Scrape-off Layer Flow Research Articles

A Q-band frequency tunable Doppler backscattering (DBS) system for pedestal and scrape-off layer density fluctuation and flow measurements in the DIII-D tokamak.

We present the design and laboratory tests for a new Q-band frequency tunable Doppler backscattering (DBS) system suitable for probing poloidal wavenumber kñ = 6-8cm-1 density fluctuations and their flow velocities in the pedestal and scape-off layer (SOL) of the DIII-D tokamak. This system will provide new measurements in the increasingly important and under-diagnosed far pedestal and SOL plasma regions. These results are important for experimental transport studies and necessary for the validation of transport models, both of which are important to fusion energy research. The use of a single tunable frequency reduces the complexity and potential failure points as compared to a multichannel system. This new system utilizes a 33-50GHz tunable source and will be integrated into the current V-band DBS in DIII-D using a broadband Q- and V-band multiplexer. A full-scale mockup of the quasi-optical system was used to test and optimize the performance. These tests include beam profile measurements at different distances (and angles) from a paraboloidal focusing and steering mirror. The measurements cover the full frequency range 33-75GHz of the integrated/combined Q-V band DBS system and target a large radial coverage of the low-field side of the plasma from ρ = 1.1 to ρ = 0.5, where ρ is the normalized flux surface radial coordinate.

Impact of collisionality on turbulence in the edge of tokamak plasma using 3D global simulations

Collisionality is one of the key parameters in determining turbulent transport in the plasma edge, regulating phenomena such as ‘shoulder formation’, separation of scale lengths in the scrape-off layer (SOL), turbulence damping and zonal flow dynamics. Understanding its role is therefore of primary importance for future reactors like ITER. Getting reliable predictions and a better characterization of plasma flow properties when varying collisionality remains, however, a critical challenge for the simulations. This paper focuses on the impact of varying collisionality in a non-isothermal three-dimensional fluid model of the plasma edge. A high field side limited configuration encompassing open and closed magnetic field lines with parameters typical of a medium-sized tokamak is considered. The present model can consistently account for the variations of collisionality and its impact on both the parallel resistivity η ∥ and the ion and electron parallel thermal conductivities χ ∥e,i. Details on mean flow and turbulence properties are given. Changing collisionality leads to significant changes in the flow properties both on the mean and fluctuating quantities. In particular, lowering collisionality decreases the size of coherent structures, the fluctuation levels of turbulence, and steepens the density and temperature equilibrium profiles around the separatrix leading to a global reduction of the turbulent transport. The SOL width is observed to increase with collisionality, eventually resulting in the disappearance of the scale lengths separation between near and far SOL, consistently with previous experimental observations. At low collisionality, where the presence of narrow feature is well-established, a contribution of heat conduction increases up to compete with heat convection.

Electric field and turbulence in global Braginskii simulations across the ASDEX Upgrade edge and scrape-off layer

Turbulence simulations in diverted geometry across the edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) of ASDEX Upgrade are performed with the GRILLIX code (Stegmeir et al 2019 Phys. Plasmas 26 052517). The underlying global (full-f) drift-reduced Braginskii model allows to concurrently study the self-consistent dynamics of the turbulence and the background as well as the evolution of toroidal and zonal flows. Different contributions to the radial electric field are identified. The dominant contribution on closed flux surfaces comes from the ion pressure gradient, due to the diamagnetic drift in the curved magnetic field. Large deviations can be induced, in particular, by the polarization particle flux, leading to zonal flows. The latter are driven by small-scale eddies, but do not exhibit much impact on the overall transport which is driven by ballooning modes at larger scales. Ion viscosity is found to be important in damping poloidal rotation through adjusting of the parallel velocity profile, but not via direct vorticity damping. The zonal flow drive peaks at the separatrix, where a strong shear layer forms due to the sheath-induced counter-propagating SOL flow, allowing for the formation of a transport barrier. The temperature profile across the separatrix is determined by the competition between cross-field transport and outflow in the SOL, the latter being largely controlled by the parallel heat conductivity.

