R.J. Smith

Plasma confinement in JET H?mode plasmas with H, D, DT and T isotopes

The scaling of the energy confinement in H mode plasmas with different hydrogenic isotopes (hydrogen, deuterium, DT and tritium) is investigated in JET. For ELM-free H modes the thermal energy confinement time τth is found to decrease weakly with the isotope mass (τth ~M-0.25±0.22), whilst in ELMy H modes the energy confinement time shows practically no mass dependence (τth ~M0.03±0.1). Detailed local transport analysis of the ELMy H mode plasmas reveals that the confinement in the edge region increases strongly with the isotope mass, whereas the confinement in the core region decreases with mass (τthcore ∝ M-0.16), in approximate agreement with theoretical models of the gyro-Bohm type (τgB ~M-0.2).

Isotope scaling of the H mode power threshold on JET

Results are presented from a series of dedicated experiments carried out on JET in tritium, DT, deuterium and hydrogen plasmas to determine the dependence of the H mode power threshold on the plasma isotopic mass. The Pthr ∝ Aeff-1 scaling is established over the whole isotopic range. This result makes it possible for a fusion reactor with a 50:50 DT mixture to access the H mode regime with about 20% less power than that needed in a DD mixture. Results on the first systematic measurements of the power necessary for the transition of the plasma to the type I ELM regime, which occurs after the transition to H mode, are also in agreement with the Aeff-1 scaling. For a subset of discharges, measurements of Te and Ti at the top of the profile pedestal have been obtained, indicating a weak influence of the isotopic mass on the critical edge temperature thought to be necessary for the H mode transition.

Imposed-dynamo current drive

A mechanism for steady inductive helicity injection (SIHI) current drive has been discovered where the current driving fluctuations are not generated by the plasma but rather are imposed by the injectors. Sheared flow of the electron fluid distorts the imposed fluctuations to drive current. The model accurately predicts the time dependent toroidal current, the injector impedance scaling, and the profile produced in the HIT-SI experiment. These results show that a stable equilibrium can be efficiently sustained with imposed fluctuations and the current profile can, in principle, be controlled. Both are large steps for controlled fusion. Some of the effects of the fluctuations on the confinement of tokamak and spheromak reactors are assessed and the degradation may be tolerable. The mechanism is also of interest to plasma self-organization, fast reconnection and plasma physics in general.

The edge operational space in JET

In this paper we investigate differences of the ELM behaviour between RF and NB heated H-mode discharges in JET. The main result of this investigation is that the edge pedestal pressure with NB heating is higher than with RF heating for equal power fluxes crossing the separatrix. This can be explained by a higher population of fast ions in the edge region in the case of NB heating. Using data from NB heated steady-state H-modes we derive a scaling law for the width of the transport barrier. We find that the barrier width is proportional to the poloidal Larmor radius, which in turn is controlled by the ion population with the highest energy in the plasma edge.

Flux amplification in Helicity Injected Torus (HIT-II) coaxial helicity injection discharges

Recent coaxial helicity injection (CHI) studies using the Helicity Injected Torus device [Redd et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 2006 (2002)] have produced discharges with measured toroidal plasma currents up to 350kA and direct evidence of both poloidal flux amplification and toroidal current buildup, resulting from a steady process on millisecond time scales. Internal magnetic probes directly measure the poloidal flux amplification, and also measure a strong paramagnetism. Equilibrium reconstructions of these flux amplification discharges, using only surface magnetics, match the internal probes and multipoint Thomson scattering, and show current-profile relaxation during toroidal current ramp up. The criteria for producing flux amplification include both a sufficiently thin electrode-driven edge region and a large magnetic shear in the CHI injector region, which allows injector reconnection activity to overcome resistive decay and build up a closed plasma core. If the interelectrode distance d is small, then bot...

