COREDIV numerical simulation of high neutron rate JET-ILW DD pulses in view of extension to JET-ILW DT experiments

Abstract

Two high performance JET-ILW pulses, pertaining to the 2016 experimental campaign, have been numerically simulated with the self-consistent code COREDIV with the aim of predicting the ELM-averaged power load to the target when extrapolated to DT plasmas. The input power of about 33 MW as well as the total radiated power and the average density are similar in the two pulses, but for one of them the density is provided by combined low gas puff and pellet injection, characterized by low SOL density, for the other one by gas fuelling only, at higher SOL density. Considering the magnetic configuration of theses pulses and the presence of a significant amount of Ni (not included in the version of the code used for these simulations), a number of assumptions are made in order to reproduce numerically the main core and SOL experimental data. The extrapolation to DT plasmas at the original input power of 33 MW, and taking into account only the thermal component of the alpha-power, does not show any significant difference regarding the power to the target with respect to the DD case. In contrast, the simulations at auxiliary power 40 MW, both at the original Ip = 3 MA and at Ip = 4 MA, show that the power to the target for both pulses is possibly too high to be sustained for about 5 s by strike-point sweeping alone without any control by Ne seeding. Even though the target power load may decrease to about 13–15 MW with substantial Ne seeding for both pulses, as from numerical predictions, there are indications suggesting that the control of the power load may be more critical for the pulse with pellet injection, due to the reduced SOL radiation.