Physics affecting heavy impurity migration in tokamaks: Benchmarking test-ion code ASCOT against TEXTOR tracer experiment

Abstract Erosion, transport and deposition of wall impurities are major concerns in future magnetic fusion devices, both from the perspective of the fusion plasma and the machine wall. An extensive study on molybdenum transport and deposition performed in the TEXTOR tokamak yielded a detailed deposition map that is ideal for benchmark deposition studies. A qualitative benchmark is attempted in this article with the ASCOT code. We set up a full 3D model of the TEXTOR tokamak and studied the influence of different physical mechanisms and their strengths on molybdenum deposition patterns on the simulated plasma-facing components: atomic processes, Coulomb collisions, scrape-off layer (SOL) profiles, source distribution, marker starting energy, radial electric field strength, SOL flow and toroidal plasma rotation. The outcome comprises 13 simulations, each with 100,000 markers. The findings are: • Toroidal plasma movement, either within the LCFS or as SOL flow, is negligible. • SOL profile and marker starting energy have modest impact on deposition. • Source distribution has a large impact in combination with radial electric field profiles. • The E ⇀ × B ⇀ drift has the highest impact on the deposition profiles.

Local migration studies of high-Z metals in the TEXTOR tokamak

Volatile compounds of tungsten (WF6) and molybdenum (MoF6) were used as tracers of high-Z metal migration in the TEXTOR tokamak in several gas injection experiments when puffing was done through a test limiter. The experiments with W were performed prior to major shut-downs, while the MoF6 injection was followed by the final shutdown in connection with TEXTOR decommissioning. In all cases a set of surface probes and limiter tiles was retrieved and analysed with electron and ion beam techniques. The focus was on the local deposition in the vicinity of the gas inlet and in the inlet system. Depth profiles in the deposits and metal distribution maps clearly show that only near the gas inlet significant amounts of Mo are deposited along the scrape-off layer flow and E × B drift directions, which could be reproduced by ERO-code modelling. Correlation between the injection scenario and the deposition patterns is presented.

Dynamical programming based turbulence velocimetry for fast visible imaging of tokamak plasma

An orthogonal dynamic programming (ODP) based particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique is developed to measure the time resolved flow field of the fluctuating structures at the plasma edge and scrape off layer (SOL) of tokamaks. This non-intrusive technique can provide two dimensional velocity fields at high spatial and temporal resolution from a fast framing image sequence and hence can provide better insights into plasma flow as compared to conventional probe measurements. Applicability of the technique is tested with simulated image pairs. Finally, it is applied to tangential fast visible images of QUEST plasma to estimate the SOL flow in inboard poloidal null-natural divertor configuration. This technique is also applied to investigate the intricate features of the core of the run-away dominated phase following the injection of a large amount of neutrals in the target Ohmic plasma. Development of the ODP-PIV code and its applicability on actual plasma images is reported.

Effects of heating power on divertor in-out asymmetry and scrape-off layer flow in reversed field on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

The dependence of divertor asymmetry and scrape-off layer (SOL) flow on heating power has been investigated in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Divertor plasma exhibits an outboard-enhanced in-out asymmetry in heat flux in lower single null configuration for in reversed (ion ∇B drift direction toward the upper X-point) field directions. Upper single null exhibits an inboard-favored asymmetry in low heating power condition, while exhibits an outboard-favored asymmetry when increasing the heating power. Double null has the strongest in-out asymmetry in heat flux, favoring the outer divertor. The in-out asymmetry ratios of qt,out/qt,in and Pout/Ptotal increase with the power across the separatrix Ploss, which is probably induced by the enhanced radial particle transport due to a large pressure gradient. The characteristics of the measured SOL parallel flow under various discharge conditions are consistent with the Pfirsch-Schlüter (PS) flow with the parallel Mach number M∥ decreasing with the line averaged density but increasing with Ploss, in the same direction as the PS flow. The contributions of both poloidal E×B drift and parallel flow on poloidal particle transport in SOL on EAST are also assessed.

