Simulation Analysis of Dust-Particle Transport in the Peripheral Plasma in the Large Helical Device

Abstract

The function of the peripheral plasma in the Large Helical Device (LHD) on transport of dusts is investigated using a dust transport simulation code (DUSTT) in a non-axisymmetric geometry. The simulation shows that the transport of the dusts is dominated by the plasma flow (mainly by ion drag force) formed in the peripheral plasma. The trajectories of dusts are investigated in two probable situations: release of spherical iron dusts from the inboard side of the torus, and drop of spherical carbon dusts from a divertor plate installed near an edge of an upper port. The trajectories in these two situations are calculated in various sized dust cases. From a viewpoint of protection of the main plasma from dust penetration, it proves that there are two functions in the LHD peripheral plasma. One is sweeping of dusts by the effect of the plasma flow in the divertor legs, and another one is evaporation/sublimation of dusts by heat load onto the dusts in the ergodic layer. c