Fast Losses Research Articles

Full wave simulations of fast wave efficiency and power losses in the scrape-off layer of tokamak plasmas in mid/high harmonic and minority heating regimes**This article is dedicated to the memory of Cynthia K. Phillips

Several experiments on different machines and in different fast wave (FW) heating regimes, such as hydrogen minority heating and high harmonic fast waves (HHFW), have found strong interaction between radio-frequency (RF) waves and the scrape-off layer (SOL) region. This paper examines the propagation and the power loss in the SOL by using the full wave code AORSA, in which the edge plasma beyond the last closed flux surface (LCFS) is included in the solution domain and a collisional damping parameter is used as a proxy to represent the real, and most likely nonlinear, damping processes. 2D and 3D AORSA results for the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) have shown a strong transition to higher SOL power losses (driven by the RF field) when the FW cut-off is removed from in front of the antenna by increasing the edge density. Here, full wave simulations have been extended for ‘conventional’ tokamaks with higher aspect ratios, such as the DIII-D, Alcator C-Mod, and EAST devices. DIII-D results in HHFW regime show similar behavior found in NSTX and NSTX-U, consistent with previous DIII-D experimental observations. In contrast, a different behavior has been found for C-Mod and EAST, which operate in the minority heating regime.

Measurements and modelling of fast-ion redistribution due to resonant MHD instabilities in MAST

The results of a comprehensive investigation into the effects of toroidicity-induced Alfvén eigenmodes (TAE) and energetic particle modes on the NBI-generated fast-ion population in MAST plasmas are reported. Fast-ion redistribution due to frequency-chirping TAE in the range 50 kHz–100 kHz and frequency-chirping energetic particle modes known as fishbones in the range 20 kHz–50 kHz, is observed. TAE and fishbones are also observed to cause losses of fast ions from the plasma. The spatial and temporal evolution of the fast-ion distribution is determined using a fission chamber, a radially-scanning collimated neutron flux monitor, a fast-ion deuterium alpha spectrometer and a charged fusion product detector. Modelling using the global transport analysis code Transp, with ad hoc anomalous diffusion and fishbone loss models introduced, reproduces the coarsest features of the affected fast-ion distribution in the presence of energetic particle-driven modes. The spectrally and spatially resolved measurements show, however, that these models do not fully capture the effects of chirping modes on the fast-ion distribution.

Compatibility of internal transport barrier with steady-state operation in the high bootstrap fraction regime on DIII-D

Recent EAST/DIII-D joint experiments on the high poloidal beta tokamak regime in DIII-D have demonstrated fully noninductive operation with an internal transport barrier (ITB) at large minor radius, at normalized fusion performance increased by ⩾30% relative to earlier work (Politzer et al 2005 Nucl. Fusion 45 417). The advancement was enabled by improved understanding of the ‘relaxation oscillations’, previously attributed to repetitive ITB collapses, and of the fast ion behavior in this regime. It was found that the ‘relaxation oscillations’ are coupled core-edge modes amenable to wall-stabilization, and that fast ion losses which previously dictated a large plasma-wall separation to avoid wall over-heating, can be reduced to classical levels with sufficient plasma density. By using optimized waveforms of the plasma-wall separation and plasma density, fully noninductive plasmas have been sustained for long durations with excellent energy confinement quality, bootstrap fraction ⩾80%, , , and . These results bolster the applicability of the high poloidal beta tokamak regime toward the realization of a steady-state fusion reactor.

Measurements of fast-ion losses induced by MHD instabilities using a scintillator-based probe in the HL-2A tokamakaaContributed paper, 25th IAEA Fusion Energy Conf. (Saint Petersburg, Russia, 13–18 October 2014) EX/P7-24.

