Characteristics of divertor detachment for ITER conditions

Abstract

The relative role of particle balance vs. momentum balance in the phenomenon of divertor plasma detachment in tokamaks is re-assessed. Ion removal from the plasma flow by volumetric recombination and/or cross-field transport is identified as the key element in the formation of the rollover of the ion saturation current on the targets, whereas “momentum removal” (friction) is responsible for maintaining high plasma pressure upstream. The deterioration of neutral particle confinement in the divertor as particle throughput increases is the primary cause of the solution collapse typically seen when deep detachment is modelled for present day experiments.