Numerical simulation of electron cyclotron current drive characteristics on EAST

Electron cyclotron current drive （ECCD） will be applied in the EAST tokamak during its the new campaign. In order to provide theoretical predictions for relevant physical experiments, some numerical simulations of ECCD with the parameters of EAST have been can＇ied out by using TORAY-GA code based on the understanding of ECCD mechanisms. ECCD efficiencies achieved in different plasma and electron cyclotron （EC） wave parameters are given. The dependences of ECCD characteristics on EC wave injection angle, toroidal magnetic field, plasma density, and temperature are presented and discussed.     

Experiment and simulation of tearing mode evolution with electron cyclotron current drive in KSTAR

The tearing mode (TM) plasma instability was observed in low confinement (L-mode) plasmas when non-axisymmetric magnetic perturbation (MP) was applied using external coils during 2011 campaign of KSTAR. Based on the collected information of the magnetic island location in a plasma, a discharge was designed for suppression of a (2,1) TM mode by adjusting electron cyclotron (EC) launcher angles to the estimated island position. Here, the (m,n) notation describes the poloidal mode number and the toroidal mode number of the TM, respectively. The discharge is analysed with experimental observations and numerical simulations. Mirnov coil (MC) arrays and electron cyclotron emission (ECE) are used for analysis of the island width and the location as well as the mode number. The EC deposition and its alignment with the island are estimated by X-ray imaging crystal spectroscopy (XICS) and ECE measurements. An integrated numerical system is employed for modelling of this discharge to analyse a temporal evolution of the mode activity by integrating plasma equilibrium, transport, heating and current drive, and the magnetic island evolution, in a self-consistent way. The effect of EC current drive is discussed by comparing with another TM discharge but without ECCD. Some possibilities for classifying this mode to neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) and stabilisation effect of ECCD are suggested based on the experimental observation and the simulation results.     

Novel Applications of Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Gyro-Devices

The possible applications of high-power millimeter (mm) and submillimeter waves from gyro-devices span a wide range of technologies. The plasma physics community has already taken advantage of recent advances in applying high-power micro- and mm-waves generated by gyrotron oscillators in the areas of RF-plasma production, heating, noninductive current drive, plasma stabilization and active plasma diagnostics for magnetic confinement thermonuclear fusion research, such as lower hybrid current drive (8 GHz), electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) (28–170 GHz), electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), collective Thomson scattering and heat-wave propagation experiments. Other important applications of gyrotrons are electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharges for generation of multi-charged ions and soft X-rays, as well as industrial materials processing and plasma chemistry. Submillimeter wave gyrotrons are employed in high-frequency broadband electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Future applications which await the development of novel high-power gyro-amplifiers include high resolution radar ranging and imaging in atmospheric and planetary science as well as deep-space and specialized satellite communications and RF drivers for next-generation high-gradient linear accelerators (supercolliders). The present paper reviews the state-of-the-art and future prospects of these recent applications of gyro-devices.     

Complete suppression of neoclassical tearing modes with current drive at the electron-cyclotron-resonance frequency in ASDEX upgrade tokamak

Noninductive current drive has been performed in the tokamak ASDEX upgrade by injection of radiofrequency waves at the second harmonic of the electron-cyclotron frequency in order to suppress unwanted disturbances of the magnetic-field configuration. The current has been driven parallel [co-electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD)] and antiparallel (counter-ECCD) to the plasma current to compare the effect of heating with direct current drive in the magnetic island. For the first time it has been shown experimentally that total stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes is possible with co-ECCD. The experiments verify the role of direct current drive as opposed to local heating.     

Optimized calculation of the synergy conditions between electron cyclotron current drive and lower hybrid current drive on EAST

The optimized synergy conditions between electron cyclotron current drive(ECCD) and lower hybrid current drive(LHCD) with normal parameters of the EAST tokamak are studied by using the C3PO/LUKE code based on the understanding of the synergy mechanisms so as to obtain a higher synergistic current and provide theoretical reference for the synergistic effect in the EAST experiment. The dependences of the synergistic effect on the parameters of two waves(lower hybrid wave(LHW) and electron cyclotron wave(ECW)), including the radial position of the power deposition, the power value of the LH and EC waves, and the parallel refractive indices of the LHW(N) are presented and discussed.     