Characteristics of fast-ion losses induced by various magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities, such as tearing mode (TM), long-lived mode (LLM), and sawtooth crash, have been observed and experimentally investigated in the HL-2A tokamak. To study fast-ion losses, a new scintillator-based lost-fast ion probe has been developed and used, and an increment of the fast-ion loss rate as the MHD amplitude increase has been measured. Compared with TM and LLM, the fast-ion losses induced by sawtooth crash have a broad range in energy and pitch angle. There may be some interactions between fast ions and magnetic disturbance, which cause the losses with a wide range of energy and pitch angle. During disruptions, the total neutron emission rate drops by ~90% as a result of the strong fast-ion losses. The possible reasons for this phenomenon are the strong magnetic perturbations and the drastic change of the fast-ion transport. In addition, the clear experimental evidence of drastic losses of fast ions during disruptions have been obtained.

Review of Globus-M spherical tokamak results

The first experiments on noninductive current drive (CD) using lower hybrid waves in a spherical tokamak are described. Waves at 2.45 GHz were launched by a 10 waveguide grill with 120° phase shift between neighbouring waveguides. The experimental results for a novel poloidal slowing-down scheme are described. The CD efficiency is found to be somewhat larger than that predicted theoretically whilst at the same time being somewhat less than that for standard tokamak lower hybrid CD. Geodesic acoustic modes (GAM) have been discovered in Globus-M. GAMs are localized 2–3 cm inside the separatrix. The GAM frequency agrees with theory. The mode structures of plasma density and magnetic field oscillation at the GAM frequency have been studied. Fast particle confinement during neutral beam injection has been investigated and numerically simulated. Alfvén instabilities excited by fast particles were detected by a toroidal Mirnov probe array. Their excitation conditions are discussed and the dynamics of fast ion losses induced by Alfvén eigenmodes is presented. Preliminary experiments on the isotopic effect influence on global confinement in the ohmic heating (OH) regime are described. Scrape-off layer (SOL) parameters were measured and compared with results from self-consistent integrated transport modelling. Results showed that SOL width scales inversely proportional to plasma current. The behaviour of an a priori damaged tungsten divertor plate mock-up exposed to plasma flows was investigated. Preliminary conclusions are that the initial damage gives rise to a loose layer formation with low thermal conductivity right beneath the surface. Finally, engineering design issues of the next step—Globus-M2 (1 T, 500 kA) and the status of component manufacture are described.

A new Disruption Mitigation System for deuterium–tritium operation at JET

Disruptions, the fast accidental losses of plasma current and stored energy in tokamaks, represent a significant risk to the mechanical structure as well as the plasma facing components of reactor-scale fusion facilities like ITER. At JET, the tokamak experiment closest to ITER in terms of operating parameters and size, massive gas injection has been established as a disruption mitigation method. As a “last resort” measure it reduces thermal and electromagnetic loads during disruptions which can potentially have a serious impact on the beryllium and tungsten plasma-facing materials of the main chamber and divertor. For the planned deuterium–tritium experiments, a new Disruption Mitigation System (DMS) has been designed and installed and is presented in this article. The new DMS at JET consists of an all metal gate valve compatible with gas injections, a fast high pressure eddy current driven valve, a high voltage power supply and a gas handling system providing six supply lines for pure and mixed noble and flammable gases (Ar, Ne, Kr, D2, etc.). The valve throughput varies with the injection pressure and gas type (efficiency – injected/charged gas 50–97%); the maximum injected amount of gas is approximately 4.6kPam3 (at maximum system pressure of 5.0MPa).

Fast charge energy losses in structures with a 2D electron gas

Fast charge energy losses for the excitation of natural oscillations in media with a 2D plasma sheath are studied. A semiconducting (dielectric) cylinder-2D plasma sheath-vacuum system is considered. Dispersion relations describing natural oscillations in such a system are derived. Energy losses of a point charge rectilinearly and uniformly moving over and inside the cylinder are found. The loss of energy by a moving charged ring embracing the system (specifically, a nanotube) is considered.

