Y.A. Gorelov

Maturing ECRF technology for plasma control

The availability of high power (~1 MW), long pulse length (effectively cw), high frequency (>100 GHz) gyrotrons has created the opportunity for enhanced scientific results on magnetic confinement devices for fusion research worldwide. This has led to successful experiments on electron cyclotron heating, electron cyclotron current drive, non-inductive tokamak operation, tokamak energy transport, suppression of instabilities and advanced profile control leading to enhanced performance. The key development in the gyrotron community that has led to the realization of high power long pulse gyrotrons is the availability of edge cooled synthetic diamond gyrotron output windows, which have low loss and excellent thermal and mechanical properties. In addition to the emergence of reliable high power gyrotrons, ancillary equipment for efficient microwave transmission over distances of hundreds of metres, polarization control, diagnostics, and flexible launch geometry have all been developed and proved in regular service.

Performance and Upgrades for the Electron Cyclotron Heating System on DIII-D

The electron cyclotron heating (ECH) system on the DIII-D fusion reactor consists of six 110-GHz gyrotrons with 6 MW installed power for pulses limited administratively to 5 s in length. The transmission coefficient is better than -1.1 dB for four of the transmission lines, which is close to the theoretical value. A new depressed collector gyrotron was recently installed and is injecting up to 720 kW of power into DIII-D during 2013 tokamak operations. Three of the four dual waveguide launchers, which can steer the RF beams ±20° both poloidally and toroidally, were used for real-time neoclassical tearing mode control and suppression with increased poloidal scanning speed up to 60°/s and positioning accuracy of the beams of ±2 mm at the plasma center. The ECH capabilities on DIII-D are being steadily updated, leading to increased experimental flexibility and high reliability of the system. In the past year, the ECH system reliability reached 87% for 2352 successful individual gyrotron shots into DIII-D. Planning is under way for the addition of two new depressed collector gyrotrons, one at 110 GHz, 1.2 MW and another at 117.5 GHz, 1.5 MW generated power, both of which are in the test stage at Communications and Power Industries.

DIII-D Electron Cyclotron Heating System Status and Upgrades

The DIII-D electron cyclotron heating (ECH) system consists of six 110-GHz gyrotrons with corrugated coaxial 31.75-mm waveguide transmission lines, and steerable launching mirrors. The system has been gradually updated, leading to an increased experimental flexibility and a high system reliability of 91% in the past year. Operationally, the gyrotrons can generate up to a total of 4.8 MW of RF power for pulses up to 5 seconds. The maximum ECH energy injected into the DIII-D is 16.6 MJ. The HE1,1 mode content is over 85% for all the lines, and the transmission coefficient is better than -1.1 dB for all the transmission lines, close to the theoretical value. A new depressed collector gyrotron was recently installed and was injected up to 640 kW of power into the plasma during 2014-2015 tokamak operations. Four dual waveguide launchers, which can steer the RF beams ±20° poloidally and toroidally, are used for real-time neoclassical tearing mode control and suppression. The launchers now have increased poloidal scanning speed and beam positioning accuracy of approximately ±2 mm at the plasma center. Two more gyrotrons are expected to be installed and operational in 2015-2016. The first is a repaired 110-GHz, 1-MW gyrotron that had a gun failure after more than 11 years of operation at DIII-D. The second is a newly designed depressed collector tube in the 1.5 MW class, operating at 117.5 GHz, manufactured by Communications and Power Industries.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON THE 110 GHz ELECTRON CYCLOTRON INSTALLATION ON THE DIII-D TOKAMAK

OAK A271 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON THE 110 GHZ ELECTRON CYCLOTRON INSTALLATION ON THE DIII-D TOKAMAK. Significant improvements are being implement4ed to the capability of the 110 GHz electron cyclotron system on the DIII-D tokamak. Chief among these is the addition of the fifth and sixth 1 MW class gyrotrons, increasing the power available for auxiliary heating and current drive by nearly 60%. These tubes use artificially grown diamond rf output windows to obtain high power with long pulse capability. The beams from these tubes are nearly Gaussian, facilitating coupling to the waveguide. A new fully articulating dual launcher capable of high speed spatial scanning has been designed and tested. The launcher has two axis independent steering for each waveguide. the mirrors can be rotated at up to 100{sup o}/s. A new feedback system linking the DIII-D Plasma Control System (PCS) with the gyrotron beam voltage waveform generators permits real-time feedback control of some plasma properties such as electron temperature. The PCS can use a variety of plasma monitors to generate its control signal, including electron cyclotron emission and Mirnov probes. Electron cyclotron heating and electron cyclotron current drive (ECH and ECCD) were used during this years DIII-D experimental campaign to control electron temperature, density, and q profiles, induce an ELM-free H-mode, and suppress the m=2/n=1 neoclassical tearing mode. The new capabilities have expanded the role of EC systems in tokamak plasma control.

