Studies of impurity behavior in TFTR

Abstract

Central medium- and low-Z impurity concentrations and Z/sub eff/ have been measured by x-ray spectrometry in Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor discharges during three periods of operation. These were the (1) start-up period, (2) ohmic heating, and (3) ohmic heating portion of the two neutral beam periods, distinguished mainly by different vacuum vessel internal hardware and increasing plasma current and toroidal field capability. Plasma parameters spanned minor radius a = 0.41 - 0.83 m, major radius R = 2.1 - 3.1 m, current I/sub p = 0.25 - 2.0 MA, line-averaged electron density n-bar/sub e/ = 0.9 - 4.0 x 10/sup 19/ m/sup -3/, and toroidal magnetic field B/sub T/ = 1.8 - 4.0 T. The metal impurities came mostly from the limiter. At low densities titanium or nickel approached 1% of n/sub e/ during operation on a TiC-coated graphite or Inconel limiter, respectively. Lower levels of Cr, Fe, and Ni (less than or equal to0.1%) were observed with a graphite limiter at similarly low densities; these elements were removed mainly from stainless steel or Inconel hardware within the vacuum vessel during pulse discharge cleaning or plasma operation on an Inconel limiter and then deposited on the graphite limiter. Hardware closest to the graphite limiter contributed most to the deposits.