Fast ion transport during applied 3D magnetic perturbations on DIII-D

Measurements show fast ion losses correlated with applied three-dimensional (3D) fields in a variety of plasmas ranging from L-mode to resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) edge localized mode (ELM) suppressed H-mode discharges. In DIII-D L-mode discharges with a slowly rotating magnetic perturbation, scintillator detector loss signals synchronized with the applied fields are observed to decay within one poloidal transit time after beam turn-off indicating they arise predominantly from prompt loss orbits. Full orbit following using M3D-C1 calculations of the perturbed fields and kinetic profiles reproduce many features of the measured losses and points to the importance of the applied 3D field phase with respect to the beam injection location in determining the overall impact on prompt beam ion loss. Modeling of these results includes a self-consistent calculation of the 3D perturbed beam ion birth profiles and scrape-off-layer ionization, a factor found to be essential to reproducing the experimental measurements. Extension of the simulations to full slowing down timescales, including fueling and the effects of drag and pitch angle scattering, show the applied RMPs in ELM suppressed H-mode plasmas can induce a significant loss of energetic particles from the core. With the applied fields, up to 8.4% of the injected beam power is predicted to be lost, compared to 2.7% with axisymmetric fields only. These fast ions, originating from minor radii , are predicted to be primarily passing particles lost to the divertor region, consistent with wide field-of-view infrared periscope measurements of wall heating in RMP ELM suppressed plasmas. Edge fast ion (FIDA) measurements also confirm a large change in edge fast ion profile due to the fields, where the effect was isolated by using short 50 ms RMP-off periods during which ELM suppression was maintained yet the fast ion profile was allowed to recover. The role of resonances between fast ion drift motion and the applied 3D fields in the context of selectively targeting regions of fast ion phase space is also discussed.

Selected methods of electron-and ion-diagnostics in tokamak scrape-off-layer

Abstract This invited paper considers reasons why exact measurements of fast electron and ion losses in tokamaks, and particularly i n a scrape-off-layer and near a divertor region, are necessary in order to master nuclear fusion energy production. Attention is also paid to direct measurements of escaping fusion products from D-D and D-T reactions, and in particular of fast alphas which might be used for plasma heating. The second part describes the generation of so-called runaway and ripple-born electrons which might induce high energy losses and cause severe damages of internal walls in fusion facilities. Advantages and disadvantages of different diagnostic methods applied for studies of such fast electrons are discussed. Particular attention is paid to development of a direct measuring technique based on the Cherenkov effect which might be induced by fast electrons in appropriate radiators. There are presented various versions of Cherenkov-type probes which have been developed by the NCBJ team and applied in different tokamak experiments. The third part is devoted to direct measurements of fast ions (including those produced by the nuclear fusion reactions) which can escape from a high-temperature plasma region. Investigation of fast fusion-produced protons from tokamak discharges is reported. New ion probes, which were developed by the NCBJ team, are also presented. For the first time there is given a detailed description of an ion pinhole camera, which enables irradiation of several nuclear track detectors during a single tokamak discharge, and a miniature Thomson-type mass-spectrometer, which can be used for ion measurements at plasma borders.

Implementation of Power Operational Amplifier with Source-Sink Output Stage

The paper deals with the design and realization of the power operational amplifier. Its parameters are optimized for using in four-quadrant source, especially the frequency range, slew rate, wide range of output voltage, large output current, fast current limitation and low power losses. The power operational amplifier can find utilization in the output stage of the four-quadrant power supply, low-frequency amplifiers, supply sources of servomotors etc. Whole connection is divided into single blocks and they are described in detail. The experimental results that show important static and dynamic parameters of the realized power operational amplifier are presented in the paper.

Effects of the radial electric field on the confinement of fast ions in ITER

The effects of a radial electric field (EF) on the losses of alpha particles and neutral beam injection (NBI) fast ions in typical ITER operation scenarios for both error fields due to test blanket modules (TBMs) and toroidal field (TF) ripple were evaluated using an iterative method to execute an orbit-following Monte-Carlo code and a one-dimensional transport code. The EF effect on the loss of fast ions strongly depends on the operation scenario as well as on the error field. The electric field is very significant in the loss of fast ions in a 9 MA ITER operation scenario with a higher safety factor and in the error field associated with TBMs. The EF effect in the error field of TF ripple is very small in any operation scenario. The electric field is much more significant for the loss of NBI fast ions than for that of alpha particles. The radial electric field changes the toroidal precession of fast ions and consequently alters their condition of resonance with the error field, which may account for the EF effect on the loss of fast ions in ITER with TBMs.

