R.J. Goldston

New techniques for calculating heat and particle source rates due to neutral beam injection in axisymmetric tokamaks

A set of numerical techniques for calculating heat and particle source rates due to neutral beam injection in axisymmetric tokamaks is described. While these techniques consume a substantial amount of computer time, they take into account a number of significant, and normally neglected, effects. Examples of these effects are reionization of escaping charge exchanged beam particles, finite fast ion orbit excursions, beam deposition through collisions of beam neutrals with circulating beam ions, and the transport of thermal neutrals in the plasma due to charge changing collisions with beam ions.

Energy confinement scaling in tokamaks: some implications of recent experiments with ohmic and strong auxiliary heating

Recent results from confinement scaling experiments on tokamaks with Ohmic and strong auxiliary heating are reviewed. An attempt is made to draw these results together into a low-density ohmic confinement scaling law, and a scaling law for confinement with auxiliary heating. The auxiliary heating confinement law may also serve to explain the saturation in TE vs. e observed in some ohmic heating density scaling experiments.

Heuristic drift-based model of the power scrape-off width in low-gas-puff H-mode tokamaks

A heuristic model for the plasma scrape-off width in low-gas-puff tokamak H-mode plasmas is introduced. Grad B and curv B drifts into the scrape-off layer (SOL) are balanced against near-sonic parallel flows out of the SOL, to the divertor plates. The overall particle flow pattern posited is a modification for open field lines of Pfirsch‐ Schl¨ uter flows to include order-unity sinks to the divertors. These assumptions result in an estimated SOL width of ∼2aρp/R. They also result in a first-principles calculation of the particle confinement time of H-mode plasmas, qualitatively consistent with experimental observations. It is next assumed that anomalous perpendicular electron thermal diffusivity is the dominant source of heat flux across the separatrix, investing the SOL width, derived above, with heat from the main plasma. The separatrix temperature is calculated based on a two-point model balancing power input to the SOL with Spitzer‐H¨ arm parallel thermal conduction losses to the divertor. This results in a heuristic closed-form prediction for the power scrape-off width that is in reasonable quantitative agreement both in absolute magnitude and in scaling with recent experimental data. Further work should include full numerical calculations, including all magnetic and electric drifts, as well as more thorough comparison with experimental data. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

Attainment of high confinement in neutral beam heated divertor discharges in the PDX tokamak

Abstract The PDX divertor configuration has recently been converted from an open to a closed geometry to inhibit the return of neutral gas from the divertor region to the main chamber. Since then, operation in a regime with high energy confinement in neutral beam heated discharges (ASDEX H-mode) has been routine over a wide range of operating conditions. These H-mode discharges are characterized by a sudden drop in divertor density and H α emission and a spontaneous rise in main chamber plasma density during neutral beam injection. The confinement time is found to scale nearly linearly with plasma current, but can be degraded due either to the presence of edge instabilities or heavy gas puffing. Detailed Thomson scattering temperature profiles show high values of T c near the plasma edge (∼ 450 eV) with sharp radial gradients (∼ 400 eV/cm) near the separatrix. Density profiles are broad and also exhibit steep gradients close to the separatrix.

Global energy confinement scaling for neutral-beam-heated tokamaks

A total of 677 representative discharges from seven neutral-beam-heated tokamaks have been used to study the parametric scaling of global energy confinement time. Contributions to this data base were from Asdex, DITE, D-III, ISX-B, PDX, PLT and TFR, and were taken from results of gettered, L-mode type discharges. Assuming a power law dependence of τE on the discharge parameters κ, Ip, Bt, e Ptot, a and R. standard multiple linear regression techniques were used in two steps to determine the scaling. The results indicate that the discharges used in the study are well described by the scaling .

Theory of mode-induced beam-particle loss in tokamaks

Large‐amplitude rotating magnetohydrodynamic modes are observed to induce significant high‐energy beam particle loss during high‐power perpendicular netural beam injection on the poloidal divertor experiment (PDX). A Hamiltonian formalism for drift orbit trajectories in the presence of such modes is used to study induced particle loss analytically and numerically. Results are in good agreement with experiment.

