal systems. It is shown that the contribution of the external sources to the ion parallel flow becomes large as the collision frequency of thermal ions increases because of the momentum conservation of Coulomb collisions and sharply decreasing viscosity coefficients, with collision frequency. As a result, the beam-driven parallel flow of thermal ions becomes comparable to that of electrons in the Pfirsh-Schluter collisionality regime, whereas in the 1/μ or banana regime it is smaller than that of electrons by the order of √(m e /m i ) (m e and m i are electron and ion masses). This beam-driven ion parallel flow can not produce a large beam-driven current because of the cancellation with electron parallel flow, but produces a large toroidal rotation of ions. As both electrons and ions approach the Pfirsh-Schluter collisionality regime the contribution of thermodynamical forces becomes negligibly small and the large toroidal rotation of ions is predominated by the beam-driven component in the non-axisymmetric configuration with large helical ripples. (author)

Revisited neoclassical transport theory for steep, collisional plasma edge profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogister, A.L.

1994-01-01

Published neoclassical results are misleading as concerns the plasma edge for they do not adequately take the peculiar local conditions into account, in particular the fact that the density and temperature variation length-scales are quite small. Coupled novel neoclassical equations obtain, not only for the evolution of the density and temperatures, but also for the radial electric field and the evolution of the parallel ion momentum: gyro-stresses and inertia indeed upset the otherwise de facto ambipolarity of particle transport and a radial electric field necessarily builds up. The increased nonlinear character of these revisited neoclassical equations widens the realm of possible plasma behaviors. (author)

Numerical study of neoclassical plasma pedestal in a tokamak geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.S.; Ku, Seunghoe; Weitzner, H.

2004-01-01

The fundamental properties of steep neoclassical plasma pedestals in a quiescent tokamak plasma have been investigated with a new guiding center particle code XGC: an X-point included Guiding Center code. It is shown that the width of the steepest neoclassical pedestals is similar to an experimentally observed edge pedestal width, and that a steep pedestal must be accompanied by a self-consistent negative radial electric field well. It is also shown that a steep neoclassical pedestal can form naturally at a quiescent diverted edge as the particle source from the neutral penetration (and heat flux from the core plasma) is balanced by the sharply increasing convective ion loss toward the separatrix. The steep neoclassical pedestal and the strong radial electric field well are suppressed by an anomalous diffusion coefficient of a strength appropriate to an L-mode state; nonetheless, the ExB shearing rate increases rapidly with pedestal temperature. Additionally, the present study shows that a steep pedestal at the diverted edge acts as a cocurrent parallel momentum source

Fast Waves Mode Conversion and Energy Deposition in Simulated, Pre-Heated, Neoclassical, Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1999-01-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of interest for tight aspect ratio spherical tokamaks are investigated theoretically. The following scenario is considered: A. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched by an external antenna into a simulated spherical Tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layer) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. B. The simulated spherical tokamaks-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear. (J. Actual equilibrium profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. D. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full e.m. wave equation which includes a quite general resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. Two kinds of results will be presented: I. Proofs validating the computational algorithm used and including convergence and energy conservation. II. Exact quantitative results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited p over . The dependence of the results on the launched wave characteristics (wave numbers, frequency and intensity) as well as on those of the equilibrium plasma (equilibrium current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia) will be discussed

Impurity toroidal rotation and transport in Alcator C-Mod ohmic high confinement mode plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, J. E.; Goetz, J. A.; Granetz, R. S.; Greenwald, M. J.; Hubbard, A. E.; Hutchinson, I. H.; Marmar, E. S.; Mossessian, D.; Pedersen, T. Sunn; Snipes, J. A.

2000-01-01

Central toroidal rotation and impurity transport coefficients have been determined in Alcator C-Mod [I. H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] Ohmic high confinement mode (H-mode) plasmas from observations of x-ray emission following impurity injection. Rotation velocities up to 3x10 4 m/sec in the co-current direction have been observed in the center of the best Ohmic H-mode plasmas. Purely ohmic H-mode plasmas display many characteristics similar to ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heated H-mode plasmas, including the scaling of the rotation velocity with plasma parameters and the formation of edge pedestals in the electron density and temperature profiles. Very long impurity confinement times (∼1 sec) are seen in edge localized mode-free (ELM-free) Ohmic H-modes and the inward impurity convection velocity profile has been determined to be close to the calculated neoclassical profile. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Observation of plasma rotation driven by static nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields in a tokamak.

Science.gov (United States)

Garofalo, A M; Burrell, K H; DeBoo, J C; deGrassie, J S; Jackson, G L; Lanctot, M; Reimerdes, H; Schaffer, M J; Solomon, W M; Strait, E J

2008-11-07

We present the first evidence for the existence of a neoclassical toroidal rotation driven in a direction counter to the plasma current by nonaxisymmetric, nonresonant magnetic fields. At high beta and with large injected neutral beam momentum, the nonresonant field torque slows down the plasma toward the neoclassical "offset" rotation rate. With small injected neutral beam momentum, the toroidal rotation is accelerated toward the offset rotation, with resulting improvement in the global energy confinement time. The observed magnitude, direction, and radial profile of the offset rotation are consistent with neoclassical theory predictions.

Evaluation of the toroidal torque driven by external non-resonant non-axisymmetric magnetic field perturbations in a tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasilov, Sergei V. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institut für Theoretische Physik—Computational Physics, Technische Universität Graz Petersgasse 16, A–8010 Graz (Austria); Institute of Plasma Physics National Science Center “Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology” ul. Akademicheskaya 1, 61108 Kharkov (Ukraine); Kernbichler, Winfried; Martitsch, Andreas F.; Heyn, Martin F. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institut für Theoretische Physik—Computational Physics, Technische Universität Graz Petersgasse 16, A–8010 Graz (Austria); Maassberg, Henning [Max-Planck Institut für Plasmaphysik, D-17491 Greifswald (Germany)

2014-09-15

The toroidal torque driven by external non-resonant magnetic perturbations (neoclassical toroidal viscosity) is an important momentum source affecting the toroidal plasma rotation in tokamaks. The well-known force-flux relation directly links this torque to the non-ambipolar neoclassical particle fluxes arising due to the violation of the toroidal symmetry of the magnetic field. Here, a quasilinear approach for the numerical computation of these fluxes is described, which reduces the dimension of a standard neoclassical transport problem by one without model simplifications of the linearized drift kinetic equation. The only limiting condition is that the non-axisymmetric perturbation field is small enough such that the effect of the perturbation field on particle motion within the flux surface is negligible. Therefore, in addition to most of the transport regimes described by the banana (bounce averaged) kinetic equation also such regimes as, e.g., ripple-plateau and resonant diffusion regimes are naturally included in this approach. Based on this approach, a quasilinear version of the code NEO-2 [W. Kernbichler et al., Plasma Fusion Res. 3, S1061 (2008).] has been developed and benchmarked against a few analytical and numerical models. Results from NEO-2 stay in good agreement with results from these models in their pertinent range of validity.

Development of compact toroids injector for direct plasma controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azuma, K.; Oda, Y.; Onozuka, M.; Uyama, T.; Nagata, M.; Fukumoto, N.

1995-01-01

The application of the compact toroids injector for direct plasma controls has been investigated. The compact toroids injection can fuel particles directly into the core of the plasma and modify the plasma profiles at the desired locations. The acceleration tests of the compact toroids have been conducted at Himeji Institute of Technology. The tests showed that the hydrogen compact toroid was accelerated up to 80km/s and the plasma density of the compact toroid was compressed to 1.2 x 10 21 m -3 . (orig.)

Extended numerical modeling of impurity neoclassical transport in tokamak edge plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, H.; Yamoto, S.; Hatayama, A.; Homma, Y.

2016-01-01

Understanding of impurity transport in tokamaks is an important issue in order to reduce the impurity contamination in fusion core plasmas. Recently, a new kinetic numerical scheme of impurity classical/neoclassical transport has been developed. This numerical scheme makes it possible to include classical self-diffusion (CL SD), classical inward pinch (CL IWP), and classical temperature screening effect (CL TSE) of impurity ions. However, impurity neoclassical transport has been modeled only in the case where background plasmas are in the Pfirsch-Schluter (PS) regime. The purpose of this study is to extend our previous model to wider range of collisionality regimes, i.e., not only the PS regime, but also the plateau regime. As in the previous study, a kinetic model with Binary Collision Monte-Carlo Model (BMC) has been adopted. We focus on the modeling of the neoclassical self-diffusion (NC SD) and the neoclassical inward pinch (NC IWP). In order to simulate the neoclassical transport with the BCM, velocity distribution of background plasma ions has been modeled as a deformed Maxwell distribution which includes plasma density gradient. Some test simulations have been done. As for NC SD of impurity ions, our scheme reproduces the dependence on the collisionality parameter in wide range of collisionality regime. As for NC IWP, in cases where test impurity ions and background ions are in the PS and plateau regimes, parameter dependences have been reproduced. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Extended numerical modeling of impurity neoclassical transport in tokamak edge plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, H.; Yamoto, S.; Hatayama, A. [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Yokohama (Japan); Homma, Y. [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Yokohama (Japan); Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo (Japan)

2016-08-15

Understanding of impurity transport in tokamaks is an important issue in order to reduce the impurity contamination in fusion core plasmas. Recently, a new kinetic numerical scheme of impurity classical/neoclassical transport has been developed. This numerical scheme makes it possible to include classical self-diffusion (CL SD), classical inward pinch (CL IWP), and classical temperature screening effect (CL TSE) of impurity ions. However, impurity neoclassical transport has been modeled only in the case where background plasmas are in the Pfirsch-Schluter (PS) regime. The purpose of this study is to extend our previous model to wider range of collisionality regimes, i.e., not only the PS regime, but also the plateau regime. As in the previous study, a kinetic model with Binary Collision Monte-Carlo Model (BMC) has been adopted. We focus on the modeling of the neoclassical self-diffusion (NC SD) and the neoclassical inward pinch (NC IWP). In order to simulate the neoclassical transport with the BCM, velocity distribution of background plasma ions has been modeled as a deformed Maxwell distribution which includes plasma density gradient. Some test simulations have been done. As for NC SD of impurity ions, our scheme reproduces the dependence on the collisionality parameter in wide range of collisionality regime. As for NC IWP, in cases where test impurity ions and background ions are in the PS and plateau regimes, parameter dependences have been reproduced. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

On transport and the bootstrap current in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.; Taylor, J.B.

1987-01-01

The recently reported observation of the bootstrap current in a tokamak plasma highlights the problem of reconciling this neoclassical effect with the anomalous (i.e., non-neoclassical) electron thermal transport. This Comment reviews the bootstrap current and considers the implications of a self-consistent modification of neoclassical theory based on an enhanced electron-electron interaction. (author)

Development of compact toroids injector for direct plasma controls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azuma, K. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Takasago (Japan); Oda, Y. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Takasago (Japan); Onozuka, M. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Takasago (Japan); Uyama, T. [Himeji Inst. of Tech. (Japan); Nagata, M. [Himeji Inst. of Tech. (Japan); Fukumoto, N. [Himeji Inst. of Tech. (Japan)

1995-12-31

The application of the compact toroids injector for direct plasma controls has been investigated. The compact toroids injection can fuel particles directly into the core of the plasma and modify the plasma profiles at the desired locations. The acceleration tests of the compact toroids have been conducted at Himeji Institute of Technology. The tests showed that the hydrogen compact toroid was accelerated up to 80km/s and the plasma density of the compact toroid was compressed to 1.2 x 10{sup 21}m{sup -3}. (orig.).

Numerical Calculation of Transport Based on the Drift-Kinetic Equation for Plasmas in General Toroidal Magnetic Geometry: Convergence and Testing; Calculo Numerico del Transporte mediante la Ecuacion Cinetica de Deriva para Plasmas en Geometria Magnetica Toroidal: Convergencia y Comprobaciones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynolds, J. M.; Lopez-Bruna, D.

2009-12-11

This report is the third of a series [Informes Tecnicos Ciemat 1165 y 1172] devoted to the development of a new numerical code to solve the guiding center equation for electrons and ions in toroidal plasmas. Two calculation meshes corresponding to axisymmetric tokamaks are now prepared and the kinetic equation is expanded so the standard terms of neoclassical theory --fi rst order terms in the Larmor radius expansion-- can be identified, restricting the calculations correspondingly. Using model density and temperature profiles for the plasma, several convergence test are performed depending on the calculation meshes and the expansions of the distribution function; then the results are compared with the theory [Hinton and Hazeltine, Rev. Mod. Phys. (1976)]. (Author) 18 refs.

Heating of toroidal plasmas by neutral injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stix, T.H.

1971-08-01

This paper presents a brief review of the physics of ion acceleration, charge exchange and ionization, trajectories for fast ions in toroidal magnetic fields, and fast-ion thermalization. The injection of fast atoms is found to be a highly competitive method both for heating present-day experimental toroidal plasmas and for bringing full-scale toroidal CTR plasmas to low-density ignition. 13 refs., 9 figs

Neoclassical toroidal viscosity calculations in tokamaks using a δf Monte Carlo simulation and their verifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Satake, S; Park, J-K; Sugama, H; Kanno, R

2011-07-29

Neoclassical toroidal viscosities (NTVs) in tokamaks are investigated using a δf Monte Carlo simulation, and are successfully verified with a combined analytic theory over a wide range of collisionality. A Monte Carlo simulation has been required in the study of NTV since the complexities in guiding-center orbits of particles and their collisions cannot be fully investigated by any means of analytic theories alone. Results yielded the details of the complex NTV dependency on particle precessions and collisions, which were predicted roughly in a combined analytic theory. Both numerical and analytic methods can be utilized and extended based on these successful verifications.

Stationary neoclassical profiles of plasma parameters in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danilkin, I.S.; Mineev, A.B.

1991-01-01

Peculiarities of neoclassical model of heat and particle transfer, occuring by calculations of plasma stationary profile parameters in stellarators are considered. The main peculiarity out of all consists in ineadequate compatibility with real physical conditions on the boundary, requiring application of supplementary 'anomalous' transfer or special (but technically possible) adjustment of particle and heat sources to achieve solution in form of 'correct' monotonically sloping profile. It is stated, that neoclassical theory does not provide for well-known ambiguity of solutions for ambipolar electrical field by search of monotonous stationary profiles supported by outside sources

Experimental studies of plasma confinement in toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodin, H.A.B.; Keen, B.E.

1977-01-01

In this article the closed-line magnetic field approach to the plasma isolation and confinement problem in toroidal systems is reviewed. The theoretical aspects of closed-line magnetic field systems, indicating that topologically such systems are toroidal, are surveyed under the headings; topology of closed-line systems, equilibrium in different configurations and classification of toroidal devices, MHD stability, non-ideal effects in MHD stability, microscopic stability, and plasma energy loss. A section covering the experimental results of plasma confinement in toroidal geometry considers Stellerators, Tokamaks, toroidal pinch -the reversed-field pinch, screw pinches and high-β Tokamaks, Levitrons and multipoles (internal-ring devices), and miscellaneous toroidal containment devices. Recent achievements and the present position are discussed with reference to the status of Tokamak research, low-β stellerator research and high-β research. It is concluded from the continuing progress made in this research that the criteria for the magnetic containment of plasmas can be met. Further, it is concluded that the construction of a successful and economic fusion reactor is within the scope of advancing science and technology. 250 references. (U.K.)

Experimental studies of plasma confinement in toroidal systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bodin, H A.B.; Keen, B E [UKAEA, Abingdon. Culham Lab.

1977-12-01

In this article the closed-line magnetic field approach to the plasma isolation and confinement problem in toroidal systems is reviewed. The theoretical aspects of closed-line magnetic field systems, indicating that topologically such systems are toroidal, are surveyed under the headings; topology of closed-line systems, equilibrium in different configurations and classification of toroidal devices, MHD stability, non-ideal effects in MHD stability, microscopic stability, and plasma energy loss. A section covering the experimental results of plasma confinement in toroidal geometry considers Stellerators, Tokamaks, toroidal pinch -the reversed-field pinch, screw pinches and high-..beta.. Tokamaks, Levitrons and multipoles (internal-ring devices), and miscellaneous toroidal containment devices. Recent achievements and the present position are discussed with reference to the status of Tokamak research, low-..beta.. stellerator research and high-..beta.. research. It is concluded from the continuing progress made in this research that the criteria for the magnetic containment of plasmas can be met. Further, it is concluded that the construction of a successful and economic fusion reactor is within the scope of advancing science and technology. 250 references.

Fast waves mode conversion and energy deposition in simulated, pre-heated, neoclassical, tight aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy; Coll. of Judea and Samaria, Ariel (Israel); Cuperman, S. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy

2000-11-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of special interest for tight aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (ST's) are investigated numerically; these aspects include fast mode conversion and energy deposition. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full electro-magnetic (e.m.) wave equation which includes a quite general two-fluid, resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. A generalized expression for the power absorption appropriate for the above scenario, with consideration of all the basic effects also present in the dielectric tensor-operator, was derived and used. The current-carrying ST-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by a Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear; however, the Shafranov shift is not considered. Actually, the equilibrium parameters and radial profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched from an external antenna into this simulated spherical tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layers) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. Quantitative-results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited power are presented. Their dependence on the equilibrium plasma current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia as well as on those of the antenna launched wave (wave numbers, frequency and current intensity) is systematically studied and discussed. (orig.)

Fast waves mode conversion and energy deposition in simulated, pre-heated, neoclassical, tight aspect ratio tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2000-01-01

Some basic aspects of wave-plasma interaction of special interest for tight aspect ratio (spherical) tokamaks (ST's) are investigated numerically; these aspects include fast mode conversion and energy deposition. The study is based on the numerical solution of the full electro-magnetic (e.m.) wave equation which includes a quite general two-fluid, resistive MHD dielectric tensor, with consideration of equilibrium current and neoclassical effects. A generalized expression for the power absorption appropriate for the above scenario, with consideration of all the basic effects also present in the dielectric tensor-operator, was derived and used. The current-carrying ST-plasma has a circular cross-section and toroidicity effects are simulated by a Grad-Shafranov type, radially dependent axial magnetic field and its shear; however, the Shafranov shift is not considered. Actually, the equilibrium parameters and radial profiles (magnetic field, pressure and current) observed in the low field side (LFS) of spherical tokamaks (viz., START at Culham, UK) are used. Fast magnetosonic waves are launched from an external antenna into this simulated spherical tokamak plasma; these waves are converted to Alfven waves at points (layers) satisfying the Alfven resonance condition. Quantitative-results concerning (i) the structure and space dependence of the mode-converted Alfven waves and (ii) the basic features of the deposited power are presented. Their dependence on the equilibrium plasma current, neoclassical resistivity and electron inertia as well as on those of the antenna launched wave (wave numbers, frequency and current intensity) is systematically studied and discussed. (orig.)

Turbulent momentum transport due to neoclassical flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jungpyo; Barnes, Michael; Parra, Felix I; Belli, Emily; Candy, Jeff

2015-01-01

Intrinsic toroidal rotation in a tokamak can be driven by turbulent momentum transport due to neoclassical flow effects breaking a symmetry of turbulence. In this paper we categorize the contributions due to neoclassical effects to the turbulent momentum transport, and evaluate each contribution using gyrokinetic simulations. We find that the relative importance of each contribution changes with collisionality. For low collisionality, the dominant contributions come from neoclassical particle and parallel flows. For moderate collisionality, there are non-negligible contributions due to neoclassical poloidal electric field and poloidal gradients of density and temperature, which are not important for low collisionality. (paper)

Comparative investigation of ELM control based on toroidal modelling of plasma response to RMP fields

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yueqiang

2016-10-01

The type-I edge localized mode (ELM), bursting at low frequency and with large amplitude, can channel a substantial amount of the plasma thermal energy into the surrounding plasma-facing components in tokamak devices operating at the high-confinement mode, potentially causing severe material damages. Learning effective ways of controlling this instability is thus an urgent issue in fusion research, in particular in view of the next generation large devices such as ITER and DEMO. Among other means, externally applied, three-dimensional resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields have been experimentally demonstrated to be successful in mitigating or suppressing the type-I ELM, in multiple existing devices. In this work, we shall report results of a comparative study of ELM control using RMPs. Comparison is made between the modelled plasma response to the 3D external fields and the observed change of the ELM behaviour on multiple devices, including MAST, ASDEX Upgrade, EAST, DIII-D, JET, and KSTAR. We show that toroidal modelling of the plasma response, based on linear and quasi-linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models, provides essential insights that are useful in interpreting and guiding the ELM control experiments. In particular, linear toroidal modelling results, using the MARS-F code, reveal the crucial role of the edge localized peeling-tearing mode response during ELM mitigation/suppression on all these devices. Such response often leads to strong peaking of the plasma surface displacement near the region of weak equilibrium poloidal field (e.g. the X-point), and this provides an alternative practical criterion for ELM control, as opposed to the vacuum field based Chirikov criteria. Quasi-linear modelling using MARS-Q provides quantitative interpretation of the side effects due to the ELM control coils, on the plasma toroidal momentum and particle confinements. The particular role of the momentum and particle fluxes, associated with the neoclassical toroidal

Prandtl number of toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Yagi, M.; Azumi, M.

1993-06-01

Theory of the L-mode confinement in toroidal plasmas is developed. The Prandtl number, the ratio between the ion viscosity and the thermal conductivity is obtained for the anomalous transport process which is caused by the self-sustained turbulence in the toroidal plasma. It is found that the Prandtl number is of order unity both for the ballooning mode turbulence in tokamaks and for the interchange mode turbulence in helical system. The influence on the anomalous transport and fluctuation level is evaluated. Hartmann number and magnetic Prandtl number are also discussed. (author)

Economically attractive features of steady-state neoclassical reversed field pinch equilibrium with low aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiina, S.; Yagi, Y.; Sugimoto, H.; Ashida, H.; Hirano, Y.; Koguchi, H.; Sakakita, H.; Taguchi, M.; Nagamine, Y.; Osanai, Y.; Saito, K.; Watanabe, M.; Aizawa, M.

2005-01-01

Dominant plasma self-induced current equilibrium is achieved together with the high β for the steady-state neoclassical reversed field pinch (RFP) equilibrium with low aspect ratio by broadening the plasma pressure profile. The RF-driven current, when the safety factor is smaller than unity, is much less than the self-induced current, which dominates (96%) the toroidal current. This neoclassical RFP equilibrium has strong magnetic shear or a high-stability beta (β t = 63%) due to its hollow current profile. It is shown that the obtained equilibrium is close to the relaxed-equilibrium state with a minimum energy, and is also robust against microinstabilities. These attractive features allow the economical design of compact steady-state fusion power plants with low cost of electricity (COE). (author)

Numerical Calculation of Transport Based on the Drift Kinetic Equation for plasmas in General Toroidal Magnetic Geometry; Calculo Numerico del Transporte mediante la Ecuacion Cinetica de Deriva para Plasmas en Geometria Magnetica Toroidal: Preliminares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynolds, J. M.; Lopez-Bruna, D.

2009-12-11

This report is the first of a series dedicated to the numerical calculation of the evolution of fusion plasmas in general toroidal geometry, including TJ-II plasmas. A kinetic treatment has been chosen: the evolution equation of the distribution function of one or several plasma species is solved in guiding center coordinates. The distribution function is written as a Maxwellian one modulated by polynomial series in the kinetic coordinates with no other approximations than those of the guiding center itself and the computation capabilities. The code allows also for the inclusion of the three-dimensional electrostatic potential in a self-consistent manner, but the initial objective has been set to solving only the neoclassical transport. A high order conservative method (Spectral Difference Method) has been chosen in order to discretized the equation for its numerical solution. In this first report, in addition to justifying the work, the evolution equation and its approximations are described, as well as the baseline of the numerical procedures. (Author) 28 refs.

Low-n shear Alfven spectra in axisymmetric toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Chance, M.S.

1985-11-01

In toroidal plasmas, the toroidal magnetic field is nonuniform over a magnetic surface and causes coupling of different poloidal harmonics. It is shown both analytically and numerically that the toroidicity not only breaks up the shear Alfven continuous spectrum, but also creates new, discrete, toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmodes with frequencies inside the continuum gaps. Potential applications of the low-n toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmodes on plasma heating and instabilities are addressed. 17 refs., 4 figs

Heating in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knoepfel, H.; Mazzitelli, G.

1984-01-01

The article is a rather detailed report on the highlights in the area of the ''Heating in toroidal plasmas'', as derived from the presentations and discussions at the international symposium with the same name, held in Rome, March 1984. The symposium covered both the physics (experiments and theory) and technology of toroidal fusion plasma heating. Both large fusion devices (either already in operation or near completion) requiring auxiliary heating systems at the level of tens of megawatts, as well as physics of their heating processes and their induced side effects (as studied on smaller devices), received attention. Substantial progress was reported on the broad front of auxiliary plasma heating and Ohmic heating. The presentation of the main conclusions of the symposium is divided under the following topics: neutral-beam heating, Alfven wave heating, ion cyclotron heating, lower hybrid heating, RF current drive, electron cyclotron heating, Ohmic heating and special contributions

Neoclassical kinetic theory near the edge of a diverted tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solano, E.R.; Hazeltine, R.D.

1993-01-01

In a diverted plasma, the poloidal magnetic field has a strong poloidal variation, approaching zero near the X-point. Typically, neoclassical theory is based on ordering assumptions about the 3 characteristic frequencies present in the problem: streaming, collisions and drift. In a circular geometry, the streaming freuency is constant, while the drift frequency has a sin(θ) variation. In a shaped plasma, the streaming frequency also has a poloidal variation. The ordering is now established by the amplitude of these frequencies. With a model poloidal flux function, the authors solve the drift kinetic equation inside, but near, the separatrix. Both the plateau and collisional regime are considered. Ion rotation rates, and their poloidal variation, are calculated. It is shown that the standard neoclassical rotation predictions still hold, when correctly interpreted. Other neoclassical fluxes are calculated as well

Transition from resistive ballooning to neoclassical magnetohydrodynamic pressure-gradient-driven instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spong, D.A.; Shaing, K.C.; Carreras, B.A.; Charlton, L.A.; Callen, J.D.; Garcia, L.

1988-10-01

The linearized neoclassical magnetohydrodynamic equations, including perturbed neoclassical flows and currents, have been solved for parameter regimes where the neoclassical pressure-gradient-driven instability becomes important. This instability is driven by the fluctuating bootstrap current term in Ohm's law. It begins to dominate the conventional resistive ballooning mode in the banana-plateau collisionality regime [μ/sub e//ν/sub e/ /approximately/ √ε/(1 + ν/sub *e/) > ε 2 ] and is characterized by a larger radial mode width and higher growth rate. The neoclassical instability persists in the absence of the usual magnetic field curvature drive and is not significantly affected by compressibility. Scalings with respect to β, n (toroidal mode number), and μ (neoclassical viscosity) are examined using a large-aspect-ratio, three-dimensional initial-value code that solves linearized equations for the magnetic flux, fluid vorticity, density, and parallel ion flow velocity in axisymmetric toroidal geometry. 13 refs., 10 figs

Considerations from the viewpoint of neoclassical transport towards higher ion temperature heliotron plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoyama, M.; Matsuoka, S.; Funaba, H.; Ida, K.; Nagaoka, K.; Yoshinuma, M.; Takeiri, Y.; Kaneko, O.

2010-01-01

The neoclassical (NC) transport analyses have been performed to elucidate the plausible approaches towards higher ion-temperature heliotron plasmas. Avoidance of the ripple transport is the key issue, for which the neoclassical ambipolar radial electric field (E r ) can be utilized. The ion-root scenario and the electron-root scenario are expected to be effective according to the experimental situation (especially, the temperature ratio between ions and electrons). The impact of the ion mass on the neoclassical ambipolar E r is also investigated to reveal the easier realization of electron-root E r in heavier ion plasmas. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Numerical Calculation of Transport Based on the Drift-Kinetic Equation for Plasmas in General Toroidal Magnetic Geometry: Convergence and Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, J. M.; Lopez-Bruna, D.

2009-01-01

This report is the third of a series [Informes Tecnicos Ciemat 1165 y 1172] devoted to the development of a new numerical code to solve the guiding center equation for electrons and ions in toroidal plasmas. Two calculation meshes corresponding to axisymmetric tokamaks are now prepared and the kinetic equation is expanded so the standard terms of neoclassical theory --fi rst order terms in the Larmor radius expansion-- can be identified, restricting the calculations correspondingly. Using model density and temperature profiles for the plasma, several convergence test are performed depending on the calculation meshes and the expansions of the distribution function; then the results are compared with the theory [Hinton and Hazeltine, Rev. Mod. Phys. (1976)]. (Author) 18 refs

The residual zonal dynamics in a toroidally rotating tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Deng

2015-01-01

Zonal flows, initially driven by ion-temperature-gradient turbulence, may evolve due to the neoclassic polarization in a collisionless tokamak plasma. In this presentation, the form of the residual zonal flow is presented for tokamak plasmas rotating toroidally at arbitrary velocity. The gyro-kinetic equation is analytically solved to give the expression of residual zonal flows with arbitrary rotating velocity. The zonal flow level decreases as the rotating velocity increases. The numerical evaluation is in good agreement with the previous simulation result for high aspect ratio tokamaks. (author)

Evaluation of toroidal torque by non-resonant magnetic perturbations in tokamaks for resonant transport regimes using a Hamiltonian approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albert, Christopher G.; Heyn, Martin F.; Kapper, Gernot; Kernbichler, Winfried; Martitsch, Andreas F. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institut für Theoretische Physik - Computational Physics, Technische Universität Graz, Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz (Austria); Kasilov, Sergei V. [Fusion@ÖAW, Institut für Theoretische Physik - Computational Physics, Technische Universität Graz, Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz (Austria); Institute of Plasma Physics, National Science Center “Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology,” ul. Akademicheskaya 1, 61108 Kharkov (Ukraine)

2016-08-15

Toroidal torque generated by neoclassical viscosity caused by external non-resonant, non-axisymmetric perturbations has a significant influence on toroidal plasma rotation in tokamaks. In this article, a derivation for the expressions of toroidal torque and radial transport in resonant regimes is provided within quasilinear theory in canonical action-angle variables. The proposed approach treats all low-collisional quasilinear resonant neoclassical toroidal viscosity regimes including superbanana-plateau and drift-orbit resonances in a unified way and allows for magnetic drift in all regimes. It is valid for perturbations on toroidally symmetric flux surfaces of the unperturbed equilibrium without specific assumptions on geometry or aspect ratio. The resulting expressions are shown to match the existing analytical results in the large aspect ratio limit. Numerical results from the newly developed code NEO-RT are compared to calculations by the quasilinear version of the code NEO-2 at low collisionalities. The importance of the magnetic shear term in the magnetic drift frequency and a significant effect of the magnetic drift on drift-orbit resonances are demonstrated.

Stationary neoclassical profiles of plasma parameters in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danilkin, I.S.; Mineev, A.B.

1991-01-01

The properties of the neoclassical model of heat and particle transport are considered in connection with calculations of stationary profiles of the plasma parameters in stellarators. The most important feature is the poor agreement with real physical conditions of the boundary, which imposes the necessity of invoking either an additional anomalous transport or a special (although technically possible) consistency between the particle and heat sources in order to obtain a solution in the form of a correct monotonically decreasing profile. In search for monotonic stationary profiles maintained by external sources, it is ascertained that the neoclassical theory does not give rise to the well-known multivalued solutions for the ambipolar electric field

Neoclassical transport in ERS regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Z.; Tang, W.; Lee, W.W.

1996-01-01

The core ion thermal conductivity has been observed to fall below the standard neoclassical level in recent TFTR reversed magnetic shear discharges. Due to the combination of high central q and small local inverse aspect ratio, the ion poloidal gyroradius can be larger than the minor radius and comparable to the pressure gradient scale length in this ERS regime. It is then expected that finite orbit width effects play a key role in modifying the standard picture of neoclassical transport. Specifically, both the trapped particle fraction and the banana orbit width axe reduced by the finite minor radius and possibly by the pressure-gradient-driven radial electric field. In addition, the steep pressure gradient can generate neoclassical poloidal flows which, in turn, could reduce the particle and heat transports. Results from analytic estimates as well as those from full toroidal gyrokinetic neoclassical simulations will be presented

Investigations of toroidal wave numbers of the kink instabilities in a toroidal pinch plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamajima, Takataro; Irisawa, Juichi; Tsukada, Tokuaki; Sugito, Osamu; Maruyama, Hideaki

1979-01-01

The axial toroidal wave numbers of the kink instability of toroidal pinch plasma were measured and investigated with a specially designed coil, and the results were compared with the MHD theory. The schematic figure and the particulars of the experimental apparatus are briefly illustrated in the first part. The method of generating theta-Z pinch plasma, the wave form of the magnetic flux density in Z-direction and the plasma current are also explained. The 360 deg stereoscopic framing photographs were taken with an image converter camera at the intervals of 0.5 μs after the initiation of the main electric discharge in Z-circuit. From these photographs, the growth of the kink instability was observed. The measured magnetic field distribution at t = 2 μs is presented. In the second part, the radial displacement of plasma and toroidal wave number were measured from the above framing photographs. Then the spectra of plasma displacement were analyzed by the Fourier analysis. The measured results of toroidal wave number was analyzed by both the skin current model and the diffuse current model. Many new results obtained from the present study were mainly derived from the observation of the framing photographs, and they are summarized in the final part of this paper. (Aoki, K.)

Long-wavelength microinstabilities in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, W.M.; Rewoldt, G.

1993-01-01

Realistic kinetic toroidal eigenmode calculations have been carried out to support a proper assessment of the influence of long-wavelength microturbulence on transport in tokamak plasmas. In order to efficiently evaluate large-scale kinetic behavior extending over many rational surfaces, significant improvements have been made to a toroidal finite element code used to analyze the fully two-dimensional (r,θ) mode structures of trapped-ion and toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) instabilities. It is found that even at very long wavelengths, these eigenmodes exhibit a strong ballooning character with the associated radial structure relatively insensitive to ion Landau damping at the rational surfaces. In contrast to the long-accepted picture that the radial extent of trapped-ion instabilities is characterized by the ion-gyroradius-scale associated with strong localization between adjacent rational surfaces, present results demonstrate that under realistic conditions, the actual scale is governed by the large-scale variations in the equilibrium gradients. Applications to recent measurements of fluctuation properties in Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [Plasma Phys. Controlled Nucl. Fusion Res. (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1985), Vol. 1, p. 29] L-mode plasmas indicate that the theoretical trends appear consistent with spectral characteristics as well as rough heuristic estimates of the transport level. Benchmarking calculations in support of the development of a three-dimensional toroidal gyrokinetic code indicate reasonable agreement with respect to both the properties of the eigenfunctions and the magnitude of the eigenvalues during the linear phase of the simulations of toroidal ITG instabilities

Heating in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canobbio, E.

1981-01-01

This paper reports on the 2nd Joint Grenoble-Varenna International Symposium on Heating in Toroidal Plasmas, held at Como, Italy, from the 3-12 September 1980. Important problems in relation to the different existing processes of heating. The plasma were identified and discussed. Among others, the main processes discussed were: a) neutral beam heating, b) ion-(electron)-cyclotron resonance heating, c) hybrid resonance and low frequency heating

Plasma flow in toroidal systems with a separatrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gribkov, V.M.; Morozov, D.Kh.; Pogutse, O.P.

1984-01-01

A hydrodynamic plasma flow in toroidal systems is considered. Rlasma flow lines for various magnetic configurations are calculated. A particular attention is given to studying plasma flow in configurations with two magnetic a axes and a separatrix. The flow picture i the toroidal case is shown to qualita ity to penetrate through the separatrix - the latter becomes ''perforated''. Th he pictkre of these flows is calculated. The plasma diffusion coefficient with account for the separatrix is calculated and is shown not to turn into the infin nity in the toroidal case as well. The plasma flow is analytically considered in the model with distributed current as well as in the model with current conce entrated at the oroidal system axis. In the first case the existence of ''stagnant'' regions near the magnetic axis is established from which the plasma a does not flow out

Numerical Calculation of Transport Based on the Drift Kinetic Equation for plasmas in General Toroidal Magnetic Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, J. M.; Lopez-Bruna, D.

2009-01-01

This report is the first of a series dedicated to the numerical calculation of the evolution of fusion plasmas in general toroidal geometry, including TJ-II plasmas. A kinetic treatment has been chosen: the evolution equation of the distribution function of one or several plasma species is solved in guiding center coordinates. The distribution function is written as a Maxwellian one modulated by polynomial series in the kinetic coordinates with no other approximations than those of the guiding center itself and the computation capabilities. The code allows also for the inclusion of the three-dimensional electrostatic potential in a self-consistent manner, but the initial objective has been set to solving only the neoclassical transport. A high order conservative method (Spectral Difference Method) has been chosen in order to discretized the equation for its numerical solution. In this first report, in addition to justifying the work, the evolution equation and its approximations are described, as well as the baseline of the numerical procedures. (Author) 28 refs

Formation of a compact torus using a toroidal plasma gun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, M.A.; Pincosy, P.A.

1981-01-01

Myers, Levine and Pincosy earlier reported results using a toroidal plasma gun. The device differs from the usual coaxial plasma gun in the use of a strong toroidal bias current for enhanced efficiency, a pair of disk-like accelerating electrodes for reduced viscosity and a fast pulsed toroidal gas valve for more effective use of the injected gas sample. In addition, a technique is used for generating a toroidal current in the plasma ring. The combination offers an opportunity to deliver a plasma with a large amount of energy and to vary the density and relative toroidal and poloidal magnetic field intensities over a range of values. It is the purpose of this paper to report further experimental results, to project the gun's applications to the formation of a compact torus, and to propose a simple modification of the present apparatus as a test

Neoclassical theory of transport processes in toroidal magnetic confinement systems, with emphasis on non-axisymmetric configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovrizhnykh, L.M.

1984-01-01

The paper constitutes a review of the neoclassical theory of transport processes in the different types of toroidal magnetic configuration now being used to study the possibility of producing a controlled thermonuclear reaction. Owing to the abundance of the material that has accumulated in recent years and the large number of parameters involved in the problem, it has not been possible to present all the mathematical calculations in detail while confining the results to a few definitive expressions. The general approach to a solution of the problem and its key aspects have been discussed as fully as possible, and a number of definitive results are presented. In the review, a history of the subject and an account of its present status are given, the problem itself is formulated, the basic equations are discussed and analytical solution methods are described. Definitive expressions are given for cross-field particle and energy fluxes, the bootstrap current and conductivity, all of which are required to solve the particle and heat balance equations in magnetic confinement devices. The results are presented in a relatively simple form which is convenient for analysis of the experimental data and are accompanied by tables containing numerical values for the universal coefficients in the definitive expressions. The review is aimed at both theoreticians and experimenters working in high-temperature plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion. (author)

Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efthimion, P.C.; Goeler, S. von; Houlberg, W.A.

1999-01-01

Perturbative experiments on TFTR have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear (RS) plasmas. The profile evolutions of trace tritium and helium and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in enhanced reverse shear (ERS) plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the RS region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

Long-wavelength microinstabilities in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, W.W.; Rewoldt, G.

1993-01-01

Realistic kinetic toroidal eigenmode calculations have been carried out to support a proper assessment of the influence of long-wavelength microturbulence on transport in tokamak plasmas. In order to efficiently evaluate large-scale kinetic behavior extending over many rational surfaces, significant improvements have been made to a toroidal finite element code used to analyze the fully two-dimensional (r,θ) mode structures of trapped-ion and toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) instabilities. It is found that even at very long wavelengths, these eigenmodes exhibit a strong ballooning character with the associated radial structure relatively insensitive to ion Landau damping at the rational surfaces. In contrast to the long-accepted picture that the radial extent of trapped-ion instabilities is characterized by the ion-gyroradius-scale associated with strong localization between adjacent rational surfaces, present results demonstrate that under realistic conditions, the actual scale is governed by the large-scale variations in the equilibrium gradients. Applications to recent measurements of fluctuation properties in TFTR L-mode plasmas indicate that the theoretical trends appear consistent with spectral characteristics as well as rough heuristic estimates of the transport level. Benchmarking calculations in support of the development of a three-dimensional toroidal gyrokinetic code indicate reasonable agreement with respect to both the properties of the eigenfunctions and the magnitude of the eigenvalues during the linear phase of the simulations of toroidal ITG instabilities

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

Toroidal equilibrium of a non-neutral plasma with toroidal current, inertia and pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, S.N.; Avinash, K.

1992-01-01

Equilibrium of non-neutral clouds in a toroidal vessel with toroidal magnetic field is demonstrated in the presence of a toroidal current, finite mass and finite pressure. With a toroidal current, it is shown that in a large-aspect-ratio conducting torus the equilibrium is governed by competition between forces produced by image charges and image currents. When μ 0 ε 0 E r 2 >B θ 2 (whe re E r and B θ are the self electrostatic and self magnetic fields of the cloud), the confinement is electrostatic and plasma shifts inwards; when μ 0 ε 0 E r 2 θ 2 , the confinement is magnetic and plasma shifts outwards. For μ 0 ε 0 E r 2 = B θ 2 there is no equilibrium. With finite mass or finite pressure, it is shown, in a large-aspect-ratio approximation, that the fluid drift surfaces and equipotential surfaces are displaced with respect to each other. In both cases the fluid drift surfaces are shifted inwards from the equipotential surfaces. (author)

Viscous damping of toroidal angular momentum in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stacey, W. M. [Georgia Tech Fusion Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

2014-09-15

The Braginskii viscous stress tensor formalism was generalized to accommodate non-axisymmetric 3D magnetic fields in general toroidal flux surface geometry in order to provide a representation for the viscous damping of toroidal rotation in tokamaks arising from various “neoclassical toroidal viscosity” mechanisms. In the process, it was verified that the parallel viscosity contribution to damping toroidal angular momentum still vanishes even in the presence of toroidal asymmetries, unless there are 3D radial magnetic fields.