Hybrid simulation of toroidal Alfvén eigenmode on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energetic particle modes and Alfvén eigenmodes driven by super-Alfvénic fast ions are routinely observed in neutral beam heated plasmas on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX). These modes can significantly impact fast ion transport and thus cause fast ion redistribution or loss. Self-consistent linear simulations of Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) in NSTX plasmas have been carried out with the kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic hybrid code M3D-K using experimental plasma parameters and profiles including plasma toroidal rotation. The simulations show that unstable TAEs with n=3,4, or 5 can be excited by the fast ions from neutral beam injection. The simulated mode frequency, mode radial structure, and phase shift are consistent with measurements from a multi-channel microwave reflectometer diagnostic. A sensitivity study on plasma toroidal rotation, safety factor q profile, and initial fast ion distribution is performed. The simulations show that rotation can have a significant destabilizing effect when the rotation is comparable or larger than the experimental level. The mode growth rate is sensitive to q profile and fast ion distribution. Although mode structure and peak position depend somewhat on q profile and plasma rotation, the variation of synthetic reflectometer response is within experimental uncertainty and it is not sensitive enough to see the difference clearly.

Fast particle behaviour in the Globus-M spherical tokamak

The behaviour of the fast particle population during 18 keV hydrogen and 26 keV deuterium neutral beam injection in deuterium plasmas is investigated. Experiments reveal large fast ion losses. The experimental results are confirmed using different types of modelling: simulation using the NUBEAM module, solution of the Boltzmann kinetic equation and solution of the 3D fast ion tracking algorithm. The dynamics of the energetic particle redistribution and losses during sawtooth oscillation and toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes are studied. A method to decrease fast ion losses under the current conditions (0.4 T, 0.2 MA) is shown. The influence of the plasma parameters on the energetic ion confinement rate is investigated. Modelling for the Globus-M2 conditions (1 T, 0.5 MA) is performed.

An overview of recent physics results from NSTX

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is currently being upgraded to operate at twice the toroidal field and plasma current (up to 1 T and 2 MA), with a second, more tangentially aimed neutral beam (NB) for current and rotation control, allowing for pulse lengths up to 5 s. Recent NSTX physics analyses have addressed topics that will allow NSTX-Upgrade to achieve the research goals critical to a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility. These include producing stable, 100% non-inductive operation in high-performance plasmas, assessing plasma–material interface (PMI) solutions to handle the high heat loads expected in the next-step devices and exploring the unique spherical torus (ST) parameter regimes to advance predictive capability. Non-inductive operation and current profile control in NSTX-U will be facilitated by co-axial helicity injection (CHI) as well as radio frequency (RF) and NB heating. CHI studies using NIMROD indicate that the reconnection process is consistent with the 2D Sweet–Parker theory. Full-wave AORSA simulations show that RF power losses in the scrape-off layer (SOL) increase significantly for both NSTX and NSTX-U when the launched waves propagate in the SOL. Toroidal Alfvén eigenmode avalanches and higher frequency Alfvén eigenmodes can affect NB-driven current through energy loss and redistribution of fast ions. The inclusion of rotation and kinetic resonances, which depend on collisionality, is necessary for predicting experimental stability thresholds of fast growing ideal wall and resistive wall modes. Neutral beams and neoclassical toroidal viscosity generated from applied 3D fields can be used as actuators to produce rotation profiles optimized for global stability. DEGAS-2 has been used to study the dependence of gas penetration on SOL temperatures and densities for the MGI system being implemented on the Upgrade for disruption mitigation. PMI studies have focused on the effect of ELMs and 3D fields on plasma detachment and heat flux handling. Simulations indicate that snowflake and impurity seeded radiative divertors are candidates for heat flux mitigation in NSTX-U. Studies of lithium evaporation on graphite surfaces indicate that lithium increases oxygen surface concentrations on graphite, and deuterium–oxygen affinity, which increases deuterium pumping and reduces recycling. In situ and test-stand experiments of lithiated graphite and molybdenum indicate temperature-enhanced sputtering, although that test-stand studies also show the potential for heat flux reduction through lithium vapour shielding. Non-linear gyro kinetic simulations have indicated that ion transport can be enhanced by a shear-flow instability, and that non-local effects are necessary to explain the observed rapid changes in plasma turbulence. Predictive simulations have shown agreement between a microtearing-based reduced transport model and the measured electron temperatures in a microtearing unstable regime. Two Alfvén eigenmode-driven fast ion transport models have been developed and successfully benchmarked against NSTX data. Upgrade construction is moving on schedule with initial physics research operation of NSTX-U planned for mid-2015.

