Jiafang Shan

Study on H-mode access at low density with lower hybrid current drive and lithium-wall coatings on the EAST superconducting tokamak

The first high-confinement mode (H-mode) with type-III edge localized modes at an H factor of HIPB98(y,2) ∼ 1 has been obtained with about 1 MW lower hybrid wave power on the EAST superconducting tokamak. The first H-mode plasma appeared after wall conditioning by lithium (Li) evaporation before plasma breakdown and the real-time injection of fine Li powder into the plasma edge. The threshold power for H-mode access follows the international tokamak scaling even in the low density range and a threshold in density has been identified. With increasing accumulation of deposited Li the H-mode duration was gradually extended up to 3.6 s corresponding to ∼30 confinement times, limited only by currently attainable durations of the plasma current flat top. Finally, it was observed that neutral density near the lower X-point was progressively reduced by a factor of 4 with increasing Li accumulation, which is considered the main mechanism for the H-mode power threshold reduction by the Li wall coatings. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

Experimental investigations of LHW?plasma coupling and current drive related to achieving H-mode plasmas in EAST

Aimed at high-confinement (H-mode) plasmas in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), the effect of local gas puffing from electron and ion sides of a lower hybrid wave (LHW) antenna on LHW?plasma coupling and high-density experiments with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) are investigated in EAST. Experimental results show that gas puffing from the electron side is more favourable to improve coupling compared with gas puffing from the ion side. Investigations indicate that LHW?plasma coupling without gas puffing is affected by the density near the LHW grill (grill density), hence leading to multi-transition of low?high?low (L?H?L) confinement, with a correspondingly periodic characteristic behaviour in the plasma radiation. High-density experiments with LHCD suggest that strong lithiation gives a significant improvement on current drive efficiency in the higher density region than 2???1019?m?3. Studies indicate that the sharp decrease in current drive efficiency is mainly correlated with parametric decay instability.Using lithium coating and gas puffing from the electron side of the LHW antenna, an H-mode plasma is obtained by LHCD in a wide range of parameters, whether LHW is deposited inside the half-minor radius or not, implying that a central and large driven current is not a necessary condition for the H-mode plasma. H-mode is investigated with CRONOS.

Lower hybrid current drive experiments and improved performance on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak

The feedback control system to control plasma current and position on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak was greatly improved in early 1998. Lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments with the improved control system were performed to sustain long pulse discharges and to improve plasma confinement. Partial non-inductive current drive and full non-inductive current drive for several seconds by means of LHCD were demonstrated. It was observed that plasma confinement could be considerably improved by LHCD. Experimental evidence suggests that this improvement during the LHCD phase could be due to the modification of the current profile in the outer region of the plasma. MHD modes (especially m = 2) seem unstable with such a current profile. The EFIT code was modified for the reconstruction of the magnetic surfaces in HT-7 and a test computation was performed.

Investigation of lower hybrid wave coupling and current drive experiments at different configurations in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak

Using a 2 MW 2.45 GHz lower hybrid wave (LHW) system installed in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak, we have systematically carried out LHW-plasma coupling and lower hybrid current drive experiments in both divertor (double null and lower single null) and limiter plasma configuration with plasma current (Ip) ∼ 250 kA and central line averaged density (ne) ∼ 1.0–1.3 × 1019 m−3 recently. Results show that the reflection coefficient (RC) first is flat up to some distance between plasma and LHW grill, and then increases with the distance. Studies indicate that with the same plasma parameters, the best coupling is obtained in the limiter case (with plasma leaning on the inner wall), followed by the lower single null, and the one with the worst coupling is the double null configuration, explained by different magnetic connection length. The RCs in the different poloidal rows show that they have different coupling characteristics, possibly due to local magnetic connection length. Current drive effici...

Dynamics of runaway electrons in lower hybrid current drive plasmas in the HT-7 tokamak

In lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) plasmas with non-zero loop voltage, the fast electron tail can act as a seed population of runaways. The runaways are found to be enhanced in the presence of lower hybrid (LH) waves when the fast electron tail extends above the critical velocity for electrons to run away. In runaway discharges, the LH waves may suppress runaway electrons due to the drop in the electric field linked to the non-inductive current drive. In this paper, the behaviour of runaway electrons in an extensive range of LHCD plasmas is presented.