Electron heat transport analysis of low-collisionality plasmas in the neoclassical-transport-optimized configuration of LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Sadayoshi; Yamada, Hiroshi; Wakasa, Arimitsu

2002-01-01

Electron heat transport in low-collisionality LHD plasma is investigated in order to study the neoclassical transport optimization effect on thermal plasma transport with an optimization level typical of so-called ''advanced stellarators''. In the central region, a higher electron temperature is obtained in the optimized configuration, and transport analysis suggests the considerable effect of neoclassical transport on the electron heat transport assuming the ion-root level of radial electric field. The obtained experimental results support future reactor design in which the neoclassical and/or anomalous transports are reduced by magnetic field optimization in a non-axisymmetric configuration. (author)

Linear wave propagation in a hot axisymmetric toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaun, A.

1995-03-01

Kinetic effects on the propagation of the Alfven wave are studied for the first time in a toroidal plasma relevant for experiments. This requires the resolution of a set of coupled partial differential equations whose coefficients depend locally on the plasma parameters. For this purpose, a numerical wave propagation code called PENN has been developed using either a bilinear or a bicubic Hermite finite element discretization. It solves Maxwell's equations in toroidal geometry, with a dielectric tensor operator that takes into account the linear response of the plasma. Two different models have been implemented and can be used comparatively to describe the same physical case: the first treats the plasma as resistive fluids and gives results which are in good agreement with toroidal fluid codes. The second is a kinetic model and takes into account the finite size of the Larmor radii; it has successfully been tested against a kinetic plasma model in cylindrical geometry. New results have been obtained when studying kinetic effects in toroidal geometry. Two different conversion mechanisms to the kinetic Alfven wave have been described: one occurs at toroidally coupled resonant surfaces and is the kinetic counterpart of the fluid models' resonance absorption. The other has no such correspondence and results directly from the toroidal coupling between the kinetic Alfven wave and the global wavefield. An analysis of a heating scenario suggests that it might be difficult to heat a plasma with Alfven waves up to temperatures that are relevant for a tokamak reactor. Kinetic effects are studied for three types of global Alfven modes (GAE, TAE, BAE) and a new class of kinetic eigenmodes is described which appear inside the fluid gap: it could be related to recent observations in the JET (Joint European Torus) tokamak. (author) 56 figs., 6 tabs., 58 refs

Linear wave propagation in a hot axisymmetric toroidal plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaun, A [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP)

1995-03-01

Kinetic effects on the propagation of the Alfven wave are studied for the first time in a toroidal plasma relevant for experiments. This requires the resolution of a set of coupled partial differential equations whose coefficients depend locally on the plasma parameters. For this purpose, a numerical wave propagation code called PENN has been developed using either a bilinear or a bicubic Hermite finite element discretization. It solves Maxwell`s equations in toroidal geometry, with a dielectric tensor operator that takes into account the linear response of the plasma. Two different models have been implemented and can be used comparatively to describe the same physical case: the first treats the plasma as resistive fluids and gives results which are in good agreement with toroidal fluid codes. The second is a kinetic model and takes into account the finite size of the Larmor radii; it has successfully been tested against a kinetic plasma model in cylindrical geometry. New results have been obtained when studying kinetic effects in toroidal geometry. Two different conversion mechanisms to the kinetic Alfven wave have been described: one occurs at toroidally coupled resonant surfaces and is the kinetic counterpart of the fluid models` resonance absorption. The other has no such correspondence and results directly from the toroidal coupling between the kinetic Alfven wave and the global wavefield. An analysis of a heating scenario suggests that it might be difficult to heat a plasma with Alfven waves up to temperatures that are relevant for a tokamak reactor. Kinetic effects are studied for three types of global Alfven modes (GAE, TAE, BAE) and a new class of kinetic eigenmodes is described which appear inside the fluid gap: it could be related to recent observations in the JET (Joint European Torus) tokamak. (author) 56 figs., 6 tabs., 58 refs.

Stationary shear flows in CGL anisotropic toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastukhov, V.P.; Ilgisonis, V.I.

1996-01-01

Recently a general structure of stationary shear flows in toroidal plasmas was obtained in the frame of ideal isotropic-pressure MHD model. The structure of the stationary plasma flows was shown to be determined by a hidden symmetry of MHD equations inherent in the toroidal systems with nested magnetic surfaces. However, the characteristic frequencies of the stationary plasma motion can considerably exceed the collisional frequencies in real plasma experiments. In this case the CGL collisionless MHD model seems to be more adequate than the simplified isotropic-pressure MHD model to describe the stationary plasma flows. In this paper we have generalized our approach to analyze the stationary plasma flows in the frame of the collisionless CGL model. We have found again that the hidden symmetry inherent in the toroidal topology results in two integral invariants which depend on two independent surface functions. The structure of stationary flows for CGL model is still the same as for isotropic MHD, however, the pressure tensor components satisfy a appreciably modifies the steady state force-balance equation. These results are applied to analyze the generalized equilibrium in axisymmetric (tokamak-like) magnetic confinement systems

Low-frequency fluctuations in a pure toroidal magnetized plasma

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A magnetized, low- plasma in pure toroidal configuration is formed and extensively studied with ion mass as control parameter. Xenon, krypton and argon plasmas are formed at a fixed toroidal magnetic field of 0.024 T, with a peak density of ∼ 1011 cm-3, ∼ 4 × 1010 cm-3 and ∼ 2 × 1010 cm−3 respectively.

Toroidal magnetic confinement of non-neutral plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Zensho; Ogawa, Yuichi; Morikawa, Junji; Himura, Haruhiko; Kondo, Shigeo; Nakashima, Chihiro; Kakuno, Shuichi; Iqbal, Muhamad; Volponi, Francesco; Shibayama, Norihisa; Tahara, Shigeru

1999-01-01

A new method of toroidal non-neutral plasma trap has been developed with applying the chaos-induced radial transport of particles near a magnetic null point. A pure electron plasma is produced by injecting an electron beam. The poloidal gyroradius of an electron at the energy of 1 keV is of order 10 mm, which determines the length scale of the chaotic region. Amongst various applications of toroidal non-neutral plasmas, a possibility of producing very high-β plasma, which is suitable for advanced fusion, has been examined. The self-electric field of a non-neutral plasma can generate a strong shear flow. When the flow velocity is comparable to the Alfven speed (which is smaller than the ion sound speed, if β>1), a high-β equilibrium can be produced in which the plasma pressure is primarily balanced by the dynamic pressure of the flow. This configuration is described by a generalized Bernoulli law

Toroidal rotation braking with n = 1 magnetic perturbation field on JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Y; Liang, Y; Koslowski, H R; Harting, D; Wiegmann, C; Wiesen, S; Jachmich, S; Alfier, A; Asunta, O; Corrigan, G; Giroud, C; Gryaznevich, M P; Hender, T; Nardon, E; Parail, V; Naulin, V; Tala, T

2010-01-01

A strong toroidal rotation braking has been observed in plasmas with application of an n = 1 magnetic perturbation field on the JET tokamak. Calculation results from the momentum transport analysis show that the torque induced by the n = 1 perturbation field has a global profile. The maximal value of this torque is at the plasma core region (ρ - √ν regime in the plasma core, but it is close to the transition between the 1/ν and ν - √ν regimes. The neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) torque in the 1/ν and ν - √ν regimes is calculated. The observed torque is of a magnitude in between that of the NTV torque in the 1/ν and ν - √ν regimes. The NTV torque in the ν - √ν regimes is enhanced using the Lagrangian variation of the magnetic field strength. However, it is still smaller than the observed torque by one order of magnitude.

Impurity accumulation and performance of ITER and DEMO plasmas in the presence of transport barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatthong, B; Promping, J; Onjun, T

2017-01-01

In this work, the impurity accumulations and their performance in the presence of both ITB and ETB in ITER and DEMO plasmas are investigated using a BALDUR integrated predictive modelling code. In these simulations, a combination of a neoclassical transport model NCLASS and an anomalous transport model Mixed Bohm/gyro-Bohm is used. The boundary condition is described at the top of the pedestal, which is calculated theoretically based on a combination of magnetic and flow shear stabilization pedestal width scaling and an infinite-n ballooning pressure gradient model. The toroidal flow is calculated based on the NTV (neoclassical toroidal viscosity) toroidal velocity model. The time evolution of plasma temperature and density profiles of ITER and DEMO (Korean K-DEMO and Japanese DEMO models A, B and C) plasmas are simulated in H -mode scenario with and without ITB formation. It is found that Japanese DEMO model C yields highest plasma temperature; while Korean DEMO yields the best plasma performance among those designs considered. Impurity accumulation is found to be highest in Japanese DEMO model B. (paper)

Confinement time exceeding one second for a toroidal electron plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Marler, J P; Stoneking, M R

2008-04-18

Nearly steady-state electron plasmas are trapped in a toroidal magnetic field for the first time. We report the first results from a new toroidal electron plasma experiment, the Lawrence Non-neutral Torus II, in which electron densities on the order of 10(7) cm(-3) are trapped in a 270-degree toroidal arc (670 G toroidal magnetic field) by application of trapping potentials to segments of a conducting shell. The total charge inferred from measurements of the frequency of the m=1 diocotron mode is observed to decay on a 3 s time scale, a time scale that approaches the predicted limit due to magnetic pumping transport. Three seconds represents approximately equal to 10(5) periods of the lowest frequency plasma mode, indicating that nearly steady-state conditions are achieved.

Integrated core-SOL simulations of L-mode plasma in ITER and Indian demo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wisitsorasak, Apiwat; Onjun, Thawatchai; Kanjanaput, Wittawat

2015-01-01

Core-SOL simulations are carried out using 1.5D BALDUR integrated predictive modeling code to investigate tokamak plasma in ITER and Indian DEMO reactors operating in low confinement mode (L-Mode). In each simulation, the plasma current, temperature, and density profiles in both core and SOL region are evolved self-consistency. The SOL is simulated by integrating the fluid equations, including sources, along the field lines. The solutions in SOL subsequently provide as the boundary conditions of core plasma region on low-confinement mode. The core plasma transport model is described using a combination of anomalous transport by Multi-Mode-Model version 2001 (MMM2001) and neoclassical transport calculated by NCLASS module together with the toroidal velocity based on the torque due to Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity (NTV). In addition, a sensitivity analysis is explored by varying plasma parameters, such as plasma density and auxiliary heating power. Furthermore, the ignition tests are conducted to observed plasma response in each design after shutting down an auxiliary heating. (author)

Transport of a multiple ion species plasma in the Pfirsch--Schluter regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirshman, S.P.

1976-10-01

The classical parallel friction coefficients, which relate the collisional friction forces to the flow of particles and heat along the magnetic field, are calculated for a multiple ion species plasma. In the short mean free path regime, the neoclassical Pfirsch--Schlueter transport coefficients for a toroidally confined multispecies plasma are computed in terms of the classical friction coefficients. The dependence of the neoclassical cross-field transport on the equilibration of the parallel ion temperature profiles is determined

Modeling of Neoclassical Tearing Mode Stability for Generalized Toroidal Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A.L. Rosenberg; D.A. Gates; A. Pletzer; J.E. Menard; S.E. Kruger; C.C. Hegna; F. Paoletti; S. Sabbagh

2002-01-01

Neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) can lead to disruption and loss of confinement. Previous analysis of these modes used large aspect ratio, low beta (plasma pressure/magnetic pressure) approximations to determine the effect of NTMs on tokamak plasmas. A more accurate tool is needed to predict the onset of these instabilities. As a follow-up to recent theoretical work, a code has been written which computes the tearing mode island growth rate for arbitrary tokamak geometry. It calls PEST-3 [A. Pletzer et al., J. Comput. Phys. 115, 530 (1994)] to compute delta prime, the resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) matching parameter. The code also calls the FLUXGRID routines in NIMROD [A.H. Glasser et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 41, A747 (1999)] for Dnc, DI and DR [C.C. Hegna, Phys. Plasmas 6, 3980 (1999); A.H. Glasser et al., Phys. Fluids 18, 875 (1975)], which are the bootstrap current driven term and the ideal and resistive interchange mode criterion, respectively. In addition to these components, the NIMROD routines calculate alphas-H, a new correction to the Pfirsch-Schlter term. Finite parallel transport effects were added and a National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] equilibrium was analyzed. Another program takes the output of PEST-3 and allows the user to specify the rational surface, island width, and amount of detail near the perturbed surface to visualize the total helical flux. The results of this work will determine the stability of NTMs in an spherical torus (ST) [Y.-K.M. Peng et al., Nucl. Fusion 26, 769 (1986)] plasma with greater accuracy than previously achieved

Observations of toroidal and poloidal rotation in the high beta tokamak Torus II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostek, C.A.

1983-01-01

The macroscopic rotation of plasma in a toroidal containment device is an important feature of the equilibrium. Toroidal and poloidal rotation in the high beta tokamak Torus II is measured experimentally by examining the Doppler shift of the 4685.75 A He II line emitted from the plasma. The toroidal flow at an average velocity of 1.6 x 10 6 cm/sec, a small fraction of the ion thermal speed, moves in the same direction as the toroidal plasma current. The poloidal flow follows the ion diamagnetic current direction, also at an average speed of 1.6 x 10 6 cm/sec. In view of certain ordering parameters, the toroidal flow is compared with predictions from neoclassical theory in the collosional, Pfirsch-Schluter regime. The poloidal motion, however results from an E x B drift in a positive radial electric field, approaching a stable ambipolar state. This radial electric field is determined from theory by using the measured poloidal velocity. Mechanisms for the time evolution of rotation are also examined. It appears that the circulation damping is governed by a global decay of the temperature and density gradients which, in turn, may be functions of radiative cooling, loss of equilibrium due to external field decay, or the emergence of a growing instability, occasionally observed in CO 2 interferometry measurements

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

Toroidal plasma reactor with low external magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beklemishev, A.D.; Khayrutdinov, R.R.; Petviashvili, V.I.; Tajima, T.; Gordin, V.A.; Tajima, T.

1991-01-01

A toroidal pinch configuration with safety factor q < 0.5 decreasing from the center to periphery without field reversal is proposed. This is capable of containing high pressure plasma with only small toroidal external magnetic field. Sufficient conditions for magnetohydrodynamic stability are fulfilled in this configuration. The stability is studied by constructing the Lyapunov functional and investigating its extrema both analytically and numerically. Comparison of the Lyapunov stability conditions with the conventional linear theory is carried out. Stable configurations are found with average β near 15%, with magnetic field associated mainly with plasma current. The β value calculated with the external magnetic field can be over 100%. Fast charged particles produced by fusion reactions are asymmetrically confined by the poloidal magnetic field (and due to the lack of strong toroidal field). They thus generate a current in the noncentral part of plasma to reinforce the poloidal field. This current drive can sustain the monotonic decrease of q with radius. 20 refs., 9 figs

A Dip Structure in the Intrinsic Toroidal Rotation Near the Edge of the Ohmic Plasmas in EAST

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Guosheng; Naulin, Volker; Wan, Baonian

2011-01-01

and outwards. The radial width of the vt dip was 1 cm to 2 cm, and both the density and electron temperature profiles exhibited steep gradients at this dip position. It was observed in both divertor and limiter configurations. To find out its origin, the toroidal torques induced by neutral friction......, neoclassical viscosity, collisional perpendicular shear viscosity, ion orbit loss and turbulent Reynolds stress were estimated using the measured parameters. Our results indicate that in this particular parameter regime the neutral friction was the dominant damping force. The calculated cocurrent toroidal...

Microwave produced plasma in a Toroidal Device

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, A. K.; Edwards, W. F.; Held, E. D.

2010-11-01

A currentless toroidal plasma device exhibits a large range of interesting basic plasma physics phenomena. Such a device is not in equilibrium in a strict magneto hydrodynamic sense. There are many sources of free energy in the form of gradients in plasma density, temperature, the background magnetic field and the curvature of the magnetic field. These free energy sources excite waves and instabilities which have been the focus of studies in several devices in last two decades. A full understanding of these simple plasmas is far from complete. At Utah State University we have recently designed and installed a microwave plasma generation system on a small tokamak borrowed from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Microwaves are generated at 2.45 GHz in a pulsed dc mode using a magnetron from a commercial kitchen microwave oven. The device is equipped with horizontal and vertical magnetic fields and a transformer to impose a toroidal electric field for current drive. Plasmas can be obtained over a wide range of pressure with and without magnetic fields. We present some preliminary measurements of plasma density and potential profiles. Measurements of plasma temperature at different operating conditions are also presented.

Plasma Heating and Losses in Toroidal Multipole Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armentrout, C. J.; Barter, J. D.; Breun, R. A.; Cavallo, A. J.; Drake, J. R.; Etzweiler,; Greenwood, J. R.

1974-01-01

The heating and loss of plasmas have been studied in three pulsed, toroidal multipole devices: a large levitated octupole, a small supported octupole and a very small supported quadrupole. Plasmas are produced by gun injection and heated by electron and ion cyclotron resonance heating and ohmic heating. Electron cyclotron heating rates have been measured over a wide range of parameters, and the results are in quantitative agreement with stochastic heating theory. Electron cyclotron resonance heating produces ions with energies larger than predicted by theory. With the addition of a toroidal field, ohmic heating gives densities as high as 10 13 cm -3 in the toroidal quadrupole and 10 12 cm -3 in the small octupole. Plasma losses for n=5 x 10 9 cm -3 plasmas are inferred from Langmuir probe and Fabry-Perot interferometer measurements, and measured with special striped collectors on the wall and rings. The loss to a levitated ring is measured using a modulated light beam telemeter. The confinement is better than Bohm but considerably worse than classical. Low frequency convective cells which are fixed in space are observed. These cells around the ring are diminished when a weak toroidal field is added, and loss collectors show a vastly reduced flux to the rings. Analysis of the spatial density profile shows features of B-independent diffusion. The confinement is sensitive to some kinds of dc field errors, but surprisingly insensitive to perturbations of the ac confining field

Unified kinetic theory in toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hitchcock, D.A.; Hazeltine, R.D.

1980-12-01

The kinetic theory of toroidal systems has been characterized by two approaches: neoclassical theory which ignores instabilities and quasilinear theory which ignores collisions. In this paper we construct a kinetic theory for toroidal systems which includes both effects. This yields a pair of evolution equations; one for the spectrum and one for the distribution function. In addition, this theory yields a toroidal generalization of the usual collision operator which is shown to have many similar properties - conservation laws, H theorem - to the usual collision operator

Stationary magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium of toroidal plasma in rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Missiato, O.

1986-01-01

The stationary equations of classical magnetohydrodynamics are utilized to study the toroidal motion of a thermonuclear magnetically - confined plasma with toroidal symmetry (Tokamak). In the present work, we considered a purely toroidal stationary rotation and te problem is reduced to studing a second order partial differencial equation of eliptic type Maschke-Perrin. Assuming that the temperature remains constant on the magnetic surfaces, an analitic solution, valid for low Mach numbers (M ≤ 0 .4), was obtained for the above-mentioned equation by means of a technique developed by Pantuso Sudano. From the solution found, we traced graphs for the quantities which described the equilibrium state of the plasma, namely: mass density, pressure, temperature, electric current density and toroidal magnetic field. Finally we compare this analitical model with others works which utilized differents analitical models and numerical simulations. We conclude that the solutions obtained are in good agreement with the previos results. In addition, however, our model contains the results of Sudano-Goes with the additional advantage of employing much simple analitical expressions. (author) [pt

Plasma rotation under a driven radial current in a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.S.

1999-01-01

The neoclassical behaviour of plasma rotation under a driven radial electrical current is studied in a tokamak geometry. An ambipolar radial electric field develops instantly in such a way that the driven current is balanced by a return current j p in the plasma. The j p x B torque pushes the plasma into a new rotation state both toroidally and poloidally. An anomalous toroidal viscosity is needed to avoid an extreme toroidal rotation speed. It is shown that the poloidal rotation relaxes to a new equilibrium speed, which is in general smaller than the E x B poloidal speed, and that the timescale for the relaxation of poloidal rotation is the same as that of toroidal rotation generation, which is usually much longer than the ion-ion collision time. (author)

Effect of sheared flows on neoclassical tearing modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sen, A [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar (India); Chandra, D; Kaw, P [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar (India); Bora, M P [Physics Dept., Gauhati University, Guwahati (India); Kruger, S [Tech-X, Boulder, CO (United States); Ramos, J [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA (United States)

2005-01-01

The influence of toroidal sheared equilibrium flows on the nonlinear evolution of classical and neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) is studied through numerical solutions of a set of reduced generalized MHD equations that include viscous force effects based on neoclassical closures. In general, differential flow is found to have a strong stabilizing influence leading to lower saturated island widths for the classical (m/n = 2/1) mode and reduced growth rates for the (m/n = 3/1) neoclassical mode. Velocity shear on the other hand is seen to make a destabilizing contribution. An analytic model calculation, consisting of a generalized Rutherford island evolution equation that includes shear flow effects is also presented and the numerical results are discussed in the context of this model. (author)

Generation of toroidal pre-heat plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Nagayasu; Tamaru, Ken; Nagata, Akiyoshi.

1979-01-01

The characteristics of toroidal plasma in the initial stage of electric discharge were investigated. A small toroidal-pinch system was used for the present work. A magnetic probe was used to measure the magnetic field. The time of beginning of discharge was determined by observing the variation of the magnetic field. The initial gas pressure dependence of the induced electric field regions, in which electric discharge can be caused, was studied. It is necessary to increase the initial induced electric field for starting discharge. The delay time of large current discharge was measured, and it was about 2 microsecond. Dependences of the electric fields at the beginning of discharge on the charging voltage of capacitors, on the initial gas pressure, and on the discharge frequency were studied. The formation mechanism of plasma column was analyzed. (Kato, T.)

Validation of the kinetic-turbulent-neoclassical theory for edge intrinsic rotation in DIII-D

Science.gov (United States)

Ashourvan, Arash; Grierson, B. A.; Battaglia, D. J.; Haskey, S. R.; Stoltzfus-Dueck, T.

2018-05-01

In a recent kinetic model of edge main-ion (deuterium) toroidal velocity, intrinsic rotation results from neoclassical orbits in an inhomogeneous turbulent field [T. Stoltzfus-Dueck, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 065002 (2012)]. This model predicts a value for the toroidal velocity that is co-current for a typical inboard X-point plasma at the core-edge boundary (ρ ˜ 0.9). Using this model, the velocity prediction is tested on the DIII-D tokamak for a database of L-mode and H-mode plasmas with nominally low neutral beam torque, including both signs of plasma current. Values for the flux-surface-averaged main-ion rotation velocity in the database are obtained from the impurity carbon rotation by analytically calculating the main-ion—impurity neoclassical offset. The deuterium rotation obtained in this manner has been validated by direct main-ion measurements for a limited number of cases. Key theoretical parameters of ion temperature and turbulent scale length are varied across a wide range in an experimental database of discharges. Using a characteristic electron temperature scale length as a proxy for a turbulent scale length, the predicted main-ion rotation velocity has a general agreement with the experimental measurements for neutral beam injection (NBI) powers in the range PNBI balanced—but high powered—NBI, the net injected torque through the edge can exceed 1 Nm in the counter-current direction. The theory model has been extended to compute the rotation degradation from this counter-current NBI torque by solving a reduced momentum evolution equation for the edge and found the revised velocity prediction to be in agreement with experiment. Using the theory modeled—and now tested—velocity to predict the bulk plasma rotation opens up a path to more confidently projecting the confinement and stability in ITER.

Neoclassical current effects in neutral-beam-heated tokamak discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hogan, J.T.

1981-01-01

There is a long-standing prediction from neoclassical theory that strong contributions to the toroidal current should be driven by friction between trapped and passing particles when βsub(pol) exceeds root (R/a) in a tokamak. A number of neutral-beam heating experiments can now produce such parameters, and it is of interest to calculate the behaviour which should occur in this regime to determine the feasibility of using such a 'bootstrap' current as a steady-state tokamak current source. It is found that the neoclassical current should be large enough to reverse the external loop voltage for typical experimental parameters (ISX-B, in particular) in cases where the total current is fixed and to produce a detectable excess of total current above the pre-programmed (demand) value in cases where the loop voltage is regulated. Other manifestations of such a current should be either: a sharp rise in the central q-value (producing a cessation of internal m=1 and m=2 MHD activity), with an enhancement by two orders of magnitude of ion thermal conductivity (due to the formation of a hollow current density profile and a consequent drop in local values of the poloidal magnetic field in the central plasma region), or an enhanced tendency for disruption (arising from magnetic reconnection in hollow-profile equilibria). Since these gross manifestations are absent in a wide range of experiments on the Impurity Study Experiment (ISX-B), as reported earlier, the conclusion is that the neoclassical current, if present, can have a value no larger than 25% of its theoretically calculated value. Since the neoclassical particle (Ware) pinch is strongly related to the neoclassical current in the theory (Onsager reciprocity), the existence of the particle pinch is thus called into question. (author)

Effects of magnetic drift tangential to magnetic surfaces on neoclassical transport in non-axisymmetric plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, Seikichi; Satake, Shinsuke; Kanno, Ryutaro; Sugama, Hideo

2015-01-01

In evaluating neoclassical transport by radially local simulations, the magnetic drift tangential to a flux surface is usually ignored in order to keep the phase-space volume conservation. In this paper, effect of the tangential magnetic drift on the local neoclassical transport is investigated. To retain the effect of the tangential magnetic drift in the local treatment of neoclassical transport, a new local formulation for the drift kinetic simulation is developed. The compressibility of the phase-space volume caused by the tangential magnetic drift is regarded as a source term for the drift kinetic equation, which is solved by using a two-weight δf Monte Carlo method for non-Hamiltonian system [G. Hu and J. A. Krommes, Phys. Plasmas 1, 863 (1994)]. It is demonstrated that the effect of the drift is negligible for the neoclassical transport in tokamaks. In non-axisymmetric systems, however, the tangential magnetic drift substantially changes the dependence of the neoclassical transport on the radial electric field E r . The peaked behavior of the neoclassical radial fluxes around E r  =   0 observed in conventional local neoclassical transport simulations is removed by taking the tangential magnetic drift into account

Effects of magnetic drift tangential to magnetic surfaces on neoclassical transport in non-axisymmetric plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuoka, Seikichi, E-mail: matsuoka@rist.or.jp [Research Organization for Information Science and Technology, 6F Kimec-Center Build., 1-5-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan); Satake, Shinsuke; Kanno, Ryutaro [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan); Department of Fusion Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan); Sugama, Hideo [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan)

2015-07-15

In evaluating neoclassical transport by radially local simulations, the magnetic drift tangential to a flux surface is usually ignored in order to keep the phase-space volume conservation. In this paper, effect of the tangential magnetic drift on the local neoclassical transport is investigated. To retain the effect of the tangential magnetic drift in the local treatment of neoclassical transport, a new local formulation for the drift kinetic simulation is developed. The compressibility of the phase-space volume caused by the tangential magnetic drift is regarded as a source term for the drift kinetic equation, which is solved by using a two-weight δf Monte Carlo method for non-Hamiltonian system [G. Hu and J. A. Krommes, Phys. Plasmas 1, 863 (1994)]. It is demonstrated that the effect of the drift is negligible for the neoclassical transport in tokamaks. In non-axisymmetric systems, however, the tangential magnetic drift substantially changes the dependence of the neoclassical transport on the radial electric field E{sub r}. The peaked behavior of the neoclassical radial fluxes around E{sub r }={sub  }0 observed in conventional local neoclassical transport simulations is removed by taking the tangential magnetic drift into account.

A note on the application of the Prigogine theorem to rotation of tokamak-plasmas in absence of external torques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sonnino, Giorgio, E-mail: gsonnino@ulb.ac.be [Department of Physics, Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Campus de la Plaine C.P. 231-Bvd du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Royal Military Academy (RMA), Laboratory for Plasma Physics, Avenue de la Renaissance, 30, 1000 Brussels (Belgium); Cardinali, Alessandro; Zonca, Fulvio [EURATOM-ENEA Fusion Association, Via E.Fermi 45, C.P. 65-00044 Frascati, Rome (Italy); Sonnino, Alberto [Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Ecole Polytechnique de Louvain (EPL), Rue Archimède, 1 bte L6.11.01, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Nardone, Pasquale [Department of Physics, Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Campus de la Plaine C.P. 231-Bvd du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Steinbrecher, György [EURATOM-MEdC Fusion Association, University of Craiova, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Str.A.I.Cuza Street 13, 200585 Craiova (Romania)

2014-03-15

Rotation of tokamak-plasmas, not at the mechanical equilibrium, is investigated using the Prigogine thermodynamic theorem. This theorem establishes that, for systems confined in rectangular boxes, the global motion of the system with barycentric velocity does not contribute to dissipation. This result, suitably applied to toroidally confined plasmas, suggests that the global barycentric rotations of the plasma, in the toroidal and poloidal directions, are pure reversible processes. In case of negligible viscosity and by supposing the validity of the balance equation for the internal forces, we show that the plasma, even not in the mechanical equilibrium, may freely rotate in the toroidal direction with an angular frequency, which may be higher than the neoclassical estimation. In addition, its toroidal rotation may cause the plasma to rotate globally in the poloidal direction at a speed faster than the expression found by the neoclassical theory. The eventual configuration is attained when the toroidal and poloidal angular frequencies reaches the values that minimize dissipation. The physical interpretation able to explain the reason why some layers of plasma may freely rotate in one direction while, at the same time, others may freely rotate in the opposite direction, is also provided. Invariance properties, herein studied, suggest that the dynamic phase equation might be of the second order in time. We then conclude that a deep and exhaustive study of the invariance properties of the dynamical and thermodynamic equations is the most correct and appropriate way for understanding the triggering mechanism leading to intrinsic plasma-rotation in toroidal magnetic configurations.

A note on the application of the Prigogine theorem to rotation of tokamak-plasmas in absence of external torques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnino, Giorgio; Cardinali, Alessandro; Sonnino, Alberto; Nardone, Pasquale; Steinbrecher, György; Zonca, Fulvio

2014-03-01

Rotation of tokamak-plasmas, not at the mechanical equilibrium, is investigated using the Prigogine thermodynamic theorem. This theorem establishes that, for systems confined in rectangular boxes, the global motion of the system with barycentric velocity does not contribute to dissipation. This result, suitably applied to toroidally confined plasmas, suggests that the global barycentric rotations of the plasma, in the toroidal and poloidal directions, are pure reversible processes. In case of negligible viscosity and by supposing the validity of the balance equation for the internal forces, we show that the plasma, even not in the mechanical equilibrium, may freely rotate in the toroidal direction with an angular frequency, which may be higher than the neoclassical estimation. In addition, its toroidal rotation may cause the plasma to rotate globally in the poloidal direction at a speed faster than the expression found by the neoclassical theory. The eventual configuration is attained when the toroidal and poloidal angular frequencies reaches the values that minimize dissipation. The physical interpretation able to explain the reason why some layers of plasma may freely rotate in one direction while, at the same time, others may freely rotate in the opposite direction, is also provided. Invariance properties, herein studied, suggest that the dynamic phase equation might be of the second order in time. We then conclude that a deep and exhaustive study of the invariance properties of the dynamical and thermodynamic equations is the most correct and appropriate way for understanding the triggering mechanism leading to intrinsic plasma-rotation in toroidal magnetic configurations.

Basic toroidal Effects on Alfven Wave Current in Small Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1998-01-01

The Alfven wave current drive (AWCD) in small aspect ratio Tokamaks is properly calculated, with consideration of the basic toroidicity effects present in (i) the dielectric tensor-operator (involving the strongly toroidal equilibrium profiles), (ii) the structure of the r.f. fields obtained as a solution of the wave equation (through Maxwell's equations' toroidal operators as well as the conversion rate and conversion layer location, depending also on the equilibrium profiles) and (iii) the formulation of the AWCD (which, besides its dependence on the r.f. fields - affected by toroidicity as mentioned at points (i) and (ii) - also requires the equilibrium-magnetic-surface averaging of non-resonant forces involved). Thus, we consider consistent equilibrium profiles with neo-classical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START-like discharge; use a resistive (anisotropic) MHD dielectric tensor-operator Edith practically no limitations, adequate to describe the plasma response in the pre-heated stage ; solve numerically the 2(1/2)D full- wave equation by the aid of an advanced finite element code developed in; and evaluate the AWCD by the aid of the recently proposed, quite general formulation holding in the case of strongly toroidal fusion devices and including contributions due to helicity injection, momentum transfer and plasma Bow. A general discussion of the results obtained in this work is presented

Air core poloidal magnetic field system for a toroidal plasma producing device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, F.B.

1978-01-01

A poloidal magnetics system for a plasma producing device of toroidal configuration is provided that reduces both the total volt-seconds requirement and the magnitude of the field change at the toroidal field coils. The system utilizes an air core transformer wound between the toroidal field (TF) coils and the major axis outside the TF coils. Electric current in the primary windings of this transformer is distributed and the magnetic flux returned by air core windings wrapped outside the toroidal field coils. A shield winding that is closely coupled to the plasma carries a current equal and opposite to the plasma current. This winding provides the shielding function and in addition serves in a fashion similar to a driven conducting shell to provide the equilibrium vertical field for the plasma. The shield winding is in series with a power supply and a decoupling coil located outside the TF coil at the primary winding locations. The present invention requires much less energy than the usual air core transformer and is capable of substantially shielding the toroidal field coils from poloidal field flux

Onsager relaxation of toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samain, A.; Nguyen, F.

1997-01-01

The slow relaxation of isolated toroidal plasmas towards their thermodynamical equilibrium is studied in an Onsager framework based on the entropy metric. The basic tool is a variational principle, equivalent to the kinetic equation, involving the profiles of density, temperature, electric potential, electric current. New minimization procedures are proposed to obtain entropy and entropy production rate functionals. (author)

Study of neoclassical transport in the 1/ν regime for a research fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalyuzhnyj, V.N.; Kasilov, S.V.; Nemov, V.V.

2005-01-01

In frame of the concept of a steady-state operated research fusion reactor (RFR) in papers [1-4] the RFR with an increased plasma-wall detachment was proposed with the purpose to enable not only the production but also a long-term confinement of a self-sustained plasma at the existing technology level. In connection with complication of the corresponding magnetic configuration an investigation of the neoclassical transport is desirable for such systems. In the present work neoclassical transport for a magnetic configuration of l=2 torsatron type variant of RFR system with an additional opposite toroidal magnetic field is investigated numerically. A so-called 1/ν transport regime, in which the transport coefficients are increased with reduction of particle collision frequency ν is considered. For calculating of transport coefficients a technique, based on integration along magnetic field lines in a given stellarator magnetic field is used. The magnetic field of helical windings is calculated by Biot-Savart law. The obtained transport coefficients are presented in a standard form containing a factor depending on the magnetic field geometry. From analysis of the received results follows that in respect of the neoclassical transport the proposed magnetic configuration turns out to be closer to configuration of the classical stellarator (with helical winding), than to configuration of the classical torsatron/geliotron. (author)

Toroidal Plasma Thruster for Interplanetary and Interstellar Space Flights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Zakharov, L.E.; Gorelenkova, M.V.

2001-01-01

This work involves a conceptual assessment for using the toroidal fusion reactor for deep space interplanetary and interstellar missions. Toroidal thermonuclear fusion reactors, such as tokamaks and stellarators, are unique for space propulsion, allowing for a design with the magnetic configuration localized inside toroidal magnetic field coils. Plasma energetic ions, including charged fusion products, can escape such a closed configuration at certain conditions, a result of the vertical drift in toroidal rippled magnetic field. Escaping particles can be used for direct propulsion (since toroidal drift is directed one way vertically) or to create and heat externally confined plasma, so that the latter can be used for propulsion. Deuterium-tritium fusion neutrons with an energy of 14.1 MeV also can be used for direct propulsion. A special design allows neutrons to escape the shield and the blanket of the tokamak. This provides a direct (partial) conversion of the fusion energy into the directed motion of the propellant. In contrast to other fusion concepts proposed for space propulsion, this concept utilizes the natural drift motion of charged particles out of the closed magnetic field configuration

Neoclassical diffusion in toroidal three-cut magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemov, V.V.; Shishkin, A.A.

1975-01-01

Quasi-classical diffusion is investigated in the regime of toroidal drift of 'bananas' in a three cut magnetic field. Unlike previous papers, it is supposed that the inhomogeneity of a helical magnetic field epsilonsub(k) is of the same order or less than that of the toroidal inhomogeneity epsilonsub(t). The case is considered when the efficient frequency of particle collisions exceeds that of the 'banana' precession around the magnetic axis. Expressions for diffusion flows and coefficients are obtained that transform into available ones at epsilonsub(h) > > epsilonsub(t) [ru

Toroidal plasma enhanced CVD of diamond films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zvanya, John; Cullen, Christopher; Morris, Thomas; Krchnavek, Robert R.; Holber, William; Basnett, Andrew; Basnett, Robert; Hettinger, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

An inductively coupled toroidal plasma source is used as an alternative to microwave plasmas for chemical vapor deposition of diamond films. The source, operating at a frequency of 400 kHz, synthesizes diamond films from a mixture of argon, methane, and hydrogen. The toroidal design has been adapted to create a highly efficient environment for diamond film deposition: high gas temperature and a short distance from the sample to the plasma core. Using a toroidal plasma geometry operating in the medium frequency band allows for efficient (≈90%) coupling of AC line power to the plasma and a scalable path to high-power and large-area operation. In test runs, the source generates a high flux of atomic hydrogen over a large area, which is favorable for diamond film growth. Using a deposition temperature of 900–1050 °C and a source to sample distance of 0.1–2.0 cm, diamond films are deposited onto silicon substrates. The results showed that the deposition rate of the diamond films could be controlled using the sample temperature and source to sample spacing. The results also show the films exhibit good-quality polycrystalline diamond as verified by Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction results show that the samples exhibit diamond (111) and diamond (022) crystallites. The Raman results show that the sp 3 peak has a narrow spectral width (FWHM 12 ± 0.5 cm −1 ) and that negligible amounts of the sp 2 band are present, indicating good-quality diamond films

Overview of recent results from the Advanced Toroidal Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anabitarte, E.; Hidalgo-Vera, C.; Anderson, F.S.B.; Bell, G.L.; Gandy, R.F.; Bell, J.D.; Charlton, L.A.; Lee, D.K.; Lynch, V.E.; Morris, R.N.; Tolliver, J.S.; Hanson, G.R.; Kwon, M.; Rogers, P.S.; Shaw, P.L.; Wade, M.R.; Kaneko, H.; Sudo, S.; Yamada, H.; Zielinski, J.J.; Murakami, M.; Bigelow, T.S.; Carreras, B.A; Colchin, R.J.; Crume, E.C.; Dominguez, N.; Dunlap, J.L.; Dyer, G.R.; England, A.C.; Fisher, P.W.; Glowienka, J.C.; Goulding, R.H.; Harris, J.H.; Haste, G.R.; Hillis, D.L.; Hiroe, S.; Horton, L.D.; Howe, H.C.; Hutchinson, D.E.; Isler, R.C.; Jernigan, T.C.; Kannan, K.L.; Langley, R.A.; Leboeuf, J.G.; Lue, J.W.; Lyon, J.F.; Ma, C.H.; Menon, M.M.; Mioduszewski, P.K.; Neilson, G.H.; Rasmussen, D.A.; Schwenterly, S.W.; Shaing, K.C.; Shepard, T.D.; Simpkins, J.E.; Stewart, K.A.; Uckan, T.; Wilgen, J.B.; Wing, W.R.

1989-01-01

An overview of recent experimental results from the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) is presented. Beam-heated plasmas with bar n e of 10 20 m -3 and τ E * of ∼20 ms have been achieved. Thermal collapse of the plasmas is mitigated by wall conditioning and particle fueling. Confinement time scales positively with density and magnetic field, offsetting deterioration with power. Results fit the LHD scaling and the drift wave turbulence scaling. Bootstrap currents observed during ECH agree with neoclassical theory in magnitude and parameter dependences. Fast reciprocating Langmuir probe measurements show that edge fluctuations in ATF have many similarities to those in the TEXT tokamak. The location of B instabilities has shifted outward in radius, consistent with the broader pressure profiles. 14 refs., 6 figs

Effect of nonlinear energy transport on neoclassical tearing mode stability in tokamak plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Richard

2017-05-01

An investigation is made into the effect of the reduction in anomalous perpendicular electron heat transport inside the separatrix of a magnetic island chain associated with a neoclassical tearing mode in a tokamak plasma, due to the flattening of the electron temperature profile in this region, on the overall stability of the mode. The onset of the neoclassical tearing mode is governed by the ratio of the divergences of the parallel and perpendicular electron heat fluxes in the vicinity of the island chain. By increasing the degree of transport reduction, the onset of the mode, as the divergence ratio is gradually increased, can be made more and more abrupt. Eventually, when the degree of transport reduction passes a certain critical value, the onset of the neoclassical tearing mode becomes discontinuous. In other words, when some critical value of the divergence ratio is reached, there is a sudden bifurcation to a branch of neoclassical tearing mode solutions. Moreover, once this bifurcation has been triggered, the divergence ratio must be reduced by a substantial factor to trigger the inverse bifurcation.

