Modelling of Boundary Plasma in TOKES

Abstract

The main purpose of this report is the development of analytical and numerical transport models of tokamak plasmas, suitable for implementation into the integrated transport code TOKES [1-4]. Therefore this work is presented as an executive guideline for numerical implementation. The tokamak edge plasma in reactor configurations is expected to be rather thin outmost area with strong radial plasma gradients inside the separatrix and the area outside the separatrix, a scrape-off layer (SOL), with open magnetic field surfaces, terminated at the divertor plates. The region beyond the separatrix plays an important role because it serves as a shield, protecting the wall from the hot plasma and bulk plasma from the penetration of impurities and because it is mostly affected by transients. The transport model, proposed here, provides plasma density, temperature and velocity distribution along and across the magnetic field lines in bulk and the edge plasma region. It describes the dependence of temperature and density at the separatrix on the plasma conditions at the plate and the efficiency of the divertor operation in detached or attached conditions, depending on power and particle sources. The calculation gives eventually the power and particle loads on the divertor plates and side walls. During numerical implementation some simple models, allowing an analytical solution, were developed and used for comparison and checking. Some parts of the transport models were also benchmarked with experimental data from various tokamaks. In the frame of this work the following tasks have been completed: The transport model with neoclassical and anomalous coefficients for bulk plasma and 2D transport model for the SOL have been prepared and implemented into the TOKES code. The coefficients are suitable for description of stationary plasma processes in the bulk and edge tokamak plasmas. The model of pedestal formation at the plasma edge in H-mode operation was implemented in TOKES. The model based on power scaling for L to H transition and includes the mitigation of turbulence at the edge once the flowing power exceeds the H-mode onset threshold. The model of the Edge Localized Mode oscillation based on ballooning mode instability is implemented into code. The boundary conditions for fluid equations at the divertor plates and at the main chamber wall are formulated and implemented into the integrated code. Analyses of available experiments and benchmarking with simple analytical solutions in respect to SOL transport phenomena have been provided. Application for ITER is described.