Shouyin Zhang

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.

Plasma density behavior in the Hefei tokamak-7

The density profiles were measured in the Hefei tokamak-7 (HT-7) [World Survey of Activities in Controlled Fusion Research, Nuclear Fusion Special Supplement (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1997), p. 61] ohmic discharges by means of a new multichannel far-infrared (FIR) laser interferometer. The progress on the extension of the HT-7 ohmic discharge operation region was introduced. The experiment results at the density limit, the multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge (MARFE) phenomena, the rf (radio frequency) boronization experiments, and the fueling efficiency studies were reported. The plasma physics in the molecular beam injection (MBI), the pellet injection (PI), and the gas puffing (GP) fueling experiments was studied and discussed.

RF wall conditioning – a new technique for future large superconducting tokamak

A new technique for wall conditioning with a high toroidal magnetic field has been developed on HT-7 superconducting tokamak by launching ion cyclotron resonant wave (ICRF) into plasmas. The RF wall conditioning techniques include hydrogen removal, isotopic and impurity control, boronization and siliconization, which have been proved to be very effective and could be routinely used in daily experiments.

High density operation on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak

The structure of the operation region has been studied in the HT-7 superconducting tokamak, and progress on the extension of the HT-7 ohmic discharge operation region is reported. A density corresponding to 1.2 times the Greenwald limit was achieved by RF boronization. The density limit appears to be connected to the impurity content and the edge parameters, so the best results are obtained with very clean plasmas and peaked electron density profiles. The peaking factors of electron density profiles for different current and line averaged densities were observed. The density behaviour and the fuelling efficiency for gas puffing (20-30%), pellet injection (70-80%) and molecular beam injection (40-50%) were studied. The core crash sawteeth and MHD behaviour, which were induced by an injected pellet, were observed and the events correlated with the change of current profile and reversed magnetic shear. The MARFE phenomena on HT-7 are summarized. The best correlation has been found between the total input ohmic power and the product of the edge line averaged density and Zeff. HT-7 could be easily operated in the high density region MARFE-free using RF boronization.

Modulated toroidal current suppression of MHD activity on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak

Modulation of the plasma current has been used successfully to suppress MHD activity. This was achieved in discharges near the density limit where large MHD m = 2 tearing modes were suppressed by sufficiently large plasma current oscillations. The modulation of the plasma current must be large enough to move the resonance q = 2 surface outside the island width on a timescale faster than the growth time of the instability. These observations resemble those predicted in a previous study of non-linear effects on the m = 1 mode.

ICRF siliconization in HT-7 superconducting tokamak

A new wall-conditioning method, ICRF plasma-assisted coating with silicon film, the so-called RF-siliconization, has been developed in HT-7 superconducting tokamak. It leads to suppression of carbon and oxygen impurities effectively. The properties of deposits were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Silicon atoms have a large sticking probability on the wall and are practically less recycling. Plasma performance has been improved after ICRF siliconization.

MARFE phenomena in the HT-7 tokamak

Abstract Multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge (MARFE) phenomena on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak are summarized in this paper. The best correlation has been found between the total input ohmic power and the product of the edge line average density and Z eff . The occurrence of MARFEs are strongly correlated with impurity density, and always occur at Z eff =3–8 ohmic discharges. In the HT-7 tokamak high Z eff discharges, it is found that the MARFEs usually occur at values of Z eff 1/2 ρ in the range of 0.5–0.7, where ρ =π a 2 n e / I p (10 20 MA −1 m −1 ). In the case of good wall condition ( Z eff =1–2), the onset of MARFEs have not been observed before reaching the Greenwald density limit on the HT-7. Improved confinement mode induced by a MARFE is observed, and it is maintained for about 40 ms. MARFE cools the plasma edge, and the electron density profile is observed to become more narrow and peaked.

Improved confinement mode induced by the MARFE on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak

In the HT-7 superconducting tokamak, the onset of a multifaceted asymmetric radiation from the edge (MARFE) usually occurs in the early ohmic discharges of each experimental campaign before wall conditioning. The occurrence and location of a MARFE is identified by different diagnostic systems. An improved confinement mode plasma which was induced by the MARFE is observed, and the global particle confinement time increases 1.9 times. The relaxation time between the MARFE event trigger and the L-H transition is about 1.4 ms, the following L-H transition time is 1.9 ms, and the improved confinement mode phase is maintained for about 40 ms. The MARFE cools the plasma edge, and the electron density profile is observed to become more narrow and peaked. The occurrence of a MARFE is strongly correlated with Zeff but not with the density, and it always occurs at Zeff = 3-8 ohmic discharges. In the case of a good wall condition (Zeff = 1-2), the onset of MARFEs has not been observed before reaching the Greenwald density limit.

A fast-scanning heterodyne radiometer for electron cyclotron emission measurements in HT-7 superconducting tokamak

A fast-scanning heterodyne radiometer employing a backward-wave oscillator (BWO) in 78–118 GHz was developed and installed for electron cyclotron emission (ECE) measurements in HT-7 superconducting tokamak. The radiometer measures 16 ECE frequency points with a scanning time period of 0.65 ms, each of the frequency points can be preset by the program to meet specific interests in physics. The high scanning speed is achieved by carefully choosing a BWO, very finely adjusting the radiometer over the full waveband, and by eliminating some elements that are routinely included in a fast-scanning radiometer system. A horizontal view of the ECE optics was installed to measure electron temperature profiles. The spatial resolution is about 1 cm (Bt=2 T) in the center of the HT-7 minor cross section, determined by the intermediate frequency of 0.1–0.5 GHz in the radiometer. Vertically viewing optics along a perpendicular chord was also installed to study nonthermal ECE spectra. Preliminary measurement results in pe...

A novel fast-scanning microwave heterodyne radiometer system for electron cyclotron emission measurements in the HT-7 superconducting tokamak

Two sets of fast-scanning microwave heterodyne radiometer receiver systems employing backward-wave oscillators in the 78-118 GHz and 118-178 GHz ranges were developed for electron cyclotron emission measurements (ECE) on the HT-7 superconducting tokamak. The double-sideband radiometer in the 78-118 GHz range measures 16 ECE frequency points with a scanning period of 0.65 ms. The novel design of the 2 mm fast-scanning heterodyne radiometer in the 118-178 GHz range enables the unique system to measure 48 ECE frequency points in 0.65 ms periodically. The plasma profile consistency in reproducible ohmic plasmas was used to relatively calibrate each channel by changing the toroidal magnetic field shot-by-shot. The absolute temperature value was obtained by a comparison with the results from the soft x-ray pulse height analysis measurements and Thomson scattering system. A preliminary temperature profile measurement result in pellet injection plasma is presented.