Simulation of electron cyclotron current drive and electron cyclotron resonant heating for the HL-2A tokamak＊

A quasi-linear formalism is developed for relativistic particles. It is self-consistent including spatial diffusion. An attempt is made to simulate the process of electron cyclotron resonant heating （ECRH） and electron cyclotron current drive （ECCD） for the HL-2A tokamak. Temperature oscillating regimes in Tore Supra diagnosed by MHD activity seem to be reproduced in the simulation. The special feature in this paper is to see the resonance in the long time scale for relativistic plasma.     

Numerical analysis of the optimized performance of the electron cyclotron wave system in a HL-2M tokamak

The capabilities of current drive, neoclassical tearing mode(NTM) stabilization, and sawtooth control are analyzed for the electron–cyclotron wave(ECW) system in a HL-2M tokamak. Better performance of the upper launcher is demonstrated in comparison with that of a dropped upper launcher, in terms of J_(EC)/J_(bs) for NTM stabilization and I_(ECCD)/(?ρtor)~2 for sawtooth control. 1-MW ECW power is enough for the 3/2 NTM stabilization, and 1.8-MW ECW power is required to suppress 2/1 NTM in a single null divertor equilibrium with 1.2-MA toroidal current with the upper launcher. Optimization simulation of electron–cyclotron current drive(ECCD) is carried out for three mirrors in an equatorial port, indicating that the middle mirror has a good performance compared with the top and bottom mirrors. The results for balanced co- and counter-ECCD in an equatorial port are also presented.     

托卡马克等离子体LHCD与ECCD的协同作用

本文通过求解Fokker-Planck方程和射线追踪技术,详细研究了托卡马克等离子体中,低混杂波电流驱动(LHCD)与电子回旋波电流驱动(ECCD)的协同作用,结果表明,这种协同作用有利于用EC波驱动电流;捕获电子效应对电流驱动有一定影响,特别是O波弱场注入时,影响更为明显;驱动的电流对平衡磁场很敏感,磁场的大小也影响驱动电流的剖面。     

Enhancement of the stabilization efficiency of a neoclassical magnetic island by modulated electron cyclotron current drive in the ASDEX upgrade tokamak

The efficiency of generating a helical current in magnetic islands for the purpose of suppression of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) by electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) is studied experimentally in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. It is found that the efficiency of generating helical current by continuous current drive in a rotating island drops drastically as the width 2d of the co-ECCD driven current becomes larger than the island width W. However, by modulating the co-ECCD in phase with the rotating islands O point, the efficiency can be recovered. The results are in good agreement with theoretical calculations taking into account the equilibration of the externally driven current on the island flux surfaces. The result is especially important for large next-step fusion devices, such as ITER, where 2d>W is expected to be unavoidable during NTM suppression, suggesting that modulation capability should be foreseen.     

HL-2M 装置电子回旋共振加热及电流驱动系统设计与研制进展

根据 HL-2M 装置物理实验加热的需求,完成了总功率为 8MW 的电子回旋共振加热及电流驱动 (ECRH/ECCD)系统设计,开展了波源、传输及天线等关键部件研制。8MW ECRH/ECCD 系统,由 8 套 105GHz/  1MW/3s 波源系统、8 条内径为 63.5mm 的真空传输线及三套极向实时可控的发射天线构成。目前,已完成 ECRH/ECCD 系统关键部件研制及其相关的桌面与高功率性能测试。测试结果表明,微波源回旋管输出微波功率 达到1MW/3s,在真空度为 10^‒2Pa 的过模波纹圆波导传输线中能低耗稳定传输,发射天线极向全量程角度转动响 应时间在 50ms 以内。      

Long-pulse improved central electron confinement in the TCV tokamak with electron cyclotron heating and current drive

Current profile tailoring by electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and current drive (ECCD) is used to improve central electron energy confinement in the TCV tokamak. Counter-ECCD on axis alone achieves this goal in a transient manner only. A stable scenario is obtained by a two-step sequence of off-axis ECH, which stabilizes magnetohydrodynamics modes, and on-axis counter-ECCD, which generates a flat or inverted current profile. This high-confinement regime, with central temperatures up to 9 keV (at a normalized beta(N) approximately 0.6), has been sustained for the entire duration of the heating pulse, or over 200 electron energy confinement times and 5 current redistribution times.     