The Accomplishments and Next-Step Plan of EAST in Support of Fusion

The experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) is a superconducting tokamak, which successfully achieved the first plasma discharge in 2006. The major radius of EAST plasma is 1.9 m, and its central magnet field is 3.5 T. In the past few years, EAST has made many achievements, such as 60-s double-null divertor configuration plasma and 1-MA plasma. In 2012, 411-s long-pulse discharge with 0.28-MA plasma current and 32-s H-mode operation was achieved at the seventh campaign. In addition, various means for mitigating ELMs have also been demonstrated to facilitate long-pulse operation. The experimental results and engineering experience obtained from EAST can be used as a reference for fusion next step. To make further progress, much optimization work should be done in next step. Based on the present EAST heating system, two sets of 4-MW neutral beam injection, one set of electron cyclotron resonance heating, and lower hybrid current drive will be installed to achieve more than 30-MW total heating power. The upper divertor will be updated to W-Cu divertor, which consists of monoblock structure and tungsten armor that can withstand 10- MW·m-2 heat load. To increase the upper divertors ash removal efficiency, one new cryopump will be added on the behind of it. Aiming to improve plasma configuration and enhance its stabilization, the EAST resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) coils will be designed, fabricated, and installed. The RMP coils will integrate the functions of error field correction, edge localized mode, and resistive wall mode. About 45 kinds of diagnostics will be used in the next campaign and all of them will be integrated on six ports as port plug. In addition, some fusion technologies are also considered in EAST to validate for ITER and future reactor.

Quasi-steady-state ac plasma current operation in HT-7 tokamak

A quasi-steady-state alternating current operation assisted by lower hybrid wave (LHW) was achieved on a HT-7 superconducting tokamak with plasma current of Ip = 125 kA, line-averaged density of 1.5 × 1019 m−3, electron temperature of Te = 500 eV and 30–50 s plasma duration. Plasma current was sustained and smoothly transferred from one direction to the other without loss of ionization. Plasma position control, LHW assistance, strong gas puffing and good wall condition are the key issues to have a smooth transition of plasma current. Our modelling results show that current reversal equilibrium configuration with two oppositely flowing currents in the high-field-side and the low-field-side during current reversal exists. This is in agreement with experimental measurements.

Soft x-ray pulse height analyzer in the HT-7 tokamak

A new soft x-ray pulse height analyzer (PHA), based on a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) linear array consisting of 15 SDD detectors, has been installed in the HT-7 tokamak. The energy resolution of 150–180 eV at photon energy of 6 keV is achieved for the SDD with Peltier cooling. The effective time response of the SDD PHA is 50 ms. The profiles of electron temperature and the intensity of metallic impurities can be obtained with a spatial resolution of 3 cm. The performance and first experimental results from the new PHA system are presented.

First results of LHCD experiments with 4.6 GHz system toward steady-state plasma in EAST

A 4.6 GHz lower-hybrid current drive (LHCD) system has been firstly commissioned in EAST in the 2014 campaign. The first LHCD results with 4.6 GHz show that LHW can be coupled to plasma with a low reflection coefficient, drive plasma current and plasma rotation, modify the plasma current profile, and heat plasma effectively. By means of configuration optimization and local gas puffing near the LHW antenna, good LHW–plasma coupling with a reflection coefficient less than 5% is obtained. The maximum LHW power coupled to plasma is up to 3.5 MW. The current drive (CD) efficiency is up to 1.1 × 1019 A m−2 W−1 and the central electron temperature is above 4 keV, suggesting that LH power could be mainly deposited in the core region, which is in agreement with code simulation. Experiments show that the current profile is effectively modified and toroidal rotation in the co-current direction is driven by the LHCD. Also, the CD efficiency and current profile depend on the launched wave spectrum, suggesting the possibility of controlling the current profile by changing the phase difference. Repeatable H-mode plasma is obtained by either the 4.6 GHz LHCD system alone, or together with a 2.45 GHz LHCD system, the NBI (neutral beam injection) system. The different ELM features of H-mode between the different heating methods are under investigation.

Study of confinement and LHCD efficiency on the HT-7 tokamak

High power heating of a lower hybrid wave (LHW) was performed (PLHW ~ 800?kW at 2.45?GHz) recently in the HT-7 tokamak. Lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) efficiency is studied for different injected powers and for different densities. Improved particle confinement is observed by the application of LHCD as characterized by an increase in the central line averaged electron density and the decrease in D? emission. The particle confinement time (?p) increased by about 1.5 times. The dependence of energy confinement time (?E) on plasma density and LHW power is experimentally studied in detail.