Operating experience on six 110?GHz, 1?MW gyrotrons for ECH applications

Since 1999, CPI has shipped six, 110?GHz, 1?MW, 5?s pulsed gyrotrons to General Atomics (GA) for use in electron cyclotron heating experiments on the DIII-D tokamak. As a result of extensive testing of these gyrotrons at CPI and GA, a wealth of information has been obtained regarding the long-term performance of the original electrical and mechanical design of the tubes. All of the gyrotrons have achieved long-pulse operation and five of the six gyrotrons achieved 1?MW output power levels with the nominal beam voltage and current of 80?kV and 40?A, respectively. Experience with the electron guns and interaction cavities has been quite good, though the low efficiency experienced by one gyrotron may be attributed to a gun or cavity irregularity. The internal converters employed in the gyrotrons have produced high-quality Gaussian output beams with internal diffractions losses of 5?6.5%. After several years of operation, the first three 110?GHz gyrotrons experienced collector failures due to cyclic fatigue. Improved analyses and diagnostics have been employed to avoid these problems in the future. Two problems have been experienced with the diamond output windows. These problems have been eliminated by changing braze techniques and procedures. Based on the experience obtained on these six gyrotrons, recommendations can be made for future gyrotron development work.

Characteristics of diamond windows on the 1 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron systems on the DIII-D tokamak

Diamond disks made using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique are now in common use as gyrotron output windows. The low millimeter wave losses and excellent thermal conductivity of diamond have made it possible to use such windows in gyrotrons with /spl sim/1 MW output power and pulse length up to and greater than 10 s. A ubiquitous characteristic of diamond gyrotron windows is the presence of apparent hot spots in the infrared images registered during RF pulses. Many of these spots are co-located with bright points seen in visible video images. The spots do not seem to compromise the integrity of the windows. Analysis of the infrared observations on several different gyrotrons operating at the DIII-D Tokamak are reported.

Interrupting an Imminent Body Current Fault and Restoring Full Power in Milliseconds on a DIII-D National Fusion Facility Gyrotron

Abstract An imminent gyrotron body current fault can now be detected and avoided in less than 10 µs using a high-resolution, real-time, high-voltage reference waveform generator with signal analyzer subroutines. The gyrotron is restarted and full power resumed in a little over 10 ms.

Electron Cyclotron Heating system status and upgrades on DIII-D

The Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) system on the DIII-D tokamak consists of six 110 GHz gyrotrons with corrugated coaxial 31.75 mm waveguide transmission lines and steerable launching mirrors. The system has been gradually updated, leading to increased experimental flexibility and a high system reliability of 91% in the past year. Operationally, the gyrotrons can generate up to a total of 4.8 MW of rf power for pulses up to 5 seconds in length. The maximum ECH energy injected into the DIII-D is 16.6 MJ. The HE11 mode content is over 85% for all the lines, and the transmission coefficient is better than -1.1 dB for all the transmission lines, close to the theoretical value. A new depressed collector gyrotron was recently installed and was injecting up to 640 kW of power into the plasma during 2014-2015 tokamak operations. Three dual waveguide launchers, which can steer the RF beams ±20 degrees poloidally and toroidally, were used for real-time neoclassical tearing mode control and suppression. The launchers now have increased poloidal scanning speed and beam positioning accuracy of ~±2 mm at the plasma center. A new method of in-situ calibration of the mirror angle was used in conjunction with the upgrading of the encoders and motors for the launchers. Two more gyrotrons are expected to be installed and operational in 2015-2016. The first is a repaired 110 GHz, 1 MW gyrotron that had a gun failure after more than 11 years of operation at DIII-D. The second is a newly designed depressed collector tube in the 1.5 MW class, operating at 117.5 GHz, manufactured by Communications and Power Industries (CPI). It operates in the TE20,9 mode and has achieved 1.8 MW for short pulses during factory testing. This gyrotron is undergoing rework to address a high voltage standoff problem.

Preparation for tests of a 110 GHz gyrotron with collector potential depression and status of the ECH system on the DIII-D Tokamak

A 110 GHz gyrotron designed for long pulse operation at P/sub rf/>1.0 MW is tested at the DIII-D facility. The unit is predicted to have efficiency >0.4 with collector potential depression. Some transmission line components require modification for operation at total rf energies >5 MJ per pulse. The ECH system is also being upgraded with the addition of three new gyrotrons.

Thermal performance of the launcher mirrors in the DIII-D ECH system

The DIII-D ECH system includes three launcher assemblies each of which can accommodate the RF beams from two gyrotrons. The launchers use four different designs for the mirrors which focus and direct the beams into the tokamak. The designs use molybdenum brazed to graphite, thin Glidcop or variable thickness Glidcop. A fourth design with laminated Glidcop/stainless steel construction has been operated, but no thermal data are available. All the mirrors operate without active cooling. This paper presents preliminary analyses and measurements of the thermal performance of the three designs for which data have been obtained.