Measurement of toroidal and poloidal plasma rotation in TCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duval, B.P.; Joye, B.; Marchal, B.

1991-01-01

With optimal observation geometry we have measured both the toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities in the edge and in the bulk of the TCA plasma. Regular calibration and correction for variations in the spectrometer temperature permitted a measurement with an error of ∼0.5 km/s which is an order of magnitude smaller than the range of measured velocities. In general, changes in the velocities are observed to be stronger and faster in the plasma edge than in the plasma bulk. With increasing density, the toroidal velocity is observed to change sign and follow the plasma density, while the poloidal velocity increases. These two effects lead to an increase in the absolute value of the radial electric field. With very strong gas puffing, the toroidal velocity is observed to again reverse and tend to zero, an effect which is stronger as the gradient of the density ramp is increased. Comparison between gas puffing and high power AWH does not show a significant difference in the radial electric field that could be responsible for the large associated density rise, which still remains unexplained. (author) 4 figs., 2 refs

Plasma confinement of Nagoya high-beta toroidal-pinch experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, K.; Kitagawa, S.; Wakatani, M.; Kita, Y.; Yamada, S.; Yamaguchi, S.; Sato, K.; Aizawa, T.; Osanai, Y.; Noda, N.

1977-01-01

Two different types of high-β toroidal pinch experiments, STP [1] and CCT [2,3], have been done to study the confinement of the plasma produced by a theta-pinch. The STP is an axisymmetric toroidal pinch of high-β tokamak type, while the CCT consists of multiply connected periodic toroidal traps. Internal current-carrying copper rings are essential to the CCT. Since both apparatuses use the same fast capacitor bank system, they produce rather similar plasma temperatures and densities. The observed laser scattering temperature and density is about 50 eV and 4x10 15 cm -3 , respectively, when the filling pressure is 5 mtorr. In the STP experiment, strong correlations are found between the βsub(p) value and the amplitude of m=2 mode. It has a minimum around the value of βsub(p) of 0.8. The disruptive instability is observed to expand the pinched plasma column without lowering the plasma temperature. Just before the disruption begins, the q value around the magnetic axis becomes far less than 1 and an increase of the amplitude of m=2 mode is seen. The CCT also shows rapid plasma expansion just before the magnetic field reaches its maximum. Then the trap is filled up with the plasma by this irreversible expansion and stable plasma confinement is achieved. The energy confinement time of the CCT is found to be about 35 μs. (author)

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

Studies on limiter confined toroidal plasma in BETA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bera, D.; Reddy, C.; Jayakumar, R.; Kaw, P.K.

1984-01-01

Plasma equilibrium and stability in the presence of a toroidal magnetic field and a poloidal limiter is being studied experimentally in the BETA experiment. In a simple toroidal magnetic field, plasma cannot be in equilibrium because of the effect of the magnetic field curvature, which tends to expand the plasma. The electric field, which causes this expansion, is short circuited if a poloidal conducting limiter is placed and this brings about a quasi-equilibrium. In the model the charge separation current flows on the surface of the plasma and closes the path by flowing parallel to the magnetic field away from the limiter and transverse to the field at the limiter. For such an equilibrium, the vertical pressure profile is expected to be uniform, while the radial pressure profile is determined by transport. Such a profile is unstable to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, if the magnetic field gradient and the pressure gradient have the same sense

Influence of external toroidal flux on low-aspect-ratio toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuno, S.; Natori, M.; Kamitani, A.

1999-01-01

In the HIST device, the external flux is generated by two kinds of currents: the current I s flowing along the symmetry axis and the bias coil current I D . The influence of the external flux on the MHD equilibrium and stability of the low-aspect-ratio toroidal plasma in the HIST device is investigated numerically. Equilibrium configurations of the low-aspect-ratio toroidal plasma in the HIST device are numerically determined by means of the combination of FDM and BEM. The influence of I s and I D on their stability is also investigated by using the Mercier criterion. The results of computations show that the Mercier limit decreases to zero with increasing I s and with decreasing I D . Moreover, either a further increase in I s or a further decrease in I D raises the Mercier limit considerably. Besides, the equilibrium configuration in the HIST device changes its state from spheromak through ultra-low q to tokamak with increasing I s and with decreasing I D . (author)

Neoclassical MHD equilibria with ohmic current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, Shinji; Takeda, Tatsuoki; Okamoto, Masao.

1989-01-01

MHD equilibria of tokamak plasmas with neoclassical current effects (neoclassical conductivity and bootstrap current) were calculated self-consistently. Neoclassical effects on JFT-2M tokamak plasmas, sustained by ohmic currents, were studied. Bootstrap currents flow little for L-mode type equilibria because of low attainable values of poloidal beta, β J . H-mode type equilibria give bootstrap currents of 30% ohmic currents for β J attained by JFT-2M and 100% for β J ≥ 1.5, both of which are sufficient to change the current profiles and the resultant MHD equilibria. Neoclassical conductivity which has roughly half value of the classical Spitzer conductivity brings peaked ohmic current profiles to yield low safety factor at the magnetic axis. Neoclassical conductivity reduces the value of effective Z(Z eff ) which is necessary to give the observed one-turn voltage but it needs impurities accumulating at the center when such peaked current profiles are not observed. (author)

Turbulence induced radial transport of toroidal momentum in boundary plasma of EAST tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, N.; Yan, N.; Xu, G. S.; Wang, H. Q.; Wang, L.; Ding, S. Y.; Chen, R.; Chen, L.; Zhang, W.; Hu, G. H.; Shao, L. M.; Wang, Z. X.

2016-01-01

Turbulence induced toroidal momentum transport in boundary plasma is investigated in H-mode discharge using Langmuir-Mach probes on EAST. The Reynolds stress is found to drive an inward toroidal momentum transport, while the outflow of particles convects the toroidal momentum outwards in the edge plasma. The Reynolds stress driven momentum transport dominates over the passive momentum transport carried by particle flux, which potentially provides a momentum source for the edge plasma. The outflow of particles delivers a momentum flux into the scrape-off layer (SOL) region, contributing as a momentum source for the SOL flows. At the L-H transitions, the outward momentum transport suddenly decreases due to the suppression of edge turbulence and associated particle transport. The SOL flows start to decelerate as plasma entering into H-mode. The contributions from turbulent Reynolds stress and particle transport for the toroidal momentum transport are identified. These results shed lights on the understanding of edge plasma accelerating at L-H transitions.

Numerical Simulation of Neoclassical Currents, Parallel Viscosity, and Radial Current Balance in Tokamak Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiviniemi, T.

2001-01-01

One of the principal problems en route to a fusion reactor is that of insufficient plasma confinement, which has lead to both theoretical and experimental research into transport processes in the parameter range relevant for fusion energy production. The neoclassical theory of tokamak transport is well-established unlike the theory of turbulence driven anomalous transport in which extensive progress has been made during last few years. So far, anomalous transport has been dominant in experiments, but transport may be reduced to the neoclassical level in advanced tokamak scenarios. This thesis reports a numerical study of neoclassical fluxes, parallel viscosity, and neoclassical radial current balance in tokamaks. Neoclassical parallel viscosity and particle fluxes are simulated over a wide range of collisionalities, using the fully kinetic five-dimensional neoclassical orbit-following Monte Carlo code ASCOT. The qualitative behavior of parallel viscosity derived in earlier analytic models is shown to be incorrect for high poloidal Mach numbers. This is because the poloidal dependence of density was neglected. However, in high Mach number regime, it is the convection and compression terms, rather than the parallel viscosity term, that are shown to dominate the momentum balance. For fluxes, a reasonable agreement between numerical and analytical results is found in the collisional parameter regime. Neoclassical particle fluxes are additionally studied in the banana regime using the three-dimensional Fokker-Planck code DEPORA, which solves the drift-kinetic equation with finite differencing. Limitations of the small inverse aspect ratio approximation adopted in the analytic theory are addressed. Assuming that the anomalous transport is ambipolar, the radial electric field and its shear at the tokamak plasma edge can be solved from the neoclassical radial current balance. This is performed both for JET and ASDEX Upgrade tokamaks using the ASCOT code. It is shown that

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

Advanced transport modeling of toroidal plasmas with transport barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, A.; Murakami, S.; Honda, M.; Izumi, Y.; Yagi, M.; Nakajima, N.; Nakamura, Y.; Ozeki, T.

2005-01-01

Transport modeling of toroidal plasmas is one of the most important issue to predict time evolution of burning plasmas and to develop control schemes in reactor plasmas. In order to describe the plasma rotation and rapid transition self-consistently, we have developed an advanced scheme of transport modeling based on dynamical transport equation and applied it to the analysis of transport barrier formation. First we propose a new transport model and examine its behavior by the use of conventional diffusive transport equation. This model includes the electrostatic toroidal ITG mode and the electromagnetic ballooning mode and successfully describes the formation of internal transport barriers. Then the dynamical transport equation is introduced to describe the plasma rotation and the radial electric field self-consistently. The formation of edge transport barriers is systematically studied and compared with experimental observations. The possibility of kinetic transport modeling in velocity space is also examined. Finally the modular structure of integrated modeling code for tokamaks and helical systems is discussed. (author)

Kinetic Modifications to MHD Phenomena in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Kramer, G.J.; Fredrickson, E.

2004-01-01

Particle kinetic effects involving small spatial and fast temporal scales can strongly affect MHD phenomena and the long time behavior of plasmas. In particular, kinetic effects such as finite ion gyroradii, trapped particle dynamics, and wave-particle resonances have been shown to greatly modify the stability of MHD modes. Here, the kinetic effects of trapped electron dynamics and finite ion gyroradii are shown to have a large stabilizing effect on kinetic ballooning modes in low aspect ratio toroidal plasmas such as NSTX [National Spherical Torus Experiment]. We also present the analysis of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) destabilized by fast neutral-beam injected ions in NSTX experiments and TAE stability in ITER due to alpha-particles and MeV negatively charged neutral beam injected ions

Overview of recent results from the Advanced Toroidal Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, M.; Anabitarte, E.; Anderson, F.S.B.; Bell, G.L.; Bell, J.D.; Bigelow, T.S.; Carreras, B.A.; Charlton, L.A.; Clark, T.L.; Colchin, R.J.; Crume, E.C. Jr.; Dominguez, N.; Dunlap, J.L.; Dyer, G.R.; England, A.C.; Fisher, P.W.; Gandy, R.F.; Glowienka, J.C.; Goulding, R.H.; Hanson, G.R.; Harris, J.H.; Haste, G.R.; Hidalgo-Vera, C.; Hillis, D.L.; Hiroe, S.; Horton, L.D.; Howe, H.C.; Hutchinson, D.E.; Isler, R.C.; Jernigan, T.C.; Kannan, K.L.; Kaneko, H.; Kwon, M.; Langley, R.A.; Leboeuf, J.N.; Lee, D.K.; Lue, J.W.; Lynch, V.E.; Lyon, J.F.; Ma, C.H.; Menon, M.M.; Mioduszewski, P.K.; Morris, R.N.; Neilson, G.H.; Qualls, A.L.; Rasmussen, D.A.; Ritz, C.P.; Rogers, P.S.; Schwenterly, S.W.; Shaing, K.C.; Shaw, P.L.; Shepard, T.D.; Simpkins, J.E.; Stewart, K.A.; Sudo, S.; Thomas, C.E.; Tolliver, J.S.; Uckan, T.; Wade, M.R.; Wilgen, J.B.; Wing, W.R.; Yamada, H.; Zielinski, J.J.

1990-02-01

An overview of recent experimental results from the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) is presented. Beam-heated plasmas with bar n e of 10 20 m -3 and τ E * of ∼ 20 ms have been achieved. Thermal collapse of the plasmas is mitigated by wall conditioning and particle fueling. Confinement time scales positively with density and magnetic field, offsetting deterioration with power. Results fit the Large Helical Device (LHD) scaling and the drift wave turbulence scaling. Bootstrap currents observed during electron cyclotron heating agree with neoclassical theory in magnitude and parameter dependences. Fast reciprocating Langmuir probe measurements show that edge fluctuations in ATF have many similarities to those in the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT). The location of B instabilities has shifted outward in radius, consistent with the broader pressure profiles. 14 refs., 6 figs

Predictive Simulations of ITER Including Neutral Beam Driven Toroidal Rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, Federico D.; Kritz, Arnold H.; Bateman, G.; Pankin, Alexei Y.; Budny, Robert V.; McCune, Douglas C.

2008-01-01

Predictive simulations of ITER [R. Aymar et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 44, 519 2002] discharges are carried out for the 15 MA high confinement mode (H-mode) scenario using PTRANSP, the predictive version of the TRANSP code. The thermal and toroidal momentum transport equations are evolved using turbulent and neoclassical transport models. A predictive model is used to compute the temperature and width of the H-mode pedestal. The ITER simulations are carried out for neutral beam injection (NBI) heated plasmas, for ion cyclotron resonant frequency (ICRF) heated plasmas, and for plasmas heated with a mix of NBI and ICRF. It is shown that neutral beam injection drives toroidal rotation that improves the confinement and fusion power production in ITER. The scaling of fusion power with respect to the input power and to the pedestal temperature is studied. It is observed that, in simulations carried out using the momentum transport diffusivity computed using the GLF23 model [R.Waltz et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 2482 (1997)], the fusion power increases with increasing injected beam power and central rotation frequency. It is found that the ITER target fusion power of 500 MW is produced with 20 MW of NBI power when the pedesta temperature is 3.5 keV. 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2931037

Electrical disruption in toroidal plasma of hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberto, M.; Silva, C.A.B.; Goes, L.C.S.; Sudano, J.P.

1991-01-01

The initial phase of ionization of a toroidal plasma produced in hydrogen was investigated using zero-dimensional model. The model describes the temporal evolution of plasma by spatial medium of particle density and temperature, on whole plasma volume. The energy and particle (electrons and ions) balance equations are considered. The electron loss is due to ambipolar diffusion in the presence of magnetic field. The electron energy loss involves ionization, Coulomb interaction and diffusion. The ohmic heating converter gives the initial voltage necessary to disruption. (M.C.K.)

The study on the neoclassical transport analysis using ECE measured temperature profiles in the LHD long pulse plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasao, Hajime; Watanabe, Kiyomasa; Inagaki, Shigeru

2000-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to show the change of the neoclassical transport and the radial electric field in the long pulse LHD plasmas by using the experimental ECE data. The neoclassical heat flux, which the neo-classical theory predicts, changes due to the change of the radial electric field. The increase of H ions injected by Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) in He discharge produce effect on the electric field. There is the threshold of H quantity on the change of the electric field polarity. (author)

Fusion plasma theory. Task I. Magnetic confinement fusion plasma theory. Annual progress report, January 1, 1982-December 31, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.

1982-08-01

The research on this contract over the past year has concentrated on some key tandem mirror confinement and heating issues (barrier trapping current, rf heating, low mode number stability) and on developing a comprehensive neoclassical transport theory for nonaxisymmetric toroidal plasmas (e.g., stellarators). Progress in these and some other miscellaneous areas are summarized briefly in this progress report

Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on the tokamak fusion test reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efthimion, P.C.; Goeler, S. von; Houlberg, W.A.

2001-01-01

Perturbative experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear plasmas. The profile evolution of trace tritium and helium, and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in ERS plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the reverse shear region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

Observation of neoclassical transport in reverse shear plasmas on the tokamak fusion test reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efthimion, P.C.; Von Goeler, S.; Houlberg, W.A.

1999-01-01

Perturbative experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have investigated the transport of multiple ion species in reverse shear plasmas. The profile evolution of trace tritium and helium, and intrinsic carbon indicate the formation of core particle transport barriers in ERS plasmas. There is an order of magnitude reduction in the particle diffusivity inside the reverse shear region. The diffusivities for these species in ERS plasmas agree with neoclassical theory. (author)

Modelling of density limit phenomena in toroidal helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Kimitaka; Itoh, Sanae-I.

2001-01-01

The physics of density limit phenomena in toroidal helical plasmas based on an analytic point model of toroidal plasmas is discussed. The combined mechanism of the transport and radiation loss of energy is analyzed, and the achievable density is derived. A scaling law of the density limit is discussed. The dependence of the critical density on the heating power, magnetic field, plasma size and safety factor in the case of L-mode energy confinement is explained. The dynamic evolution of the plasma energy and radiation loss is discussed. Assuming a simple model of density evolution, of a sudden loss of density if the temperature becomes lower than critical value, then a limit cycle oscillation is shown to occur. A condition that divides the limit cycle oscillation and the complete radiation collapse is discussed. This model seems to explain the density limit oscillation that has been observed on the Wendelstein 7-AS (W7-AS) stellarator. (author)

Modelling of density limit phenomena in toroidal helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.-I.

2000-03-01

The physics of density limit phenomena in toroidal helical plasmas based on an analytic point model of toroidal plasmas is discussed. The combined mechanism of the transport and radiation loss of energy is analyzed, and the achievable density is derived. A scaling law of the density limit is discussed. The dependence of the critical density on the heating power, magnetic field, plasma size and safety factor in the case of L-mode energy confinement is explained. The dynamic evolution of the plasma energy and radiation loss is discussed. Assuming a simple model of density evolution, of a sudden loss of density if the temperature becomes lower than critical value, then a limit cycle oscillation is shown to occur. A condition that divides the limit cycle oscillation and the complete radiation collapse is discussed. This model seems to explain the density limit oscillation that has been observed on the W7-AS stellarator. (author)

Radial electric field in JET advanced tokamak scenarios with toroidal field ripple

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crombe, K [Postdoctoral Fellow of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Rozier 44, B-9000 Gent (Belgium); Andrew, Y; De Vries, P C; Giroud, C; Hawkes, N C; Meigs, A; Zastrow, K-D [EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Biewer, T M [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6169, TN (United States); Blanco, E [Laboratorio Nacional de Fusion, Asociacion EURATOM-CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain); Tala, T [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Association EURATOM-Tekes, PO Box 1000, FIN-02044 VTT (Finland); Von Hellermann, M [FOM Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, Association EURATOM-FOM, Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands)], E-mail: Kristel.Crombe@jet.uk

2009-05-15

A dedicated campaign has been run on JET to study the effect of toroidal field (TF) ripple on plasma performance. Radial electric field measurements from experiments on a series of plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITBs) and different levels of ripple amplitude are presented. They have been calculated from charge exchange measurements of impurity ion temperature, density and rotation velocity profiles, using the force balance equation. The ion temperature and the toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities are compared in plasmas with both reversed and optimized magnetic shear profiles. Poloidal rotation velocity (v{sub {theta}}) in the ITB region is measured to be of the order of a few tens of km s{sup -1}, significantly larger than the neoclassical predictions. Increasing levels of the TF ripple are found to decrease the ion temperature gradient in the ITB region, a measure for the quality of the ITB, and the maximum value of v{sub {theta}} is reduced. The poloidal rotation term dominates in the calculations of the total radial electric field (E{sub r}), with the largest gradient in E{sub r} measured in the radial region coinciding with the ITB.

Trapped ion mode in toroidally rotating plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artun, M.; Tang, W.M.; Rewoldt, G.

1995-04-01

The influence of radially sheared toroidal flows on the Trapped Ion Mode (TIM) is investigated using a two-dimensional eigenmode code. These radially extended toroidal microinstabilities could significantly influence the interpretation of confinement scaling trends and associated fluctuation properties observed in recent tokamak experiments. In the present analysis, the electrostatic drift kinetic equation is obtained from the general nonlinear gyrokinetic equation in rotating plasmas. In the long perpendicular wavelength limit k τ ρ bi much-lt 1, where ρ bi is the average trapped-ion banana width, the resulting eigenmode equation becomes a coupled system of second order differential equations nmo for the poloidal harmonics. These equations are solved using finite element methods. Numerical results from the analysis of low and medium toroidal mode number instabilities are presented using representative TFTR L-mode input parameters. To illustrate the effects of mode coupling, a case is presented where the poloidal mode coupling is suppressed. The influence of toroidal rotation on a TFTR L-mode shot is also analyzed by including a beam species with considerable larger temperature. A discussion of the numerical results is presented

Inward transport of a toroidally confined plasma subject to strong radial electric fields

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, J. R.; Krawczonek, W. M.; Powers, E. J.; Hong, J.; Kim, Y.

1977-01-01

The paper aims at showing that the density and confinement time of a toroidal plasma can be enhanced by radial electric fields far stronger than the ambipolar values, and that, if such electric fields point into the plasma, radially inward transport can result. The investigation deals with low-frequency fluctuation-induced transport using digitally implemented spectral analysis techniques and with the role of strong applied radial electric fields and weak vertical magnetic fields on plasma density and particle confinement times in a Bumpy Torus geometry. Results indicate that application of sufficiently strong radially inward electric fields results in radially inward fluctuation-induced transport into the toroidal electrostatic potential well; this inward transport gives rise to higher average electron densities and longer particle confinement times in the toroidal plasma.

On steady poloidal and toroidal flows in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClements, K. G.; Hole, M. J.

2010-01-01

The effects of poloidal and toroidal flows on tokamak plasma equilibria are examined in the magnetohydrodynamic limit. ''Transonic'' poloidal flows of the order of the sound speed multiplied by the ratio of poloidal magnetic field to total field B θ /B can cause the (normally elliptic) Grad-Shafranov (GS) equation to become hyperbolic in part of the solution domain. It is pointed out that the range of poloidal flows for which the GS equation is hyperbolic increases with plasma beta and B θ /B, thereby complicating the problem of determining spherical tokamak plasma equilibria with transonic poloidal flows. It is demonstrated that the calculation of the hyperbolicity criterion can be easily modified when the assumption of isentropic flux surfaces is replaced with the more tokamak-relevant one of isothermal flux surfaces. On the basis of the latter assumption, a simple expression is obtained for the variation of density on a flux surface when poloidal and toroidal flows are simultaneously present. Combined with Thomson scattering measurements of density and temperature, this expression could be used to infer information on poloidal and toroidal flows on the high field side of a tokamak plasma, where direct measurements of flows are not generally possible. It is demonstrated that there are four possible solutions of the Bernoulli relation for the plasma density when the flux surfaces are assumed to be isothermal, corresponding to four distinct poloidal flow regimes. Finally, observations and first principles-based theoretical modeling of poloidal flows in tokamak plasmas are briefly reviewed and it is concluded that there is no clear evidence for the occurrence of supersonic poloidal flows.

Particle transport and fluctuation characteristics around neoclassically optimized configurations in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.; Michael, C.; Vyacheslavov, L.N.

2008-01-01

Density profiles in LHD were measured and particle transport coefficients were estimated from density modulation experiments in LHD. The data set contains the wide region of discharge condition. The dataset of different magnetic axis, toroidal magnetic field and heating power provided data set of widely scanned neoclassical transport. At minimized neoclassical transport configuration in the dataset (Rax=3.5m, Bt=2.8T) showed peaked density profile. Its peaking factor increased gradually with decrease of collisional frequency. This is a similar result observed in tokamak data base. At other configuration, peaking factor reduced with decrease of collisional frequency. Data set showed that larger contribution of neoclassical transport produced hollowed density profile. Comparison between neoclassical and experimental estimated particle diffusivity showed different minimum condition. This suggests neoclassical optimization is not same as anomalous optimization. Clear difference of spatial profile of turbulence was observed between hollowed and peaked density profiles. Major part of fluctuation existed in the unstable region of linear growth rate of ion temperature gradient mode. (author)

Transport in a toroidally confined pure electron plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crooks, S.M.; ONeil, T.M.

1996-01-01

O close-quote Neil and Smith [T.M. O close-quote Neil and R.A. Smith, Phys. Plasmas 1, 8 (1994)] have argued that a pure electron plasma can be confined stably in a toroidal magnetic field configuration. This paper shows that the toroidal curvature of the magnetic field of necessity causes slow cross-field transport. The transport mechanism is similar to magnetic pumping and may be understood by considering a single flux tube of plasma. As the flux tube of plasma undergoes poloidal ExB drift rotation about the center of the plasma, the length of the flux tube and the magnetic field strength within the flux tube oscillate, and this produces corresponding oscillations in T parallel and T perpendicular . The collisional relaxation of T parallel toward T perpendicular produces a slow dissipation of electrostatic energy into heat and a consequent expansion (cross-field transport) of the plasma. In the limit where the cross section of the plasma is nearly circular the radial particle flux is given by Γ r =1/2ν perpendicular,parallel T(r/ρ 0 ) 2 n/(-e∂Φ/∂r), where ν perpendicular,parallel is the collisional equipartition rate, ρ 0 is the major radius at the center of the plasma, and r is the minor radius measured from the center of the plasma. The transport flux is first calculated using this simple physical picture and then is calculated by solving the drift-kinetic Boltzmann equation. This latter calculation is not limited to a plasma with a circular cross section. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

An analysis of plasma ion toroidal rotation during large amplitude MHD activity in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snipes, J.A.; Esch, H.P.L. de; Lazzaro, E.; Stork, D.; Hellermann, M. von; Galvao, R.; Hender, T.C.; Zasche, D.

1989-01-01

A detailed study of plasma ion toroidal rotation in JET during large amplitude MHD activity has revealed a strong viscous force that couples plasma ions to MHD modes. Depending on the MHD modes present, this force can couple across all of the plasma cross section, across only the central region, roughly within the q=1 surface, or across only the outer region outside the q=1.5 surface. The force acts to flatten the ion toroidal rotation frequency profile, measured by the JET active charge exchange spectroscopy diagnostic, across the coupled region of plasma. The frequency of rotation in this region agrees with the MHD oscillation frequency measured by magnetic pick-up coils at the wall. The strength of the force between the ions and modes becomes evident during high power NBI when the mode locks and drags the ion toroidal rotation frequency to zero, within the errors of the measurements. The present theories of plasma rotation either ignore MHD effects entirely, consider only moderate n toroidal field ripple, or low n ripple effects. (author) 7 refs., 3 figs

Curvature-induced electrostatic drift modes in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venema, M.

1985-01-01

This thesis deals with a number of problems in the theory of linear stability of a hot, fully ionized plasma immersed in a strong magnetic field. The most widely used system to magnetically confine a plasma is the tokamak. This is a toroidal, current carrying device with a strong, externally imposed, magnetic field. The author discusses the linear theory of unstable, low-frequency waves in the gradient region, restricted to electrostatic waves. In that case the resulting radial fluxes of particles and energy are due to electric cross-field drifts. In the presence of magnetic fluctuations and small-scale reconnection phenomena, radial transport could also be predominantly along field lines. At present, it is not clear which of the two mechanisms is the dominant feature of the observed anomalous transport. First, the author introduces the theory of drift waves in toroidal geometry. Next, the electrostratic drift modes in toroidal geometry (weakly collisional regime), the equations for low-frequency waves in the strongly collisional regime and the electrostatic drift modes (strongly collisional regime) are discussed. (Auth.)

Effect of toroidal plasma flow and flow shear on global MHD modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, M.S.; Greene, J.M.; Jensen, T.H.; Miller, R.L.; Bondeson, A.; Johnson, R.W.; Mauel, M.E.

1995-01-01

The effect of a subsonic toroidal flow on the linear magnetohydrodynamic stability of a tokamak plasma surrounded by an external resistive wall is studied. A complex non-self-adjoint eigenvalue problem for the stability of general kink and tearing modes is formulated, solved numerically, and applied to high β tokamaks. Results indicate that toroidal plasma flow, in conjunction with dissipation in the plasma, can open a window of stability for the position of the external wall. In this window, stable plasma beta values can significantly exceed those predicted by the Troyon scaling law with no wall. Computations utilizing experimental data indicate good agreement with observations

Neoclassical islands on COMPASS-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.A.; Lloyd, B.; Morris, A.W.; McArdle, G.; O'Brien, M.R.; Valovic, M.; Warrick, C.D.; Wilson, H.R.

1997-01-01

Neoclassical magnetic islands are observed to limit the achievable β in COMPASS-D low collisionality single null divertor tokamak plasmas with ITER-like geometry (R 0 = 0.56 m, B 0 1.2 T, I p = 120-180 kA, κ = 1.6, ε = 0.3). The limiting β is typically well below that expected from ideal instabilities with maximum βN in the range of 1.6 to 2.1. The plasma is heated with up to 1.8 MW of 60 GHz electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) at the second harmonic with X mode polarization. The time history of the measured island width is compared with the predictions of neoclassical tearing mode theory, with good agreement between theory and experiment. The measured islands have a threshold width below which the mode will not grow. The density scaling of the point of onset of the measured instabilities is compared with two theories that predict a threshold island width for the onset of neoclassical tearing modes. Applied resonant helical error fields are used to induce islands in collisionality regimes wherein the neoclassical islands do not occur naturally, allowing the study of the behaviour of neoclassical tearing modes in this regime. The critical β for the onset of neoclassical tearing modes is seen to be ∼3 times higher in the naturally stable region. This observation is compared with the predictions of both threshold theories. A simple expression for the q scaling of the maximum achievable β N in the presence of neoclassical tearing modes is derived on the basis of the assumption of a maximum allowable island width. The predicted q scaling of this β limit is compared with data from a q scan, and the results are in good agreement. (author)

Roles of electric field on toroidal magnetic confinement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Kimitaka; Itoh, Sanae; Sanuki, Heiji; Fukuyama, Atsushi.

1992-11-01

Theoretical research on the influence of the electric field on the toroidal magnetic confinement is surveyed. The static electric field is first described. Physics pictures on the generation of the radial electric field and the influence on the confinement are shown. Neoclassical effects as well as the nonclassical processes are discussed. Emphasis is made on the connection with the improved confinement. Convective cell, i.e. the nonuniform potential on the magnetic surface is also discussed. The roles of the fluctuating electric field are then reviewed. The progress in the recent theories on the anomalous transport is addressed. Through these surveys, the impact of the experiments using the heavy ion beam probes on the modern plasma physics is illustrated. (author) 66 refs

Hydrogen transport in a toroidal plasma using multigroup discrete-ordinates methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wienke, B.R.; Miller, W.F. Jr.; Seed, T.J.

1979-01-01

Neutral hydrogen transport in a fully ionized two-dimensional tokamak plasma was examined using discrete ordinates and contrasted with earlier analyses. In particular, curvature effects induced by toroidal geometries and ray effects caused by possible source localization were investigated. From an overview of the multigroup discrete-ordinates approximation, methodology in two-dimensional cylindrical geometry is detailed, mesh and plasma zoning procedures are sketched, and the piecewise polynomial solution algorithm on a triangular domain is obtained. Toroidal effects and comparisons as related to reaction rates and perticle spectra are examined for various model and source configurations

A numerical solution for a toroidal plasma in equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hintz, E.; Sudano, J.P.

1982-01-01

The iterative techniques alternating direction implicit (ADI), sucessive ove-relaxation (SOR) and Gauss-Seidel are applied to a nonlinear elliptical second order differential equation (Grand-Shafranov). This equation was solve with the free boundary conditions plasma-vacuum interface over a rectangular section in cylindrical coordinates R and Z. The current density profile, plasma pressure profile, magnetic and isobaric surfaces are numerically determined for a toroidal plasma in equilibrium. (L.C.) [pt

Confinement studies of ohmically heated plasmas in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efthimion, P.C.; Bretz, N.L.; Bell, M.G.

1985-03-01

Systematic scans of density in large deuterium plasmas (a = 0.83 m) at several values of plasma current and toroidal magnetic field strength indicate that the total energy confinement time, tau/sub E/, is proportional to the line-average density anti n/sub e/ and the limiter q. Confinement times of approx. 0.3 s have been observed for anti n/sub e/ = 2.8 x 10 19 m -3 . Plasma size scaling experiments with plasmas of minor radii a = 0.83, 0.69, 0.55, and 0.41 m at constant limiter q reveal a confinement dependence on minor radius. The major-radius dependence of tau/sub E/, based on a comparison between TFTR and PLT results, is consistent with R 2 scaling. From the power balance, the thermal diffusivity chi/sub e/ is found to be significantly less than the INTOR value. In the a = 0.41 m plasmas, saturation of confinement is due to neoclassical ion conduction (chi/sub i/ neoclassical >> chi/sub e/)

Benchmark of the local drift-kinetic models for neoclassical transport simulation in helical plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, B.; Satake, S.; Kanno, R.; Sugama, H.; Matsuoka, S.

2017-02-01

The benchmarks of the neoclassical transport codes based on the several local drift-kinetic models are reported here. Here, the drift-kinetic models are zero orbit width (ZOW), zero magnetic drift, DKES-like, and global, as classified in Matsuoka et al. [Phys. Plasmas 22, 072511 (2015)]. The magnetic geometries of Helically Symmetric Experiment, Large Helical Device (LHD), and Wendelstein 7-X are employed in the benchmarks. It is found that the assumption of E ×B incompressibility causes discrepancy of neoclassical radial flux and parallel flow among the models when E ×B is sufficiently large compared to the magnetic drift velocities. For example, Mp≤0.4 where Mp is the poloidal Mach number. On the other hand, when E ×B and the magnetic drift velocities are comparable, the tangential magnetic drift, which is included in both the global and ZOW models, fills the role of suppressing unphysical peaking of neoclassical radial-fluxes found in the other local models at Er≃0 . In low collisionality plasmas, in particular, the tangential drift effect works well to suppress such unphysical behavior of the radial transport caused in the simulations. It is demonstrated that the ZOW model has the advantage of mitigating the unphysical behavior in the several magnetic geometries, and that it also implements the evaluation of bootstrap current in LHD with the low computation cost compared to the global model.

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)

About the Toroidal Magnetic Field of a Tokamak Burning Plasma Experiment with Superconducting Coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzucato, E.

2002-01-01

In tokamaks, the strong dependence on the toroidal magnetic field of both plasma pressure and energy confinement is what makes possible the construction of small and relatively inexpensive burning plasma experiments using high-field resistive coils. On the other hand, the toroidal magnetic field of tokamaks using superconducting coils is limited by the critical field of superconductivity. In this article, we examine the relative merit of raising the magnetic field of a tokamak plasma by increasing its aspect ratio at a constant value of the peak field in the toroidal magnet. Taking ITER-FEAT as an example, we find that it is possible to reach thermonuclear ignition using an aspect ratio of approximately 4.5 and a toroidal magnetic field of 7.3 T. Under these conditions, fusion power density and neutron wall loading are the same as in ITER [International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor], but the normalized plasma beta is substantially smaller. Furthermore, such a tokamak would be able to reach an energy gain of approximately 15 even with the deterioration in plasma confinement that is known to occur near the density limit where ITER is forced to operate

Electron current generated in a toroidal plasma on injection of high-energy neutrals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Reznik, S.N.

1981-01-01

Problem of generation of electron current in toroidal plasma with a high-energy ion beam produced during neutral injection has been considered. The analysis was performed on the assumption that plasma is in the regime of rare collisions (banana regime) and ion beam velocity is considerably lower than thermal velocity of plasma ions. Formulae establishing the relation between beam current and electron current have been derived. It follows from them that toroidal affect considerably plasma current generated with the beam and under certain conditions result in changing this current direction in an area remoted from magne-- tic axis [ru

Noninductively Driven Tokamak Plasmas at Near-Unity Toroidal Beta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlossberg, David J.; Bodner, Grant M.; Bongard, Michael W.; Burke, Marcus G.; Fonck, Raymond J.

2017-01-01

Access to and characterization of sustained, toroidally confined plasmas with a very high plasma-to-magnetic pressure ratio (β t ), low internal inductance, high elongation, and nonsolenoidal current drive is a central goal of present tokamak plasma research. Stable access to this desirable parameter space is demonstrated in plasmas with ultralow aspect ratio and high elongation. Local helicity injection provides nonsolenoidal sustainment, low internal inductance, and ion heating. Equilibrium analyses indicate β t up to ~100% with a minimum |B| well spanning up to ~50% of the plasma volume.

Confinement and heating of high beta plasma with emphasis on compact toroids. Compact toroid research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlases, G.C.; Pietrzyk, Z.A.

1984-11-01

Two older projects associated with very high energy density plasmas, specifically the High Density Field Reversed Configuration and the Liner Plasma Compression Experiment, have been completed. Attention has been turned to compact toroid experiments of more conventional density, and three experiments have been initiated. These include the Coaxial Slow Source Experiment, the Variable Length FRC Experiment, and Variable Angle CthetaP Experiment. In each case, the project was begun in order to provide basic plasma physics information on specific unresolved issues of progammatic importance to the national CT Program

On neoclassical impurity transport in stellarator geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García-Regaña, J M; Kleiber, R; Beidler, C D; Turkin, Y; Maaßberg, H; Helander, P

2013-01-01

The impurity dynamics in stellarators has become an issue of moderate concern due to the inherent tendency of the impurities to accumulate in the core when the neoclassical ambipolar radial electric field points radially inwards (ion root regime). This accumulation can lead to collapse of the plasma due to radiative losses, and thus limit high performance plasma discharges in non-axisymmetric devices. A quantitative description of the neoclassical impurity transport is complicated by the breakdown of the assumption of small E × B drift and trapping due to the electrostatic potential variation on a flux surface Φ-tilde compared with those due to the magnetic field gradient. This work examines the impact of this potential variation on neoclassical impurity transport in the Large Helical Device heliotron. It shows that the neoclassical impurity transport can be strongly affected by Φ-tilde . The central numerical tool used is the δf particle in cell Monte Carlo code EUTERPE. The Φ-tilde used in the calculations is provided by the neoclassical code GSRAKE. The possibility of obtaining a more general Φ-tilde self-consistently with EUTERPE is also addressed and a preliminary calculation is presented. (paper)

Neoclassical effects on the stabilization of tearing mode by current modulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Xiaoqing, E-mail: inkyang@mail.ustc.edu.cn; Wang, Shaojie; Yang, Weihong [Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 (China)

2014-02-15

The neoclassical effects on the stabilization of tearing modes by current modulation have been investigated. Neoclassical effects enhance the resistivity and reduce the resistive diffusion time of the modulation current. Therefore, the oscillating current can penetrate deeper into the plasma. With an oscillating loop voltage, the plasma oscillates radially at the Ware-pinch velocity. These neoclassical effects improve the efficiency of tearing mode stabilization by the current modulation.

Heat and momentum transport of ion internal transport barrier plasmas on Large Helical Device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaoka, K.; Ida, K.; Yoshinuma, M.

2010-11-01

The peaked ion-temperature profile with steep gradient so called ion internal transport barrier (ion ITB) was formed in the neutral beam heated plasmas on the Large Helical Device (LHD) and the high-ion-temperature regime of helical plasmas has been significantly extended. The ion thermal diffusivity in the ion ITB plasma decreases down to the neoclassical transport level. The heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) observed the smooth potential profile with negative radial electric field (ion root) in the core region where the ion thermal diffusivity decreases significantly. The large toroidal rotation was also observed in the ion ITB core and the transport of toroidal momentum was analyzed qualitatively. The decrease of momentum diffusivity with ion temperature increase was observed in the ion ITB core. The toroidal rotation driven by ion temperature gradient so called intrinsic rotation is also identified. (author)

Eigenvalues of relaxed toroidal plasmas of arbitrary sharp edged cross sections. Vol. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khalil, Sh M [Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, (Egypt)

1996-03-01

Relaxed (force-free) toroidal plasmas described by the equations cur 1 B={mu}B, and grad {mu}=O (B is the magnetic field) induces interest in nuclear fusion. Its solution is perceived to describe the gross of the reversed field pinch (RFP), spheromak configuration, current limitation in toroidal plasmas, and others. The parameter {mu} plays an important roll in relaxed states. It cannot exceed the smallest eigenvalue {mu} (min), and that for a toroidal discharge there is a maximum toroidal current which is connected to this value. The values of{mu} were calculated numerically, using the methods of collocation points, for toroids of arbitrary aspect ratio {alpha} ({alpha} = R/a, ratio of major/minor radii of tokamak) and arbitrary curved cross-sections (circle, ellipse, cassini, and D-shaped). The aim of present work is to prove the applicability of the numerical methods for calculating the eigenvalues for toroidal plasmas having sharp edged cross sections and arbitrary aspect ratio. The lowest eigenvalue {mu} (min), satisfy the boundary condition {beta} .n = O (or RB. = O) for which the toroidal flux are calculated. These are the zero field eigenvalues of the equation cur 1 b={mu}B. The poloidal magnetic field lines corresponding to different cross sections are shown by plotting the boundary condition B.n=O. The plots showed good fulfillment of the boundary condition along the whole boundaries of different cross sections. Dependence of eigenvalues {mu}a on aspect ratio {alpha} is also obtained. Several runs of the programme with various wave numbers K showed that {mu}a is very insensitive to the choice of K. 8 figs.

Plasma heating and confinement in toroidal magnetic bottle by means of microwave slowing-down structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datlov, J.; Klima, R.; Kopecky, V.; Musil, J.; Zacek, F.