Statistical characterization of turbulence in the boundary plasma of EAST

In Ohmic heated low confinement mode (L-mode) discharges, the intermittent statistical characteristics of turbulent fluctuations have been investigated in the edge and the scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma on EAST (the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak) by fast reciprocating Langmuir probe measurements. Plasma structures (blobs and holes) are observed and found to originate together inside the edge shear layer where the skewness (S) of the ion-saturation current fluctuations is close to zero. The probability density functions of the density fluctuations in edge and SOL plasma show a well-defined parabolic relation between the S and the kurtosis (K). In edge plasma with holes, the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) is identified with a dominant frequency fpeak ∼ 5–7 kHz both in floating potential fluctuations and ion-saturation current fluctuations. However, the GAM can only be detected in the floating potential fluctuations rather than the ion-saturation current fluctuations in the edge plasma with blobs. The ESEL (edge-SOL electrostatic) code based on interchange dynamics is used to simulate the experimental results on EAST. Reasonable agreement between the ESEL simulation and the EAST experiment is reached. Experimentally, the parallel SOL flow shows a remarkable dependence on the plasma density, which resembles the theoretical predicted Pfirsch–Schlüter flow but with a much higher magnitude at the outboard mid-plane of EAST.

Divertor asymmetry and scrape-off layer flow in various divertor configurations in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

Divertor asymmetry and its dependence on the ion ▿B direction has been investigated in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak by changing the divertor configuration from lower single null (LSN), via double null (DN), to upper single null (USN) during one single discharge. Divertor plasmas exhibit the usual in-out asymmetry in particle and heat fluxes in LSN with the ion ▿B direction toward the lower X-point, favoring the outer divertor, especially at high density. The in-out asymmetry is reversed when changing the divertor configuration from LSN to USN, thus clearly demonstrating the effect of classical drifts. DN exhibits an even stronger in-out divertor asymmetry, favoring the outer divertor. A significant top-down asymmetry is also seen for DN, with greater particle and heat fluxes to the bottom divertor. In addition, the parallel plasma flow has been measured by a fast moving Mach probe at the outer midplane, which shows similar magnitude to the Pfirsch-Schlüter flow. Its contribution to the poloidal particle flux is also assessed and comparison is made with that from the poloidal E × B drift.

Numerical analysis of high Mach flow and flow reversal in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak divertor

The B2-Eirene (SOLPS 4.0) code package is used to investigate the plasma parallel flow, i.e., the scrape-off layer (SOL) flow, in the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) divertor. Simulation results show that the SOL flow in the divertor region can exhibit complex behaviour, such as a high Mach flow and flow reversal in different plasma regimes. When the divertor plasma is in the detachment state, the high Mach flow with approaching or exceeding sonic speed is observed away from the target plate in our simulation. When the divertor plasma is in the high recycling state, the flow reversal with a small Mach number (|M| < 0.2) is observed near the X-point along the separatrix region. The driving mechanisms for the high Mach flow and the reversed flow are analysed theoretically through momentum and continuity equations, respectively. The profile of the ionization sources is shown to be a possible formation condition causing the complex behaviour of the SOL flow. In addition, the effects of the high Mach flow and the flow reversal on the impurity transport are also discussed in this paper.

Development of the PARASOL Code and Full Particle Simulation of Tokamak Plasma with an Open-Field SOL-Divertor Region Using PARASOL

The PARASOL code and the simulation by using PARASOL are introduced briefly. The PARASOL code with particle-in-cell (PIC) method and binary collision model was developed in JAERI and JAEA. Simulations using PARASOL code were carried out in order to investigate the power and particle control with diveror system in fusion reactors. The one-dimensional (1D) version of PARASOL was adopted to investigate the Bohm criterion, the supersonic flow, the SOL heat conduction, and so on. The heat propagation due to edge localized mode (ELM) was studied with the 1D-dynamic PARASOL. The two-dimensional version of PARASOL for the whole tokamak plasma including scrape-off-layer (SOL)-divertor region was useful for simulating the SOL flow pattern, the electric field formation etc. Based on PARASOL simulation results, improved physics modeling for the fluid simulation was built up.

