Abstract
Significant progress in the development of burning plasma scenarios, steady-state scenarios at high fusion performance and basic tokamak physics has been made by the DIII-D team. Discharges similar to the ITER baseline scenario have demonstrated normalized fusion performance nearly 50% higher than the value specified for Q = 10 in ITER reference scenario, under stationary conditions. Discharges have also been demonstrated in DIII-D with enhanced performance under stationary conditions that project to Q ∼ 10 for longer than 1 h in ITER at reduced current, if such a mode of operation can be realized in ITER. Proof of high fusion performance with full noninductive operation has been obtained. Underlying this work are studies validating approaches to confinement extrapolation, disruption avoidance and mitigation, tritium retention, edge localized mode avoidance and operation above the no-wall pressure limit. In addition, the unique capabilities of the DIII-D facility have advanced studies of the sawtooth instability with unprecedented time and space resolution, threshold behaviour in the electron heat transport, rotation in plasmas in the absence of external torque, measurements in the edge pedestal region and plasma fuelling. Understanding these phenomena at a fundamental level contributes to development and ultimately the optimization of tokamak scenarios.
Highlights
The DIII-D Team has made significant progress in its stated mission to establish the scientific basis for optimization of the tokamak approach to fusion energy production
The DIII-D facility has developed into a unique research tool for investigation of hightemperature plasma physics due to the flexibility of the tokamak itself, the variety of heating and current drive systems, and the continually improving ability to diagnose plasmas
Since the carbon migration is strongly focused to a single poloidal location, techniques to release tritium bound in this single area may be more feasible compared with the situation where tritium is more widely distributed within the tokamak
Summary
The DIII-D Team has made significant progress in its stated mission to establish the scientific basis for optimization of the tokamak approach to fusion energy production. The DIII-D program seeks to provide the necessary basis for the operational scenarios and to validate design models for areas of significant concern in next-generation tokamaks for the study of burning plasmas (ITER) and steady-state issues (KSTAR, EAST). The DIII-D facility has developed into a unique research tool for investigation of hightemperature plasma physics due to the flexibility of the tokamak itself, the variety of heating and current drive systems, and the continually improving ability to diagnose plasmas. Steady-state scenario development, and basic plasma physics set the outline for this overview of recent results from the DIII-D Program
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