1977-01-01

An invention is described concerning high-frequency plasma heating and confinement in toroidal magnetic vessels. Microwave energy is applied to the plasma via one or more slowing-down structures exciting low phase velocity waves whose energy may be efficiently absorbed by plasma electrons. The wave momentum transfer results in a toroidal electrical current whose magnetic field together with an external magnetic field ensure plasma confinement. The low-frequency modulation of microwave energy may also be used for heating the ion plasma component. (J.U.)

A field programmable gate array unit for the diagnosis and control of neoclassical tearing modes on MAST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Gorman, T.; Gibson, K. J.; Snape, J. A. [York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom); Naylor, G.; Huang, B.; McArdle, G. J.; Scannell, R.; Shibaev, S.; Thomas-Davies, N. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Oxfordshire OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)

2012-10-15

A real-time system has been developed to trigger both the MAST Thomson scattering (TS) system and the plasma control system on the phase and amplitude of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs), extending the capabilities of the original system. This triggering system determines the phase and amplitude of a given NTM using magnetic coils at different toroidal locations. Real-time processing of the raw magnetic data occurs on a low cost field programmable gate array (FPGA) based unit which permits triggering of the TS lasers on specific amplitudes and phases of NTM evolution. The MAST plasma control system can receive a separate trigger from the FPGA unit that initiates a vertical shift of the MAST magnetic axis. Such shifts have fully removed m/n= 2/1 NTMs instabilities on a number of MAST discharges.

Poloidal spin up and electric-field generation related to displacement current and neoclassical transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gervasini, G.; Lazzaro, E.; Minardi, E.

1996-01-01

In accordance with the conventional ordering of neoclassical theory, poloidal and toroidal accelerations with constant parallel flow can be driven by heat transport in the absence of external momentum input and with vanishing parallel viscous stress. In a transient phase in which the heat transport is the primary source of the time dependence, the torque generating the rotation is provided at third order in the adiabatic expansion by the surface-averaged (non ambipolar) displacement current, which in also responsible for charge build-up and for the radial electric field. The heat transport equation has been solved in a narrow layer interfaced with the intensely heated plasma core through heat flux continuity, assuming neoclassical multi collisional coefficients with self-consistent suppression mechanism of anomalous transport. Starting from low temperature in the edge layer, a strong temperature gradient, a mass poloidal rotation in the ion direction and a strongly negative sheared radial electric field can be generated, in agreement with the observations, and reach a stationary state after a displacement current-dominated triggering phase (intrinsically non-ambipolar) lasting few milliseconds. Momentum input becomes important on longer time scale and is responsible for the toroidal rotation, decoupled from temperature gradient and for a further development of the radial electric field. The results show the ability of edge transport processes to adapt flexibly to a high temperature imposed on the inner side of the edge layer and support the view that the edge processes are a integral part of a more fundamental global process involving possibly an internal bifurcation of state

The problem of evolution of toroidal plasma equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostomarov, D.; Zaitsev, F.; Shishkin, A.

1999-03-01

This paper is devoted to an advanced mathematical model for a self-consistent description of the evolution of free boundary toroidal plasmas, with a description of numerical algorithms for the solution of the appropriate non-linear system of integro-differential equations, and discussion of some results from the model. (author)

Self-sustained turbulence and L-mode confinement in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, K.; Itoh, S.; Fukuyama, A.; Yagi, M.; Azumi, M.

1993-04-01

Theory of the L-mode confinement in toroidal plasmas is developed. The quantitative effect of the anomalous transport, which is caused by microscopic fluctuations, on the pressure-gradient- driven modes is analyzed. The ExB nonlinearity is renormalized in a form of the transport coefficient such as the thermal diffusivity, the ion viscosity and the current diffusivity. The destabilization by the current-diffusivity and the stabilization by the thermal transport and ion viscosity are analyzed. By use of the mean-field approximations, the nonlinear dispersion relation is solved. Growth rate and stability condition are expressed in terms of the renormalized transport coefficients. The transport coefficients in the steady state are obtained by the marginal stability condition for the least stable mode. This method is applied to the microscopic ballooning mode for the toroidal plasma with the magnetic well (such as tokamak). The comparison with experimental observations are made. A good agreement is found in a various aspects of the L-mode plasmas; The typical wavenumber and level of the fluctuations for the self-sustained turbulence is also obtained. The analysis is also made for the plasma with magnetic hill and shear (such as torsatron/Heliotron devices). This method is applied to the interchange modes. Formula of the anomalous transport is obtained. Also investigated is the case of the magnetic well and low magnetic shear (conventional stellarator). The roles of the pressure gradient and the collisionless skin depth in determining the anomalous transport are found to be generic in toroidal plasmas. The difference in the magnetic configuration affects the transport coefficient. These formula explain major experimental observations. (J.P.N.)

On the parametric cyclotron heating of a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golovanivsky, K.C.; Punithavelu, A.M.

1976-01-01

The possibility of heating the ionic component of a dense plasma at the parametric cyclotron resonance, using a section of the conducting toroidal chamber of a large scale Tokamak as a resonance cavity, is considered. It is suggested to use the mode TE 011 to overcome the difficulties with the penetration of HF fields into such a dense plasma. The experimental investigation of parametric cyclotron heating of electrons in a overdense plasma (n/nsub(cut off)=10 2 ) on such a model has given hopeful results

MHD equilibrium of toroidal fusion plasma with stationary flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galkowski, A.

1994-01-01

Non-linear ideal MHD equilibria in axisymmetric system with flows are examined, both in 1st and 2nd ellipticity regions. Evidence of the bifurcation of solutions is provided and numerical solutions of several problems in a tokamak geometry are given, exhibiting bifurcation phenomena. Relaxation of plasma in the presence of zero-order flows is studied in a realistic toroidal geometry. The field aligned flow allows equilibria with finite pressure gradient but with homogeneous temperature distribution. Numerical calculations have been performed for the 1st and 2nd ellipticity regimes of the extended Grad-Shafranov-Schlueter equation. Numerical technique, alternative to the well-known Grad's ADM methods has been proposed to deal with slow adiabatic evolution of toroidal plasma with flows. The equilibrium problem with prescribed adiabatic constraints may be solved by simultaneous calculations of flux surface geometry and original profile functions. (author). 178 refs, 37 figs, 5 tabs

Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks. [Neoclassical transport theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hawryluk, R.J.; Suckewer, S.; Hirshman, S.P.

1978-10-01

Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks was simulated with a one-dimensional impurity transport model including both neoclassical and anomalous transport. The neoclassical fluxes are due to collisions between the background plasma and impurity ions as well as collisions between the various ionization states. The evaluation of the neoclassical fluxes takes into account the different collisionality regimes of the background plasma and the impurity ions. A limiter scrapeoff model is used to define the boundary conditions for the impurity ions in the plasma periphery. In order to account for the spectroscopic measurements of power radiated by the lower ionization states, fluxes due to anomalous transport are included. The sensitivity of the results to uncertainties in rate coefficients and plasma parameters in the periphery are investigated. The implications of the transport model for spectroscopic evaluation of impurity concentrations, impurity fluxes, and radiated power from line emission measurements are discussed.

Application of catastrophe theory to a point model for bumpy torus with neoclassical non-resonant electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Punjabi, A; Vahala, G [College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (USA). Dept. of Physics

1983-12-01

The point model for the toroidal core plasma in the ELMO Bumpy Torus (with neoclassical non-resonant electrons) is examined in the light of catastrophe theory. Even though the point model equations do not constitute a gradient dynamic system, the equilibrium surfaces are similar to those of the canonical cusp catastrophe. The point model is then extended to incorporate ion cyclotron resonance heating. A detailed parametric study of the equilibria is presented. Further, the nonlinear time evolution of these equilibria is studied, and it is observed that the point model obeys the delay convention (and hence hysteresis) and shows catastrophes at the fold edges of the equilibrium surfaces. Tentative applications are made to experimental results.

Formation of toroidal pre-heat plasma without residual magnetic field for high-beta pinch experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Nagayasu; Tamaru, Ken; Nagata, Akiyoshi.

1979-01-01

Formation of toroidal pre-heat plasma was studied. The pre-heat plasma without residual magnetic field was made by chopping the current for pre-heat, A small toroidal-pinch system was used for the experiment. The magnetic field was measured with a magnetic probe. One turn loop was used for the measurement of the toroidal one-turn electric field. A pair of Rogoski coil was used for the measurement of plasma current. The dependence of residual magnetic field on chopping time was measured. By fast chopping of the primary current in the pre-heating circuit, the poloidal magnetic field was reduced to several percent within 5 microsecond. After chopping, no instability was observed in the principal discharge plasma produced within several microsecond. As the conclusion, it can be said that the control of residual field can be made by current chopping. (Kato, T.)

On nonlinear MHD-stability of toroidal magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilgisonis, V.I.; Pastukhov, V.P.

1994-01-01

The variational approach to analyze the nonlinear MHD stability of ideal plasma in toroidal magnetic field is proposed. The potential energy functional to be used is expressed in terms of complete set of independent Lagrangian invariants, that allows to take strictly into account all the restrictions inherent in the varied functions due to MHD dynamic equations. (author). 3 refs

Plasma residual poloidal rotation in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severo, J.H.F.; Nascimento, I.C.; Tsypin, V.S.; Galvao, R.M.O.

2003-01-01

This paper reports the first measurement of the radial profiles of plasma poloidal and toroidal rotation performed on the TCABR tokamak for a collisional plasma (Pfirsch-Schluter regime), using Doppler shift of carbon spectral lines, measured with a high precision optical spectrometer. The results for poloidal rotation show a maximum velocity of (4.5±1.0)·10 3 m/s at r ∼ 2/3a, (a - limiter radius), in the direction of the diamagnetic electron drift. Within the error limits, reasonable agreement is obtained with calculations using the neoclassical theory for a collisional plasma, except near the plasma edge, as expected. For toroidal rotation, the radial profile shows that the velocity decreases from a counter-current value of (20 ± 1) · 10 3 m/s for the plasma core to a co-current value of (2.0 ± 1.0) · 10 3 m/s near the limiter. An agreement within a factor 2, for the plasma core rotation, is obtained with calculations using the model proposed by Kim, Diamond and Groebner. (author)

System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bers, A.

1981-01-01

A system for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor providing steady-state generation of the thermonuclear power. A dense, hot toroidal plasma is initially prepared with a confining magnetic field with toroidal and poloidal components. Continuous wave rf energy is injected into said plasma to estalish a spectrum of traveling waves in the plasma, where the traveling waves have momentum components substantially either all parallel, or all anti-parallel to the confining magnetic field. The injected rf energy is phased to couple to said traveling waves with both a phase velocity component and a wave momentum component in the direction of the plasma traveling wave components. The injected rf energy has a predetermined spectrum selected so that said traveling waves couple to plasma electrons having velocities in a predetermined range delta . The velocities in the range are substantially greater than the thermal electron velocity of the plasma. In addition, the range is sufficiently broad to produce a raised plateau having width delta in the plasma electron velocity distribution so that the plateau electrons provide steady-state current to generate a poloidal magnetic field component sufficient for confining the plasma. In steady state operation of the fusion reactor, the fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated inthe plasma

Predictions of toroidal rotation and torque sources arising in non-axisymmetric perturbed magnetic fields in tokamaks

Science.gov (United States)

Honda, M.; Satake, S.; Suzuki, Y.; Shinohara, K.; Yoshida, M.; Narita, E.; Nakata, M.; Aiba, N.; Shiraishi, J.; Hayashi, N.; Matsunaga, G.; Matsuyama, A.; Ide, S.

2017-11-01

Capabilities of the integrated framework consisting of TOPICS, OFMC, VMEC and FORTEC-3D, have been extended to calculate toroidal rotation in fully non-axisymmetric perturbed magnetic fields for demonstrating operation scenarios in actual tokamak geometry and conditions. The toroidally localized perturbed fields due to the test blanket modules and the tangential neutral beam ports in ITER augment the neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) substantially, while do not significantly influence losses of beam ions and alpha particles in an ITER L-mode discharge. The NTV takes up a large portion of total torque in ITER and fairly decelerates toroidal rotation, but the change in toroidal rotation may have limited effectiveness against turbulent heat transport. The error field correction coils installed in JT-60SA can externally apply the perturbed fields, which may alter the NTV and the resultant toroidal rotation profiles. However, the non-resonant n=18 components of the magnetic fields arising from the toroidal field ripple mainly contribute to the NTV, regardless of the presence of the applied field by the coil current of 10 kA , where n is the toroidal mode number. The theoretical model of the intrinsic torque due to the fluctuation-induced residual stress is calibrated by the JT-60U data. For five JT-60U discharges, the sign of the calibration factor conformed to the gyrokinetic linear stability analysis and a range of the amplitude thereof was revealed. This semi-empirical approach opens up access to an attempt on predicting toroidal rotation in H-mode plasmas.

Simulation Study of an Extended Density DC Glow Toroidal Plasma Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granda-Gutierrez, E. E.; Piedad-Beneitez, A. de la; Lopez-Callejas, R.; Godoy-Cabrera, O. G.; Benitez-Read, J. S.; Pacheco-Sotelo, J. O.; Pena-Eguiluz, R.; Mercado-Cabrera, A.; Valencia A, R.; Barocio, S. R.

2006-01-01

Conventional wisdom assigns the DC glow discharge regime to plasma currents below ∼500 mA values, beyond which the discharge falls into the anomalous glow and the turbulent arc regimes. However, we have found evidence that, during toroidal discharges, this barrier can be ostensibly extended up to 800 mA. Thus, a computer simulation has been applied to the evolution of the main electrical characteristics of such a glow discharge plasma in a toroidal vessel in order to design and construct a respective voltage/current controlled source. This should be able to generate a DC plasma in the glow regime with which currents in the range 10-3-100 A can be experimented and 109-1010 cm-3 plasma densities can be achieved to PIII optimization purposes. The plasma is modelled as a voltage-controlled current source able to be turned on whenever the breakdown voltage is reached across the gap between the anode and the vessel wall. The simulation outcome fits well our experimental measurements showing that the plasma current obeys power laws that are dependent on the power current and other control variables such as the gas pressure

Toroidal confinement of non-neutral plasma - A new approach to high-beta equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Z.; Ogawa, Y.; Morikawa, J.

2001-01-01

Departure from the quasi-neutral condition allows us to apply significant two-fluid effects that impart a new freedom to the design of high-performance fusion plasma. The self-electric field in a non-neutralized plasma induces a strong ExB-drift flow. A fast flow produces a large hydrodynamic pressure that can balance with the thermal pressure of the plasma. Basic concepts to produce a toroidal non-neutral plasma have been examined on the internal-conductor toroidal confinement device Proto-RT. A magnetic separatrix determines the boundary of the confinement region. Electrons describe chaotic orbits in the neighborhood of the magnetic null point on the separatrix. The chaos yields collisionless diffusion of electrons from the particle source (electron gun) towards the confinement region. Collisionless heating also occurs in the magnetic null region, which can be applied to produce a plasma. (author)

Reduced, three-dimensional, nonlinear equations for high-β plasmas including toroidal effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmalz, R.

1980-11-01

The resistive MHD equations for toroidal plasma configurations are reduced by expanding to the second order in epsilon, the inverse aspect ratio, allowing for high β = μsub(o)p/B 2 of order epsilon. The result is a closed system of nonlinear, three-dimensional equations where the fast magnetohydrodynamic time scale is eliminated. In particular, the equation for the toroidal velocity remains decoupled. (orig.)

2D full wave simulation on electromagnetic wave propagation in toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hojo, Hitoshi; Uruta, Go; Nakayama, Kazunori; Mase, Atsushi

2002-01-01

Global full-wave simulation on electromagnetic wave propagation in toroidal plasma with an external magnetic field imaging a tokamak configuration is performed in two dimensions. The temporal behavior of an electromagnetic wave launched into plasma from a wave-guiding region is obtained. (author)

Plasma engineering assessments of compact ignition experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houlberg, W.A.

1985-01-01

Confinement, startup sequences, and fast-alpha particle effects are assessed for a class of compact tokamak ignition experiments having high toroidal magnetic fields (8 to 12 T) and high toroidal currents (7 to 10 MA). The uncertainties in confinement scaling are spanned through examples of performance with an optimistic model based on ohmically heated plasmas and a pessimistic model that includes confinement degradation by both auxiliary and alpha heating. The roles of neoclassical resistivity enhancement and sawtooth behavior are also evaluated. Copper toroidal field coils place restrictions on pulse lengths due to resistive heating, so a simultaneous rampup of the toroidal field and plasma current is proposed as a means of compressing the startup phase and lengthening the burn phase. If the ignition window is small, fast-alpha particle physics is restricted to the high-density regime where a short slowing-down time leads to low fast-particle density and pressure contributions. Under more optimistic confinement, a larger ignition margin broadens the range of alpha particle physics that can be addressed. These issues are illustrated through examples of transport simulations for a set of machine parameters called BRAND-X, which typify the designs under study

Plasma engineering assessments of compact ignition experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houlberg, W.A.

1986-01-01

Confinement, startup sequences, and fast-alpha particle effects are assessed for a class of compact tokamak ignition experiments having high toroidal magnetic fields (8-12 T) and high toroidal currents (7-10 MA). The uncertainties in confinement scaling are spanned through examples of performance with an optimistic model based on ohmically heated plasmas and a pessimistic model that includes confinement degradation by both auxiliary and alpha heating. The roles of neoclassical resistivity enhancement and sawtooth behavior are also evaluated. Copper toroidal field coils place restrictions on pulse lengths due to resistive heating, so a simultaneous rampup of the toroidal field and plasma current is proposed as a means of compressing the startup phase and lengthening the burn phase. If the ignition window is small, fast-alpha particle physics is restricted to the high-density regime where a short slowing-down time leads to low fast-particle density and pressure contributions. Under more optimistic confinement, a larger ignition margin broadens the range of alpha particle physics that can be addressed. These issues are illustrated through examples of transport simulations for a set of machine parameters called BRAND-X, which typify the designs under study

Improved plasma confinement by modulated toroidal current on HT-7 superconducting tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Jianshan; Zhao Junyu; Shen Biao; Luo Jiarong

2004-01-01

The improved confinement phase was observed during modulating toroidal current on the Hefei superconducting Tokamak-7 (HT-7). This improved plasma confinement phase is characterized by suppressing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities effectively, thus increased the central line averaged electron density and the central electron temperature about 33%, out-put steeper density profiles, and reduced hydrogen radiation from the edge as well. The global energy confinement time was increased by 27%-45%; The impurity radiation was reduced by modulation of plasma toroidal current; particle confinement time was increased about two times; a stronger radial negative electric field formed inside the limiter. The radial electric field during modulating current was calculated and disscused. (authors)

Tokamak plasma transport simulation in the presence of neoclassical tearing modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Y.; Yamazaki, K.; Arimoto, H.; Shoji, T.; Garcia, J.

2008-01-01

For the prediction of the ITER plasmas, the effect of the neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) on the plasma confinement has been calculated using the 1.5-dimensional equilibrium and transport simulation code TOTAL. The time evolution of the NTM magnetic island has been analyzed using the modified Rutherford equation for a ITER normal shear plasma. The anomalous transport model used here is GLF23. The saturated magnetic island widths are w/a - 0.048 at 3/2 mode and w/a - 0.21 at 2/1 mode, and the reduction in fusion power output by NTM is 27% at the 3/2 mode, 82% at the 2/1 mode, and 89% at the 3/2 + 2/1 double mode. The stabilization effect of the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) with EC is also clarified. The threshold of ECCD power for the full stabilization is ∼10[MW] against the 3/2 mode, and ∼23[MW] against the 2/1 mode. (author)

Generation of stable mixed-compact-toroid rings by inducing plasma currents in strong E rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, R.; Taggart, D.P.; Parker, M.R.; Fleischmann, H.H.

1989-01-01

In the RECE-Christa device, hybrid-type compact toroid rings are generated by inducing large toroidal plasma currents I rho in strong electron rings using a thin induction coil positioned along the ring axis. Starting from field-reversal values δ ο = 50 - 120 percent of the original pure fast-electron ring, the induced plasma current I rho raises δ to a maximum value of up to 240 percent with I rho contributing more than 50 percent of the total ring current. Quite interestingly, the generated hybrid compact toroid configurations appear gross-stable during the full I rho pulse length (half-amplitude width about 100 μs)

System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.

1981-01-01

A system for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor providing steady-state generation of the thermonuclear power. A dense, hot toroidal plasma is initially prepared with a confining magnetic field with toroidal and poloidal components. Continuous wave rf energy is injected into said plasma to establish a spectrum of traveling waves in the plasma, where the traveling waves have momentum components substantially either all parallel, or all anti-parallel to the confining magnetic field. The injected rf energy is phased to couple to said traveling waves with both a phase velocity component and a wave momentum component in the direction of the plasma traveling wave components. The injected rf energy has a predetermined spectrum selected so that said traveling waves couple to plasma electrons having velocities in a predetermined range delta . The velocities in the range are substantially greater than the thermal electron velocity of the plasma. In addition, the range is sufficiently broad to produce a raised plateau having width delta in the plasma electron velocity distribution so that the plateau electrons provide steady-state current to generate a poloidal magnetic field component sufficient for confining the plasma. In steady state operation of the fusion reactor, the fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated in the plasma

Moving toroidal limiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikuta, Kazunari; Miyahara, Akira.

1983-06-01

The concept of the limiter-divertor proposed by Mirnov is extended to a toroidal limiter-divertor (which we call moving toroidal limiter) using the stream of ferromagnetic balls coated with a low Z materials such as plastics, graphite and ceramics. An important advantage of the use of the ferromagnetic materials would be possible soft landing of the balls on a catcher, provided that the temperature of the balls is below Curie point. Moreover, moving toroidal limiter would work as a protector of the first wall not only against the vertical movement of plasma ring but also against the violent inward motion driven by major disruption because the orbit of the ball in the case of moving toroidal limiter distributes over the small major radius side of the toroidal plasma. (author)

The vacuum-arc plasma motion in a toroidal magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timoshenko, A.I.; Gnybida, M.V.; Taran, V.S.; Tereshin, V.I.; Chechelnitskij, O.G.

2005-01-01

The separation of the vacuum-arc plasma from macro-particles in the curvilinear plasma filters allows obtaining coatings with especially high characteristics. However, inside such filters the significant plasma losses also have been occurred. At the same time, increasing in the filter's efficiency is a difficult task without an effective mathematical model that really would describe the vacuum-arc plasma motion in a toroidal magnetic field. The description based on the flax-tube model was in fact only the first approximation in the decision of this problem. According to detailed flax-tube analysis of ions passage through the quarter torus plasma guide, the efficiency of the filter should grow up to 85% as the positive potential U, applied to the body of the plasma guide, is on the increase. However, the experiment showed that maximum of transparency reach up to ∼ 12%, at potential about of +18 Volts, and comes down under the further increase in potential. Such big digression from experiment does not justify the use of flux-tube model for designing of curvilinear plasma filters. We offer the new approach to the description of the vacuum-arc plasma motion in a toroidal magnetic field based on the solutions of steady-state (∂/∂t=0) Vlasov-Maxwell equations for the long plasma column aligned parallel to a constant axial magnetic field. The relations for the self-consistent electric polarization fields, which appear due to displacement of the electron component from ionic one on the curvilinear part of motion, were derived within a framework of the drift approximation. The dynamics of the central part of the plasma flow in the electric polarization fields was considered in detail. The displacement of the plasma flow at the output of the plasma guide was calculated for the carbon and titanium plasmas. The good agreement with the experimental data was obtained. (author)

Mode converter for electron cyclotron resonance heating of toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motley, R.W.; Hsuan, H.; Glanz, J.

1980-09-01

A method is proposed for improving the efficiency of cyclotron resonance heating of a toroidal plasma by ordinary mode radiation from the outside of the torus. Radiation not absorbed in the first pass is reflected from the inside of the torus by a corrugated surface which rotates the polarization by 90 0 , so that a secondary source of extraordinary waves is created in the high field, accessible region of the plasma

Propagation and damping of mode converted ion-Bernstein waves in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ram, A.K.; Bers, A.

1991-01-01

In the heating of tokamak plasmas by waves in the ion-cyclotron range of frequencies, the fast Alfven waves launched at the plasma edge can mode convert to the ion-Bernstein waves (IBW). The propagation and damping of these mode converted waves was studied using a ray tracing code that follows the fast phase and the amplitude of the electromagnetic field along the IBW ray trajectories in a toroidal plasma. A simple analytical model is developed that describes the numerically observed features of propagation and damping of the IBW's. It is found that along the ray trajectory of the IBW there is an upshift of the poloidal mode numbers, which can lead to the electron Landau damping of the wave. This damping is dependent on the strength of the toroidal plasma current. From the properties of the upshift of the poloidal mode numbers, it is concluded that the mode converted ion-Bernstein waves are not suitable candidates for electron current drive

Possible accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry in a sheared toroidal plasma conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravtsov, Y.A.; Chrzanowski, J.

2011-01-01

The Cotton-Mouton effect in the sheared plasma with helical magnetic lines is studied, using the equation for the complex amplitude ratio (CAR). A simple model for helical magnetic lines in plasma of toroidal configuration is suggested. Equation for CAR is solved perturbatively, treating the shear angle variations as a small perturbation, caused by the spiral form of the magnetic lines. It is shown that the uncertainty of the polarization measurements in the toroidal plasma with a spiral form of the magnetic lines does not exceed 1.0-2.0%, which determines the limiting accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. It is furthermore pointed out that the method of a priori subtraction of the '' sheared '' term may significantly improve the accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. (authors)

Linear mode conversion in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, T.

1980-05-01

Linear mode conversion at the perpendicular ion cyclotron resonance has been treated for an axially symmetric toroidal plasma. The mode conversion appears between a fast electromagnetic wave and a slow-quasi electrostatic wave, due to finite electron inertia. The problem reduces to the Orr-Sommerfeld equation where the coefficients determining the reflectron, transmission and conversion are functions of the arc length along a poloidal intersection of the resonance surface. These coefficients can be determined from eigenfunctions of an ordinary differential equation. (author)

On the generation of Alfven wave current drive in low aspect ratio Tokamaks with neoclassical conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1998-01-01

Several low aspect ratio (spherical) Tokamaks (ST's) are now in operation or under construction. These devices would permit cost-effective and attractive embodiment of future fusion reactors: they would provide high β, good confinement and steady state operation at modest field values. Now, a steady state reactor has to be sustained by non-inductively driven currents. Recently, the generation of non-inductive current drive by Alfven waves (AWCD) has been investigated theoretically within the framework of ideal (E p arallel=0) MHD and non-ideal, resistive (E p arallel≠0) MHD; however, in all these cases, the tokamak device consisted of a cylindrical plasma with simulated toroidal effects. Rather encouraging results have been obtained. In this work we further investigate AWCD in ST's as follows: (i) we use consistent equilibrium profiles with neoclassical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START discharge; (ii) incorporate effects due to neoclassical conductivity in the elements of the resistive MHD dielectric tensor, in the solution of the full (E p arallel≠0) wave equation as well as in the calculation of AWCD; and (iii) carry out a systematic search for antenna parameters optimizing the AWCD. (author)

On the generation of Alfven wave current drive in low aspect ratio Tokamaks with neoclassical conductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel)

1998-08-01

Several low aspect ratio (spherical) Tokamaks (ST's) are now in operation or under construction. These devices would permit cost-effective and attractive embodiment of future fusion reactors: they would provide high {beta}, good confinement and steady state operation at modest field values. Now, a steady state reactor has to be sustained by non-inductively driven currents. Recently, the generation of non-inductive current drive by Alfven waves (AWCD) has been investigated theoretically within the framework of ideal (E{sub p}arallel=0) MHD and non-ideal, resistive (E{sub p}arallel{ne}0) MHD; however, in all these cases, the tokamak device consisted of a cylindrical plasma with simulated toroidal effects. Rather encouraging results have been obtained. In this work we further investigate AWCD in ST's as follows: (i) we use consistent equilibrium profiles with neoclassical conductivity corresponding to an ohmic START discharge; (ii) incorporate effects due to neoclassical conductivity in the elements of the resistive MHD dielectric tensor, in the solution of the full (E{sub p}arallel{ne}0) wave equation as well as in the calculation of AWCD; and (iii) carry out a systematic search for antenna parameters optimizing the AWCD. (author)

Effects of temperature anisotropy on neoclassical transport in the plateau and banana-plateau regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taguchi, Masayoshi

1999-01-01

The neoclassical transport theory in a presence of temperature anisotropy is investigated in the low to the intermediate collision frequency regimes for a large aspect-ratio tokamak plasma. The standard procedure for an isotropic plasma in the plateau regime is extended to an anisotropic plasma, and the neoclassical transport coefficients in this regime are explicitly calculated. By interpolating the results in the plateau regime and the previously obtained ones in the banana regime, the expressions for the neoclassical transport coefficients which are continuously valid from the banana to the plateau regimes are presented. (author)

Particle-in-cell simulations of electron transport from plasma turbulence: recent progress in gyrokinetic particle simulations of turbulent plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Z; Rewoldt, G; Ethier, S; Hahm, T S; Lee, W W; Lewandowski, J L V; Nishimura, Y; Wang, W X

2005-01-01

Recent progress in gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of turbulent plasmas using the gyrokinetic toroidal code (GTC) is surveyed. In particular, recent results for electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes and their resulting transport are presented. Also, turbulence spreading, and the effects of the parallel nonlinearity, are described. The GTC code has also been generalized for non-circular plasma cross-section, and initial results are presented. In addition, two distinct methods of generalizing the GTC code to be electromagnetic are described, along with preliminary results. Finally, a related code, GTC-Neo, for calculating neoclassical fluxes, electric fields, and velocities, are described

Three dimensional transport model for toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copenhauer, C.

1980-12-01

A nonlinear MHD model, developed for three-dimensional toroidal geometries (asymmetric) and for high β (β approximately epsilon), is used as a basis for a three-dimensional transport model. Since inertia terms are needed in describing evolving magnetic islands, the model can calculate transport, both in the transient phase before nonlinear saturation of magnetic islands and afterwards on the resistive time scale. In the β approximately epsilon ordering, the plasma does not have sufficient energy to compress the parallel magnetic field, which allows the Alfven wave to be eliminated in the reduced nonlinear equations, and the model then follows the slower time scales. The resulting perpendicular and parallel plasma drift velocities can be identified with those of guiding center theory

Magnetohydrodynamic Stability of a Toroidal Plasma's Separatrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, A. J.; Gimblett, C. G.

2009-01-01

Large tokamaks capable of fusion power production such as ITER, should avoid large edge localized modes (ELMs), thought to be triggered by an ideal magnetohydrodynamic instability due to current at the plasma's separatrix boundary. Unlike analytical work in a cylindrical approximation, numerical work finds the modes are stable. The plasma's separatrix might stabilize modes, but makes analytical and numerical work difficult. We generalize a cylindrical model to toroidal separatrix geometry, finding one parameter Δ ' determines stability. The conformal transformation method is generalized to allow nonzero derivatives of a function on a boundary, and calculation of the equilibrium vacuum field allows Δ ' to be found analytically. As a boundary more closely approximates a separatrix, we find the energy principle indicates instability, but the growth rate asymptotes to zero

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.

Extension of the flow-rate-of-strain tensor formulation of plasma rotation theory to non-axisymmetric tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stacey, W. M. [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States); Bae, C. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejoen (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

A systematic formalism for the calculation of rotation in non-axisymmetric tokamaks with 3D magnetic fields is described. The Braginskii Ωτ-ordered viscous stress tensor formalism, generalized to accommodate non-axisymmetric 3D magnetic fields in general toroidal flux surface geometry, and the resulting fluid moment equations provide a systematic formalism for the calculation of toroidal and poloidal rotation and radial ion flow in tokamaks in the presence of various non-axisymmetric “neoclassical toroidal viscosity” mechanisms. The relation among rotation velocities, radial ion particle flux, ion orbit loss, and radial electric field is discussed, and the possibility of controlling these quantities by producing externally controllable toroidal and/or poloidal currents in the edge plasma for this purpose is suggested for future investigation.

The role of fluctuation-induced transport in a toroidal plasma with strong radial electric fields

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, J. R.; Krawczonek, W. M.; Powers, E. J.; Hong, J. Y.; Kim, Y. C.

1981-01-01

Previous work employing digitally implemented spectral analysis techniques is extended to demonstrate that radial fluctuation-induced transport is the dominant ion transport mechanism in an electric field dominated toroidal plasma. Such transport can be made to occur against a density gradient, and hence may have a very beneficial effect on confinement in toroidal plasmas of fusion interest. It is shown that Bohm or classical diffusion down a density gradient, the collisional Pedersen-current mechanism, and the collisionless electric field gradient mechanism described by Cole (1976) all played a minor role, if any, in the radial transport of this plasma.

Enhanced rotation velocities and electric fields, sub-neoclassical energy transport and density pinch from revisited neoclassical theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogister, A.

1998-01-01

We show that the large negative radial electric fields which are measured in front of the separatrix in H-mode discharges are easily explainable on the basis of the rigorous 'revisited' neoclassical theory, including finite Larmor radii and inertia effects that was published earlier (Rogister A 1994 Phys. Plasmas 1 619); the same theory naturally leads to sub-neoclassical energy transport and novel particle pinch terms. The calculation has so far been developed only in the high collisionality regime: step sizes comparable to gradient-scale sizes are therefore not required to explain observed properties! Based on the analysis, we conclude that the radial electric field profile develops a well in front of the separatrix when the plasma is unable to sustain ambipolar flows otherwise. (author)

A Toroidally Symmetric Plasma Simulation code for design of position and shape control on tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takase, Haruhiko; Senda, Ikuo

1999-01-01

A Toroidally Symmetric Plasma Simulation (TSPS) code has been developed for investigating the position and shape control on tokamak plasmas. The analyses of three-dimensional eddy currents on the conducting components around the plasma and the two-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium are taken into account in this code. The code can analyze the plasma position and shape control during the minor disruption in which the deformation of plasma is not negligible. Using the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) parameters, some examples of calculations are shown in this paper. (author)

A toroidal plasma MHD equilibrium code 'EQUCIR version 1'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Shinya, Kichiro; Kameari, Akihisa.

1980-10-01

A new free-boundary toroidal MHD equilibrium code ''EQUCIR version 1'' has been developed. The central problems approached by this code is as follows: 1) The magnetic flux distribution of a plasma at equilibrium is determined in the given external field. 2) A set of circuit equations between the plasma and the external conductors are constructed. These circuit equations and the Grad-Shafranov equation are solved self-consistently and the time evolutions of plasma equilibria and currents in external conductors are determined at the same time. 3) The currents in the external conductors are determined so that the plasma cross-section and plasma parameters are to be maintained with desired ones. It is shown that this code is very useful for study of the tokamak plasma equilibria, for design of the poloidal coil system and for investigation of experimental results. (author)

Neoclassical kinetic theory near an X point: Plateau regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solano, E.R.; Hazeltine, R.D.

1994-01-01

Traditionally, neoclassical transport calculations ignore poloidal variation of the poloidal magnetic field. Near an X point of the confining field of a diverted plasma, the poloidal field is small, causing guiding centers to linger at that poloidal position. A study of how neoclassical transport is affected by this differential shaping is presented. The problem is solved in general in the plateau regime, and a model poloidal flux function with an X point is utilized as an analytic example to show that the plateau diffusion coefficient can change considerably (factor of 2 reduction). Ion poloidal rotation is proportional to the local value of B pol but otherwise it is not strongly affected by shaping. The usual favorable scaling of neoclassical confinement time with plasma current is unaffected by the X point

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)

Toroidal current asymmetry in tokamak disruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Strauss, H. R.

2014-10-01

It was discovered on JET that disruptions were accompanied by toroidal asymmetry of the toroidal plasma current I ϕ. It was found that the toroidal current asymmetry was proportional to the vertical current moment asymmetry with positive sign for an upward vertical displacement event (VDE) and negative sign for a downward VDE. It was observed that greater displacement leads to greater measured I ϕ asymmetry. Here, it is shown that this is essentially a kinematic effect produced by a VDE interacting with three dimensional MHD perturbations. The relation of toroidal current asymmetry and vertical current moment is calculated analytically and is verified by numerical simulations. It is shown analytically that the toroidal variation of the toroidal plasma current is accompanied by an equal and opposite variation of the toroidal current flowing in a thin wall surrounding the plasma. These currents are connected by 3D halo current, which is π/2 radians out of phase with the n = 1 toroidal current variations.

Neoclassical transport associated with collisionless detrapping in a bumpy torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hastings, D.E.

1983-10-01

In the two collisionality nonresonant regime in a bumpy torus the transitional particles can make a large contribution to neoclassical transport. This contribution can be moderated by the toroidally induced radial drift which causes transitional particles to detrap and retrap in the mirror sectors. This effect leads to diffusion coefficients which are linear in the collision frequency and scale with the inverse aspect ratio instead of the more usual square of the inverse aspect ratio. (author)

Wave propagation near the lower hybrid resonance in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkubo, K.; Ohasa, K.; Matsuura, K.

1975-10-01

Dielectric tensor and equipotential curves (ray trajectories) of an electrostatic wave near the lower hybrid resonance are investigated for the toroidal plasma with a shear magnetic field. The ray trajectories start from the vicinity of the plasma surface, and rotate in a spiral form around the magnetic axis, and then reach the lower or upper parts of lower hybrid resonance layer. The numerical computations are performed on the parameters of JIPP T-II device with two dimensional inhomogeneity. (auth.)

A versatile ray-tracing code for studying rf wave propagation in toroidal magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peysson, Y; Decker, J; Morini, L

2012-01-01

A new ray-tracing code named C3PO has been developed to study the propagation of arbitrary electromagnetic radio-frequency (rf) waves in magnetized toroidal plasmas. Its structure is designed for maximum flexibility regarding the choice of coordinate system and dielectric model. The versatility of this code makes it particularly suitable for integrated modeling systems. Using a coordinate system that reflects the nested structure of magnetic flux surfaces in tokamaks, fast and accurate calculations inside the plasma separatrix can be performed using analytical derivatives of a spline-Fourier interpolation of the axisymmetric toroidal MHD equilibrium. Applications to reverse field pinch magnetic configuration are also included. The effects of 3D perturbations of the axisymmetric toroidal MHD equilibrium, due to the discreteness of the magnetic coil system or plasma fluctuations in an original quasi-optical approach, are also studied. Using a Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method for solving the set of ordinary differential equations, the ray-tracing code is extensively benchmarked against analytical models and other codes for lower hybrid and electron cyclotron waves. (paper)

Toroidal rotation studies in KSTAR

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S. G.; Lee, H. H.; Yoo, J. W.; Kim, Y. S.; Ko, W. H.; Terzolo, L.; Bitter, M.; Hill, K.; KSTAR Team

2014-10-01

Investigation of the toroidal rotation is one of the most important topics for the magnetically confined fusion plasma researches since it is essential for the stabilization of resistive wall modes and its shear plays an important role to improve plasma confinement by suppressing turbulent transport. The most advantage of KSTAR tokamak for toroidal rotation studies is that it equips two main diagnostics including the high-resolution X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) and charge exchange spectroscopy (CES). Simultaneous core toroidal rotation and ion temperature measurements of different impurity species from the XICS and CES have shown in reasonable agreement with various plasma discharges in KSTAR. It has been observed that the toroidal rotation in KSTAR is faster than that of other tokamak devices with similar machine size and momentum input. This may due to an intrinsically low toroidal field ripple and error field of the KSTAR device. A strong braking of the toroidal rotation by the n = 1 non-resonant magnetic perturbations (NRMPs) also indicates these low toroidal field ripple and error field. Recently, it has been found that n = 2 NRMPs can also damp the toroidal rotation in KSTAR. The detail toroidal rotation studies will be presented. Work supported by the Korea Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning under the KSTAR project.

Goya - an MHD equilibrium code for toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheffel, J.

1984-09-01

A description of the GOYA free-boundary equilibrium code is given. The non-linear Grad-Shafranov equation of ideal MHD is solved in a toroidal geometry for plasmas with purely poloidal magnetic fields. The code is based on a field line-tracing procedure, making storage of a large amount of information on a grid unnecessary. Usage of the code is demonstrated by computations of equi/libria for the EXTRAP-T1 device. (Author)

Gyrokinetic analyses of core heat transport in JT-60U plasmas with different toroidal rotation direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narita, Emi; Fukuda, Takeshi; Honda, Mitsuru; Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Urano, Hajime; Ide, Shunsuke

2015-01-01

Tokamak plasmas with an internal transport barrier (ITB) are capable of maintaining improved confinement performance. The ITBs formed in plasmas with the weak magnetic shear and the weak radial electric field shear are often observed to be modest. In these ITB plasmas, it has been found that the electron temperature ITB is steeper when toroidal rotation is in a co-direction with respect to the plasma current than when toroidal rotation is in a counter-direction. To clarify the relationship between the direction of toroidal rotation and heat transport in the ITB region, we examine dominant instabilities using the flux-tube gyrokinetic code GS2. The linear calculations show a difference in the real frequencies; the counter-rotation case has a more trapped electron mode than the co-rotation case. In addition, the nonlinear calculations show that with this difference, the ratio of the electron heat diffusivity χ_e to the ion's χ_i is higher for the counter-rotation case than for the co-rotation case. The difference in χ_e /χ_i agrees with the experiment. We also find that the effect of the difference in the flow shear between the two cases due to the toroidal rotation direction on the linear growth rate is not significant. (author)

Neoclassical transport and radial electric fields in TJ-K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahbarnia, K.; Greiner, F.; Ramisch, M.; Stroth, U.; Greiner, F.

