Ang Ti

Imaging x-ray crystal spectrometer on EAST

A high-resolution imaging x-ray crystal spectrometer is described for implementation on the EAST tokamak to provide spatially and temporally resolved data on the ion temperature, electron temperature and poloidal plasma rotation. These data are derived from observations of the satellite spectra of helium-like argon, Ar XVII, which is the dominant charge state for electron temperatures in the range from 0.4 to 3.0 keV and which is accessible to EAST. Employing a novel design, which is based on the imaging properties of spherically bent crystals, the spectrometers will provide spectrally and spatially resolved images of the plasma for all experimental conditions, which include ohmically heated discharges as well as plasmas with rf and neutral-beam heating. The experimental setup and initial experimental results are presented.

Operation with 1 MA Plasma Current in EAST

Discharge with a plasma current of 1 MA at a line-averaged density of 1.8 × 1019 m-3 was realized in EAST, a fully superconducting tokamak. The key issues to achieve the discharge with 1 MA plasma current include both early shaping and LHCD assistance during start-up phase to extend the voltage margin of poloidal field (PF) coils for easier plasma control, an optimization of the control methodology for PF coils to avoid over-current fault and a very good wall condition. A better wall condition was achieved mainly by extensive Lithium coating. Both stationary H-mode and diverted plasma discharge of 100 s were also obtained.

Enhancement of runaway production in lower hybrid current driven plasma with IBW heating in the HT-7 tokamak

Runaway production is observed to be enhanced in lower hybrid current driven (LHCD) plasmas during ion Bernstein wave (IBW) heating as compared with the LHCD only plasma in the HT-7 tokamak. The distortion of the electron distribution function is the effect of the quasilinear diffusions of two types of waves. IBWs modified the distribution function of the electrons by helping to fill the so-called lower hybrid wave (LHW) spectral gap for low parallel velocity. Thus the LHW was significantly coupled to the fast electrons produced by the IBW, and partial LHW power was absorbed on the first pass without significant n?-upshift. The synergy interaction of two types of waves results in high electron parallel energy and enhanced quasilinear diffusion, which is favorable for the production of runaway electrons. This is directly related to the improvement of plasma performance in the operation mode of simultaneous injection of LHW and IBW power.

Primary Results of Lithium Coating for the Improvement of Plasma Performance in EAST

First lithium coating associated with ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) plasma was performed successfully in EAST. Results in reduction of both residual impurity and deuterium in the vacuum vessel were obtained. Particularly the partial pressure of deuterium after the lithium coating was reduced by about a factor of 5. Impurity radiation in the plasma was reduced and electron temperature increased by about 50%. Moreover, reproducible plasma discharges with high parameters, such as higher plasma current and density, could be easily obtained. These results showed that plasma performance was improved. Even though only 2 g of lithium were injected, the effective lifetime of the Li film was raised up to 40 shots.

Extension of operational limits on EAST

The first plasma has been achieved successfully in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Boronization by the glow discharge (GDC) method was studied in experiments. The plasma performance was obviously improved by GDC boronization. Extension of the operational region and improvement in the plasma performance were obtained. Sawtooth discharges were observed by means of soft x-ray signals, electron cyclotron emission signals and line averaged electron density after boronization. Lower qa and more stable operation were also achieved following GDC boronization. The plasma current ramp-up rate was also improved as a result of decreased impurity content and low averaged loop voltage due to boronization. PLEASE NOTE: THERE HAS BEEN A RETRACTION PUBLISHED FOR THIS ARTICLE.

Operational region and sawteeth oscillation in the EAST tokamak

The first plasma discharges were successfully achieved on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) in 2006. The sawteeth behaviours were observed by means of soft x-ray diagnostics and ECE signals in the EAST. The displacement and radius of the q = 1 surface was studied and compared with the result of equilibrium calculation. The density sawtooth oscillation was also observed by the HCN laser interferometer diagnostics. The structure of the EAST operational region was studied in detail. Plasma performance was obviously improved by the boronization and wall conditioning. It was observed that lower qa and a wider stable operating region is extended by the GDC boronization.

Absolute intensity calibration of the 32-channel heterodyne radiometer on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak

This paper presents the results of the in situ absolute intensity calibration for the 32-channel heterodyne radiometer on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak. The hot/cold load method is adopted, and the coherent averaging technique is employed to improve the signal to noise ratio. Measured spectra and electron temperature profiles are compared with those from an independent calibrated Michelson interferometer, and there is a relatively good agreement between the results from the two different systems.

The effects of relativistic broadening and frequency down-shift on electron-cyclotron emission measurements in EAST

This paper presents a theoretical calculation of the effects of relativistic broadening and frequency down-shift on the electron cyclotron emission measurements for a wide range of plasma parameters in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The calculation is based on the radiation transfer equation, with the reabsorption and reemission processes taken into account. The broadening effect contributes to the radial resolution of the measurement, and the calculation results indicate that it is ~ 2 cm in the case of the central electron temperature 10 keV. A pseudo radial displacement of the obtained electron temperature profile occurs if the relativistic frequency down-shift effect is not taken into account in the determination of the emission layer position. The shift could be a few centimeters as the electron temperature increases, and this effect should be taken into account.

Calibration of an electron cyclotron emission diagnostic system and electron temperature measurements on HT-7 tokamak

Recently, a broadband heterodyne radiometer has been installed on HT-7 tokamak to measure second harmonic X-mode electron cyclotron emission (ECE) at a frequency range 98–126 GHz, which is the only ECE detectable mode with optical depth greater than 1 in the present study. The high temporal resolution (4 µs) diagnostic system is now operational with 16 detection channels separated by approximately 2 cm on the radial axis for measuring electron temperature (Te) on the low-field side for typical machine operation at a toroidal magnetic field (BT) of 1.0–2.5 T. The results of electron temperature measurements are presented along with the calibration of the diagnostic system. In order to cross calibrate the ECE system, the electron temperature data obtained have been compared to other Te measuring diagnostics, i.e. Thomson scattering and soft x-ray pulse height analysis (PHA). A radial electron temperature profile during the ohmic heating phase has been presented and analyzed. Future plans for the diagnostics of temperature fluctuations and measurements are also discussed.

Improvement of Plasma Performance Using Carbon Pellet Injection in Large Helical Device

A cylindrical carbon pellet with a size of 1.2L × 1.2 mm to 1.8L × 1.8 mm and a velocity of 100 m/s to 300 m/s was injected into large helical device (LHD) for an efficient fueling based on its deeper deposition instead of hydrogen gas puffing and ice pellet injection. Electron density increment of Δne = 1014 cm−3 is successfully obtained by single carbon pellet injection without plasma collapse. Typical density and temperature of the ablation plasma of the carbon pellet, e.g., 6.5 × 1016 cm−3 and 2.5 eV for CII, are examined respectively by spectroscopic method. A confinement improvement up to 50% compared to ISS-95 stellarator scaling is clearly observed in a relatively low-density regime of ne = 2×1013 cm−3 to 4×1013 cm−3, and high ion temperature Ti(0) of about 6 keV is also observed with an internal transport barrier at ne = 1.2×1013 cm−3. In particular, the improvement in the ion temperature largely exceeds that observed in hydrogen gas-puffed discharges, which typically ranges below 3 keV.