Non-inductive solenoid-free plasma start-up using coaxial helicity injection

Experimental results on the transfer of a coaxial-helicity-injection (CHI) produced discharge to inductive operation are reported. By self-consistently increasing both the injector flux and the externally produced toroidal flux, the useful CHI produced closed flux current has been increased to 100 kA, which is retained during the inductive ramp. CHI started plasmas outperform inductive-only discharges and consume less volt-seconds. These significant results were obtained on the helicity injected torus-II (Jarboe T.R. 1989 Fusion Technol. 15 7) spherical torus experiment (major/minor radius of 0.3/0.2 m).

Experimental demonstration of plasma startup by coaxial helicity injection

Experimental results on the transfer of a coaxial-helicity-injection (CHI) produced discharge to inductive operation are reported. CHI assisted plasma startup is more robust than inductive only operation and reduces volt-seconds consumption. After handoff to inductive operation, the initial 100 kA of CHI produced current drops to 50 kA, then ramps up to 180 kA, using only 30 mVs, about 40% higher than that produced by induction alone. Results show that initiation of CHI discharges at lower densities produce higher levels of coupling current. Coupling a CHI produced discharge to induction from a precharged central solenoid has produced record currents of 290 kA using only 52 mWb of central solenoid flux. CHI discharges can also be generated while the central transformer is in the process of being precharged, during which period it induces a negative loop voltage on the CHI discharge. These significant results were obtained on the Helicity Injected Torus-II (HIT-II) [T.R. Jarboe, Fusion Technol. 15, 7 (1989...

Demonstration of steady inductive helicity injection

Initial results demonstrating the concept of constant inductive helicity injection are presented. Constant helicity injection is achieved using two oscillating inductive helicity injectors, with the goal of producing a bow tie spheromak. Each injector is a 180° segment of a reverse field pinch and they are driven 90° out of phase. Approximately 5 MW of power is injected during the 6 ms pulse, and the input power has been maintained at a fairly constant value by directly fuelling the injectors with neutral gas. Motivation for the experiment is given, including beta-limit calculations for the bow tie spheromak. Fuelling the injectors with neutral gas during the discharge is shown to produce injector parameters that are more constant in time. A series of discharges with increasing power input shows a promising increase in toroidal current. Unique construction techniques of the experiment are also described.

High fusion power steady state operation in JET DT plasmas

Because of its large size, single null divertor and flexible magnetic geometry, JET is capable of producing the most reactor relevant plasmas of any present generation tokamak. In recent DT experiments, the fusion performance of these plasmas was tested for the first time. Over 4 MW of fusion power was produced in a high power, steady state pulse of 5 s, limited by the duration of the heating power. The fusion QE, defined simply as the fusion energy produced divided by the input energy over this 5 s interval, was 0.18. These DT ELMy H mode discharges performed up to expectations based on DD preparation pulses and thus establish a firm basis for extrapolating to a next step machine. Operation at low q95 is possible in JET with no degradation in the confinement enhancement factor and provides an improved margin to ignition when extrapolated to ITER. Considerable uncertainties remain, nonetheless. In particular, access to high density, relative to the Greenwald limit, and operation in close proximity to the H mode threshold may both result in a degradation of the confinement in the next step machine.

Recent results from the HIT-SI experiment

New understanding and improved parameters have been achieved on the Helicity Injected Torus with Steady Inductive helicity injection current drive (HIT-SI) experiment. The experiment has a bowtie-shaped spheromak confinement region with two helicity injectors. The inductive injectors are 180° segments of a small, oval cross section toroidal pinch. Spheromaks with currents up to 38 kA and current amplification of 2 have been achieved with only 6 MW of injector power. The Taylor-state model is shown to agree with HIT-SI surface and internal magnetic profile measurements. Helicity balance predicts the peak magnitude of toroidal spheromak current and the threshold for spheromak formation. The model also accurately predicts the division of the applied loop voltage between the injector and spheromak regions. Single injector operation shows that the two injectors have opposing, preferred spheromak current directions. An electron locking relaxation model is consistent with the preferred direction, with ion Doppler data and with bolometric data. Results from higher frequency operation are given. The impact of the new understanding on the future direction of the HIT programme is discussed.