2003-01-01

The neoclassical transport is investigated in the torsatron TJ-K, which is operated with a low-temperature plasma. In the low-collisionality regime neoclassical losses are not intrinsically ambipolar, leading to the formation of a radial electric field which acts on both neoclassical and turbulent transport. This electric field is measured with a combination of Langmuir and emissive probes. The data are compared with the ambipolar electric field calculated with an analytic model. The experimental fields are positive and larger than the calculated ones. Direct losses of the fast electrons might explain this discrepancy. (orig.)

Curvature effect on tearing modes in presence of neoclassical friction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maget, Patrick; Mellet, Nicolas; Meshcheriakov, Dmytro; Garbet, Xavier [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Lütjens, Hinrich [Centre de Physique Théorique, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS (France)

2013-11-15

Neoclassical physics (here associated to the poloidal variation of the magnetic field strength along field lines in a tokamak) is well known for driving self-generated plasma current and nonlinear magnetic islands associated to it in high performance, ITER relevant plasma discharges. It is demonstrated that the neoclassical friction between a magnetic perturbation and plasma flow already impacts magnetic islands in the linear regime, by inducing a weakening of curvature stabilization for tearing modes. This conclusion holds in particular for regimes where convection is influencing the pressure dynamics, as shown using a simple analytical model and confirmed in full Magneto-Hydro-Dynamics simulations.

Transport processes in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balescu, R.

1988-01-01

This part is devoted to the neoclassical transport theory. Ch. 8 deals with toroidal magnetic confinement. Ch. 9 studies the motion of an individual particle in a toroidal field. Ch.'s 10 and 11 are devoted to the study of the kinetic equation appropriate to the situation that prevails in the neoclassical theory. Ch. 12 is devoted to the general study of the macroscopic moment equations in toroidal geometry. In ch. 13 the first new transport equations are derived. They include the strange Pfirsch-Schlueter effect. In ch. 14 the method of solution of the kinetic equation in the long free path regime is developed. In ch. 15 the typical long mean free path neoclassical transport equations are obtained and discussed; their very pecular differences with the classicial ones are emphasized. Ch. 16 introduces a mean free path regime as well as a method of interpolation of the results over the whole range of collisionalities. Ch. 17 provides the connection of the transport theory with non-equilibrium thermodynamics in a regime (long mean free path) where the applicability of the latter seems, at first sight, questionable. Nevertheless a complete and consistent thermodynamic theory can be set up, even in this regime. Finally, ch. 18 goes back to the hydrodynamical equations and treats the problem of their closure (in toroidal geometry)

Physics of electron internal transport barrier in toroidal helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, K.; Toda, S.; Fujisawa, A.; Ida, K.; Itoh, S.-I.; Yagi, M.; Fukuyama, A.; Diamond, P.H.

2006-10-01

The role of zonal flows in the formation of the transport barrier in the helical plasmas is analyzed using the transport code. A set of one-dimensional transport equations is analyzed, including the effect of zonal flows. The turbulent transport coefficient is shown to be suppressed when the plasma state changes from the weak negative radial electric field to the strong positive one. This bifurcation of the turbulent transport is newly caused by the change of the damping rate of zonal flows. It is theoretically demonstrated that the damping rate of zonal flows governs the global confinement in toroidal plasmas. (author)

Self-consistent gyrokinetic modeling of neoclassical and turbulent impurity transport

Science.gov (United States)

Estève, D.; Sarazin, Y.; Garbet, X.; Grandgirard, V.; Breton, S.; Donnel, P.; Asahi, Y.; Bourdelle, C.; Dif-Pradalier, G.; Ehrlacher, C.; Emeriau, C.; Ghendrih, Ph.; Gillot, C.; Latu, G.; Passeron, C.

2018-03-01

Trace impurity transport is studied with the flux-driven gyrokinetic GYSELA code (Grandgirard et al 2016 Comput. Phys. Commun. 207 35). A reduced and linearized multi-species collision operator has been recently implemented, so that both neoclassical and turbulent transport channels can be treated self-consistently on an equal footing. In the Pfirsch-Schlüter regime that is probably relevant for tungsten, the standard expression for the neoclassical impurity flux is shown to be recovered from gyrokinetics with the employed collision operator. Purely neoclassical simulations of deuterium plasma with trace impurities of helium, carbon and tungsten lead to impurity diffusion coefficients, inward pinch velocities due to density peaking, and thermo-diffusion terms which quantitatively agree with neoclassical predictions and NEO simulations (Belli et al 2012 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 54 015015). The thermal screening factor appears to be less than predicted analytically in the Pfirsch-Schlüter regime, which can be detrimental to fusion performance. Finally, self-consistent nonlinear simulations have revealed that the tungsten impurity flux is not the sum of turbulent and neoclassical fluxes computed separately, as is usually assumed. The synergy partly results from the turbulence-driven in-out poloidal asymmetry of tungsten density. This result suggests the need for self-consistent simulations of impurity transport, i.e. including both turbulence and neoclassical physics, in view of quantitative predictions for ITER.

The theory of toroidally confined plasmas

CERN Document Server

White, Roscoe B

2014-01-01

This graduate level textbook develops the theory of magnetically confined plasma, with the aim of bringing the reader to the level of current research in the field of thermonuclear fusion. It begins with the basic concepts of magnetic field description, plasma equilibria and stability, and goes on to derive the equations for guiding center particle motion in an equilibrium field. Topics include linear and nonlinear ideal and resistive modes and particle transport. It is of use to workers in the field of fusion both for its wide-ranging account of tokamak physics and as a kind of handbook or formulary. This edition has been extended in a number of ways. The material on mode-particle interactions has been reformulated and much new information added, including methodology for Monte Carlo implementation of mode destabilization. These results give explicit means of carrying out mode destabilization analysis, in particular for the dangerous fishbone mode. A new chapter on cyclotron motion in toroidal geometry has ...

Plasma residual rotation in the TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severo, J.H.F.; Nascimento, I.C.; Tsypin, V.S.; Galvao, R.M.O.

2003-01-01

This paper reports the first results on the measurement of the radial profiles of plasma poloidal and toroidal rotation performed on the TCABR tokamak, in the collisional regime (Pfirsch-Schluter), using Doppler shift of carbon spectral lines, measured with a high precision optical spectrometer. The results for poloidal rotation show a maximum velocity of (4.5±1.0) x 10 3 m s -1 at r ∼ 2/3a,(a-limiter radius), in the direction of the diamagnetic electron drift. Within the error limits, reasonable agreement is obtained with calculations using the neoclassical theory for a collisional plasma, except near the plasma edge, as expected. For toroidal rotation, the radial profile shows that the velocity decreases from a counter-current value of (20 ± 1) x 10 3 m s -1 , at the plasma core, to a co-current value of (2.0 ± 0.9) x 10 3 m s -1 near the limiter. An agreement within a factor 2, for the plasma core rotation, is obtained with calculations using the model proposed by Kim, Diamond and Groebner (1991 Phys. Fluids B 3 2050). (author)

Self-organized profile relaxation by ion temperature gradient instability in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, Y.; Tajima, T.; LeBrun, M.J.; Gray, M.G.; Kim, J.Y.; Horton, W.

1993-02-01

Toroidal effects on the ion-temperature gradient mode are found to dictate the temperature evolution and the subsequent relaxed profile realization according to our toroidal particle simulation. Both in the strongly unstable fluid regime as well as in the near-marginal kinetic regime we observe that the plasma maintains an exponential temperature profile and forces the heat flux to be radially independent. The self-organized critical relaxed state is sustained slightly above the marginal stability, where the weak wave growth balances the wave decorrelation

Formation of plasma and gaseous toroidal vortices in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yusupaliev, U.; Yusupaliev, P. U.; Shuteev, S. A.

2007-01-01

The mechanism for the formation of high-temperature (plasma) vortices and low-temperature vortex rings produced by ejecting pulsed subsonic plasma/gas jets into air was investigated experimentally. A toroidal vortex forms due to the interaction between a pulsed jet with the flow induced by this jet in the ambient medium. By analyzing the experimental data and conservation laws, an equation is derived that allows one to determine the initial propagation velocity of the vortex as a function of the characteristics of the vortex generator and the ambient medium. The results obtained by solving this equation agree well with the experimental data

Testing neoclassical and turbulent effects on poloidal rotation in the core of DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chrystal, C. [University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, California 92093-0417 (United States); Burrell, K. H.; Staebler, G. M.; Kinsey, J. E.; Lao, L. L.; Grassie, J. S. de [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, California 92186-5608 (United States); Grierson, B. A.; Solomon, W. M.; Wang, W. X. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-0451 (United States); Rhodes, T. L.; Schmitz, L. [University of California Los Angeles, P.O. Box 957099, Los Angeles, California 90095-7099 (United States); Mordijck, S. [College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8795 (United States); Meneghini, O. [Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 1299 Bethel Valley Rd, Bldg SC-200, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 (United States)

2014-07-15

Experimental tests of ion poloidal rotation theories have been performed on DIII-D using a novel impurity poloidal rotation diagnostic. These tests show significant disagreements with theoretical predictions in various conditions, including L-mode plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITB), H-mode plasmas, and QH-mode plasmas. The theories tested include standard neoclassical theory, turbulence driven Reynolds stress, and fast-ion friction on the thermal ions. Poloidal rotation is observed to spin up at the formation of an ITB and makes a significant contribution to the measurement of the E{sup →}×B{sup →} shear that forms the ITB. In ITB cases, neoclassical theory agrees quantitatively with the experimental measurements only in the steep gradient region. Significant quantitative disagreement with neoclassical predictions is seen in the cores of ITB, QH-, and H-mode plasmas, demonstrating that neoclassical theory is an incomplete description of poloidal rotation. The addition of turbulence driven Reynolds stress does not remedy this disagreement; linear stability calculations and Doppler backscattering measurements show that disagreement increases as turbulence levels decline. Furthermore, the effect of fast-ion friction, by itself, does not lead to improved agreement; in QH-mode plasmas, neoclassical predictions are closest to experimental results in plasmas with the largest fast ion friction. Predictions from a new model that combines all three effects show somewhat better agreement in the H-mode case, but discrepancies well outside the experimental error bars remain.

Testing neoclassical and turbulent effects on poloidal rotation in the core of DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrystal, C.; Burrell, K. H.; Staebler, G. M.; Kinsey, J. E.; Lao, L. L.; Grassie, J. S. de; Grierson, B. A.; Solomon, W. M.; Wang, W. X.; Rhodes, T. L.; Schmitz, L.; Mordijck, S.; Meneghini, O.

2014-01-01

Experimental tests of ion poloidal rotation theories have been performed on DIII-D using a novel impurity poloidal rotation diagnostic. These tests show significant disagreements with theoretical predictions in various conditions, including L-mode plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITB), H-mode plasmas, and QH-mode plasmas. The theories tested include standard neoclassical theory, turbulence driven Reynolds stress, and fast-ion friction on the thermal ions. Poloidal rotation is observed to spin up at the formation of an ITB and makes a significant contribution to the measurement of the E → ×B → shear that forms the ITB. In ITB cases, neoclassical theory agrees quantitatively with the experimental measurements only in the steep gradient region. Significant quantitative disagreement with neoclassical predictions is seen in the cores of ITB, QH-, and H-mode plasmas, demonstrating that neoclassical theory is an incomplete description of poloidal rotation. The addition of turbulence driven Reynolds stress does not remedy this disagreement; linear stability calculations and Doppler backscattering measurements show that disagreement increases as turbulence levels decline. Furthermore, the effect of fast-ion friction, by itself, does not lead to improved agreement; in QH-mode plasmas, neoclassical predictions are closest to experimental results in plasmas with the largest fast ion friction. Predictions from a new model that combines all three effects show somewhat better agreement in the H-mode case, but discrepancies well outside the experimental error bars remain

Neoclassical tearing mode stabilization by ECCD in ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giruzzi, G.; Zabiego, M.

2001-01-01

A dynamic model, based on a 3-D Fokker-Planck code coupled to the island evolution equations, is used to evaluate the feasibility of active control of Neoclassical Tearing modes by Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD) in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The parameters of the present version of ITER, i.e., RTO/RC ITER (IAM option) are used. Both m=3, n=2 and m=2, n=1 modes are considered. It is shown that an Electron Cyclotron wave system at 140 GHz, with toroidally steerable antennas, can stabilize both modes simultaneously if a power ≥30 MW is available

Current sustaining by RF travelling field in a collisional toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Masaji; Matsuura, Kiyokata

1978-01-01

The relation between the current generated by RF travelling field and the absorbed power is studied in a collisional toroidal plasma, parameters being phase velocity and filling gap pressure or electron collision frequency. It is observed at a low magnetic field that the current is proportional to the plasma conductivity and an effective electromotive force, which is a new concept introduced on the basis of fluid model; the electromotive force is proportional to the absorbed RF power and inversely proportional to the plasma density and the phase velocity of the travelling field. (author)

Current sustaining by RF travelling field in a collisional toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Masaji; Matsuura, Kiyokata.

1977-06-01

The relation between the current generation by RF travelling field and the accompanied power absorption is studied in a collisional toroidal plasma, parameters being phase velocity and filling gas pressure or electron collision frequency. It is observed at a low magnetic field that the current is proportional to the plasma conductivity and an effective electromotive force, which is a new concept introduced on the basis of fluid model; the electromotive force is proportional to the absorbed RF power and inversely proportional to the plasma density and the phase velocity of the travelling field. (auth.)

Observations of core toroidal rotation reversals in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, J.E.; Reinke, M.L.; Podpaly, Y.A.; Churchill, R.M.; Cziegler, I.; Dominguez, A.; Ennever, P.C.; Fiore, C.L.; Granetz, R.S.; Greenwald, M.J.; Hubbard, A.E.; Hughes, J.W.; Irby, J.H.; Ma, Y.; Marmar, E.S.; McDermott, R.M.; Porkolab, M.; Duval, B.P.; Bortolon, A.; Diamond, P.H.

2011-01-01

Direction reversals of intrinsic toroidal rotation have been observed in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas following modest electron density or toroidal magnetic field ramps. The reversal process occurs in the plasma interior, inside of the q = 3/2 surface. For low density plasmas, the rotation is in the co-current direction, and can reverse to the counter-current direction following an increase in the electron density above a certain threshold. Reversals from the co- to counter-current direction are correlated with a sharp decrease in density fluctuations with k R ≥ 2 cm -1 and with frequencies above 70 kHz. The density at which the rotation reverses increases linearly with plasma current, and decreases with increasing magnetic field. There is a strong correlation between the reversal density and the density at which the global ohmic L-mode energy confinement changes from the linear to the saturated regime.

Equilibrium and stability of a toroidal-sector plasma discharge in an EXTRAP configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, J.R.

1982-02-01

Experimental studies of the equilibrium and stability of a sector of a toroidal EXTRAP plasma discharge have been studied. The high β plasma discharge, which had an Alfven transit time about 0.5 μsec, could be positioned in a stable equilibrium for the 300μsec time scale of the experiment. (author)

Convective cells and transport in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassam, A.B.; Kulsrud, R.M.

1978-12-01

The properties of convective cells and the diffusion resulting from such cells are significantly influenced by an inhomogeneity in the extermal confining magnetic field, such as that in toroidal plasmas. The convective diffusion in the presence of a field inhomogeneity is estimated. For a thermal background, this diffusion is shown to be substantially smaller than classical collisional diffusion. For a model nonthermal background, the diffusion is estimated, for typical parameters, to be at most of the order of collisional diffusion. The model background employed is based on spectra observed in numerical simulations of drift-wave-driven convective cells

Longitudinal permittivity of a toroidal plasma near rational surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nekrasov, F.M.

1990-01-01

A quite simple analytical formula for longitudinal permittivity, suitable for numerical processing on a computer, is determined. On the basis of a Fourier representation a poloidal angle a compact expression for the imaginary part of longitudinal permittivity near rational surfaces (m+nq=0) at an arbitrary relation between the bounce frequency and excited wave frequency is determined. A strongly magnetized collisionless plasma in the weak toroidality approximation is considered

Collisional boundary layer analysis for neoclassical toroidal plasma viscosity in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaing, K. C.; Cahyna, P.; Becoulet, M.; Park, J.-K.; Sabbagh, S. A.; Chu, M. S.

2008-01-01

It is demonstrated that the pitch angle integrals in the transport fluxes in the ν regime calculated in K. C. Shang [Phys. Plasmas 10, 1443 (2003)] are divergent as the trapped-circulating boundary is approached. Here, ν is the collision frequency. The origin of this divergence results from the logarithmic dependence in the bounce averaged radial drift velocity. A collisional boundary layer analysis is developed to remove the singularity. The resultant pitch angle integrals now include not only the original physics of the ν regime but also the boundary layer physics. The transport fluxes, caused by the particles inside the boundary layer, scale as √(ν)

Experimental study of high beta toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kellman, A.G.

1983-09-01

Experiments on the Wisconsin Levitated Toroidal Octupole have produced a wide range of stable high β plasmas with β significantly above single fluid MHD theory predictions. A stable β approx. 8% plasma, twice the fluid limit, is obtained with 5 rho/sub i/ approx. L/sub n/ and tau/sub β/ approx. = 6000 tau/sub Alfven/ = 600 μsec. The enhanced stability is explained with a kinetic treatment that includes the effect of finite ion gyroradius which couples the ballooning mode to an ion drift wave. In a more collisional, large gyroradius (2 rho/sub i/ approx. L/sub n/) regime, a stable β approx. 35% plasma is obtained with a decay time of 1000 Alfven times. Measurement of the equilibrium magnetic field in this regime indicates that the diamagnetic current density is five times smaller than predicted by ideal MHD, probably due to ion gyroviscosity. Particle transport is anomalous and ranges from agreement with the classical diffusion rate at the highest beta, lowest field plasma (B/sub P/ = 200 G), to thirteen times the classical rate in a β=11%, high field plasma (B/sub P/ = 860 G) where the level of enhancement increase with magnetic field. Fluctuations in density, electrostatic potential, and magnetic field have been studied in plasmas with β from 0.1% to 40%

Experimental Evidence of Momentum Transport Induced by an Up-Down Asymmetric Magnetic Equilibrium in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camenen, Y.; Peeters, A. G.; Casson, F. J.; Hornsby, W. A.; Snodin, A. P.; Szepesi, G.; Bortolon, A.; Duval, B. P.; Federspiel, L.; Karpushov, A. N.; Piras, F.; Sauter, O.

2010-01-01

The first experimental evidence of parallel momentum transport generated by the up-down asymmetry of a toroidal plasma is reported. The experiments, conducted in the Tokamak a Configuration Variable, were motivated by the recent theoretical discovery of ion-scale turbulent momentum transport induced by an up-down asymmetry in the magnetic equilibrium. The toroidal rotation gradient is observed to depend on the asymmetry in the outer part of the plasma leading to a variation of the central rotation by a factor of 1.5-2. The direction of the effect and its magnitude are in agreement with theoretical predictions for the eight possible combinations of plasma asymmetry, current, and magnetic field.

Interaction of a spheromak-like compact toroid with a high beta spherical tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, D.Q.; McLean, H.S.; Baker, K.L.; Evans, R.W.; Horton, R.D.; Terry, S.D.; Howard, S.; Schmidt, G.L.

2000-01-01

Recent experiments using accelerated spheromak-like compact toroids (SCTs) to fuel tokamak plasmas have quantified the penetration mechanism in the low beta regime; i.e. external magnetic field pressure dominates plasma thermal pressure. However, fusion reactor designs require high beta plasma and, more importantly, the proper plasma pressure profile. Here, the effect of the plasma pressure profile on SCT penetration, specifically, the effect of diamagnetism, is addressed. It is estimated that magnetic field pressure dominates penetration even up to 50% local beta. The combination of the diamagnetic effect on the toroidal magnetic field and the strong poloidal field at the outer major radius of a spherical tokamak will result in a diamagnetic well in the total magnetic field. Therefore, the spherical tokamak is a good candidate to test the potential trapping of an SCT in a high beta diamagnetic well. The diamagnetic effects of a high beta spherical tokamak discharge (low aspect ratio) are computed. To test the penetration of an SCT into such a diamagnetic well, experiments have been conducted of SCT injection into a vacuum field structure which simulates the diamagnetic field effect of a high beta tokamak. The diamagnetic field gradient length is substantially shorter than that of the toroidal field of the tokamak, and the results show that it can still improve the penetration of the SCT. Finally, analytic results have been used to estimate the effect of plasma pressure on penetration, and the effect of plasma pressure was found to be small in comparison with the magnetic field pressure. The penetration condition for a vacuum field only is reported. To study the diamagnetic effect in a high beta plasma, additional experiments need to be carried out on a high beta spherical tokamak. (author)

Formation of a compact toroid for enhanced efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mozgovoy, A. G. [P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Romadanov, I. V.; Ryzhkov, S. V., E-mail: ryzhkov@power.bmstu.ru [Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow 105005 (Russian Federation)

2014-02-15

We report here our results on the formation of a plasma configuration with the generic name of compact toroid (CT). A method of compact toroid formation to confine, heat and compress a plasma is investigated. Formation of a compact torus using an additional toroidal magnetic field helps to increase the plasma current to a maintainable level of the original magnetic field. We design the Compact Toroid Challenge (CTC) experiment in order to improve the magnetic flux trapping during field reversal in the formation of a compact toroid. The level of the magnetic field immersed in the plasma about 70% of the primary field is achieved. The CTC device and scheme of high level capturing of magnetic flux are presented.

Observations of plasma rotation in the high-beta tokamak Torus II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostek, C.; Marshall, T.C.

1982-01-01

Toroidal and poloidal plasma rotation are measured in a high Beta tokamak device by studying the Doppler shift of the 4686 A He II line. The toroidal flow motion is in the same direction as the plasma current at an average velocity of 1.6 x 10 6 cm/sec, a small fraction of the ion thermal speed. The poloidal flow follows the ion diamagnetic direction, also at an average speed of 1.6 x 10 6 cm/sec. In view of certain ordering parameters, the toroidal flow is compared with the predictions of neoclassical transport theory in the collisional regime. For the poloidal motion, however, it appears that an (E/sub r/ x B)/B 2 drift in a positive radial electric field, approaching a stable ambipolar state (STRINGER, 1970) is responsible. Mechanisms for the time evolution of the rotation are also examined. The radial electric field responsible for the (E/sub r/ x B)/B 2 drift is determined from the theory using the measured poloidal velocity

Control of magnetohydrodynamic stability by phase space engineering of energetic ions in tokamak plasmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, J P; Chapman, I T; Coda, S; Lennholm, M; Albergante, M; Jucker, M

2012-01-10

Virtually collisionless magnetic mirror-trapped energetic ion populations often partially stabilize internally driven magnetohydrodynamic disturbances in the magnetosphere and in toroidal laboratory plasma devices such as the tokamak. This results in less frequent but dangerously enlarged plasma reorganization. Unique to the toroidal magnetic configuration are confined 'circulating' energetic particles that are not mirror trapped. Here we show that a newly discovered effect from hybrid kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic theory has been exploited in sophisticated phase space engineering techniques for controlling stability in the tokamak. These theoretical predictions have been confirmed, and the technique successfully applied in the Joint European Torus. Manipulation of auxiliary ion heating systems can create an asymmetry in the distribution of energetic circulating ions in the velocity orientated along magnetic field lines. We show the first experiments in which large sawtooth collapses have been controlled by this technique, and neoclassical tearing modes avoided, in high-performance reactor-relevant plasmas.

Validation of neoclassical bootstrap current models in the edge of an H-mode plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, M R; Murakami, M; Politzer, P A

2004-06-11

Analysis of the parallel electric field E(parallel) evolution following an L-H transition in the DIII-D tokamak indicates the generation of a large negative pulse near the edge which propagates inward, indicative of the generation of a noninductive edge current. Modeling indicates that the observed E(parallel) evolution is consistent with a narrow current density peak generated in the plasma edge. Very good quantitative agreement is found between the measured E(parallel) evolution and that expected from neoclassical theory predictions of the bootstrap current.

Wave trajectory and electron cyclotron heating in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maekawa, T.; Tanaka, S.; Terumichi, Y.; Hamada, Y.

1977-12-01

Wave trajectories propagating obliquely to magnetic field in toroidal plasmas are studied theoretically. Results show that the ordinary wave at appropriate incident angle is mode-converted to the extraordinary wave at first turning point and is further converted to the electron Bernstein wave during passing a loop or a hooked nail curve near second turning point and is cyclotron-damped away, resulting in local electron heating, before arriving at cyclotron resonance layer. (auth.)

Influence of globalmagnetic perturbations on plasma behavior in Elmo Bumpy Torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quon, B.H.; Dandl, R.A.; Colestock, P.L.; Bieniosek, F.M.; Ikegami, H.

1979-02-01

The sensitivity of plasma confinement to magnetic field error effects has been tested experimentally using externally introduced global field errors on the ELMO Bumpy Torus (EBT). Below a critical error field (deltaB/sub r//B)/sub cr/ of approx. = to 0.6-1 x 10 -3 the plasma was observed to be essentially free from convective cells, toroidal currents, and instabilities. This observed critical value is comparable to a neoclassical critical field error (deltaB/sub r//B)/sub cr/ approx. = rho/R, the ratio of the ion Larmor radius to the major radius of the torus

Kinetic global analysis of Alfven eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, A.

2002-01-01

Systematic study on low to medium n (toroidal mode number) Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in tokamaks and helical systems is presented. Linear stability of AE in the presence of energetic ions was studied using the kinetic full-wave code TASK/WM.We have reproduced the destabilizing effect of toroidal co-rotation on TAE for JT-60U parameters. We have found the existence of reversed-shear-induced Alfven eigenmode (RSAE) which localizes near the q minimum in a reversed magnetic shear configuration. Two kinds of mode structures are identified for energetic particle mode (EPM) below the TAE frequency gap. The coupling to lower-frequency modes such as drift waves and MHD modes as well as the effect of trapped particles are also taken into account. For a helical plasma, the existence of GAE in the central region and TAE in the off-axis region was confirmed. (author)

Onset of the radial electric field oscillations in the neoclassical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, C.S.; Novakovskii, S.V.; Sagdeev, R.Z.; Galeev, A.A.

1996-01-01

It is shown that the relaxation of the radial electric field in the tokomak plasmas towards its neoclassical value is accompanied by the fast oscillations of the order of the ion transient frequency V T /qR. This happens during the transition from the Pfirsch-Schluter collisional regime to the plateau regime at v c qR/V T ≤ c cr ≤ 1. The investigation has been performed with the help of the specially developed numerical code for solution of the nonsteady-state drift kinetic equation with the exact collisional term in the Hirshman-Sigmar-Clarke form. Comparison with the analytical results, corresponding to the regime of the very low collisions as well as with previous approximate models for the plateau regime will also be reported

Critical β of a D-shaped toroidal plasma with sharp boundary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kito, M.

1981-01-01

Under the cap-cyclide coordinate system, the marginal stability of a sharp boundary toroidal plasma whose cross section is D shaped is examined using the energy principle. The analytical results are valid for arbitrary b, arbitrary aspect ratio, and arbitrary elongation of the plasma. There exists a maximum elongation for a given aspect ratio. The critical beta b/sub c/ is computed for several aspect ratios and elongations. For given aspect ratio, b/sub c/ increases as long as the elongation increases

Investigation on the Characteristics of Pellet Ablation in a Toroidal Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, K.N.; Sakakita, H.; Fujita, H.

2003-01-01

Characteristics of a cloud ablated from an ice pellet has been investigated in detail in the JIPP T-IIU tokamak plasma by utilizing a new scheme of pellet injection system, 'the injection-angle controllable system'. A long 'helical tail' of ablation light has been observed using CCD cameras and a high speed framing photograph in the case of on-axis and off-axis injection with the injection angle smaller than a certain value. The direction of the helical tail is found to be independent to that of the total magnetic field lines of the torus. From the experiments with the combination of two toroidal filed directions and two plasma current directions, it is considered that the tail seems to rotate, in most cases, to the electron diamagnetic direction poloidally, and to the opposite to the plasma current direction toroidally. Consideration on various cross sections including charge exchange, ionization and elastic collisions leads us to the conclusion that the tail-shaped phenomena may come from the situation of charge exchange equilibrium of hydrogen ions and neutrals at extremely high density regime in the cloud. The relation of ablation behavior with plasma potential and rotation has also been studied. Potential measurements of pellet-injected plasmas using heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) method were carried out for the first time. In the case of an injection angle to be anti-parallel to the electron diamagnetic direction in the poloidal plane, the result shows that the direction of potential change is negative, and consequently the potential after the injection should be negative because it has been measured to be negative in usual ohmic plasmas without pellet injection. Thus, the direction of the 'tail' structure seems to be consistent to that of the plasma potential measured, if it is considered that tail structure may be caused by the effect of the plasma potential and the rotation

Structural responses to plasma disruptions in toroidal shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tillack, M.S.; Kazimi, M.S.; Lidsky, L.M.

1985-01-01

The induced pressures, stresses and strains in unrestrained axisymmetric toroidal shells are studied to scope the behavior of tokamak first walls during plasma disruptions. The modeling includes a circuit analog representation of the shell to solve for induced currents and pressures, and a separate quasi-static 1-D finite element solution for the mechanical response. This work demonstrates that the stresses in tokamkak first walls due to plasma disruption may be large, but to first order will not cause failure in the bulk structure. However, stress concentrations at structural supports and discontinuities together with resonant effects can result in large enhancements of the stresses, which could contribute to plastic deformation or failure when added to the already large steady state thermal and pressure loading of the first wall

Internal electron transport barrier due to neoclassical ambipolarity in the Helically Symmetric Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lore, J.; Briesemeister, A.; Anderson, D. T.; Anderson, F. S. B.; Likin, K. M.; Talmadge, J. N.; Zhai, K.; Guttenfelder, W.; Deng, C. B.; Spong, D. A.

2010-01-01

Electron cyclotron heated plasmas in the Helically Symmetric Experiment (HSX) feature strongly peaked electron temperature profiles; central temperatures are 2.5 keV with 100 kW injected power. These measurements, coupled with neoclassical predictions of large 'electron root' radial electric fields with strong radial shear, are evidence of a neoclassically driven thermal transport barrier. Neoclassical transport quantities are calculated using the PENTA code [D. A. Spong, Phys. Plasmas 12, 056114 (2005)], in which momentum is conserved and parallel flow is included. Unlike a conventional stellarator, which exhibits strong flow damping in all directions on a flux surface, quasisymmetric stellarators are free to rotate in the direction of symmetry, and the effect of momentum conservation in neoclassical calculations may therefore be significant. Momentum conservation is shown to modify the neoclassical ion flux and ambipolar ion root radial electric fields in the quasisymmetric configuration. The effect is much smaller in a HSX configuration where the symmetry is spoiled. In addition to neoclassical transport, a model of trapped electron mode turbulence is used to calculate the turbulent-driven electron thermal diffusivity. Turbulent transport quenching due to the neoclassically predicted radial electric field profile is needed in predictive transport simulations to reproduce the peaking of the measured electron temperature profile [Guttenfelder et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 215002 (2008)].

Neoclassical transport optimization of LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, S.; Yamada, H.; Watanabe, K.Y.; Wakasa, A.; Maassberg, H.; Beidler, C.D.

2002-06-01

Neoclassical transport is studied for LHD configurations in which the magnetic axis has been shifted radially by determining the mono-energetic transport coefficient and the effective helical ripple. With respect to the transport in the long mean free path collisionality region - the so called 1/ν transport -, the optimum configuration is found when the magnetic axis has a major radius of 3.53m, which is 0.22m inward shifted from the standard'' configuration of LHD. In the optimized case, the effective helical ripple is very small, remaining below 2% inside 4/5 of the plasma radius. This indicates that a strong inward shift of the magnetic axis in the LHD can diminish the neoclassical transport to a level typical of so-called advanced stellarators''. (author)

External kinks in plasmas with helical boundary deformation and net toroidal current

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ardelea, A. [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP)

1997-11-01

The investigation of the global ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of plasmas with helical boundary shape and nonvanishing toroidal plasma current constitutes the principal aim of this work. Global external modes with small values of m,n (typically n = 1,2,3 and m = n+1) are studied, where m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers, respectively. The first and main part of the work concentrates on fixed boundary equilibria generated by systematically varying parameters such as the type and the magnitude of the boundary deformation, the number of equilibrium field periods N{sub per}, the aspect ratio, the toroidal current density profile, {beta} and the pressure profile. Due to the periodicity of the equilibrium, couplings between Fourier perturbation components with different toroidal mode numbers n occur and lead to the apparition of families of modes. The study of a particular (m,n) mode has to take into account all (m{sub l}, n{sub l}) perturbation components with n{sub 1} belonging to the same family as n. The stability analysis is carried out in the parameter region where the inverse rotational transform (the safety factor in the traditional tokamak notation) q{<=}2.0 and {beta}{<=}2%. A particular property of the configurations investigated is that equilibrium Fourier components (m{sub e}, N{sub per}n{sub e}) which are involved in the couplings between the (m,n) mode studied and the (m{sub k},n{sub k}) perturbation components with m{sub k}>n{sub k}>n that exhibit resonances in the q>1 region are very small. As a consequence, the contributions of the (m,n)x(m{sub k},n{sub k}) couplings to the potential energy are very weak. It is shown that a helical boundary deformation can stabilize the n=1,2,3 external modes; if {delta} is a measure of the plasma boundary deformation, then windows of stability [{delta}{sub min}, {delta}{sub max}] may exist for a large variety of equilibrium parameters. (author) figs., tabs., 44 refs.

Analytical modelling of resistive wall mode stabilization by rotation in toroidal tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, C J; Gimblett, C G; Hastie, R J

2011-01-01

Stabilization of the resitive wall mode (RWM) may allow fusion power to be doubled for a given magnetic field in advanced tokamak operation. Experimental evidence from DIII-D and other machines suggests that plasma rotation can stabilize the RWM. Several authors (Finn 1995 Phys. Plasmas 2 3782, Bondeson and Xie 1997 Phys. Plasmas 4 2081) have constructed analytical cylindrical models for the RWM, but these do not deal with toroidal effects. The framework of Connor et al (1988 Phys. Fluids 31 577) is used to develop ideal plasma analytic models with toroidicity included. Stepped pressure profiles and careful ordering of terms are used to simplify the analysis. First, a current driven kink mode model is developed and a dispersion relation for arbitrary current profile is calculated. Second, the external pressure driven kink mode is similarly investigated as the most important RWM arises from this mode. Using this latter model it is found that the RWM is stabilized by Alfven continuum damping with rotation levels similar to those seen in experiments. An expression for the stability of the external kink mode for more general current profiles and a resistive wall is derived in the appendix.

Impact of magnetic perturbation fields on tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fietz, Sina; Maraschek, Marc; Suttrop, Wolfgang; Zohm, Hartmut [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Garching (Germany); Classen, Ivo [FOM-Institute DIFFER, Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Collaboration: the ASDEX Upgrade Team

2015-05-01

Non-axisymmetric external magnetic perturbation (MP) fields arise in every tokamak e.g. due to not perfectly positioned external coils. Additionally many tokamaks, like ASDEX Upgrade (AUG), are equipped with a set of external coils, which produce a 3D MP field in addition to the equilibrium field. This field is used to either compensate for the intrinsic MP field or to influence MHD instabilities such as Edge Localised Modes (ELMs) or Neoclassical Tearing Modes (NTMs). But these MP fields can also give rise to a more global plasma response. The resonant components can penetrate the plasma and influence the stability of existing NTMs or even lead to their formation via magnetic reconnection. In addition they exert a local torque on the plasma. These effects are less pronounced at high plasma rotation where the resonant field components are screened. The non-resonant components do not influence NTMs directly but slow down the plasma rotation globally via the neoclassical toroidal viscous torque. The island formation caused by the MP field as well as the interaction of pre-existing islands with the MP field at AUG is presented. It is shown that these effects can be modelled using a simple forced reconnection theory. Also the effect of resonant and non-resonant MPs on the plasma rotation at AUG is discussed.

Impurity transport and plasma rotation in the ISX-B tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isler, R.C.; Murray, L.E.; Crume, E.C.

1983-01-01

Recent calculations have shown that when external momentum sources and plasma rotation are included in the neoclassical theory, the standard results for impurity transport can be strongly altered. Under appropriate conditions, inward convection is reduced by co-injection and enhanced by counter-injection. In order to examine the theoretical predictions, several observations of impurity transport have been made in the ISX-B tokamak during neutral-beam injection for comparison with the transport seen with Ohmic heating alone. Both intrinsic contaminants and deliberately introduced test impurities display a behaviour that is in qualitative agreement with the predicted beam-driven effects. These correlations are particularly noticeable when the comparisons are made for deuterium when the impurity transport in the Ohmically heated discharges exhibits neoclassical-like characteristics, i.e. accumulation and long confinement times. Similar but smaller effects are observed in beam-heated hydrogen discharges; neoclassical-like behaviour is not seen in Ohmically heated hydrogen sequences. Emphasis has been placed on measuring toroidal plasma rotation, and semiquantitative comparisons with the theories of beam-induced impurity transport have been made. It is possible that radial electric fields other than those associated with momentum transfer and increased anomalous processes during injection could also play a role. (author)

Using numerical simulations to extract parameters of toroidal electron plasmas from experimental data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ha, B. N.; Stoneking,, M. R.; Marler, Joan

2009-01-01

Measurements of the image charge induced on electrodes provide the primary means of diagnosing plasmas in the Lawrence Non-neutral Torus II (LNT II) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 155001 (2008)]. Therefore, it is necessary to develop techniques that determine characteristics of the electron plasma from......, as in the cylindrical case. In the toroidal case, additional information about the m=1 motion of the plasma can be obtained by analysis of the image charge signal amplitude and shape. Finally, results from the numerical simulations are compared to experimental data from the LNT II and plasma characteristics...

Gyrokinetic particle simulation of neoclassical transport in the pedestal/scrape-off region of a tokamak plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ku, S [Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University (United States); Chang, C-S [Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University (United States); Adams, M [Columbia University (United States); Cummings, J [California Institute of Technology (United States); Hinton, F [Hinton Associates (United States); Keyes, D [Columbia University (United States); Klasky, S [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (United States); Lee, W [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (United States); Lin, Z [University of California at Irvine (United States); Parker, S [University of Colorado at Boulder (United States)

2006-09-15

A gyrokinetic neoclassical solution for a diverted tokamak edge plasma has been obtained for the first time using the massively parallel Jaguar XT3 computer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The solutions show similar characteristics to the experimental observations: electric potential is positive in the scrape-off layer and negative in the H-mode layer, and the parallel rotation is positive in the scrape-off layer and at the inside boundary of the H-mode layer. However, the solution also makes a new physical discovery that there is a strong ExB convective flow in the scrape-off plasma. A general introduction to the edge simulation problem is also presented.

THE LARGE ASPECT RATIO LIMIT OF NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

WONG,SK; CHAN,VS

2002-11-01

OAK B202 THE LARGE ASPECT RATIO LIMIT OF NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY. This article presents a comprehensive description of neoclassical transport theory in the banana regime for large aspect ratio flux surfaces of arbitrary shapes. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used to obtain analytical solutions for plasma distribution functions and to compute transport coefficients. The method provides justification for retaining only the part of the Fokker-Planck operator that involves the second derivative with respect to the cosine of the pitch angle for the trapped and barely circulating particles. It leads to a simple equation for the freely circulating particles with boundary conditions that embody a discontinuity separating particles moving in opposite directions. Corrections to the transport coefficients are obtained by generalizing an existing boundary layer analysis. The system of moment and field equations is consistently taken in the cylinder limit, which facilitates discussion of the treatment of dynamical constraints. it is shown that the nonlocal nature of Ohm's law in neoclassical theory renders the mathematical problem of plasma transport with changing flux surfaces nonstandard.

THE LARGE ASPECT RATIO LIMIT OF NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

WONG, S.K.; CHAN, V.S.

