Simulations of the L–H transition dynamics with different heat and particle sources**Project supported by the Funds of the Youth Innovation Team of Science and Technology in Sichuan Province, China (Grant No. 2014TD0023), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11447228 and 11205053), and the China National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program (Grant No. 2013GB107001).

Abstract

It is crucial to increase the total stored energy by realizing the transition from a low confinement (L-mode) state to a high confinement (H-mode) state in magnetic confinement fusion. The L–H transition process is simulated by using the predictive transport code based on Weiland’s fluid model. Based on the equilibrium parameters obtained from equilibrium fitting (EFIT) in the experiment, the electron density ne, electron temperature Te, ion temperatures Ti, ion poloidal Vp, and toroidal momenta Vt are simulated self-consistently. The L–H transition dynamic behaviors with the formation of the transport barriers of ion and electron temperatures, the electron density, and the ion toroidal momenta are analyzed. During the L–H transition, the strong poloidal flow shear in the edge transport barrier region is observed. The crashes of the electron and ion temperature pedestals are also observed during the L–H transition. The effects of the heating and particle sources on the L–H transition process are studied systematically, and the critical power threshold of the L–H transition is also found.