Fast particle-driven ion cyclotron emission (ICE) in tokamak plasmas and the case for an ICE diagnostic in ITER

The detection of fast particle-driven waves in the ion cyclotron frequency range (ion cyclotron emission or ICE) could provide a passive, non-invasive diagnostic of confined and escaping fast particles (fusion α-particles and beam ions) in ITER, and would be compatible with the high radiation environment of deuterium–tritium plasmas in that device. Recent experimental results from ASDEX Upgrade and DIII-D demonstrate the efficacy of ICE as a diagnostic of different fast ion species and of fast ion losses, while recent particle-in-cell (PIC) and hybrid simulations provide a more exact comparison with measured ICE spectra and open the prospect of exploiting ICE more fully as a fast ion diagnostic in future experiments. In particular the PIC/hybrid approach should soon make it possible to simulate the nonlinear physics of ICE in full toroidal geometry. Emission has been observed previously at a wide range of poloidal angles, so there is flexibility in the location of ICE detectors. Such a detector could be implemented in ITER by installing a small toroidally orientated loop near the plasma edge or by adding a detection capability to the ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) antennae. In the latter case, the antenna could be used simultaneously to heat the plasma and detect ICE, provided that frequencies close to those of the ICRH source are strongly attenuated in the detection system using a suitable filter. Wavenumber information, providing additional constraints on the fast ion distribution exciting the emission, could be obtained by measuring ICE using a toroidally distributed array of detectors or different straps of the ICRH antenna.

Thermogravimetric Monitoring of Crude Oil and Its Cuts in an Oil Refinery

The thermal degradation profile for any type of oil-based sample under thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) conditions exhibits three distinct stages, namely, vaporization from room temperature to 340–350 °C, cracking from 340–350 °C to 480–500 °C, and char oxidation from 500 °C to 570 °C. The former two stages occur in both inert (nitrogen) and oxidative (air) environments, whereas the latter only occurs in the presence of oxygen. Deconvoluting thermogravimetric data allows one to estimate the composition of oil derivatives with a view to expeditiously obtaining useful information from a refining process. To this end, thermal degradation of crude oil and its main refining cuts were modeled here by using the smallest possible number of representative pseudo-components. In order to ensure accurate fitting of thermogravimetric results, mass losses were interpreted in terms of autocatalytic kinetics. Fitting to an nth-order kinetics was useful below 350 °C (vaporization), but not above this temperature, because of cracking with fast mass losses in the vicinity of certain temperatures. This modeling scheme for thermogravimetric results afforded the following conclusions: (i) atmospheric gas-oil typically contains 10% residual kerosene fraction; (ii) atmospheric residue still contains 35–45% distillable compounds; (iii) the main component of visbreaking feed (nearly 66%) degrades at a similar temperature as asphaltenes; (iv) visbreaking residue is similar to feed at high temperatures but contains light components similar to naphtha or gas-oil, which vaporize at low temperatures; and (v) simulating crude oil allowed us to estimate the potential production of distillates (62.93% from heavy crudes and 79.61% from light crudes). Such useful information can be used by process engineers to assess the performance of equipment such as distillation columns or visbreaking units, and also to estimate the quality of some streams, such as atmospheric gas-oil or visbreaking feed.