2002-01-01

OAK B202 THE LARGE ASPECT RATIO LIMIT OF NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY. This article presents a comprehensive description of neoclassical transport theory in the banana regime for large aspect ratio flux surfaces of arbitrary shapes. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used to obtain analytical solutions for plasma distribution functions and to compute transport coefficients. The method provides justification for retaining only the part of the Fokker-Planck operator that involves the second derivative with respect to the cosine of the pitch angle for the trapped and barely circulating particles. It leads to a simple equation for the freely circulating particles with boundary conditions that embody a discontinuity separating particles moving in opposite directions. Corrections to the transport coefficients are obtained by generalizing an existing boundary layer analysis. The system of moment and field equations is consistently taken in the cylinder limit, which facilitates discussion of the treatment of dynamical constraints. it is shown that the nonlocal nature of Ohm's law in neoclassical theory renders the mathematical problem of plasma transport with changing flux surfaces nonstandard

Three-dimensional simulation study of compact toroid injection into magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshio Suzuki; Tomohiko Watanabe; Tetsuya Sato; Takaya Hayashi

1999-01-01

Three-dimensional dynamics of a compact toroid (CT), which is injected into a magnetized target plasma modeling a part of a fusion device is investigated by using magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations. It is found that the injected CT penetrates into the device region, suffering from a tilting instability. In this process, magnetic reconnection between the CT magnetic field and the device magnetic field takes place, which disrupts the magnetic configuration of the CT. As a result, the high density plasma confined in the CT magnetic field is locally supplied in the device region. Furthermore, the authors examine the penetration depth of the CT high density plasma. And it is revealed that the CT high density plasma is decelerated by the device magnetic field through the compressional heating

Time-dependent simulations of feedback stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes in KSTAR plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyungjin [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Na, Yong-Su, E-mail: ysna@snu.ac.kr [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyun-Seok [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Maraschek, M. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Garching bei München (Germany); Park, Y.S. [Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York (United States); Stober, J. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Garching bei München (Germany); Terzolo, L. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Zohm, H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Garching bei München (Germany)

2014-06-15

A simulation is performed for feedback stabilization of neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) by electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) for KSTAR in preparation for experiments. An integrated numerical system is constructed by coupling plasma transport, NTM stability, and heating and current drive modules and applied to a KSTAR plasma by assuming similar experimental conditions as ASDEX Upgrade to predict NTM behaviors in KSTAR. System identification is made with database produced by predictive simulations with this integrated numerical system so that three plasma response models are extracted which describe the relation between the EC poloidal launcher angle and the island width in KSTAR. Among them, the P1DI model exhibiting the highest fit accuracy is selected for designing a feedback controller based on the classical Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) concept. The controller is coupled with the integrated numerical system and applied to a simulation of NTM stabilization. It is observed that the controller can search and fully stabilize the mode even though the poloidal launch angle is misaligned with the island initially.

Neoclassical transport optimization of LHD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murakami, S.; Yamada, H.; Watanabe, K.Y. [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan); Wakasa, A. [Hokkaido Univ., Graduate School of Engineering, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan); Maassberg, H.; Beidler, C.D. [Teilinstitut Greifswald, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Greifswald (Germany)

2002-06-01

Neoclassical transport is studied for LHD configurations in which the magnetic axis has been shifted radially by determining the mono-energetic transport coefficient and the effective helical ripple. With respect to the transport in the long mean free path collisionality region - the so called 1/{nu} transport -, the optimum configuration is found when the magnetic axis has a major radius of 3.53m, which is 0.22m inward shifted from the standard'' configuration of LHD. In the optimized case, the effective helical ripple is very small, remaining below 2% inside 4/5 of the plasma radius. This indicates that a strong inward shift of the magnetic axis in the LHD can diminish the neoclassical transport to a level typical of so-called advanced stellarators''. (author)

A neoclassical drift-magnetohydrodynamical fluid model of the interaction of a magnetic island chain with a resonant error-field in a high temperature tokamak plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Richard

2018-04-01

A two-fluid, neoclassical theory of the interaction of a single magnetic island chain with a resonant error-field in a quasi-cylindrical, low-β, tokamak plasma is presented. The plasmas typically found in large hot tokamaks lie in the so-called weak neoclassical flow-damping regime in which the neoclassical ion stress tensor is not the dominant term in the ion parallel equation of motion. Nevertheless, flow-damping in such plasmas dominates ion perpendicular viscosity, and is largely responsible for determining the phase velocity of a freely rotating island chain (which is in the ion diamagnetic direction relative to the local E × B frame at the rational surface). The critical vacuum island width required to lock the island chain is mostly determined by the ion neoclassical poloidal flow damping rate at the rational surface. The stabilizing effect of the average field-line curvature, as well as the destabilizing effect of the perturbed bootstrap current, is the same for a freely rotating, a non-uniformly rotating, and a locked island chain. The destabilizing effect of the error-field averages to zero when the chain is rotating and only manifests itself when the chain locks. The perturbed ion polarization current has a small destabilizing effect on a freely rotating island chain, but a large destabilizing effect on both a non-uniformly rotating and a locked island chain. This behavior may account for the experimentally observed fact that locked island chains are much more unstable than corresponding freely rotating chains.

Importance of Plasma Response to Non-axisymmetric Perturbations in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong-kyu; Boozer, Allen H.; Menard, Jonathan E.; Garofalo, Andrea M.; Schaffer, Michael J.; Hawryluk, Richard J.; Kaye, Stanley M.; Gerhardt, Stefan P.; Sabbagh, Steve A. and the NSTX Team

2009-01-01

Tokamaks are sensitive to deviations from axisymmetry as small as (delta)B/B 0 ∼ 10 -4 . These non-axisymmetric perturbations greatly modify plasma confinement and performance by either destroying magnetic surfaces with subsequent locking or deforming magnetic surfaces with associated non-ambipolar transport. The Ideal Perturbed Equilibrium Code (IPEC) calculates ideal perturbed equilibria and provides important basis for understanding the sensitivity of tokamak plasmas to perturbations. IPEC calculations indicate that the ideal plasma response, or equivalently the effect by ideally perturbed plasma currents, is essential to explain locking experiments on National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) and DIII-D. The ideal plasma response is also important for Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity (NTV) in non-ambipolar transport. The consistency between NTV theory and magnetic braking experiments on NSTX and DIII-D can be improved when the variation in the field strength in IPEC is coupled with generalized NTV theory. These plasma response effects will be compared with the previous vacuum superpositions to illustrate the importance. However, plasma response based on ideal perturbed equilibria is still not sufficiently accurate to predict the details of NTV transport, and can be inconsistent when currents associated with a toroidal torque become comparable to ideal perturbed currents

Neoclassical transport, poloidal rotation and radial electric field at the L-H transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minardi, E.; Gervasini, G.; Lazzaro, E.

1993-01-01

The transition to a high confinement regime in tokamaks operating with a magnetic divertor configuration is accompanied by the strong steepening of the edge temperature profile and the onset of a large positive poloidal mass rotation associated with a negative radial electric field. The latter phenomena are signatures of a neoclassical transport mechanism. We address the question of establishing whether neoclassical transport is indeed sufficient to establish high edge gradients and drive poloidal rotation under strong auxiliary heating. The heat transport equation is solved numerically in a narrow edge layer interfaced to the plasma body through heat flux continuity, but allowing for heat conductivity discontinuity. The results compared with recent experimental measurements support the assumption that a highly sheared neoclassical poloidal velocity profile can suppress the anomalous part of the heat transport, and that the neoclassical residual transport, characterizes the plasma behaviour at the edge during H modes. (author) 3 refs., 4 figs

Toroidal asymmetries in divertor impurity influxes in NSTX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Scotti

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Toroidal asymmetries in divertor carbon and lithium influxes were observed in NSTX, due to toroidal differences in surface composition, tile leading edges, externally-applied three-dimensional (3D fields and toroidally-localized edge plasma modifications due to radio frequency heating. Understanding toroidal asymmetries in impurity influxes is critical for the evaluation of total impurity sources, often inferred from measurements with a limited toroidal coverage. The toroidally-asymmetric lithium deposition induced asymmetries in divertor lithium influxes. Enhanced impurity influxes at the leading edge of divertor tiles were the main cause of carbon toroidal asymmetries and were enhanced during edge localized modes. Externally-applied 3D fields led to strike point splitting and helical lobes observed in divertor impurity emission, but marginal changes to the toroidally-averaged impurity influxes. Power coupled to the scrape-off layer SOL plasma during radio frequency (RF heating of H-mode discharges enhanced impurity influxes along the non-axisymmetric divertor footprint of flux tubes connecting to plasma in front of the RF antenna.

Theory and application of maximum magnetic energy in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, T.K.

1992-02-01

The magnetic energy in an inductively driven steady-state toroidal plasma is a maximum for a given rate of dissipation of energy (Poynting flux). A purely resistive steady state of the piecewise force-free configuration, however, cannot exist, as the periodic removal of the excess poloidal flux and pressure, due to heating, ruptures the static equilibrium of the partitioning rational surfaces intermittently. The rupture necessitates a plasma with a negative q'/q (as in reverse field pinches and spheromaks) to have the same α in all its force-free regions and with a positive q'/q (as in tokamaks) to have centrally peaked α's

Moment approach to neoclassical flows, currents and transport in auxiliary heated tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yil Bong.

1988-02-01

The moment approach is utilized to derive the full complement of neoclassical transport processes in auxiliary heated tokamaks. The effects of auxiliary heating [neutral beam injection (NBI) and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH)] considered arise from the collisional interaction between the background plasma species and the fast-ion-tail species. From a known fast ion distribution function we evaluate the parallel (to the magnetic field) momentum and heat flow inputs to the background plasma. Then, through the momentum and heat flow balance equations, we can determine the induced parallel flows (and current) and radial transpot fluxes in ''equilibrium'' (on the time scale much longer than the collisional relaxation time, i.e., t >> 1ν/sub ii/). In addition to the fast-ion-induced current, the total neoclassical current includes the boostap current, which is driven by the pressure and temperature gradients, the Pfirsch-Schlueter current which is required for charge neutrality, and the neoclassical (including trapped particle effects) Spitzer current due to the parallel electric field. The radial transport fluxes also include off-diagonal compnents in the transport matrix which correspond to the Ware (neoclassical) pinch due to the inductive applied electric field an the fast-ion-induced radial fluxes, in addition to the usual pressure- and temperature-gradient-driven fluxes (particle diffusion and heat conduction). Once the tranport coefficient are completely determined, the radial fluxes and the heat fluxes can be substituted into the density and energy evolution equations to provide a complete description of ''equilibrium'' (δδt << ν/sub ii/) neoclassical transport processes in a plasma. 47 refs., 14 figs

Toroidal field ripple effects in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uckan, N.A.; Tsang, K.T.; Callen, J.D.

1975-01-01

In an experimental power reactor, the ripple produced by the finite number of toroidal field coils destroys the ideal axisymmetry of the configuration and is responsible for additional particle trapping, loss regions and plasma transport. The effects of toroidal field ripple on the plasma transport coefficient, the loss of alpha particles and energetic injection ions, and the relaxation of toroidal flows are investigated in a new and systematic way. The relevant results are applied to the ORNL-EPR reference design; the maximum ripple there of about 2.2 percent at the outer edge of the plasma column is found to be tolerable from plasma physics considerations

Pfirsch–Schlüter neoclassical heavy impurity transport in a rotating plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belli, E A; Candy, J; Angioni, C

2014-01-01

In this work, we extend previous analytic theories for the neoclassical transport of a trace heavy impurity in a rotating plasma in the Pfirsch–Schlüter regime. The complete diffusive and convective components of the ambipolar particle flux are derived. The solution is valid for arbitrary impurity charge and impurity Mach number and for general geometry. Inclusion of finite main-ion temperature gradient effects is shown in the small ion Mach number limit. A simple interpolation formula is derived for the case of high impurity charge and circular geometry. While an enhancement of the diffusion coefficient is found for order one impurity Mach number, a reduction due to the rotation-driven poloidal asymmetry in the density occurs for very large Mach number. (paper)

WKB theory for high-n modes in axisymmetric toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewar, R.L.; Chance, M.S.; Glasser, A.H.; Greene, J.M.; Frieman, E.A.

1979-09-01

It is demonstrated that the low-frequency, k/sub parallel//k/sub perpendicular/ approx. = 0 normal modes of an axisymmetric plasma, at large but finite toroidal mode number n, can be obtained by solving a novel WKB problem involving an infinite number of branches. Formulae for the frequencies of periodic normal modes are derived. The analysis is performed in the context of an ideal MHD model, and comparison is made with numerical ballooning mode results

Chaotic magnetic field line in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatori, Tadatsugu; Abe, Yoshihiko; Urata, Kazuhiro; Irie, Haruyuki.

1989-05-01

This is an introductory review of chaotic magnetic field line in plasmas, together with some new results, with emphasis on the long-time tail and the fractional Brownian motion of the magnetic field line. The chaotic magnetic field line in toroidal plasmas is a typical chaotic phenomena in the Hamiltonian dynamical systems. The onset of stochasticity induced by a major magnetic perturbation is thought to cause a macroscopic rapid phenomena called the current disruption in the tokamak discharges. Numerical simulations on the basis of magnetohydrodynamics reveal in fact the disruptive phenomena. Some dynamical models which include the area-preserving mapping such as the standard mapping, and the two-wave Hamiltonian system can model the stochastic magnetic field. Theoretical results with use of the functional integral representation are given regarding the long-time tail on the basis of the radial twist mapping. It is shown that application of renormalization group technique to chaotic orbit in the two-wave Hamiltonian system proves decay of the velocity autocorrelation function with the power law. Some new numerical results are presented which supports these theoretical results. (author)

Plasma rotation measurement in small tokamaks using an optical spectrometer and a single photomultiplier as detector.

Science.gov (United States)

Severo, J H F; Nascimento, I C; Kuznetov, Yu K; Tsypin, V S; Galvão, R M O; Tendler, M

2007-04-01

The method for plasma rotation measurement in the tokamak TCABR is reported in this article. During a discharge, an optical spectrometer is used to scan sequentially spectral lines of plasma impurities and spectral lines of a calibration lamp. Knowing the scanning velocity of the diffraction grating of the spectrometer with adequate precision, the Doppler shifts of impurity lines are determined. The photomultiplier output voltage signals are recorded with adequate sampling rate. With this method the residual poloidal and toroidal plasma rotation velocities were determined, assuming that they are the same as those of the impurity ions. The results show reasonable agreement with the neoclassical theory and with results from similar tokamaks.

Toroidal Extrap Equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheffel, J.

1982-04-01

Ideal MHD-equilibria for the toroidal EXTRAP configuration have been computed with an equilibrium code. The free-boundary prob- lem is solved by using the condition that the current density is proportional to r on a flux surface. It is found that the toroidal Z-pinch, initially induced in the central zero-field region of a transverse octupole field, drifts radially outwards producing an inverse -D shaped cross-section. The plasma current of this high- beta equilibrium may be increased if the plasma is pushed back by altering the external confining magnetic field as demonstrated. (Author)

Shear-Alfven dynamics of toroidally confined plasmas. Part A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazeltine, R.D.; Meiss, J.D.

1984-08-01

Recent developments in the stability theory of toroidally confined plasmas are reviewed, with the intention of providing a picture comprehensible to non-specialists. The review considers a class of low-frequency, electromagnetic disturbances that seem especially pertinent to modern high-temperature confinement experiments. It is shown that such disturbances are best unified and understood through consideration of a single, exact fluid moment: the shear-Alfven law. Appropriate versions of this law and its corresponding closure relations are derived - essentially from first principles - and applied in a variety of mostly, but not exclusively, linear contexts. Among the specific topics considered are: flux coordinates (including Hamada coordinates), the Newcomb solubility condition. Shafranov geometry, magnetic island evolution, reduced MHD and its generalizations, drift-kinetic electron response, classical tearing, twisting, and kink instabilities, pressure-modified tearing instability (Δ-critical), collisionless and semi-collisional tearing modes, the ballooning representation in general geometry, ideal ballooning instability, Mercier criterion, near-axis expansions, the second stability region, and resistive and kinetic ballooning modes. The fundamental importance of toroidal topology and curvature is stressed

Tokamak with liquid metal toroidal field coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkawa, T.; Schaffer, M.J.

1981-01-01

Tokamak apparatus includes a pressure vessel for defining a reservoir and confining liquid therein. A toroidal liner disposed within the pressure vessel defines a toroidal space within the liner. Liquid metal fills the reservoir outside said liner. Electric current is passed through the liquid metal over a conductive path linking the toroidal space to produce a toroidal magnetic field within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof. Toroidal plasma is developed within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof

Structure of parallel-velocity-shear-driven mode in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, J.Q.; Xu, W.B.; Zhang, Y.Z.; Horton, W.

1998-01-01

It is shown that the Fourier-ballooning representation is appropriate for the study of short-wavelength drift-like perturbation in toroidal plasmas with a parallel velocity shear (PVS). The radial structure of the mode driven by a PVS is investigated in a torus. The Reynolds stress created by PVS turbulence, and proposed as one of the sources for a sheared poloidal plasma rotation, is analyzed. It is demonstrated that a finite ion temperature may strongly enhance the Reynolds stress creation ability from PVS-driven turbulence. The correlation of this observation with the requirement that ion heating power be higher than a threshold value for the formation of an internal transport barrier is discussed. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Improved method for calculating neoclassical transport coefficients in the banana regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taguchi, M., E-mail: taguchi.masayoshi@nihon-u.ac.jp [College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University, Narashino 275-8576 (Japan)

2014-05-15

The conventional neoclassical moment method in the banana regime is improved by increasing the accuracy of approximation to the linearized Fokker-Planck collision operator. This improved method is formulated for a multiple ion plasma in general tokamak equilibria. The explicit computation in a model magnetic field shows that the neoclassical transport coefficients can be accurately calculated in the full range of aspect ratio by the improved method. The some neoclassical transport coefficients for the intermediate aspect ratio are found to appreciably deviate from those obtained by the conventional moment method. The differences between the transport coefficients with these two methods are up to about 20%.

Formation of compact toroidal configurations for magnetic confinement of high temperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuentes, N.O.; Rodrigo, A.B.

1986-01-01

The formation stage of inverted magnetic field toroidal configurations (FRC) for hot plasmas confinement using a low energy linear theta pinch is studied. The diagnostic techniques used are based on optical spectroscopy, ultrarapid photography, magnetic probes and excluded flux compensated bonds. The generalities of the present research program, the used diagnostic techniques and the results obtained are discussed. (Author)

The importance of the toroidal magnetic field for the feasibility of a tokamak burning plasma experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzucato, E.

2000-01-01

The next step in the demonstration of the scientific feasibility of a tokamak fusion reactor is a DT burning plasma experiment for the study and control of self-heated plasmas. In this paper, the authors examine the role of the toroidal magnetic field on the confinement of a tokamak plasma in the ELMy H-mode regime--the operational regime foreseen for ITER

Curvature driven instabilities in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, P.

1986-11-01

The electromagnetic ballooning mode, the curvature driven trapped electron mode and the toroidally induced ion temperature gradient mode have been studies. Eigenvalue equations have been derived and solved both numerically and analytically. For electromagnetic ballooning modes the effects of convective damping, finite Larmor radius, higher order curvature terms, and temperature gradients have been investigated. A fully toroidal fluid ion model has been developed. It is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for an instability below the MHD limit is the presence of an ion temperature gradient. Analytical dispersion relations giving results in good agreement with numerical solutions are also presented. The curvature driven trapped electron modes are found to be unstable for virtually all parameters with growth rates of the order of the diamagnetic drift frequency. Studies have been made, using both a gyrokinetic ion description and the fully toroidal ion model. Both analytical and numerical results are presented and are found to be in good agreement. The toroidally induced ion temperature gradients modes are found to have a behavior similar to that of the curvature driven trapped electron modes and can in the electrostatic limit be described by a simple quadratic dispersion equation. (author)

Toroidal Thermonuclear device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takizawa, Teruhiro; Shizuoka, Yoshihide.

1982-01-01

Purpose: To reduce the shielding capacity of a current breaker for a current transformer coil and to facilitate the manufacture and the assembly of the current transformer coil. Constitution: A first current transformer coil is provided between a vacuum container for enclosing a plasma and a toroidal magnetic field coil, and a secon current transformer coil is provided outside the toroidal magnetic field coil. The rise of the plasma current is performed by the variation in the current of the coil of the first transformer having high electromagnetic coupling with the plasma current, and the variation in the magnetic flux necessary for maintaining the plasma is performed by the variation in the current of the second transformer coil. In this manner, the current shielding capacity of the first transformer coil can be reduced to decrease the number of coil turns, thereby facilitating the manufacture and assembly. (Seki, T.)

Poloidal variations in toroidal fusion reactor wall power loadings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, M.C.; Miley, G.H.

1985-01-01

A geometric formulation is developed by the authors for determining poloidal variations in bremmstrahlung, cyclotron radiation, and neutron wall power loadings in toroidal fusion devices. Assuming toroidal symmetry and utilizing a numerical model which partitions the plasma into small cells, it was generally found that power loadings are highest on the outer surface of the torus, although variations are not as large as some have predicted. Results are presented for various plasma power generation configurations, plasma volume fractions, and toroidal aspect ratios, and include plasma and wall blockage effects

Equations for the non linear evolution of the resistive tearing modes in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edery, D.; Pellat, R.; Soule, J.L.

1979-09-01

Following the tokamak ordering, we simplify the resistive MHD equations in toroidal geometry. We obtain a closed system of non linear equations for two scalar potentials of the magnetic and velocity fields and for plasma density and temperature. If we expand these equations in the inverse of aspect ratio they are exact to the two first orders. Our formalism should correctly describe the mode coupling by curvature effects /1/ and the toroidal displacement of magnetic surfaces /2/. It provides a natural extension of the well known cylindrical model /3/ and is now being solved on computer

Kinetic extensions of magnetohydrodynamic models for axisymmetric toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1989-04-01

A nonvariational kinetic-MHD stability code (NOVA-K) has been developed to integrate a set of non-Hermitian integro-differential eigenmode equations due to energetic particles for axisymmetric toroidal plasmas in a general flux coordinate system with an arbitrary Jacobian. The NOVA-K code employs the Galerkin method involving Fourier expansions in the generalized poloidal angle θ and generalized toroidal angle /zeta/ directions, and cubic-B spline finite elements in the radial /Psi/ direction. Extensive comparisons with the existing variational ideal MHD codes show that the ideal MHD version of the NOVA-K code converges faster and gives more accurate results. The NOVA-K code is employed to study the effects of energetic particles on MHD-type modes: the stabilization of ideal MHD internal kink modes and the excitation of ''fishbone'' internal kink modes; and the alpha particle destabilization of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) via transit resonances. Analytical theories are also presented to help explain the NOVA-K results. For energetic trapped particles generated by neutral beam injection (NBI) or ion cyclotron resonant heating (ICRH), a stability window for the n = 1 internal kink mode in the hot particle beta space exists even in the absence of the core ion finite Larmor radius effect. On the other hand, the trapped alpha particles are found to have negligible effects on the stability of the n = 1 internal kink mode, but the circulating alpha particles can strongly destabilize TAE modes via inverse Landau damping associated with the spatial gradient of the alpha particle pressure. 60 refs., 24 figs., 1 tab

Evident anomalous inward particle pinch in full non-inductive plasmas driven by lower hybrid waves on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoang, G.T.; Bourdelle, C.; Pegourie, 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.; Schunke, B.; Travere, J.M.; Tsitrone, E.

2003-01-01

These slides present some characteristics concerning peaked density profile observed in Tore-Supra. It appears that density profile remains peaked for more than 3 minutes in fully LHCD (lower hybrid current drive) discharges. The absence of toroidal electric field and the fact that the ware pinch has vanished across the entire plasma show that toroidal electric field and ware pinch are not the cause of the peaked profile. It is shown that peaked profile is linked to transport properties and can only be explained by a particle pinch velocity 2 orders of magnitude above the neoclassical pinch. It is also shown that the radial profile is in agreement with Isitchenko's formula. (A.C.)

Comparison of Poloidal Velocity Meassurements to Neoclassical Theory on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, R.E.; Andre, R.; Kaye, S.M.; Kolesnikov, R.A.; LeBlance, B.P.; Rewolldt, G.; Wang, W.X.; Sabbagh, S.A.

2010-01-01

Knowledge of poloidal velocity is necessary for the determination of the radial electric field, Er, which along with its gradient is linked to turbulence suppression and transport barrier formation. Recent measurements of poloidal flow on conventional tokamaks have been reported to be an order of magnitude larger than expected from neoclassical theory. In contrast, recent poloidal velocity measurements on the NSTX spherical torus (S. M. Kaye et al., Phys. Plasmas 8, 1977 (2001)) are near or below neoclassical estimates. A novel charge exchange recombination spectroscopy diagnostic is used, which features active and passive sets of up/down symmetric views to produce line-integrated poloidal velocity measurements that do not need atomic physics corrections. Local profiles are obtained with an inversion. Poloidal velocity measurements are compared with neoclassical values computed with the codes NCLASS (W. A. Houlberg et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 3230 (1997)) and GTC-Neo (W. X. Wang, et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 082501 (2006)), which has been updated to handle impurities.

Sawtooth-free Ohmic discharges in ASDEX and the aspects of neoclassical ion transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroth, U.; Fussmann, G.; Krieger, K.; Mertens, V.; Wagner, F.; Bessenrodt-Weberpals, M.; Buechse, R.; Giannone, L.; Herrmann, H.; Simmet, E.; Steuer, K.H.

1991-05-01

Sawtooth-free Ohmic discharges can serve as a model case for a quiescent Tokamak plasma. We report on the properties and the global parameters of these discharges observed in ASDEX and make comments on the mechanism which seems to be responsible for the stabilization of the sawtooth instability. Stationary Ohmic discharge were used to investigate particle, impurity and energy transport in the absence of the sawtooth instability. Particular emphasis has been devoted to a comparison with the predictions of neoclassical theories. We find that the ion energy transport is on the level predicted by neoclassical theory and can explain particle and impurity transport with neoclassical inward drift velocities and diffusion coefficients with the same small anomalous contribution. In the central region of the plasma, where the power flux is low, very small values were found for the electron heat conductivity. (orig.)

Global stability of plasmas with helical boundary deformation and net toroidal current against n=1,2 external modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardela, A.; Cooper, W.A.

1996-01-01

In this paper we resume a numerical study of the global stability of plasma with helical boundary deformation and non null net toroidal current. The aim was to see whether external modes with n=1,2 (n toroidal mode number) can be stabilized at values of β inaccessible to the tokamak. L=2,3 configurations with several aspect ratios and different numbers of equilibrium field periods are considered. A large variety of toroidal current densities and different pressure profiles are taken into account. Mercier stability is also investigated. (author) 4 figs., 6 refs

Compact toroid challenge experiment with the increasing in the energy input into plasma and the level of trapped magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romadanov, I.V.; Ryzhkov, S.V., E-mail: ryzhkov@power.bmstu.ru

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Compact torus formation method with high level of magnetic flux is proposed. • A compact torus is produced in a theta-pinch-coil with pulse mode of operation. • Key feature is a pulse of current in an axial direction. • We report a level of linked magnetic flux is higher than theta-pinch results. - Abstract: The present work reports on compact toroid hydrogen plasma creation by means of a specially designed discharge system and results of magnetic fields introduction. Experiments in the compact toroid challenge (CTC) device at P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute (FIAN) have been conducted since 2005. The CTC device differs from the conventional theta-pinch formation in the use of an axial current for enhanced efficiency. We have used a novel technique to maximize the flux linked to the plasma. The purpose of this method is to increase the energy input into the plasma and the level of trapped magnetic flux using an additional toroidal magnetic field. A study of compact torus formation with axial and toroidal currents was done and a new method is proposed and implemented.

Linear analysis of neoclassical tearing mode based on the four-field reduced neoclassical MHD equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuya, Atsushi; Yagi, Masatoshi; Itoh, Sanae-I.

2003-01-01

The linear neoclassical tearing mode is investigated using the four-field reduced neoclassical MHD equations, in which the fluctuating ion parallel flow and ion neoclassical viscosity are taken into account. The dependences of the neoclassical tearing mode on collisionality, diamagnetic drift and q profile are investigated. These results are compared with the results from the conventional three-field model. It is shown that the linear neoclassical tearing mode is stabilized by the ion neoclassical viscosity in the banana regime even if Δ' > 0. (author)

Plasma edge physics in the TEXTOR tokamak with poloidal and toroidal limiters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samm, U.; Bogen, P.; Hartwig, H.; Hintz, E.; Hoethker, K.; Lie, Y.T.; Pospieszczyk, A.; Rusbueldt, D.; Schweer, B.; Yu, Y.J.

1989-01-01

Investigations of the plasma edge in TEXTOR are presented on the one hand by comparing results obtained with poloidal and toroidal limiters and on the other hand by discussing general problems of plasma edge physics which are independent of the limiter configuration. The characteristic properties of plasma flow to the different limiters are analyzed and show e.g. that the fraction of total ion flow to the limiter is much larger in the case of a toroidal limiter (80%). Density and heat flux profiles are presented which demonstrate that for both types of limiters a significant steepening of the scrape-off layer (SOL) occurs close to the limiter, leading to a small heat load e-folding length of 5-8 mm. The velocity distribution of recycled neutral hydrogen at a main limiter has been determined from the Doppler broadening of the H α line. The data clearly show that a large fraction of particles (30-50%) is reflected at the limiter surface having energies of about the sheath potential. Significant isotopic effects (H/D) concerning the plasma edge properties and the plasma core are presented and their relation to enhanced particle and energy transport in hydrogen compared to deuterium is discussed. A decrease of the cross field diffusion coefficient with increasing density can be deduced from density profile measurements in the SOL and a comparison with density fluctuations is given. The role of oxygen for impurity release is demonstrated. A new type of wall conditioning - boronization - is described, with two major improvements for quasi stationary conditions: reduction of oxygen and better density control. Best results with ICRH have been obtained under these conditions. (orig.)

Two and three dimensional imaging of compact toroid plasmas using fast photography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Englert, S.E.; Bell, D.E.; Coffey, S.K.

1992-01-01

As is discussed in a companion paper, Degnan el al, fast photography is used as a visual diagnostic tool for high energy plasma research at the Phillips Laboratory. Both, two dimensional and three dimensional images, are gathered by using nanosecond and microsecond range fast photography techniques. A set of microchannel plate cameras and a fast framing camera are used to record images of a compact toroid plasma during formation and acceleration stages. These images are subsequently digitized and enhanced to bring out detailed information of interest. This spatial information is combined with other diagnostic results as well as theoretical models in order to build a more complete picture of the fundamental physics associated with high-energy plasmas

On the theory of the electrical field and the plasma rotation in the stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coronado-Gallardo, M.

1984-01-01

In the context of neoclassical transport theory, the macroscopic torque equations for several liquids in toroidal plasmas are used with general geometry. In order to examine plasma rotation and the electrical field in equilibrium and the effect of sources of particles and pulses, the continuity and pulse balance equations are dealt with. In order to use them on the WVII-A stellarator in the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, existing formulae are expanded and the viscosity tensor is calculated in the CGL form in the plateau range. General expressions for plasma speed, electrical field, plasma diffusion and current are obtained, in which the effect of the sources occurs explicitly. The theory is applied to the WVII-A stellarator, in which neutral particle injection represents one pulse source. (orig.) [de

Turbulent transport of toroidal angular momentum in low flow gyrokinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, Felix I; Catto, Peter J

2010-01-01

We derive a self-consistent equation for the turbulent transport of toroidal angular momentum in tokamaks in the low flow ordering that only requires solving gyrokinetic Fokker-Planck and quasineutrality equations correct to second order in an expansion on the gyroradius over scale length. We also show that according to our orderings the long wavelength toroidal rotation and the long wavelength radial electric field satisfy the neoclassical relation that gives the toroidal rotation as a function of the radial electric field and the radial gradients of pressure and temperature. Thus, the radial electric field can be solved for once the toroidal rotation is calculated from the transport of toroidal angular momentum. Unfortunately, even though this methodology only requires a gyrokinetic model correct to second order in gyroradius over scale length, current gyrokinetic simulations are only valid to first order. To overcome this difficulty, we exploit the smallish ratio B p /B, where B is the total magnetic field and B p is its poloidal component. When B p /B is small, the usual first order gyrokinetic equation provides solutions that are accurate enough to employ for our expression for the transport of toroidal angular momentum. We show that current δf and full f simulations only need small corrections to achieve this accuracy. Full f simulations, however, are still unable to determine the long wavelength, radial electric field from the quasineutrality equation.

Analysis of MHD equilibria by toroidal multipolar expansions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alladio, F.; Crisanti, F.

1986-01-01

The use of fully toroidal co-ordinates permits the two-dimensional problem of the axisymmetric plasma toroidal equilibrium to be reduced to the one-dimensional problem of determining a limited number of its toroidal multipolar moments. This has allowed the creation of a fast semi-analytic predictive equilibrium code that can be used in both free and fixed boundary conditions for plasmas with circular or mildly non-circular cross-section. The concept of toroidal multipoles is also particularly suitable for the analysis of experimental data from magnetic probe measurements and clarifies the conditions under which the plasma thermal and electrical self-inductances βsub(p) and lsub(i) can be estimated separately. Finally, the interpretation of the magnetic equilibrium measurements in terms of toroidal multipoles can directly provide the boundary conditions for a fast equilibrium reconstruction code. Examples of the application of such a code to the JET magnetic measurements are reported. (author)

Particle simulation of pedestal buildup and study of pedestal scaling law in a quiescent plasma edge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.S.; Ku, S.; Weitzner, H.; Groebner, R.; Osborne, T.

2005-01-01

A discrete guiding-center particle code XGC (X-point included Guiding Center code) is used to study pedestal buildup and sheared E r formation in a quiescent plasma edge of a diverted tokamak. A neoclassical pedestal scaling law has been deduced, which shows that the density pedestal width is proportional to T i 1/2 M 1/2 /B t where T i is the ion temperature, M is ion mass and B t is the toroidal magnetic field. Dependence on the pedestal density or the poloidal magnetic field is found to be much weaker. Ion temperature pedestal is not as well defined as the density pedestal. Neoclassical electron transport rate, including the collisional heat exchange rate with ions, is too slow to be considered in the time scale of simulation (∼ 10 ms). (author)

Large-aspect-ratio limit of neoclassical transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, S K.; Chan, V.S.

2003-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive description of neoclassical transport theory in the banana regime for large-aspect-ratio flux surfaces of arbitrary shapes. The method of matched-asymptotic expansions is used to obtain analytical solutions for plasma distribution functions and to compute transport coefficients. The method provides justification for retaining only the part of the Fokker-Planck operator that involves the second derivative with respect to the cosine of the pitch angle for the trapped and barely circulating particles. It leads to a simple equation for the freely circulating particles with boundary conditions that embody a discontinuity separating particles moving in opposite directions. Corrections to the transport coefficients are obtained by generalizing an existing boundary layer analysis. The system of moment and field equations is consistently taken in the cylinder limit, which facilitates the discussion of the treatment of dynamical constraints. It is shown that the nonlocal nature of Ohm's law in neoclassical theory renders the mathematical problem of plasma transport with changing flux surfaces nonstandard

Large-aspect-ratio limit of neoclassical transport theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, S K; Chan, V S

2003-06-01

This paper presents a comprehensive description of neoclassical transport theory in the banana regime for large-aspect-ratio flux surfaces of arbitrary shapes. The method of matched-asymptotic expansions is used to obtain analytical solutions for plasma distribution functions and to compute transport coefficients. The method provides justification for retaining only the part of the Fokker-Planck operator that involves the second derivative with respect to the cosine of the pitch angle for the trapped and barely circulating particles. It leads to a simple equation for the freely circulating particles with boundary conditions that embody a discontinuity separating particles moving in opposite directions. Corrections to the transport coefficients are obtained by generalizing an existing boundary layer analysis. The system of moment and field equations is consistently taken in the cylinder limit, which facilitates the discussion of the treatment of dynamical constraints. It is shown that the nonlocal nature of Ohm's law in neoclassical theory renders the mathematical problem of plasma transport with changing flux surfaces nonstandard.

Anomalous transport in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Punjabi, A.

1991-01-01

We have developed a Monte Carlo method to estimate the transport of different groups of particles for plasmas in toroidal geometries. This method can determine the important transport mechanisms driving the anomalous transport by comparing the numerical results with the experimental data. The important groups of particles whose transport can be estimated by this method include runaway electrons, thermal electrons, both passing and trapped diagnostic beam ions etc. The three basic mechanisms driving the anomalous transport are: spatial variation of magnetic field strength, spatial variation of electrostatic potential within the flux surfaces, and the loss of flux surfaces. The equation of motion are obtained from the drift hamiltonian. The equations of motion are developed in the canonical and in the non-canonical, practical co-ordinates as well. The effects of collisions are represented by appropriate stochastic changes in the constants of motion at each time-step. Here we present the results of application of this method to three cases: superathermal alphas in the rippled field of tokamaks, motion in the magnetic turbulence of takapole II, and transport in the stochastic fields of ZT40. This work is supported by DOE OFE and ORAU HBCU program

Multispecies transport theory for axisymmetric rotating plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tessarotto, M.; White, R.B.

1992-01-01

A reduced gyrokinetic equation is derived for a multi-species toroidal axisymmetric plasma with arbitrary toroidal differential rotation speeds and in the presence of a finite induced electric field. The kinetic equation obtained, extending previous results obtained by Hinton and Wong and by Catto, Bernstein and Tessarotto, has a form suited for transport applications, via variational techniques; in particular it exhibits the feature that all source terms, including the Spitzer source term, carrying the contribution due to the inductive electric field, appear to be acted upon by the collision operator. Moreover, the equation displays a new contribution due to ''explicit'' velocity perturbations, here proven to be consistent with transport ordering, whose evaluation appears relevant for transport calculations. In addition, general expressions are obtained for the neoclassical fluxes in terms of a variational principle, as well as for the classical ones, retaining, in both cases, the contributions due to the Spitzer's inductive terms

Observation of bulk-ion heating in a tokamak plasma by application of positive and negative current pulses in TRIAM-1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toi, K; Hiraki, N; Nakamura, K; Mitarai, O; Kawai, Y; Itoh, S [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics

1980-09-01

A positive of negative current pulse induced by a pulsed toroidal electric field much higher than the Dreicer field increases the bulk-ion temperature of the plasma centre two to three times, without macroscopic plasma destruction. The decay time of the raised ion temperature agrees well with the prediction from neoclassical transport theory. The magnitude of the positive current pulse is limited by violent current disruption, and that of the negative current by a lack of MHD equilibrium which is due to a marked reduction of the total plasma current. The relevant current-driven instabilities in the turbulent heating of a tokamak plasma, skin heating and inward transfer of the energy deposition in the skin layer are briefly discussed.

Mirror theory applied to toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, R.H.

1987-01-01

Central features of a mirror plasma are strong departures from Maxwellian distribution functions, ambipolar potentials and densities which vary along a field line, and losses, and the mirror field itself. To examine these features, mirror theorists have developed analytical and numerical techniques to solve the Fokker-Planck equation, evaluate the potentials consistent with the resulting distribution functions, and assess the microstability of these distributions. Various combinations of mirror-plasma fetures are present and important in toroidal plasmas as well, particularly in the edge region and in plasmas with strong r.f. heating. In this paper we survey problems in toroidal plasmas where mirror theory and computational techniques are applicable, and discuss in more detail three specific examples: calculation of the toroidal generalization of the Spitzer-Haerm distribution function (from which trapped-particle effects on current drive can be calculated), evaluation of the nonuniform potential and density set up by pulsed electron-cyclotron heating, and calculation of steady-state distribution functions in the presence of strong r.f. heating and collisions. 37 refs., 3 figs

Mirror theory applied to toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, R.H.

1987-01-01

Central features of a mirror plasma are strong departures from Maxwellian distribution functions, ambipolar potentials and densities which vary along a field line, end losses, and the mirror field itself. To examine these features, mirror theorists have developed analytical and numerical techniques to solve the Fokker-Planck equation, evaluate the potentials consistent with the resulting distribution functions, and assess the microstability of these distributions. Various combinations of mirror-plasma features are present and important in toroidal plasmas as well, particularly in the edge region and in plasmas with strong rf heating. In this paper we survey problems in toroidal plasmas where mirror theory and computational techniques are applicable, and discuss in more detail three specific examples: calculation of the toroidal generalization of the Spitzer-Haerm distribution function (from which trapped-particle effects on current drive can be calculated), evaluation of the nonuniform potential and density set up by pulsed electron-cyclotron heating, and calculation of steady-state distribution functions in the presence of strong rf heating and collisions. 37 refs

Aurora T: a Monte Carlo code for transportation of neutral atoms in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bignami, A.; Chiorrini, R.

1982-01-01

This paper contains a short description of Aurora code. This code have been developed at Princeton with Monte Carlo method for calculating neutral gas in cylindrical plasma. In this work subroutines such one can take in account toroidal geometry are developed

Magnetic field profiles during turbulent heating in a toroidal hydrogen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalfsbeek, H.W.

1978-12-01

A description is given of the measurements of both poloidal and toroidal magnetic field components as functions of radius and time in a small turbulently heated tokamak. These measurements have been carried out with an array of miniature pick-up coils, enclosed in a quartz tube which is inserted into the plasma. The electric fields inside the plasma, as well as the parallel resistivity profiles are deduced from the measured magnetic fields. The ohmically dissipated energy is determined from the field distributions and compared with the total input energy. The experimental results are compared with the outcome of a numerical model. The consistency with information obtained from other diagnostic measurements is checked. (Auth.)

