Modelling of ELM-averaged power exhaust on JET using the EDGE2D code with variable transport coefficients

Abstract

The scrape-off layer (SOL) of the JET tokamak has been modelled using a two-dimensional plasma/neutral code, EDGE2D/NIMBUS, with variable transport coefficients, chosen according to nine candidate theories for radial heat transport in the SOL. Comparison of the radial power width on the outer divertor plates, λq, predicted by modelling and measured experimentally in L-mode and ELM-averaged H-mode at JET is presented. Transport coefficients based on classical and neo-classical ion conduction are found to offer the best agreement with experimentally measured λq magnitude and scaling with target power, upstream density and toroidal field. These results reinforce the findings of an earlier study, based on a simplified model of the SOL (Chankin 1997 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 39 1059), and support the earlier estimate of the power width at the entrance of the outer divertor volume in ITER, λq ≈ 4 mm mapped to the outer mid-plane (Fundamenski et al 2004 Nucl. Fusion 44 20).