A simple apparatus for the injection of lithium aerosol into the scrape-off layer of fusion research devices

A simple device has been developed to deposit elemental lithium onto plasma facing components in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Deposition is accomplished by dropping lithium powder into the plasma column. Once introduced, lithium particles quickly become entrained in scrape-off layer flow as an evaporating aerosol. Particles are delivered through a small central aperture in a computer-controlled resonating piezoelectric disk on which the powder is supported. The device has been used to deposit lithium both during discharges as well as prior to plasma breakdown. Clear improvements to plasma performance have been demonstrated. The use of this apparatus provides flexibility in the amount and timing of lithium deposition and, therefore, may benefit future fusion research devices.

Modelling of Ion Kinetic Effects for SOL Flow Formation

AbstractThe plasma flow in the scrape‐off layer (SOL) plays an important role for the control of heat and particle including impurity in magnetic fusion reactors. SOL flow patterns have recently been studied by the particle simulations, and the effects of finite‐orbit‐size of ions are found to be essential for the flow‐pattern formation [Takizuka et al., Nucl. Fusion 49, 075038 (2009)]. Based on these simulation results, a new model of the edge plasma flow is developed by introducing the “ion‐orbit‐induced flow” to the fluid equations. A tokamak plasma is divided into three regions; core region, transition layer and SOL region. The “ion‐orbit‐induced flow” is modeled by separating untrapped part and trapped part, and by taking account the collision effect and poloidal distribution. The “ion‐orbit‐induced flow” becomes large at the edge region (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Advanced tokamak research with integrated modeling in JT-60 Upgrade

Researches on advanced tokamak (AT) have progressed with integrated modeling in JT-60 Upgrade [N. Oyama et al., Nucl. Fusion 49, 104007 (2009)]. Based on JT-60U experimental analyses and first principle simulations, new models were developed and integrated into core, rotation, edge/pedestal, and scrape-off-layer (SOL)/divertor codes. The integrated models clarified complex and autonomous features in AT. An integrated core model was implemented to take account of an anomalous radial transport of alpha particles caused by Alfven eigenmodes. It showed the reduction in the fusion gain by the anomalous radial transport and further escape of alpha particles. Integrated rotation model showed mechanisms of rotation driven by the magnetic-field-ripple loss of fast ions and the charge separation due to fast-ion drift. An inward pinch model of high-Z impurity due to the atomic process was developed and indicated that the pinch velocity increases with the toroidal rotation. Integrated edge/pedestal model clarified causes of collisionality dependence of energy loss due to the edge localized mode and the enhancement of energy loss by steepening a core pressure gradient just inside the pedestal top. An ideal magnetohydrodynamics stability code was developed to take account of toroidal rotation and clarified a destabilizing effect of rotation on the pedestal. Integrated SOL/divertor model clarified a mechanism of X-point multifaceted asymmetric radiation from edge. A model of the SOL flow driven by core particle orbits which partially enter the SOL was developed by introducing the ion-orbit-induced flow to fluid equations.

Two-dimensional full particle simulation of the flow patterns in the scrape-off-layer plasma for upper- and lower-null point divertor configurations in tokamaks

The plasma flow in the scrape-off-layer (SOL) plays an important role in particle control in magnetic fusion reactors. The flow is expected to expel helium ashes and to retain impurities in the divertor region, if it is directed towards the divertor plate. It has been experimentally observed, however, that the flow direction is sometimes opposite; from the outer plate side to the SOL middle side in the outer SOL region of tokamaks. In order to study these SOL flow patterns by fully taking account of the kinetic effects, a full particle code, PARASOL, is applied to a tokamak plasma with the upper-null point (UN) or lower-null point (LN) divertor configuration for the downward ion ∇B drift. PARASOL simulations for the medium aspect ratio (A = 5.5) reveal the variation of the flow pattern. For the UN case with the ion ∇B drift away from the null point, the flow velocity V∥ parallel to the magnetic field is formed almost in–out symmetrically. In the inner SOL region V∥ is directed to the inner divertor plate and in the outer SOL V∥ is directed to the outer plate. The stagnation point (V∥ = 0) is located symmetrically at the bottom. On the other hand for the LN case with the ion ∇B drift towards the null point, V∥ in the outer SOL region has a backward flow pattern. The stagnation point moves below the mid-plane of the outer SOL and V∥ in the mid-plane outer SOL is directed to the inner plate. These simulation results are very similar to the experimental results. Simulations are carried out by changing the aspect ratio and by artificially cutting the electric field. It is found that the banana motion of trapped ions is very important for the formation of the flow pattern in addition to the self-consistent electric field. The trapped-ion effects can be stronger than the electric-field effects for the standard tokamaks with A < 5.