Fast mega pixels video imaging of a toroidal plasma in KT5D device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Min; Wang Zhijiang; Lu Ronghua; Sun Xiang; Wen Yizhi; Yu Changxuan; Wan Shude; Liu Wandong; Wang Jun; Xiao Delong; Yu Yi; Zhu Zhenghua; Hu Linyin

2005-01-01

A direct imaging system, viewing visible light emission from plasmas tangentially or perpendicularly, has been set up on the KT5D toroidal device to monitor the real two-dimensional profiles of purely ECR generated plasmas. This system has a typical spatial resolution of 0.2 mm (1280x1024 pixels) when imaging the whole cross section. Interesting features of ECR plasmas have been found. Different from what classical theories have expected, a resonance layer with two or three bright spots, rather than an even vertical band, has been observed. In addition, images also indicate an intermittent splitting and drifting character of the plasmas

High Z neoclassical transport: Application and limitation of analytical formulae for modelling JET experimental parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Breton, S.; Casson, F. J.; Bourdelle, C.; Angioni, C.; Belli, E.; Camenen, Y.; Citrin, J.; Garbet, X.; Sarazin, Y.; Sertoli, M.; JET Contributors

2018-01-01

Heavy impurities, such as tungsten (W), can exhibit strongly poloidally asymmetric density profiles in rotating or radio frequency heated plasmas. In the metallic environment of JET, the poloidal asymmetry of tungsten enhances its neoclassical transport up to an order of magnitude, so that neoclassical convection dominates over turbulent transport in the core. Accounting for asymmetries in neoclassical transport is hence necessary in the integrated modeling framework. The neoclassical drift kinetic code, NEO [E. Belli and J. Candy, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion P50, 095010 (2008)], includes the impact of poloidal asymmetries on W transport. However, the computational cost required to run NEO slows down significantly integrated modeling. A previous analytical formulation to describe heavy impurity neoclassical transport in the presence of poloidal asymmetries in specific collisional regimes [C. Angioni and P. Helander, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 56, 124001 (2014)] is compared in this work to numerical results from NEO. Within the domain of validity of the formula, the factor for reducing the temperature screening due to poloidal asymmetries had to be empirically adjusted. After adjustment, the modified formula can reproduce NEO results outside of its definition domain, with some limitations: When main ions are in the banana regime, the formula reproduces NEO results whatever the collisionality regime of impurities, provided that the poloidal asymmetry is not too large. However, for very strong poloidal asymmetries, agreement requires impurities in the Pfirsch-Schlüter regime. Within the JETTO integrated transport code, the analytical formula combined with the poloidally symmetric neoclassical code NCLASS [W. A. Houlberg et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 3230 (1997)] predicts the same tungsten profile as NEO in certain cases, while saving a factor of one thousand in computer time, which can be useful in scoping studies. The parametric dependencies of the temperature

Lyapunov stability analysis of magnetohydrodynamic plasma equilibria with axisymmetric toroidal flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almaguer, J.A.; Hameiri, E.; Herrera, J.; Holm, D.D.

1988-01-01

Lyapunov stability conditions for ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasmas with mass flow in axisymmetric toroidal geometry are determined in the Eulerian representation. Axisymmetric equilibrium solutions of ideal MHD are associated to critical points of a nonlinearly conserved Lyapunov functional consisting of the sum of the total energy and the following flux-weighted quantities: the circulation along field lines, the angular momentum, the toroidal flux, and the mass content within each flux tube. Conditions sufficient for Lyapunov stability of these equilibria against axisymmetric perturbations are found by taking advantage of the Hamiltonian formalism for ideal MHD. In particular [see Eq. (60)], it is sufficient for Lyapunov stability under linearized dynamics that an axisymmetric equilibrium be subsonic in the appropriate rotating frame, lie in the first elliptic regime of the Bernoulli--Grad--Shafranov (BGS) system of equations, and satisfy one additional, more complicated, condition. Effects of boundary conditions, nonlinearity, and three-dimensionality on MHD stability are also discussed

The effect of toroidal plasma rotation on low-frequency reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes in tokamaks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haverkort, J. W.

2012-01-01

The influence of toroidal plasma rotation on the existence of reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes (RSAEs) near their minimum frequency is investigated analytically. An existence condition is derived showing that a radially decreasing kinetic energy density is unfavourable for the existence of RSAEs.

MHD equilibrium with toroidal rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, J.

1987-03-01

The present work attempts to formulate the equilibrium of axisymmetric plasma with purely toroidal flow within ideal MHD theory. In general, the inertial term Rho(v.Del)v caused by plasma flow is so complicated that the equilibrium equation is completely different from the Grad-Shafranov equation. However, in the case of purely toroidal flow the equilibrium equation can be simplified so that it resembles the Grad-Shafranov equation. Generally one arbitrary two-variable functions and two arbitrary single variable functions, instead of only four single-variable functions, are allowed in the new equilibrium equations. Also, the boundary conditions of the rotating (with purely toroidal fluid flow, static - without any fluid flow) equilibrium are the same as those of the static equilibrium. So numerically one can calculate the rotating equilibrium as a static equilibrium. (author)

Neoclassical impurity transport and observations of poloidal asymmetries in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feneberg, W.; Mast, F.K.; Martin, P.; Gottardi, N.

1986-01-01

Bolometrically measured asymmetries of emissivity for some characteristic JET discharges are presented and are in good agreement with theoretical results of calculations worked out in the frame of neoclassical theory. Application of theory to the case of strong toroidal rotation as induced with neutral injection shows a sensitive dependance of the impurity transport perpendicular to the magnetic surfaces from the parameter of poloidal rotation. The main result is the existence of a classical flow reversal. Without any poloidal rotation of the background ions, a large inward flow of impurities for co- and counter-injection is always predicted, while poloidal rotation in the direction of the ion diamagnetic drift motion leads to a strong outward drift. (author)

Collisional Transport in a Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak -- Beyond the Drift Kinetic Formalism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.A.; White, R.B.

2004-01-01

Calculations of collisional thermal and particle diffusivities in toroidal magnetic plasma confinement devices order the toroidal gyroradius to be small relative to the poloidal gyroradius. This ordering is central to what is usually referred to as neoclassical transport theory. This ordering is incorrect at low aspect ratio, where it can often be the case that the toroidal gyroradius is larger than the poloidal gyroradius. We calculate the correction to the particle and thermal diffusivities at low aspect ratio by comparing the diffusivities as determined by a full orbit code (which we refer to as omni-classical diffusion) with those from a gyroaveraged orbit code (neoclassical diffusion). In typical low aspect ratio devices the omni-classical diffusion can be up to 2.5 times the calculated neoclassical value. We discuss the implications of this work on the analysis of collisional transport in low aspect ratio magnetic confinement experiments

Simulation of non-resonant internal kink mode with toroidal rotation in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Feng; Liu, J. Y. [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Fu, G. Y.; Breslau, J. A. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Tritz, Kevin [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States)

2013-07-15

Plasmas in spherical and conventional tokamaks, with weakly reversed shear q profile and minimum q above but close to unity, are susceptible to an non-resonant (m,n) = (1,1) internal kink mode. This mode can saturate and persist and can induce a (2,1) seed island for Neoclassical Tearing Mode. [Breslau et al. Nucl. Fusion 51, 063027 (2011)]. The mode can also lead to large energetic particle transport and significant broadening of beam-driven current. Motivated by these important effects, we have carried out extensive nonlinear simulations of the mode with finite toroidal rotation using parameters and profiles of an NTSX plasma with a weakly reversed shear profile. The numerical results show that, at the experimental level, plasma rotation has little effect on either equilibrium or linear stability. However, rotation can significantly influence the nonlinear dynamics of the (1,1) mode and the induced (2,1) magnetic island. The simulation results show that a rotating helical equilibrium is formed and maintained in the nonlinear phase at finite plasma rotation. In contrast, for non-rotating cases, the nonlinear evolution exhibits dynamic oscillations between a quasi-2D state and a helical state. Furthermore, the effects of rotation are found to greatly suppress the (2,1) magnetic island even at a low level.

Neoclassical transport coefficients for tokamaks with bean-shaped flux surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.S.; Kaye, S.M.

1990-11-01

Simple analytic representations of the neoclassical transport coefficients for indented flux surfaces are presented. It is shown that a transport coefficient for an indented flux surface can be expressed in terms of a linear combination of the previously known transport coefficients for two nonindented flux surfaces. Numerical calculations based on actual equilibria from the PBX-M tokamak indicate that, even for modestly indented flux surfaces, the ion neoclassical thermal transport can be over a factor of two smaller than in a circular plasma with the same midplane radius or with the equivalent areas. 6 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Turbulence simulations of blob formation and radial propagation in toroidally magnetized plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garcia, O.E.; Naulin, V.; Nielsen, A.H.

2006-01-01

the presence of long- range correlations in the particle density fluctuations. Finally, conditional statistics of the particle flux demonstrates the intermittency of the turbulent plasma transport and the quasi-periodic apparency of blob structures due to bursting in the global turbulence level....... of particles and heat, which is coupled to a scrape-off layer with linear damping terms for all dependent variables corresponding to transport along open magnetic field lines. The formation of blob structures is related to profile variations caused by bursting in the global turbulence level, which is due...... to a dynamical regulation by self- sustained differential rotation of the plasma layer. Radial propagation of the blob structures follows from a vertical charge polarization due to magnetic guiding centre drifts in the toroidally magnetized plasma. Statistical analysis of the particle density, radial electric...

Rotation profile flattening and toroidal flow shear reversal due to the coupling of magnetic islands in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tobias, B.; Grierson, B. A.; Okabayashi, M. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Chen, M.; Domier, C. W.; Luhmann, N. C.; Muscatello, C. M. [University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616 (United States); Classen, I. G. J. [Dutch Institute for Fundamental Fusion Energy Research, DIFFER, Rhinjuizen (Netherlands); Fitzpatrick, R. [University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78705 (United States); Olofsson, K. E. J.; Paz-Soldan, C. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92121 (United States)

2016-05-15

The electromagnetic coupling of helical modes, even those having different toroidal mode numbers, modifies the distribution of toroidal angular momentum in tokamak discharges. This can have deleterious effects on other transport channels as well as on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability and disruptivity. At low levels of externally injected momentum, the coupling of core-localized modes initiates a chain of events, whereby flattening of the core rotation profile inside successive rational surfaces leads to the onset of a large m/n = 2/1 tearing mode and locked-mode disruption. With increased torque from neutral beam injection, neoclassical tearing modes in the core may phase-lock to each other without locking to external fields or structures that are stationary in the laboratory frame. The dynamic processes observed in these cases are in general agreement with theory, and detailed diagnosis allows for momentum transport analysis to be performed, revealing a significant torque density that peaks near the 2/1 rational surface. However, as the coupled rational surfaces are brought closer together by reducing q{sub 95}, additional momentum transport in excess of that required to attain a phase-locked state is sometimes observed. Rather than maintaining zero differential rotation (as is predicted to be dynamically stable by single-fluid, resistive MHD theory), these discharges develop hollow toroidal plasma fluid rotation profiles with reversed plasma flow shear in the region between the m/n = 3/2 and 2/1 islands. The additional forces expressed in this state are not readily accounted for, and therefore, analysis of these data highlights the impact of mode coupling on torque balance and the challenges associated with predicting the rotation dynamics of a fusion reactor—a key issue for ITER.

Modeling of ITER edge plasma in the presence of resonant magnetic perturbations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rozhansky, V.; Kaveeva, E.; Veselova, I.; Voskoboynikov, S. [Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Coster, D. [Max-Planck Institut fur Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Garching (Germany)

2016-08-15

The modeling of the ITER edge is performed with the use of the code B2SOLPS5.2 in the presence of the electron conductivity caused by RMPs as well as for the reference case with the same input parameters but without RMPs. The radial electric field close to the neoclassical one is obtained without RMPs. Even the modest level of RMPs changes the direction of the electric field and causes the toroidal spin-up of the edge plasma. At the same time the pump-out effect is small. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A dissipative model of plasma equilibrium in toroidal systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wobig, H.

1985-10-01

In order to describe a steady-state plasma equilibrium in tokamaks, stellarators or other non-axisymmetric configurations, the model of ideal MHD with isotropic plasma pressure is widely used. The ideal MHD - model of a toroidal plasma equilibrium requires the existence of closed magnetic surfaces. Several numerical codes have been developed in the past to solve the three-dimensional equilibrium problem, but so far no existence theorem for a solution has been proved. Another difficulty is the formation of magnetic islands and field line ergodisation, which can only be described in terms of ideal MHD if the plasma pressure is constant in the ergodic region. In order to describe the formation of magnetic islands and ergodisation of surfaces properly, additional dissipative terms have to be incorporated to allow decoupling of the plasma and magnetic field. In a collisional plasma viscosity and inelastic collisions introduce such dissipative processes. In the model used a friction term proportional to the velocity v vector of the plasma is included. Such a term originates from charge exchange interaction of the plasma with a nuetral background. With these modifications, the equilibrium problem reduces to a set of quasilinear elliptic equations for the pressure, the electric potential and the magnetic field. The paper deals with an existence theorem based on the Fixed - Point method of Schauder. It can be shown that a self-consistent and unique equilibrium exists if the friction term is large and the plasma pressure is sufficiently low. The essential role of the dissipative terms is to remove the singularities of the ideal MHD model on rational magnetic surfaces. The problem has a strong similarity to Benard cell convection, and consequently similar behaviour such as bifurcation and exchange of stability are expected. (orig./GG)

Electrostatic instabilities and turbulence in a toroidal magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poli, F. M.

2007-06-01

This Thesis aims at characterizing the linear properties of electrostatic drift instabilities arising in a toroidal plasma and the mechanisms leading to their development into turbulence. The experiments are performed on the TORoidal Plasma EXperiment (TORPEX) at CRPP-EPFL, Lausanne. The first part of the Thesis focuses on the identification of the nature of the instabilities observed in TORPEX, using a set of electrostatic probes, designed and built for this purpose. The global features of fluctuations, analyzed for different values of control parameters such as the magnetic field, the neutral gas pressure and the injected microwave power, are qualitatively similar in different experimental scenarios. The maximum of fluctuations is observed on the low field side, where the pressure gradient and the gradient of the magnetic field are co-linear, indicating that the curvature of the magnetic field lines has an important role in the destabilization of the waves. The power spectrum is dominated by electrostatic fluctuations with frequencies much lower than the ion cyclotron frequency. Taking advantage of the extended diagnostics coverage, the spectral properties of fluctuations are measured over the whole poloidal cross-section. Both drift and interchange instabilities develop and propagate on TORPEX, with the stability of both being affected by the curvature of the magnetic field. It is shown that modes of different nature are driven at separate locations over the plasma cross-section and that the wavenumber and frequency spectra, narrow at the location where the instabilities are generated, broaden during convection, suggesting an increase in the degree of turbulence. The transition from coherent to turbulent spectral features and the role of nonlinear coupling between modes in the development of turbulence are treated in the second part of this work. It is found that nonlinear mode-mode coupling is responsible for the redistribution of spectral energy from the

Numerical determination of axisymmetric toroidal magnetohydrodynamic equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, J.L.; Dalhed, H.E.; Greene, J.M.

1978-07-01

Numerical schemes for the determination of stationary axisymmetric toroidal equilibria appropriate for modeling real experimental devices are given. Iterative schemes are used to solve the elliptic nonlinear partial differential equation for the poloidal flux function psi. The principal emphasis is on solving the free boundary (plasma-vacuum interface) equilibrium problem where external current-carrying toroidal coils support the plasma column, but fixed boundary (e.g., conducting shell) cases are also included. The toroidal current distribution is given by specifying the pressure and either the poloidal current or the safety factor profiles as functions of psi. Examples of the application of the codes to tokamak design at PPPL are given

Lagrangian neoclassical transport theory applied to the region near the magnetic axis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satake, Shinsuke; Okamoto, Masao; Sugama, Hideo

2002-01-01

Neoclassical transport theory around the magnetic axis of a tokamak is studied, in which relatively wide 'potato' orbits play an important role in transport. Lagrangian formulation of transport theory, which has been investigated to reflect finiteness of guiding-center orbit widths to transport equations, is developed in order to analyze neoclassical transport near the axis for a low-collisionality plasma. The treatment of self-collision term in Lagrangian formulation is revised to retain momentum conservation property of it. By directly reflecting the orbital properties of all the types of orbits in calculation, the ion thermal conductivity around the axis is found to decrease from that predicted by conventional neoclassical theory. This result supports recent numerical simulations which show the reduction of thermal conductivity near the magnetic axis

Measurement of the complete core plasma flow across the LOC-SOC transition at ASDEX Upgrade

Science.gov (United States)

Lebschy, A.; McDermott, R. M.; Angioni, C.; Geiger, B.; Prisiazhniuk, D.; Cavedon, M.; Conway, G. D.; Dux, R.; Dunne, M. G.; Kappatou, A.; Pütterich, T.; Stroth, U.; Viezzer, E.; the ASDEX Upgrade Team

2018-02-01

A newly installed core charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CXRS) diagnostic at ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) enables the evaluation of the core poloidal rotation (upol ) through the inboard-outboard asymmetry of the toroidal rotation with an accuracy of 0.5 to 1 km s-1 . Using this technique, the total plasma flow has been measured in Ohmic L-mode plasmas across the transition from the linear to saturated ohmic confinement (LOC-SOC) regimes. The core poloidal rotation of the plasma around mid-radius is found to be always in the ion diamagnetic direction, in disagreement with neoclassical (NC) predictions. The edge rotation is found to be electron-directed and consistent with NC codes. This measurement provides as well the missing ingredient to evaluate the core E×B velocity (uE×B ) from data only, which can then be compared to measurements of the perpendicular velocity of the turbulent fluctuations (u\\perp ) to gain information on the turbulent phase velocity (vph ). The non neoclassical upol from CXRS leads to good agreement between uE×B and u\\perp indicating that vph is small and at similar values as found with gyrokinetic simulations. Moreover, the data shows a shift of vph in the ion-diamagnetic direction at the edge after the transition from LOC to SOC consistent with a change in the dominant turbulence regime. The upgrade of the core CXRS system provides as well a deeper insight into the intrinsic rotation. This paper shows that the reversal of the core toroidal rotation occurs clearly after the LOC-SOC transition and concomitant with the peaking of the electron density.

Full-wave Simulations of LH Wave Propagation in Toroidal Plasma with non-Maxwellian Electron Distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valeo, E.J.; Phillips, C.K.; Bonoli, P.T.; Wright, J.C.; Brambilla, M.

2007-01-01

The generation of energetic tails in the electron distribution function is intrinsic to lower-hybrid (LH) heating and current drive in weakly collisional magnetically confined plasma. The effects of these deformations on the RF deposition profile have previously been examined within the ray approximation. Recently, the calculation of full-wave propagation of LH waves in a thermal plasma has been accomplished using an adaptation of the TORIC code. Here, initial results are presented from TORIC simulations of LH propagation in a toroidal plasma with non-thermal electrons. The required efficient computation of the hot plasma dielectric tensor is accomplished using a technique previously demonstrated in full-wave simulations of ICRF propagation in plasma with non-thermal ions

Neoclassical transport in NCSX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikkelsen, D.R.; Zarnstorff, M.C.; Beidler, C.D.; Maassberg, H.; Houlberg, W.A.; Spong, D.A.; Tribaldos, V.

2003-01-01

Methods for calculating neoclassical transport in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) are discussed, with particular attention to developing computationally inexpensive predictions of neoclassical transport. (orig.)

Influence of toroidal rotation on resistive tearing modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; Ma, Z. W.

2015-01-01

Influence of toroidal equilibrium plasma rotation on m/n = 2/1 resistive tearing modes is studied numerically using a 3D toroidal MHD code (CLT). It is found that the toroidal rotation with or without shear can suppress the tearing instability and the Coriolis effect in the toroidal geometry plays a dominant role on the rotation induced stabilization. For a high viscosity plasma (τ R /τ V  ≫ 1, where τ R and τ V represent resistive and viscous diffusion time, respectively), the effect of the rotation shear combined with the viscosity appears to be stabilizing. For a low viscosity plasmas (τ R /τ V  ≪ 1), the rotation shear shows a destabilizing effect when the rotation is large

A full wave code for ion cyclotron waves in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brambilla, M.

1996-02-01

The code TORIC solves the finite Larmor radius wave equations in the ion cyclotron frequency range in arbitrary axisymmetric toroidal geometry. The model used describes the compressional and torsional Alfven waves (or, depending on the parallel phase velocity, the kinetic counterpart of the latter), and ion Bernstein waves excited by mode conversion near the first ion cyclotron harmonic. In the ion response the broadening of the absorption regions due to the finite width of the cyclotron resonance of individual ions in toroidal geometry is taken into account. The parallel component of the wave electric field is evaluated on the same footing as the transverse ones; the response of the electrons includes Landau damping, Transit Time damping and the mixed term. The numerical approach uses a spectral representation of the solution in the poloidal angle θ, and cubic finite elements in the radial variable ψ. Great flexibility is provided in the way ion Bernstein waves excited by mode conversion are damped when their wavelength becomes comparable with the ion Larmor radius, in the regularization of Alfven resonances, and in the treatment of the outer plasma layers. As an option, we have also implemented the Order Reduction Algorithm, which provides a particularly fast, yet accurate evaluation of the power deposition profiles in toroidal geometry. Thee present report describes the model and its numerical implementation, and provides the information needed to use the code. A few examples illustrating applications of TORIC are also included. (orig.)

Basic physics of Alfven instabilities driven by energetic particles in toroidally confined plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W. W.

2008-01-01

Superthermal energetic particles (EP) often drive shear Alfven waves unstable in magnetically confined plasmas. These instabilities constitute a fascinating nonlinear system where fluid and kinetic nonlinearities can appear on an equal footing. In addition to basic science, Alfven instabilities are of practical importance, as the expulsion of energetic particles can damage the walls of a confinement device. Because of rapid dispersion, shear Alfven waves that are part of the continuous spectrum are rarely destabilized. However, because the index of refraction is periodic in toroidally confined plasmas, gaps appear in the continuous spectrum. At spatial locations where the radial group velocity vanishes, weakly damped discrete modes appear in these gaps. These eigenmodes are of two types. One type is associated with frequency crossings of counterpropagating waves; the toroidal Alfven eigenmode is a prominent example. The second type is associated with an extremum of the continuous spectrum; the reversed shear Alfven eigenmode is an example of this type. In addition to these normal modes of the background plasma, when the energetic particle pressure is very large, energetic particle modes that adopt the frequency of the energetic particle population occur. Alfven instabilities of all three types occur in every toroidal magnetic confinement device with an intense energetic particle population. The energetic particles are most conveniently described by their constants of motion. Resonances occur between the orbital frequencies of the energetic particles and the wave phase velocity. If the wave resonance with the energetic particle population occurs where the gradient with respect to a constant of motion is inverted, the particles transfer energy to the wave, promoting instability. In a tokamak, the spatial gradient drive associated with inversion of the toroidal canonical angular momentum P ζ is most important. Once a mode is driven unstable, a wide variety of

Unstable universal drift eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Chen, L.

1979-08-01

The eigenmode equation describing ballooning collisionless drift instabilities is analyzed both analytically and numerically. A new branch of eigenmodes, which corresponds to quasi-bound states due to the finite toroidicity, is shown to be destabilized by electron Landau damping for typical Tokamak parameters. This branch cannot be understood by the strong coupling approximation. However, the slab-like (Pearlstein-Berk type) branch is found to remain stable and experience enhanced shear damping due to finite toroidicity

Electromagnetic torque on the toroidal plasma and the error-field induced torque

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pustovitov, V. D.

2007-01-01

The electromagnetic torque on the toroidal plasma is calculated assuming a linear plasma response to the applied perturbation, which may be the error field or the field created by the correction coils, or both. The result is compared with recently published expressions for the error field induced torque (Zheng et al 2006 Nucl. Fusion 46 L9, Zheng and Kotschenreuther 2006 Phys. Rev. Lett. 97 165001), and the conclusions of these papers are revised. We resolve the problem of the torque resonance raised there. It is shown that the strong increase in the torque due to the static error field must occur at the resistive wall mode stability limit and not at the no-wall stability limit

MHD equilibrium of toroidal fusion plasma with stationary flows; Rownowaga MHD toroidalnej plazmy termojadrowej z przeplywami

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galkowski, A. [Institute of Atomic Energy, Otwock-Swierk (Poland)

1994-12-31

Non-linear ideal MHD equilibria in axisymmetric system with flows are examined, both in 1st and 2nd ellipticity regions. Evidence of the bifurcation of solutions is provided and numerical solutions of several problems in a tokamak geometry are given, exhibiting bifurcation phenomena. Relaxation of plasma in the presence of zero-order flows is studied in a realistic toroidal geometry. The field aligned flow allows equilibria with finite pressure gradient but with homogeneous temperature distribution. Numerical calculations have been performed for the 1st and 2nd ellipticity regimes of the extended Grad-Shafranov-Schlueter equation. Numerical technique, alternative to the well-known Grad`s ADM methods has been proposed to deal with slow adiabatic evolution of toroidal plasma with flows. The equilibrium problem with prescribed adiabatic constraints may be solved by simultaneous calculations of flux surface geometry and original profile functions. (author). 178 refs, 37 figs, 5 tabs.

Turbulence and transport characteristics of a barrier in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, A; Shimizu, A; Nakano, H; Ohsima, S; Itoh, K; Iguchi, H; Yoshimura, Y; Minami, T; Nagaoka, K; Takahashi, C; Kojima, M; Nishimura, S; Isobe, M; Suzuki, C; Akiyama, T; Nagashima, Y; Ida, K; Toi, K; Ido, T; Itoh, S-I; Matsuoka, K; Okamura, S; Diamond, P H

2006-01-01

Turbulence and zonal flow at a transport barrier are studied with twin heavy ion beam probes in a toroidal helical plasma. A wavelet analysis is used to extract turbulence properties, e.g. spectra of both density and potential fluctuations, the coherence and the phase between them and the dispersion relation. Particle transport estimated from the fundamental characteristics is found to clearly rise with their intermittent activities after the barrier is broken down. Time-dependent analysis reveals that the intermittency of turbulence is correlated with the evolution of the stationary zonal flow

Turbulence and transport characteristics of a barrier in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, A.; Shimizu, A.; Nakano, H.

2005-10-01

Turbulence and zonal flow at a transport barrier are studied with twin heavy ion beam probes in a toroidal helical plasma. A wavelet analysis is used to extract turbulence properties, e.g., spectra of both density and potential fluctuations, coherence and phase between them, and the dispersion relation. Particle transport estimated from the fundamental characteristics is found to clearly rise with their intermittent activities after the barrier is broken down. The time-dependent analysis reveals that intermittency of turbulence is correlated with evolution of stationary zonal flow. (author)

Scaling with toroidal current of impurity transport in ATC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marmar, E.S.; Cohen, S.A.; Cecchi, J.L.

1976-06-01

An experiment measuring the scaling with changing plasma conditions of a parameter characteristic of the transport of aluminum injected into the ATC tokamak is discussed. This parameter is the time after injection at which the photon signal from Al XI reaches its maximum. It is found that the data are in agreement with the predictions of a computer code which uses neoclassical theory in the Pfirsch-Schluter regime. An approximate model describing impurity transport in ATC is also presented. This model is utilized to calculate the expected scaling with current of the aluminum transport assuming classical, neoclassical and pseudoclassical forms for the diffusion coefficient. The data are in agreement with both the neoclassical and pseudoclassical results from this model

Non-Inductively Driven Tokamak Plasmas at Near-Unity Toroidal Beta in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Reusch, Joshua

2017-10-01

A major goal of the spherical tokamak research program is accessing a state of low internal inductance li, high elongation κ, high toroidal and normalized beta (βt and βN) , and low collisionality without solenoidal current drive. A new local helicity injection (LHI) system in the lower divertor region of the ultra-low aspect ratio Pegasus ST provides non-solenoidally driven plasmas that exhibit most of these characteristics. LHI utilizes compact, edge-localized current sources (Ainj 4 cm2, Iinj 8 kA, Vinj 1.5 kV) for plasma startup and sustainment, and can sustain more than 200 kA of plasma current. Plasma growth via LHI is enhanced by a transition from a regime of high kink-like MHD activity to one of reduced MHD activity at higher frequencies and presumably shorter wavelengths. The strong edge current drive provided by LHI results in a hollow current density profile with low li. The low aspect ratio (R0 / a 1.2) of Pegasus allows ready access to high κ and MHD stable operation at very high normalized plasma currents (IN =Ip /aBT> 15). Thomson scattering measurements indicate Te 100 eV and ne 1 ×19 m-3. The impurity Ti evolution is correlated in time with high frequency magnetic fluctuations, implying substantial reconnection ion heating is driven by the applied helicity injection. Doppler spectroscopy indicates Ti >=Te and that the anomalous ion heating scales consistently with two fluid reconnection theory. Taken together, these features provide access to very high βt plasmas. Equilibrium analyses indicate βt up to 100% and βN 6.5 is achieved. At increasingly low BT, the discharge disrupts at the no-wall ideal stability limit. In these high βt discharges, a minimum |B| well forms over 50% of the plasma volume. This unique magnetic configuration may be of interest for testing predictions of stabilizing drift wave turbulence and/or improving energetic particle confinement. This work supported by US DOE Grants DE-FG02-96ER54375 and DE-SC0006928.

Theory of dynamics in long pulse helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, K.; Sanuki, H.; Toda, S.; Yokoyama, M.; Itoh, S.-I.; Yagi, M.; Fukuyama, A.

2001-01-01

Self-organized dynamics of toroidal helical plasma, which is induced by the nonlinear transport property, is discussed. Neoclassical ripple diffusion is a dominant mechanism that drives the radial electric field. The bifurcation nature of the electric field generation gives rise to the electric field domain interface, across which the electric field changes strongly. This domain interface is an origin of internal transport barrier in helical systems. This nonlinearity gives rise to the self-organized oscillations; the electric field pulsation is one of the examples. Based on the model of density limit, in which the competition between the transport loss and radiation loss is analyzed, dynamics near the density limit of helical systems is also discussed. (author)

Influence of toroidal rotation on resistive tearing modes in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, S.; Ma, Z. W., E-mail: zwma@zju.edu.cn [Institute for Fusion Theory and Simulation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2015-12-15

Influence of toroidal equilibrium plasma rotation on m/n = 2/1 resistive tearing modes is studied numerically using a 3D toroidal MHD code (CLT). It is found that the toroidal rotation with or without shear can suppress the tearing instability and the Coriolis effect in the toroidal geometry plays a dominant role on the rotation induced stabilization. For a high viscosity plasma (τ{sub R}/τ{sub V} ≫ 1, where τ{sub R} and τ{sub V} represent resistive and viscous diffusion time, respectively), the effect of the rotation shear combined with the viscosity appears to be stabilizing. For a low viscosity plasmas (τ{sub R}/τ{sub V} ≪ 1), the rotation shear shows a destabilizing effect when the rotation is large.

Lagrangian neoclassical transport theory applied to the region near the magnetic axis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Satake, Shinsuke [The Graduate Univ. for Advanced Studies, Dept. of Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan); Okamoto, Masao; Sugama, Hideo [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

2002-06-01

Neoclassical transport theory around the magnetic axis of a tokamak is studied, in which relatively wide ''potato'' orbits play an important role in transport. Lagrangian formulation of transport theory, which has been investigated to reflect finiteness of guiding-center orbit widths to transport equations, is developed in order to analyze neoclassical transport near the axis for a low-collisionality plasma. The treatment of self-collision term in Lagrangian formulation is revised to retain momentum conservation property of it. With directly reflecting the orbital properties of all the types of orbits in calculation, the ion thermal conductivity around the axis is found to decrease than from that predicted by conventional neoclassical theory. This result supports recent numerical simulations which show the reduction of thermal conductivity near the magnetic axis. (author)

Lagrangian neoclassical transport theory applied to the region near the magnetic axis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satake, Shinsuke; Okamoto, Masao; Sugama, Hideo

2002-06-01

Neoclassical transport theory around the magnetic axis of a tokamak is studied, in which relatively wide ''potato'' orbits play an important role in transport. Lagrangian formulation of transport theory, which has been investigated to reflect finiteness of guiding-center orbit widths to transport equations, is developed in order to analyze neoclassical transport near the axis for a low-collisionality plasma. The treatment of self-collision term in Lagrangian formulation is revised to retain momentum conservation property of it. With directly reflecting the orbital properties of all the types of orbits in calculation, the ion thermal conductivity around the axis is found to decrease than from that predicted by conventional neoclassical theory. This result supports recent numerical simulations which show the reduction of thermal conductivity near the magnetic axis. (author)

Detailed study of spontaneous rotation generation in diverted H-mode plasma using the full-f gyrokinetic code XGC1

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Janghoon; Chang, C. S.; Ku, S.; Kwon, J. M.; Yoon, E. S.

2013-10-01

The Full-f gyrokinetic code XGC1 is used to study the details of toroidal momentum generation in H-mode plasma. Diverted DIII-D geometry is used, with Monte Carlo neutral particles that are recycled at the limiter wall. Nonlinear Coulomb collisions conserve particle, momentum, and energy. Gyrokinetic ions and adiabatic electrons are used in the present simulation to include the effects from ion gyrokinetic turbulence and neoclassical physics, under self-consistent radial electric field generation. Ion orbit loss physics is automatically included. Simulations show a strong co-Ip flow in the H-mode layer at outside midplane, similarly to the experimental observation from DIII-D and ASDEX-U. The co-Ip flow in the edge propagates inward into core. It is found that the strong co-Ip flow generation is mostly from neoclassical physics. On the other hand, the inward momentum transport is from turbulence physics, consistently with the theory of residual stress from symmetry breaking. Therefore, interaction between the neoclassical and turbulence physics is a key factor in the spontaneous momentum generation.

Ideal MHD equilibrium of a weakly toroidal plasma column with elongated cross-section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heesch, E.J.M. van; Schuurman, W.

1980-07-01

Solutions are obtained of the ideal MHD equations describing the equilibrium of a weakly toroidal plasma with an elliptic cross-section surrounded by a force-free magnetic field with constant ratio between current density and magnetic field strength. The force-free field parameter causes the stagnation points to recede along the major axis of the ellipse. Above a certain value of the force-free field parameter, stagnation points do not exist, so that the compression ratio of the plasma column is no longer limited. The analysis was carried out to first order in the force-free field parameter as well as to second order for an estimate of the error

Effects of toroidicity on resistive tearing modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izzo, R.; Monticello, D.A.; Manickam, J.; Strauss, H.R.; Grimm, R.; McGuire, K.

1983-03-01

A reduced set of resistive MHD equations is solved numerically in three dimensions to study the stability of tokamak plasmas. Toroidal effects are included self-consistently to leading and next order in inverse aspect ratio, epsilon. The equations satisfy an energy integral. In addition, the momentum equation yields the Grad-Shafranov equation correct to all orders in epsilon. Low beta plasma are studied using several different q-profiles. In all cases, the linear growth rates are reduced by finite toroidicity. Excellent agreement with resistive PEST is obtianed. In some cases, toroidal effects lead to complete stabilization of the mode. Nonlinear results show smaller saturated island widths for finite aspect ratio compared to the cylindrical limit. If the current channel is wide enough so as to produce steep gradients towards the outside of the plasma, both the finite aspect ratio cases and cylindrical cases disrupt

Stable confinement of toroidal electron plasma in an internal conductor device Prototype-Ring Trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saitoh, H.; Yoshida, Z.; Watanabe, S.

2005-01-01

A pure electron plasma has been produced in an internal conductor device Prototype-Ring Trap (Proto-RT). The temporal evolution of the electron plasma was investigated by the measurement of electrostatic fluctuations. Stable confinement was realized when the potential profile adjusted to match the magnetic surfaces. The confinement time varies as a function of the magnetic field strength and the neutral gas pressure, and is comparable to the diffusion time of electrons determined by the classical collisions with neutral gas. Although the addition of a toroidal magnetic field stabilized the electrostatic fluctuation of the plasma, the effects of the magnetic shear shortened the stable confinement time, possibly because of the obstacles of coil support structures

Computer simulations of compact toroid formation and acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterkin, R.E. Jr.; Sovinec, C.R.

1990-01-01

Experiments to form, accelerate, and focus compact toroid plasmas will be performed on the 9.4 MJ SHIVA STAR fast capacitor bank at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory during the 1990. The MARAUDER (magnetically accelerated rings to achieve ultrahigh directed energy and radiation) program is a research effort to accelerate magnetized plasma rings with the masses between 0.1 and 1.0 mg to velocities above 10 8 cm/sec and energies above 1 MJ. Research on these high-velocity compact toroids may lead to development of very fast opening switches, high-power microwave sources, and an alternative path to inertial confinement fusion. Design of a compact toroid accelerator experiment on the SHIVA STAR capacitor bank is underway, and computer simulations with the 2 1/2-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics code, MACH2, have been performed to guide this endeavor. The compact toroids are produced in a magnetized coaxial plasma gun, and the acceleration will occur in a configuration similar to a coaxial railgun. Detailed calculations of formation and equilibration of a low beta magnetic force-free configuration (curl B = kB) have been performed with MACH2. In this paper, the authors discuss computer simulations of the focusing and acceleration of the toroid

Equilibrium and stability of high-beta toroidal plasmas with toroidal and poloidal flow in reduced magnetohydrodynamic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, A.; Nakajima, N.

2010-11-01

Effects of flow, finite ion temperature and pressure anisotropy on equilibrium and stability of a high-beta toroidal plasma are studied in the framework of reduced magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). A set of reduced equilibrium equations for high-beta tokamaks with toroidal and poloidal flow comparable to the poloidal sound velocity is derived in a unified form of single-fluid and Hall MHD models and a two-fluid MHD model with ion finite Larmor radius (FLR) terms. Pressure anisotropy is introduced with equations for the parallel heat flux which are closed by a fluid closure model. It is solved analytically for the single-fluid model and the solutions shows complicated characteristics in the region around the poloidal sound velocity due to pressure anisotropy and the parallel heat flux. Numerical solutions are found by using the finite element method for the two-fluid model with FLR effects in the case of isotropic, adiabatic pressure and indicate the following features of two-fluid equilibria: the isosurfaces of the magnetic flux, the pressure and the ion stream function do not coincide with each other, and the solutions depend on the sign of the radial electric field. Reduced single-fluid MHD equations with time evolution that are consistent with the above equilibria are also derived in order to study their stability. They conserve the energy up to the order required by the equilibria. (author)

Neoclassical transport analysis for a class of high-β tokamak equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rieser, H.; Werthmann, H.; Kuhn, S.

1995-01-01

Balescu's neoclassical transport theory is extended to the case of non-circular flux-surface geometries. Modified classical and neoclassical transport equations, governing particle and heat fluxes in the short- and long-mean-free-path regimes, are derived. These equations are shown to coincide to leading order with the corresponding equations given by Hirshman and Sigmar. They are then applied to an ideal MHD equilibrium, suitable as a simplified but analytically tractable model of a high-β tokamak. Numerical results for the radial profiles of the global (i.e. flux-surface integrated) particle and heat fluxes in the classical, Pfirsch-Schlueter and banana regimes are presented for geometry and plasma parameters realized in some tokamaks, like the divertor and injection tokamak experiment (DITE). This spatial representation provides direct insight into the overall collisional transport behaviour of a given equilibrium, whereas the anomalous transport problem is not addressed here. Our results demonstrate that for a given pressure profile the global neoclassical fluxes may depend very sensitively on the temperature profiles and that, in particular, the global classical and neoclassical ion heat fluxes exhibit a characteristic non-monotonic behaviour. (author)

Numerical study of drift-kinetic evolution of collisional plasmas in tori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beasley, C.O. Jr.; Meier, H.K.; van Rij, W.I.; McCune, J.E.

1976-03-01

Preliminary numerical results for the dynamics of toroidally confined plasmas in the drift-kinetic, Fokker--Planck description are discussed. These solutions were obtained by using the techniques inherent to the collisional plasma model (CPM) described in detail elsewhere. An initial value problem is solved in the local approximation in which collisions and particle dynamics compete in a given magnetic field to set up a quasi-equilibrium. Both the plasma (guiding center) distribution function and many macroscopic quantities of interest are monitored. Good agreement with corresponding but more approximate theories is obtained over a wide range of collisionality, particularly with regard to the neoclassical particle flux. Encouraging confirmation of earlier results for the distribution function is achieved when due account is taken of the differing collisionality of particles with differing energies. These initial results indicate the potential importance of certain non-local effects as well as inclusion of self-consistency between fields and plasma currents and densities

First experimental result of toroidal confinement of non-neutral plasma on Proto-RT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Himura, H.; Yoshida, Z.; Morikawa, J.

1999-01-01

Recently, an internal-ring device named Proto-RT (Prototype Ring Trap) was constructed at University of Tokyo, and experiments on the device have been just initiated. The goal of Proto-RT is to explore an innovative way which has a possibility to attain a plasma equilibrium with extremely high-β (β>1) in a toroidal geometry using non-neutral condition. At the first series of the experiments, pure electron plasma (n e ∼10 12 m -3 ) is successfully confined inside a separatrix. No disruption is so far observed. The confinement time of the electron plasma is the order of 1 sec. A shear effect of magnetic fields seems to result in longer confinement. The non-neutrality of Δn e ∼10 12 m -3 is already beyond the value required to produce an enough self-electric field E in plasma, causing a strong ExB flow thoroughly all over the plasma where the hydrodynamic pressure of the flow is predicted to balance with the thermal pressure of the plasma. (author)

Investigation of intrinsic toroidal rotation scaling in KSTAR

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, J. W.; Lee, S. G.; Ko, S. H.; Seol, J.; Lee, H. H.; Kim, J. H.