Plasma ion temperature measurements via charge-exchange recombination radiation

Spatially and temporally resolved plasma ion temperatures can be determined by measuring the Doppler‐broadened line profiles of transitions excited by charge‐exchange recombination reactions between fast hydrogen atoms and fully ionized low‐Z ions. Plasma rotation velocity profiles can also be obtained. A sample result from the PDX tokamak using He+ radiation is presented, and expected line intensities for model cases for PDX and TFTR are calculated.

Plasma rotation in the PDX tokamak

Toroidal and poloidal rotation has been measured in the Poloidal Divertor Experiment (PDX) tokamak in Ohmic and neutral-beam heated plasmas in a variety of discharge conditions and in both circular and diverted configurations. Rotation velocities were deduced from Doppler shifts of magnetic dipole (M1) lines and lines of optically allowed transitions in the visible and UV regions, from Kα emission, and also from an array of magnetic pickup loops. Poloidal and toroidal rotation velocities in Ohmically heated discharges were usually less than 3 × 105 cms−1. Near the plasma edge, the toroidal rotation velocity varies with poloidal angle both before and during neutral-beam injection. No systematic poloidal rotation was observed during neutral-beam injection centred about or displaced 10 cm from the horizontal midplane, which implies that the poloidal damping time τθ < 0.5 τii consistent with theoretical estimates. The central toroidal rotation velocity during neutral-beam injection scales linearly with the quantity and is independent of plasma current and toroidal magnetic field. The toroidal rotation velocity is higher in deuterium than in hydrogen plasmas, and also in diverted discharges as compared with circular ones. Toroidal rotation decay times after injection range from 80–100 ms at the centre to 160–180 ms at half the minor radius. Modelling of the radial profile of toroidal rotation indicates a central momentum diffusivity of the order of 8 × 103 cm2s−1. This is approximately a factor of three higher than the momentum diffusivity obtained from the decay time. All present theories are inadequate in accounting for the observed damping rate of v.

Prospects for pilot plants based on the tokamak, spherical tokamak and stellarator

A potentially attractive next-step towards fusion commercialization is a pilot plant, i.e. a device ultimately capable of small net electricity production in as compact a facility as possible and in a configuration scalable to a full-size power plant. A key capability for a pilot-plant programme is the production of high neutron fluence enabling fusion nuclear science and technology (FNST) research. It is found that for physics and technology assumptions between those assumed for ITER and nth-of-a-kind fusion power plant, it is possible to provide FNST-relevant neutron wall loading in pilot devices. Thus, it may be possible to utilize a single facility to perform FNST research utilizing reactor-relevant plasma, blanket, coil and auxiliary systems and maintenance schemes while also targeting net electricity production. In this paper three configurations for a pilot plant are considered: the advanced tokamak, spherical tokamak and compact stellarator. A range of configuration issues is considered including: radial build and blanket design, magnet systems, maintenance schemes, tritium consumption and self-sufficiency, physics scenarios and a brief assessment of research needs for the configurations.

Toroidal plasma rotation in the PLT tokamak with neutral-beam injection

Toroidal plasma rotation in the Princeton Large Torus, PLT, has been measured for various plasma and neutral-beam injection conditions. Measurements of the plasma rotational velocities were made from Doppler shifts of appropriate spectra lines and include data from both hydrogen and deuterium beams and co- and counter-injection at several electron densities. Without injection, a small but consistent toroidal rotation exists in a direction opposite to the plasma current (counter-direction) in the plasma centre but parallel to the current (co-direction) in the plasma periphery. Using these velocities measured in the absence of injection, and the plasma density and temperature gradients, radial electron fields can be determined from theory, giving Er ≈ 40 V · cm−1 in the plasma centre and Er ≈ 10 V · cm−1 near the plasma edge. Insertion of a local, 2.5% magnetic well produced no observable effect on the beam-driven rotation. Modelling of the time evolution and radial distribution of the rotation allows one to deduce an effective momentum diffusivity of the order of (1–5) × 104 cm2 · s−1.