Response to comment on ‘Magnetic topology effects on Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer flow’

In his comment to our recent work (Simakov et al 2008 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 50 105010), Aydemir has asserted that poloidal plasma flow reversal is not a valid response to toroidal magnetic field reversal in an up–down symmetric tokamak, and that the toroidal plasma flow must reverse instead. We show that this assertion is wrong due to his misunderstanding of the corresponding symmetry transformation.

Comment on ‘Magnetic topology effects on Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer flow’

Comment on ‘Magnetic topology effects on Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer flow’

Scrape-off Layer Plasma Flow in L- and H-Mode Plasmas on JT-60U

Significant progress has been made in understanding the scrape-off layer (SOL) mass transport along magnetic field lines — the SOL flow. Understanding the driving mechanisms of the SOL flow was summarized based on experiments in the JT-60U tokamak plasmas. Fast SOL flow with parallel Mach numbers of 0.2-1 was generated from the low magnetic field side (LFS) SOL to the high magnetic field side (HFS) divertor for the ion ∇B drift direction toward the divertor. The SOL flow pattern was formed mainly by the LFS enhanced in-out asymmetry in diffusion and by classical drifts in the torus. Detachment of the divertor plasma affected enhancement of the SOL flow at the HFS SOL. Dynamics of the SOL flow were measured during the transient event of edge localized modes (ELM), and the flow pattern of the plasma filaments was clarified at both SOLs. The radial movement of the ELM filaments at the LFS SOL was sometimes faster than the parallel convective transport to the divertor target, which caused the heat loading to the first wall. Filament structures with temporal peaks and flow velocities comparable to the ion sonic level were also determined in the HFS SOL, but they appeared only near the separatrix. The delay after start of the ELM was shorter than the parallel convection time from the LFS midplane, suggesting that part of the ELM filaments was ejected into the HFS SOL.

Magnetic topology effects on Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer flow

Recent interest in the experimental study of tokamak plasma flow for different magnetic field geometries calls for theoretical understanding of the effects of tokamak magnetic topology changes on the flow. The consequences of total magnetic field reversal and/or X-point reversal on divergence-free plasma flow within magnetic flux surfaces are considered and the results are applied to interpret recent Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer flow measurements.

Dissipative processes in interchange driven scrape-off layer turbulence

First principles expressions are given for the parameters governing collisional diffusion and parallel losses of mass, momentum and energy in tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) plasmas. These dissipative, or damping, coefficients are based on neoclassical perpendicular transport (Pfirsch–Schlüter diffusion) and classical parallel transport (sub-sonic advection and Spitzer–Härm diffusion). When numerical values derived from these expressions are used to compute damping coefficients for the edge-SOL electrostatic (ESEL) turbulence code, simulations correctly reproduce the radial profiles of particle density, n, and electron temperature, Te, as well as statistical distributions and temporal correlations of particle density and flux density measured in Ohmic and L-mode plasmas on the TCV tokamak. Similarly, preliminary calculations agree reasonably well with radial profiles of Te measured in Ohmic and L-mode plasmas on JET, although the particle density e-folding length is over-estimated by a factor of 3; this discrepancy is largely removed by reducing the parallel density gradient length by a factor measuring the poloidal asymmetry (ballooning) of filament displacements. These encouraging results suggest that turbulent SOL transport is driven by interchange motions, caused by unfavourable curvature and strong pressure gradients in the edge region, with the level of turbulence being influenced by neoclassical diffusion and parallel losses in the SOL region. Moreover, the curvature drive offers a viable mechanism for the origin of the B × ∇B-independent part of the parallel SOL flow measured on many tokamaks, including JET and TCV, with ESEL simulation predicting a parallel Mach number of ≈ 0.2 in JET Ohmic and L-mode plasmas, in fair agreement with Mach probe measurements.