2017-07-01

The behaviors of an intrinsic toroidal rotation without any external momentum sources are investigated in KSTAR. In these experiments, pure ohmic discharges with a wide range of plasma parameters are carefully selected and analyzed to speculate an unrevealed origin of toroidal rotation excluding any unnecessary heating sources, magnetic perturbations, and strong magneto-hydrodynamic activities. The measured core toroidal rotation in KSTAR is mostly in the counter-current direction and its magnitude strongly depends on the ion temperature divided by plasma current (Ti/IP). Especially the core toroidal rotation in the steady-state is well fitted by Ti/IP scaling with a slope of ˜-23, and the possible explanation of the scaling is compared with various candidates. As a result, the calculated offset rotation could not explain the measured core toroidal rotation since KSTAR has an extremely low intrinsic error field. For the stability conditions for ion and electron turbulences, it is hard to determine a dominant turbulence mode in this study. In addition, the intrinsic toroidal rotation level in ITER is estimated based on the KSTAR scaling since the intrinsic rotation plays an important role in stabilizing resistive wall modes for future reference.

The effect of toroidal plasma rotation on low-frequency reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamaks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.W. Haverkort (Willem)

2012-01-01

htmlabstractThe influence of toroidal plasma rotation on the existence of reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) near their minimum frequency is investigated analytically. An existence condition is derived showing that a radially decreasing kinetic energy density is unfavourable for the existence

Analytical sudy on the equilibrium of quasi-stationary toroidal plasma with non-circular cross section of the Tokamak type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goes, L.C.S.

1978-08-01

It is assumed that the plasma is governed by the static - equilibrium equations of magnetohydrodynamics. An analytical study is described for the equilibrium of an axially symmetric plasma configuration in the form of a toroid, with non-circular cross-section, carrying a longitudinal current. A class of exact solutions, for two different current distributions, with a fixed toroidal boundary, is described. The main features o these solutions are: it remains valid for an arbitrary aspect ratio, in the neighbourhood of the magnetic axis, the magnetic surfaces are ellipses of known eccentricities, there is, far from the magnetic axis, a hyperbolic point of a separatrix, at the origin of the coordinate system. The equilibrium found is suitable for calculations of a future fusion reactor. (Author) [pt

Toroidal Trivelpiece-Gould modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoessel, F.P.

1979-01-01

Electron plasma waves are treated in quasi-electrostatic approximation in a toroidal cavity of rectangular cross-section in an infinitely strong azimuthal magnetic field. The differential equation for the electrostatic potential, derived from fluid equations, can be separated using cylindrical coordinates. The eigenvalue problem for the radial dependence is solved numerically by a shooting method. Eigenvalues are given for different aspect ratios. Comparison with appropriate modes of the straight geometry shows that the toroidal frequencies generally lie some percent above those for the straight case. Plots of the eigenfunctions demonstrate clearly the influence of toroidicity. The deviation from symmetry (which should appear for straight geometry) depends not only on the aspect ratio but also strongly on the mode numbers. (author)

Toroidal field effects on the stability of Heliotron E

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreras, B.A.; Garcia, L.; Lynch, V.E.

1986-02-01

The addition of a small toroidal field to the Heliotron E configuration improves the stability of the n = 1 mode and increases the value of the stability beta critical. Total stabilization of this mode can be achieved with added toroidal fields between 5 and 15% of the total field. In this situation, the plasma can have direct access to the second stability regime. For the Heliotron E configuration, the self-stabilization effect is due to the shear, not to the magnetic well. The toroidal field threshold value for stability depends strongly on the pressure profile and the plasma radius. 21 refs., 15 figs

H-mode regimes and observators of central toroidal rotation in Alcator C-Mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenwald, M.; Rice, J.; Boivin, R.

1999-01-01

The Enhanced D α or EDA H-mode regime in Alcator C-Mod has been investigated and compared in detail to ELM-free plasmas. (In this paper, ELM-free will refer to discharges with no type I ELMs and with no sign of EDA, though technically, most EDA plasmas are ELM-free as well.) EDA discharges have only slightly lower energy confinement than comparable ELM-free ones, but show markedly reduced impurity confinement. Thus EDA discharges do not accumulate impurities and typically have a lower fraction of radiated power. EDA plasmas are seen to be more likely at low plasma current (q > 3.7 - 4), for moderate plasma shaping (0.35 - 0.55), and for high neutral pressures. No obvious trends were observed with input power or pressure (β). In both H-mode regimes, and in ICRF heated L-modes, central impurity toroidal rotation has been deduced, from the Doppler shifts of argon x-ray lines. Rotation velocities up to 1.3 x 10 5 m/s in the co-current direction have been observed in H-mode discharges that had no direct momentum input. There is a strong correlation between the increase in the central impurity rotation velocity and the increase in the plasma stored energy, induced by ICRF heating. In otherwise similar discharges with the same stored energy increase, plasmas with lower current rotate faster. The ion pressure gradient is an unimportant contributor to the central impurity rotation and the presence of a substantial core radial electric field is inferred during the ICRF pulse. An inward shift of ions induced by ICRF waves could give rise to a non-ambipolar electric field in the plasma core. Comparisons with a neo-classical ion orbit shift model show good agreement with the observations, both in magnitude, and in the scaling with plasma current. (author)

Non-linear magnetohydrodynamic modeling of plasma response to resonant magnetic perturbations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orain, F.; Bécoulet, M.; Dif-Pradalier, G.; Nardon, E.; Passeron, C.; Latu, G.; Grandgirard, V.; Fil, A.; Ratnani, A. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Huijsmans, G. [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon, F-13115 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Pamela, S. [IIFS-PIIM. Aix Marseille Université - CNRS, 13397 Marseille Cedex20 (France); Chapman, I.; Kirk, A.; Thornton, A. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Hoelzl, M. [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Garching (Germany); Cahyna, P. [Association EURATOM/IPP.CR, Prague (Czech Republic)

2013-10-15

The interaction of static Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs) with the plasma flows is modeled in toroidal geometry, using the non-linear resistive MHD code JOREK, which includes the X-point and the scrape-off-layer. Two-fluid diamagnetic effects, the neoclassical poloidal friction and a source of toroidal rotation are introduced in the model to describe realistic plasma flows. RMP penetration is studied taking self-consistently into account the effects of these flows and the radial electric field evolution. JET-like, MAST, and ITER parameters are used in modeling. For JET-like parameters, three regimes of plasma response are found depending on the plasma resistivity and the diamagnetic rotation: at high resistivity and slow rotation, the islands generated by the RMPs at the edge resonant surfaces rotate in the ion diamagnetic direction and their size oscillates. At faster rotation, the generated islands are static and are more screened by the plasma. An intermediate regime with static islands which slightly oscillate is found at lower resistivity. In ITER simulations, the RMPs generate static islands, which forms an ergodic layer at the very edge (ψ≥0.96) characterized by lobe structures near the X-point and results in a small strike point splitting on the divertor targets. In MAST Double Null Divertor geometry, lobes are also found near the X-point and the 3D-deformation of the density and temperature profiles is observed.

Neoclassical parallel flow calculation in the presence of external parallel momentum sources in Heliotron J

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishioka, K.; Nakamura, Y. [Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Nishimura, S. [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Lee, H. Y. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kobayashi, S.; Mizuuchi, T.; Nagasaki, K.; Okada, H.; Minami, T.; Kado, S.; Yamamoto, S.; Ohshima, S.; Konoshima, S.; Sano, F. [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan)

2016-03-15

A moment approach to calculate neoclassical transport in non-axisymmetric torus plasmas composed of multiple ion species is extended to include the external parallel momentum sources due to unbalanced tangential neutral beam injections (NBIs). The momentum sources that are included in the parallel momentum balance are calculated from the collision operators of background particles with fast ions. This method is applied for the clarification of the physical mechanism of the neoclassical parallel ion flows and the multi-ion species effect on them in Heliotron J NBI plasmas. It is found that parallel ion flow can be determined by the balance between the parallel viscosity and the external momentum source in the region where the external source is much larger than the thermodynamic force driven source in the collisional plasmas. This is because the friction between C{sup 6+} and D{sup +} prevents a large difference between C{sup 6+} and D{sup +} flow velocities in such plasmas. The C{sup 6+} flow velocities, which are measured by the charge exchange recombination spectroscopy system, are numerically evaluated with this method. It is shown that the experimentally measured C{sup 6+} impurity flow velocities do not contradict clearly with the neoclassical estimations, and the dependence of parallel flow velocities on the magnetic field ripples is consistent in both results.

Equilibrium, stability and heating of plasmas in linear and toroidal Extrap pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnevier, B.; Drake, J.R.; Dalhed, H.E.

1983-01-01

The Extrap scheme consists of a Z-pinch immersed in an octupole field. The total magnetic field has no component along the pinch axis. Globally stable Z-pinch equilibria with a distributed plasma current density and a duration of about 100 Alfven transit times have been observed in linear and toroidal sector experiments. Theoretical studies indicate that this stability can be the result of constraints introduced by the octupole field and the resulting separatrix of the total field, in combination with finite-Larmor-radius effects. A scheme for ICRF heating of the plasma in configurations with a magnetic neutral line, being applicable to Extrap and FRC, is analysed. Wave propagation arises owing to the Hall effect. Particle resonances are responsible for the absorption, owing to a high parallel wavenumber and a weak magnetic field. (author)

Theory of neoclassical ion temperature-gradient-driven turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Y. B.; Diamond, P. H.; Biglari, H.; Callen, J. D.

1991-02-01

The theory of collisionless fluid ion temperature-gradient-driven turbulence is extended to the collisional banana-plateau regime. Neoclassical ion fluid evolution equations are developed and utilized to investigate linear and nonlinear dynamics of negative compressibility ηi modes (ηi≡d ln Ti/d ln ni). In the low-frequency limit (ωB2p. As a result of these modifications, growth rates are dissipative, rather than sonic, and radial mode widths are broadened [i.e., γ˜k2∥c2s(ηi -(2)/(3) )/μi, Δx˜ρs(Bt/Bp) (1+ηi)1/2, where k∥, cs, and ρs are the parallel wave number, sound velocity, and ion gyroradius, respectively]. In the limit of weak viscous damping, enhanced neoclassical polarization persists and broadens radial mode widths. Linear mixing length estimates and renormalized turbulence theory are used to determine the ion thermal diffusivity in both cases. In both cases, a strong favorable dependence of ion thermal diffusivity on Bp (and hence plasma current) is exhibited. Furthermore, the ion thermal diffusivity for long wavelength modes exhibits favorable density scaling. The possible role of neoclassical ion temperature-gradient-driven modes in edge fluctuations and transport in L-phase discharges and the L to H transition is discussed.

A 3-MA compact-toroid-plasma-flow-switched plasma focus demonstration experiment on Shiva Star

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiuttu, G F; Degnan, J H [Phillips Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM (United States). High Energy Sources Div.; Graham, J D [Maxwell Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); and others

1997-12-31

A novel dense plasma focus experiment using the Shiva Star capacitor bank is described. The experiment uses a compact toroid (CT) magnetized plasma flow switch (PFS) to initiate the focus implosion. The CT armature stably and reproducibly translates up to 3 MA from the vacuum feed region through coaxial electrodes to the gas puff central load. The inertia of the 1 mg CT and the work that must be done in compressing the internal magnetic fields during the translation provide a delay in current delivery to the pinch of 5 - 10 {mu}s, which matches the bank quarter cycle time relatively well. Effectiveness of the current delivery was monitored primarily by inductive probes in the PFS region, fast photography of the focus, and x-ray and neutron measurements of the pinch. K shell x-ray yields using neon gas were as high as 1 kJ, and 10{sup 8} neutrons were produced in a deuterium gas focus. (author). 4 figs., 10 refs.

A 3-MA compact-toroid-plasma-flow-switched plasma focus demonstration experiment on Shiva Star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiuttu, G.F.; Degnan, J.H.

1996-01-01

A novel dense plasma focus experiment using the Shiva Star capacitor bank is described. The experiment uses a compact toroid (CT) magnetized plasma flow switch (PFS) to initiate the focus implosion. The CT armature stably and reproducibly translates up to 3 MA from the vacuum feed region through coaxial electrodes to the gas puff central load. The inertia of the 1 mg CT and the work that must be done in compressing the internal magnetic fields during the translation provide a delay in current delivery to the pinch of 5 - 10 μs, which matches the bank quarter cycle time relatively well. Effectiveness of the current delivery was monitored primarily by inductive probes in the PFS region, fast photography of the focus, and x-ray and neutron measurements of the pinch. K shell x-ray yields using neon gas were as high as 1 kJ, and 10 8 neutrons were produced in a deuterium gas focus. (author). 4 figs., 10 refs

Rotation characteristics of main ions and impurity ions in H-mode tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.; Burrell, K.H.; Gohil, P.; Groebner, R.J.; Kim, Y.; St. John, H.E.; Seraydarian, R.P.; Wade, M.R.

1994-01-01

Poloidal and toroidal rotation of the main ions (He 2+ ) and the impurity ions (C 6+ and B 5+ ) in H-mode helium plasmas have been measured via charge exchange recombination spectroscopy in the DIII-D tokamak. It was discovered that the main ion poloidal rotation is in the ion diamagnetic drift direction while the impurity ion rotation is in the electron diamagnetic drift direction, in qualitative agreement with the neoclassical theory. The deduced radial electric field in the edge is of the same negative-well shape regardless of which ion species is used, validating the fundamental nature of the electric field in L-H transition phenomenology

Electrical conductivity in tokamaks and extended neoclassical theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segre, S.E.; Zanza, V.

1992-01-01

The electrical conductivity measurements reported from various tokamaks (D-III, PLT, TEXT, ASDEX, JT-60, TEXTOR, JET, TFTR) and compared with the usual neoclassical theory are here also compared with the extended neoclassical theory where the electron-electron collision rate is anomalous while the electron-ion collision rate remains Coulombian. It is found that, out of the 14 experiments considered, three are consistent with both the neoclassical and the extended neoclassical theories, four are consistent only with the extended neoclassical theory, and four are consistent with the neoclassical theory and also, within the experimental errors, not inconsistent with the extended neoclassical theory; the remaining three experiments appear to be incompatible with both theories. It is concluded that the extended neoclassical theory is in better agreement with conductivity experiments than the conventional neoclassical theory and, indeed, the extended theory is a serious candidate for explaining tokamak behaviour, since it accommodates naturally an anomalous electron thermal transport, which the conventional neoclassical theory is unable to do. (author). 31 refs, 1 fig

Investigation of diocotron modes in toroidally trapped electron plasmas using non-destructive method

Science.gov (United States)

Lachhvani, Lavkesh; Pahari, Sambaran; Sengupta, Sudip; Yeole, Yogesh G.; Bajpai, Manu; Chattopadhyay, P. K.

2017-10-01

Experiments with trapped electron plasmas in a SMall Aspect Ratio Toroidal device (SMARTEX-C) have demonstrated a flute-like mode represented by oscillations on capacitive (wall) probes. Although analogous to diocotron mode observed in linear electron traps, the mode evolution in toroids can have interesting consequences due to the presence of in-homogeneous magnetic field. In SMARTEX-C, the probe signals are observed to undergo transition from small, near-sinusoidal oscillations to large amplitude, non-linear "double-peaked" oscillations. To interpret the wall probe signal and bring forth the dynamics, an expression for the induced current on the probe for an oscillating charge is derived, utilizing Green's Reciprocation Theorem. Equilibrium position, poloidal velocity of the charge cloud, and charge content of the cloud, required to compute the induced current, are estimated from the experiments. Signal through capacitive probes is thereby computed numerically for possible charge cloud trajectories. In order to correlate with experiments, starting with an intuitive guess of the trajectory, the model is evolved and tweaked to arrive at a signal consistent with experimentally observed probe signals. A possible vortex like dynamics is predicted, hitherto unexplored in toroidal geometries, for a limited set of experimental observations from SMARTEX-C. Though heuristic, a useful interpretation of capacitive probe data in terms of charge cloud dynamics is obtained.

Implementation of vertically asymmetric toroidal-field ripple for beam heating of tokamak reactor plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jassby, D.L.; Sheffield, G.V.; Towner, H.H.; Weissenburger, D.W.

1976-10-01

The neutral-beam energy required for adequate penetration of tokamak plasmas of high opacity can be reduced by a large factor if the beam is injected vertically into a region of large TF (toroidal-field) ripple. Energetic ions are trapped in local magnetic wells and drift vertically toward the midplane (z = 0). If the ripple is made very small on the opposite side of the midplane, drifting ions are detrapped and thermalized in the central plasma region. This paper discusses design considerations for establishing the required vertically asymmetric ripple. Examples are given of special TF-coil configurations, and of the use of auxiliary coil windings to create the prescribed ripple profiles

Mass transport and the bootstrap current from Ohm's law in steady-state tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.-S.; Greene, J.M.

1989-01-01

The consequences of mass conservation and Ohm's law are examined for steady state Tokamaks. In a Tokamak, magnetofluid-dynamic waves rapidly equilibrate pressure and toroidal field along magnetic surfaces. As a result, the detailed current distribution is determined by the flux surface averaged poloidal and toroidal currents. The electrons that carry the plasma current are impeded in their motion by interactions with ions, which is resistivity and its generalizations, and by interactions with electrons, which is viscosity and its generalizations. The important viscous terms arise from the interaction between trapped and untrapped electrons, and so viscosity acts by impeding poloidal current. properly chosen, the results of neoclassical theory are The neoclassical viscous coefficient is here regarded as less likely than Spitzer conductivity to be experimentally relevant in a turbulent Tokamak. Thus, the toroidal Ohm's law is regarded as being more reliable than the poloidal Ohm's law. A combination of toroidal and poloidal Ohm's law, namely the component parallel to the magnetic field, eliminates the influence of plasma fueling, and directly relates the bootstrap current and the pressure gradient. The latter is the usual relation, but, since i

Chaotic neoclassical separatrix dissipation in parametric drift-wave decay.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabantsev, A A; Tsidulko, Yu A; Driscoll, C F

2014-02-07

Experiments and theory characterize a parametric decay instability between plasma drift waves when the nonlinear coupling is modified by an electrostatic barrier. Novel mode coupling terms representing enhanced dissipation and mode phase shifts are caused by chaotic separatrix crossings on the wave-ruffled separatrix. Experimental determination of these coupling terms is in broad agreement with new chaotic neoclassical transport analyses.

Theoretical studies of the heating of toroidal plasmas with radio frequency electromagnetic radiation. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glasser, A.H.; Swanson, D.G.; Wersinger, J.M.

1982-01-01

The continuation of a program of theoretical studies of the heating of toroidal plasmas with radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation is proposed. Funding for this project first began on September 3, 1981, and will expire on April 2, 1982. A summary of the principal accomplishments of the first five months of the project is presented. These include the acquisition of computer terminals and modems, the implementation of existing codes on the MFECC C Cray Computer, the extension of the LHTOR lower hybrid toroidal ray tracing code to the full electromagnetic dispersion relation, the implementation of graphic output from the code, the beginning of extensive parameter studies, the beginning of an analytical treatment of the mode conversion layer associated with singular harmonic absorption, and the introduction of a graduate student into the program

Toroidal and poloidal momentum transport studies in Tokamaks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tala, T.; Andrew, Y.; Giroud, C.

2007-01-01

to be neo-classical. However, experimental measurements on JET show that the carbon poloidal velocity can be an order of magnitude above the predicted value by the neo-classical theory within the ITB. These large measured poloidal velocities, employed for example in transport simulations, significantly...... codes and also the Weiland model predict the existence of an anomalous poloidal velocity, peaking in the vicinity of the ITB and driven dominantly by the flow due to the Reynold's stress. It is worth noting that these codes and models treat the equilibrium in a simplified way and this affects...... the geodesic curvature effects and geodesic acoustic modes. The neo-classical equilibrium is calculated more accurately in the GEM code and the simulations suggest that the spin-up of poloidal velocity is a consequence of the plasma profiles steepening when the ITB grows, following in particular the growth...

Neoclassical equilibrium in gyrokinetic simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garbet, X.; Dif-Pradalier, G.; Nguyen, C.; Sarazin, Y.; Grandgirard, V.; Ghendrih, Ph.

2009-01-01

This paper presents a set of model collision operators, which reproduce the neoclassical equilibrium and comply with the constraints of a full-f global gyrokinetic code. The assessment of these operators is based on an entropy variational principle, which allows one to perform a fast calculation of the neoclassical diffusivity and poloidal velocity. It is shown that the force balance equation is recovered at lowest order in the expansion parameter, the normalized gyroradius, hence allowing one to calculate correctly the radial electric field. Also, the conventional neoclassical transport and the poloidal velocity are reproduced in the plateau and banana regimes. The advantages and drawbacks of the various model operators are discussed in view of the requirements for neoclassical and turbulent transport.

Global Hybrid Simulations of Energetic Particle-driven Modes in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Breslau, J.; Fredrickson, E.; Park, W.; Strauss, H.R.

2004-01-01

Global hybrid simulations of energetic particle-driven MHD modes have been carried out for tokamaks and spherical tokamaks using the hybrid code M3D. The numerical results for the National Spherical Tokamak Experiments (NSTX) show that Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes are excited by beam ions with their frequencies consistent with the experimental observations. Nonlinear simulations indicate that the n=2 mode frequency chirps down as the mode moves out radially. For ITER, it is shown that the alpha-particle effects are strongly stabilizing for internal kink mode when central safety factor q(0) is sufficiently close to unity. However, the elongation of ITER plasma shape reduces the stabilization significantly

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)

Statistical properties of turbulence in a toroidal magnetized ECR plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Yi; Lu Ronghua; Wang Zhijiang; Wen Yizhi; Yu Changxuan; Wan Shude; Liu, Wandong

2008-01-01

The statistical analyses of fluctuation data measured by electrostatic-probe arrays clearly show that the self-organized criticality (SOC) avalanches are not the dominant behaviors in a toroidal ECR plasma in the SMT (Simple Magnetic Torus) mode of KT-5D device. The f -1 index region in the auto-correlation spectra of the floating potential V f and the ion saturation current I s , which is a fingerprint of a SOC system, ranges only in a narrow frequency band. By investigating the Hurst exponents at increasingly coarse grained time series, we find that at a time scale of τ>100 μs, there exists no or a very weak long-range correlation over two decades in τ. The difference between the PDFs of I s and V f clearly shows a more global nature of the latter. The transport flux induced by the turbulence suggests that the natural intermittency of turbulent transport maybe independent of the avalanche induced by near criticality. The drift instability is dominant in a SMT plasma generated by means of ECR discharges

Numerical simulations of the radio-frequency-driven toroidal current in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peysson, Y.; Decker, J.

2014-01-01

Radio-frequency (rf) waves are a powerful tool for improving the performance and stability of tokamak plasmas through heating and current drive mechanisms, allowing current density profile control and steady-state operation. From first principles, and taking advantage from the ordering between the various time and space scales, fast and powerful numerical tools have been developed to calculate the rf-driven current. The current drive problem in tokamaks is first introduced with the purpose of maintaining a steady-state self-organized toroidal magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium, such that a minimal amount of the fusion power has to be recycled to control the plasma current. The strict criterion that characterizes a steady-state discharge is derived from the response of the tokamak, considered as a transformer, and of the plasma, when an external source of current is applied. The calculation of a rf-driven source of current requires solving self-consistently a set of equations describing the dynamics of wave fields and charged particles in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. The range of applicability of these equations is discussed, as well as numerical methods developed to solve them, such as the ray-tracing code C3PO and the three-dimensional linearized relativistic bounce-averaged electron Fokker-Planck solver LUKE. Simulations of current drive by lower-hybrid waves are presented to illustrate the applications of our numerical tools. Current drive modeling includes the effect of electron density fluctuations at the plasma edge, and the case of electron cyclotron waves used for stabilization of the 3/2 neoclassical tearing modes in ITER is studied in detail. Finally, ongoing developments, including cross effects between momentum and configuration spaces, aiming at improving current drive calculations are discussed. (authors)

Tokamak configuration analysis with the method of toroidal multipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Micozzi, P.; Alladio, F.; Crisanti, F.; Marinucci, M.; Tanga, A.

1989-01-01

In the study of tokamak machines able to sustain plasmas of thermonuclear interest (JIT, IGNITOR, NET, CIT, ET), there is a strong quest for engineering optimization of the circuital components close to the plasma. We have developed a semianalytical axisymmetric MHD equilibrium code based on the technique of the poloidal ψ flux function expansion in toroidal harmonic series. This code is able to optimize the necessary currents in the poloidal circuits in order to sustain a plasma of fixed shape (also x-point configuration), toroidal current and poloidal β. (author) 4 refs., 4 figs

Plasma-wall interaction and locked modes in the toroidal pinch experiment TPE-RX reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasqualini, D.; Martin, P.; Koguchi, H.; Yagi, Y.; Hirano, Y.; Sakakita, H.; Spizzo, G.

2006-01-01

The MHD instabilities that sustain the reversed-field pinch (RFP) configuration tend to phase-lock together and also to wall-lock, forming a bulging of the plasma column, called 'locked mode'. This phenomenon is of particular interest, since the locked mode causes a larger plasma resistivity, plasma cooling, and, in some cases, anomalous discharge termination. Up to now, studies of the locked mode have been focused on m=1 modes (being m the poloidal mode number). In this Letter we show that m=0 modes also play a role, based on the cross-check between magnetic spectra and toroidally resolved D α array measurements. (author)

Equilibrium and stability of theta-pinch plasma in modified toroidal multiple mirror field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiina, S.; Saito, K.; Osanai, Y.; Itagaki, T.; Karakizawa, T.; Gesso, H.; Todoroki, J.; Kawakami, I.; Yoshimura, H.

1976-01-01

To confine a high-beta plasma a new toroidal magnetic configuration with closed lines of force has been proposed [1]. The configuration is an appropriate superposition of l = 0, l = +- 1, l = +- 2,sup(...), helical fields. In this experiment, it is generated by modifying the multiple mirror field by enclosing the discharge tube in a copper shell which has longitudinal gap. This configuration is preferred for the wall stabilizing effect to that with the separated helical windings. The characteristics of the equilibrium conditions are examined based on the near-axis approximation theory and compared with the experimental results. The stability of plasma in the configurations with l = 0 field and with superposition of l = 0, l = +- 2 fields is investigated in linear geometry. (author)

A simple toroidal shell model for the study of feedback stabilization of resistive wall modes in a tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jhang, Hogun

2008-01-01

A study is conducted on the feedback stabilization of resistive wall modes (RWMs) in a tokamak plasma using a toroidal shell model. An analytically tractable form of the RWM dispersion relation is derived in the presence of a set of discrete feedback coil currents. A parametric study is carried out to optimize the feedback system configuration. It is shown that the total toroidal angle of a resistive wall spanned by the feedback coils and the poloidal angular extent of a feedback coil are crucial parameters to determine the efficacy of the feedback system

Kinetic simulations of neoclassical and anomalous transport processes in helical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugama, Hideo; Watanabe, Tomohiko; Nunami, Masanori; Satake, Shinsuke; Matsuoka, Seikichi; Tanaka, Kenji

2012-01-01

Drift kinetic and gyrokinetic theories and simulations are powerful means for quantitative predictions of neoclassical and anomalous transport fluxes in helical systems such as the Large Helical Device (LHD). The δf Monte Carlo particle simulation code, FORTEC-3D, is used to predict radial profiles of the neoclassical particle and heat transport fluxes and the radial electric field in helical systems. The radial electric field profiles in the LHD plasmas are calculated from the ambipolarity condition for the neoclassical particle fluxes obtained by the global simulations using the FORTEC-3D code, in which effects of ion or electron finite orbit widths are included. Gyrokinetic Vlasov simulations using the GKV code verify the theoretical prediction that the neoclassical optimization of helical magnetic configuration enhances the zonal flow generation which leads to the reduction of the turbulent heat diffusivity χ i due to the ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence. Comparisons between results for the high ion temperature LHD experiment and the gyrokinetic simulations using the GKV-X code show that the χ i profile and the poloidal wave number spectrum of the density fluctuation obtained from the simulations are in reasonable agreements with the experimental results. It is predicted theoretically and confirmed by the linear GKV simulations that the E × B rotation due to the background radial electric field E r can enhance the zonal-flow response to a given source. Thus, in helical systems, the turbulent transport is linked to the neoclassical transport through E r which is determined from the ambipolar condition for neoclassical particle fluxes and influences the zonal flow generation leading to reduction of the turbulent transport. In order to investigate the E r effect on the regulation of the turbulent transport by the zonal flow generation, the flux-tube bundle model is proposed as a new method for multiscale gyrokinetic simulations. (author)

Toroidal effects on drift wave turbulence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LeBrun, M.J.; Tajima, T.; Gray, M.G.; Furnish, G.; Horton, W.

1992-09-23

The universal drift instability and other drift instabilities driven by density and temperature gradients in a toroidal system are investigated in both linear and nonlinear regimes via particle simulation. Runs in toroidal and cylindrical geometry show dramatic differences in plasma behavior, primarily due to the toroidicity-induced coupling of rational surfaces through the poloidal mode number m. In the toroidal system studied, the eigenmodes are seen to possess (i) an elongated, nearly global radial extent (ii) a higher growth rate than in the corresponding cylindrical system, (iii) an eigenfrequency nearly constant with radius, (iv) a global temperature relaxation and enhancement of thermal heat conduction. Most importantly, the measured Xi shows an increase with radius and an absolute value on the order of that observed in experiment. On the basis of our observations, we argue that the increase in Xi with radius observed in experiment is caused by the global nature of heat convection in the presence of toroidicity-induced mode coupling.

Toroidal effects on drift wave turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeBrun, M.J.; Tajima, T.; Gray, M.G.; Furnish, G.; Horton, W.

1992-01-01

The universal drift instability and other drift instabilities driven by density and temperature gradients in a toroidal system are investigated in both linear and nonlinear regimes via particle simulation. Runs in toroidal and cylindrical geometry show dramatic differences in plasma behavior, primarily due to the toroidicity-induced coupling of rational surfaces through the poloidal mode number m. In the toroidal system studied, the eigenmodes are seen to possess (i) an elongated, nearly global radial extent (ii) a higher growth rate than in the corresponding cylindrical system, (iii) an eigenfrequency nearly constant with radius, (iv) a global temperature relaxation and enhancement of thermal heat conduction. Most importantly, the measured Xi shows an increase with radius and an absolute value on the order of that observed in experiment. On the basis of our observations, we argue that the increase in Xi with radius observed in experiment is caused by the global nature of heat convection in the presence of toroidicity-induced mode coupling

Transport and confinement in the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akers, R J; Ahn, J W; Appel, L C; Brickley, C; Bunting, C; Carolan, P G; Challis, C D; Conway, N J; Counsell, G F; Dendy, R O; Dudson, B; Field, A R; Kirk, A; Lloyd, B; Meyer, H F; Morris, A W; Patel, A; Roach, C M; Sykes, A; Taylor, D; Tournianski, M R; Valovic, M; Wilson, H R; Axon, K B; Buttery, R J; Ciric, D; Cunningham, G; Dowling J; Dunstan, M R; Gee, S J; Gryaznevich, M P; Helander, P; Keeling, D L; Knight, P J; Lott, F; Loughlin, M J; Manhood, S J; Martin, R; McArdle, G J; Price, M N; Stammers, K; Storrs, J [EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Antar, G Y [Fusion Energy Research Program, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0417 (United States); Applegate, D [Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London, London SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom); Rohzansky, V [St. Petersburg State Politechnical University, Polytechnicheskaya 29, 195251 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Walsh, M J [Walsh Scientific Ltd., Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3EB (United Kingdom)

2003-12-01

A combination of recently installed state-of-the-art imaging and profile diagnostics, together with established plasma simulation codes, are providing for the first time on Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) the tools required for studying confinement and transport, from the core through to the plasma edge and scrape-off-layer (SOL). The H-mode edge transport barrier is now routinely turned on and off using a combination of poloidally localized fuelling and fine balancing of the X-points. Theory, supported by experiment, indicates that the edge radial electric field and toroidal flow velocity (thought to play an important role in H-mode access) are largest if gas fuelling is concentrated at the inboard side. H-mode plasmas show predominantly type III ELM characteristics, with confinement H{sub H} factor (w.r.t. scaling law IPB98[y, 2]) around approx. 1.0. Combining MAST H-mode data with the International Tokamak Physics Activities (ITPA) analyses, results in an L-H power threshold scaling proportional to plasma surface area (rather than P{sub LH} approx. R{sup 2}). In addition, MAST favours an inverse aspect ratio scaling P{sub LH} approx. epsilon 0.5. Similarly, the introduction of type III ELMing H-mode data to the pedestal energy regression analysis introduces a scaling W{sub ped} approx. epsilon -2.13 and modifies the exponents on R, B{sub T} and Kappa. Preliminary TRANSP simulations indicate that ion and electron thermal diffusivities in ELMing H-mode approach the ion-neoclassical level in the half-radius region of the plasma with momentum diffusivity a few times lower. Linear flux-tube ITG and ETG microstability calculations using GS2 offer explanations for the near-neoclassical ion diffusivity and significantly anomalous electron diffusivity seen on MAST. To complement the baseline quasi-steady-state H-mode, newly developed advanced regimes are being explored. In particular, 'broad' internal transport barriers (ITBs) have been formed using

Transport and confinement in the Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akers, R J; Ahn, J W; Antar, G Y; Appel, L C; Applegate, D; Brickley, C; Bunting, C; Carolan, P G; Challis, C D; Conway, N J; Counsell, G F; Dendy, R O; Dudson, B; Field, A R; Kirk, A; Lloyd, B; Meyer, H F; Morris, A W; Patel, A; Roach, C M; Rohzansky, V; Sykes, A; Taylor, D; Tournianski, M R; Valovic, M; Wilson, H R; Axon, K B; Buttery, R J; Ciric, D; Cunningham, G; Dowling, J; Dunstan, M R; Gee, S J; Gryaznevich, M P; Helander, P; Keeling, D L; Knight, P J; Lott, F; Loughlin, M J; Manhood, S J; Martin, R; McArdle, G J; Price, M N; Stammers, K; Storrs, J; Walsh, M J

2003-01-01

A combination of recently installed state-of-the-art imaging and profile diagnostics, together with established plasma simulation codes, are providing for the first time on Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) the tools required for studying confinement and transport, from the core through to the plasma edge and scrape-off-layer (SOL). The H-mode edge transport barrier is now routinely turned on and off using a combination of poloidally localized fuelling and fine balancing of the X-points. Theory, supported by experiment, indicates that the edge radial electric field and toroidal flow velocity (thought to play an important role in H-mode access) are largest if gas fuelling is concentrated at the inboard side. H-mode plasmas show predominantly type III ELM characteristics, with confinement H H factor (w.r.t. scaling law IPB98[y, 2]) around approx. 1.0. Combining MAST H-mode data with the International Tokamak Physics Activities (ITPA) analyses, results in an L-H power threshold scaling proportional to plasma surface area (rather than P LH approx. R 2 ). In addition, MAST favours an inverse aspect ratio scaling P LH approx. epsilon 0.5. Similarly, the introduction of type III ELMing H-mode data to the pedestal energy regression analysis introduces a scaling W ped approx. epsilon -2.13 and modifies the exponents on R, B T and Kappa. Preliminary TRANSP simulations indicate that ion and electron thermal diffusivities in ELMing H-mode approach the ion-neoclassical level in the half-radius region of the plasma with momentum diffusivity a few times lower. Linear flux-tube ITG and ETG microstability calculations using GS2 offer explanations for the near-neoclassical ion diffusivity and significantly anomalous electron diffusivity seen on MAST. To complement the baseline quasi-steady-state H-mode, newly developed advanced regimes are being explored. In particular, 'broad' internal transport barriers (ITBs) have been formed using techniques developed at conventional aspect

Observation of the bootstrap current reduction at magnetic island in a neoclassical tearing mode plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oikawa, T.; Suzuki, T.; Isayama, A.; Hayashi, N.; Fujita, T.; Naito, O.; Tuda, T.; Kurita, G.

2005-01-01

Evolution of the current density profile associated with magnetic island formation in a neoclassical tearing mode plasma is measured for the first time in JT-60U by using a motional Stark effect diagnostic. As the island grows, the current density profile turns flat at the radial region of the island and a hollow structure appears at the rational surface. As the island shrinks the deformed region becomes narrower and finally diminishes after the disappearance of the island. In a quiescent plasma without magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, on the other hand, no deformation is observed. The observed deformation in the current density profile associated with the tearing mode is reproduced in a time dependent transport simulation assuming the reduction of the bootstrap current in the radial region of the island. Comparison of the measurement with a calculated steady-state solution also shows that the reduction and recovery of the bootstrap current at the island explains the temporal behaviours of the current density and safety factor profiles. From the experimental observation and simulations, we reach the conclusion that the bootstrap current decreases within the island O-point

Anomalous transport in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Punjabi, A.

1989-12-01

When the magnetic moment of particle is conserved, there are three mechanisms which cause anomalous transport. These are: variation of magnetic field strength in flux surface, variation of electrostatic potential in flux surface, and destruction of flux surface. The anomalous transport of different groups of particles resulting from each of these mechanisms is different. This fact can be exploited to determine the cause of transport operative in an experimental situation. This approach can give far more information on the transport than the standard confinement time measurements. To implement this approach, we have developed Monte Carlo codes for toroidal geometries. The equations of motion are developed in a set of non-canonical, practical Boozer co-ordinates by means of Jacobian transformations of the particle drift Hamiltonian equations of motion. Effects of collisions are included by appropriate stochastic changes in the constants of motion. Effects of the loop voltage on particle motions are also included. We plan to apply our method to study two problems: the problem of the hot electron tail observed in edge region of ZT-40, and the energy confinement time in TOKAPOLE II. For the ZT-40 problem three situations will be considered: a single mode in the core, a stochastic region that covers half the minor radius, a stochastic region that covers the entire plasma. A turbulent spectrum of perturbations based on the experimental data of TOKAPOLE II will be developed. This will be used to simulate electron transport resulting from ideal instabilities and resistive instabilities in TOKAPOLE II

Monte Carlo δf simulations of neoclassical phenomena in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergmann, A.

2002-01-01

Some important neoclassical phenomena are studied with drift-kinetic simulations of the ions: the current which drives neoclassical tearing modes, the bootstrap current at a steep gradient, the energy transport near the axis. The δ f code HAGIS is used with pitch angle collisions modelled by a Monte Carlo procedure. An equilibrium with circular cross section and (for the island modelling) a single helical perturbation is considered, ITER- and AUG-like parameter are used. We find that the bootstrap current in small islands does not vanish, the full current is observed if the island half-width is smaller than the orbit width. The results can explain the scaling of the normalized beta at the onset of the NTMs in ASDEX Upgrade. The polarization current due to the island rotation is studied as well and found to be small. In the banana regime the bootstrap current at a steep pressure profile is reduced if the orbit width exceeds the gradient length. The near axis energy transport is neither reduced nor much enhanced in plateau regime, contrary to the banana regime. (author)

Investigation of detached recombining deuterium plasma and carbon chemical erosion in the toroidal divertor simulator NAGDIS-T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yada, K.; Matsui, N.; Ohno, N.; Kajita, S.; Takamura, S.; Takagi, M.

2009-01-01

Detached deuterium recombining plasma has been generated in the toroidal divertor simulator. The electron temperature (0.1-0.4 eV) and density (∼10 18 m -3 ) in the detached plasmas were evaluated with a spectroscopic method using a series of deuterium Balmer line emission from highly excited levels and the Stark broadening of D(2-12). We have investigated the role of volume plasma recombination through Electron-Ion Recombination (EIR) and Molecular Activated Recombination (MAR) processes. Moreover, the carbon erosion in the detached deuterium plasma has been studied with a weight loss method. It is found that deuterium neutrals generated by EIR process could have strong influence on the carbon chemical erosion.

Non-perturbative measurement of cross-field thermal diffusivity reduction at the O-point of 2/1 neoclassical tearing mode islands in the DIII-D tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bardóczi, L.; Rhodes, T. L.; Carter, T. A.; Crocker, N. A.; Peebles, W. A. [University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Grierson, B. A. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

2016-05-15

Neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) often lead to the decrease of plasma performance and can lead to disruptions, which makes them a major impediment in the development of operating scenarios in present toroidal fusion devices. Recent gyrokinetic simulations predict a decrease of plasma turbulence and cross-field transport at the O-point of the islands, which in turn affects the NTM dynamics. In this paper, a heat transport model of magnetic islands employing spatially non-uniform cross-field thermal diffusivity (χ{sub ⊥}) is presented. This model is used to derive χ{sub ⊥} at the O-point from electron temperature data measured across 2/1 NTM islands in DIII-D. It was found that χ{sub ⊥} at the O-point is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the background plasma transport, in qualitative agreement with gyrokinetic predictions. As the anomalously large values of χ{sub ⊥} are often attributed to turbulence driven transport, the reduction of the O-point χ{sub ⊥} is consistent with turbulence reduction found in recent experiments. Finally, the implication of reduced χ{sub ⊥} at the O-point on NTM dynamics was investigated using the modified Rutherford equation that predicts a significant effect of reduced χ{sub ⊥} at the O-point on NTM saturation.