Ion cyclotron emission from fusion-born ions in large tokamak plasmas: a brief review from JET and TFTR to ITER

Ion cyclotron emission (ICE) was the first collective radiative instability, driven by confined fusion-born ions, observed from deuterium-tritium plasmas in JET and TFTR. ICE comprises strongly suprathermal emission, which has spectral peaks at multiple ion cyclotron harmonic frequencies as evaluated at the outer mid-plane edge of tokamak plasmas. The measured intensity of ICE spectral peaks scaled linearly with measured fusion reactivity in JET. In other large tokamak plasmas, ICE is currently used as an indicator of fast ions physics. The excitation mechanism for ICE is the magnetoacoustic cyclotron instability (MCI); in the case of JET and TFTR, the MCI is driven by a set of centrally born trapped fusion products, lying just inside the trapped-passing boundary in velocity space, whose drift orbits make large radial excursions to the outer mid-plane edge. Diagnostic exploitation of ICE in future experiments therefore rests in part on deep understanding of the MCI, and recent advances in computational plasma physics have led to substantial recent progress, reviewed here. Particle-in-cell simulations of the MCI, with fully kinetic ions and electrons, were reported in 2013, using plasma parameters for JET ICE observations. The hybrid approximation for plasma simulations, where ions are treated as particles and electrons as a neutralising massless fluid, was then applied and reported in 2014. These simulations extend previous studies deep into the nonlinear regime of the MCI, and corroborate predictions by linear analytical theory, thereby strengthening further the link to ICE measurements. ICE is a potential diagnostic for confined alpha-particles in ITER, where measurements of ICE could yield information on energetic ion behaviour supplementing that obtainable from other diagnostics. In addition, it may be possible to use ICE to study fast ion redistribution and loss due to MHD activity in ITER.

Anomalous fast ion losses at high β on the tokamak fusion test reactor

This paper describes experiments carried out on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [R. J. Hawryluk et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 33, 1509 (1991)] to investigate the dependence of β-limiting disruption characteristics on toroidal field strength. The hard disruptions found at the β-limit in high field plasmas were not found at low field, even for β's 50% higher than the empirical β-limit of βn ≈ 2 at high field. Comparisons of experimentally measured β's to TRANSP simulations suggest anomalous loss of up to half of the beam fast ions in the highest β, low field shots. The anomalous transport responsible for the fast ion losses may at the same time broaden the pressure profile. Toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes, fishbone instabilities, and Geodesic Acoustic Modes are investigated as possible causes of the enhanced losses. Here, we present the first observations of high frequency fishbones [F. Zonca et al., Nucl. Fusion 49, 085009 (2009)] on TFTR. The interpretation of Axi-symmetric Beam-driven Modes as Geodesic Acoustic Modes and their possible correlation with transport barrier formation are also presented.

Energetic ions in ITER plasmas

This paper discusses the behaviour and consequences of the expected populations of energetic ions in ITER plasmas. It begins with a careful analytic and numerical consideration of the stability of Alfvén Eigenmodes in the ITER 15 MA baseline scenario. The stability threshold is determined by balancing the energetic ion drive against the dominant damping mechanisms and it is found that only in the outer half of the plasma (r/a>0.5) can the fast ions overcome the thermal ion Landau damping. This is in spite of the reduced numbers of alpha-particles and beam ions in this region but means that any Alfvén Eigenmode-induced redistribution is not expected to influence the fusion burn process. The influence of energetic ions upon the main global MHD phenomena expected in ITER's primary operating scenarios, including sawteeth, neoclassical tearing modes and Resistive Wall Modes, is also reviewed. Fast ion losses due to the non-axisymmetric fields arising from the finite number of toroidal field coils, the inclusion of ferromagnetic inserts, the presence of test blanket modules containing ferromagnetic material, and the fields created by the Edge Localised Mode (ELM) control coils in ITER are discussed. The greatest losses and associated heat loads onto the plasma facing components arise due to the use of the ELM control coils and come from neutral beam ions that are ionised in the plasma edge.

TRANSP modelling of total and local neutron emission on MAST

The results of TRANSP simulations of neutron count rate profiles measured by a collimated neutron flux monitor–neutron camera (NC)—for different plasma scenarios on MAST are reported. In addition, the effect of various plasma parameters on neutron emission is studied by means of TRANSP simulation. The fast ion redistribution and losses due to fishbone modes, which belong to a wider category of energetic particle modes, are observed by the NC and modelled in TRANSP.