Interpretations of the impact of cross-field drifts on divertor flows in DIII-D with UEDGE

Abstract

Simulations using the multi-fluid code UEDGE indicates that, in low confinement (L-mode) plasmas in DIII-D, poloidal projection of the ionization driven flows dominate poloidal particle flows in the divertor near the divertor plates, whereas E ×B drift flows dominate the radial particle flows. In contrast, in high confinement (H-mode) conditions E ×B drift flows dominate both poloidal and radial particle flows in the divertor in the vicinity of the strong gradient region near the separatrix. UEDGE indicates that the toroidal C2+ flow velocities in the divertor plasmas are mainly entrained within 30% to the background deuterium flow in both L- and H-mode plasmas in the plasma region where the CIII 465nm emission is measured. Therefore, UEDGE indicates that the Doppler Coherence Imaging Spectroscopy (CIS), measuring the toroidal velocity of the C2+ ions, can provide insight to the deuterium flows in the divertor. Parallel-to-B velocity dominates the toroidal divertor flow; direct drift impact being less than 1%. Toroidal divertor flow is predicted to reverse when the magnetic field is reversed. This is explained by the parallel-B flow towards the nearest divertor plate corresponding to opposite toroidal directions in opposite toroidal field configurations.