High Power Gyro-Devices for Plasma Heating and Other Applications

Gyrotron oscillators are mainly used as high power millimeter wave sources for electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), stability control and diagnostics of magnetically confined plasmas for generation of energy by controlled thermonuclear fusion. The maximum pulse length of commercially available 1 MW gyrotrons employing synthetic diamond output windows is 5 s at 110 GHz (CPI and JAERI-TOSHIBA), 12 s at 140 GHz (FZK-CRPP-CEA-TED) and 10 s at 170 GHz (GYCOM and JAERI-TOSHIBA), with efficiencies slightly above 30%. Total efficiencies of 45–50 % have been obtained using single-stage depressed collectors (SDC). The energy world record of 160 MJ (0.89 MW at 180 s pulse length and 140 GHz) at power levels higher than 0.8 MW has been achieved by the European FZK-CRPP-CEA-TED collaboration at FZK. Operation at the 1^st and the 2^nd harmonic of the EC frequency enables gyrotrons to act as medium power step-tunable mm- and sub-mm wave sources in the frequency range from 38 GHz (fundamental) to 889 GHz (2nd harmonic) for plasma diagnostics, EC plasma discharges for generation of multi-charged ions, high-frequency broadband electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and medical applications. Gyrotrons have also been successfully used in materials processing. Such technological applications require gyrotrons with the following parameters: f 24 GHz, P_out = 4–50 kW, CW, 30%. Future applications which await the development of novel high-power gyro-amplifiers include high resolution radar ranging and imaging in atmospheric and planetary science as well as deep-space and specialized satellite communications and RF drivers for next-generation high-gradient linear accelerators (supercolliders). The present paper reviews the state-of-the-art and future prospects of gyro-devices and their applications.     

撕裂模实时主动控制系统

在HL-2A装置上发展了一套撕裂模实时主动控制系统。该系统在放电期间用电子回旋发射/软X射线诊断实时确定撕裂模的几何位置,结合实时剖面重建和电子回旋波沉积计算,得到电子回旋波反射镜的控制角度值。通过电机实时驱动电子回旋波反射镜到达指定角度,使得电子回旋波功率沉积在撕裂模的有理磁面附近,改变当地局部的电流剖面,从而控制撕裂模,改善等离子体约束。该系统已经在2015年以后的实验中投入使用,并取得了良好的控制效果。它不仅能够实时发现并控制经典撕裂模,并且具有控制新经典撕裂模的潜力。     

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Tearing mode real-time active control system has been developed on HL-2A tokamak. During the plasma discharge, electron cyclotron emission and soft X-ray diagnostic signals are used to get the geometric location where tearing modes emerge, combined with the real time profile reconstruction and electron cyclotron wave (ECW) deposition algorithm, the target angle of ECW steering mirror can be obtained. Then the mirror angle is set by the motor so that the ECW power deposit at the position of tearing modes finally. Consequently the tearing modes can be controlled, owing to the change of local current profile, and the plasma confinement is improved. This system has been deployed in HL-2A campaigns after 2015, and the good control effect is obtained. It has been proved that the system can discover and control not only the classical tearing modes in real time, but also has the potential to control the neoclassical tearing mode in the future.     

Effect of heating on the suppression of tearing modes in tokamaks

The suppression of (neoclassical) tearing modes is of great importance for the success of future fusion reactors like ITER. Electron cyclotron waves can suppress islands, both by driving noninductive current in the island region and by heating the island, causing a perturbation to the Ohmic plasma current. This Letter reports on experiments on the TEXTOR tokamak, investigating the effect of heating, which is usually neglected. The unique set of tools available on TEXTOR, notably the dynamic ergodic divertor to create islands with a fully known driving term, and the electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic to provide detailed 2D electron temperature information, enables a detailed study of the suppression process and a comparison with theory.     

1.8 T直流磁体94 GHz连续波二次谐波回旋管

首次实现直流磁体W波段二次谐波回旋管连续波稳定运行。回旋管工作时所需1.8 T磁场由一个水冷直流线圈产生。直流线圈励磁电流为500 A,功耗28 kW,内孔直径66 mm,可直接将回旋管插入内孔中。回旋管内电子束由双阳极磁控注入电子枪产生。采用高效率内置准光模式变换器实现束波分离并输出准高斯波束。研制的回旋管工作频率为94.08 GHz,腔内工作模式为TE₀₂。实验中成功实现5 min连续稳定运行,输出功率达到12 kW。电子束电压为45 kV,电流1.7 A,对应的输出效率15.7 %。     

捕获电子对低杂波与电子回旋波的协同效应的影响

电子回旋波和低杂波的协同效应可有效地提高两只波的电流驱动效率.本文数值研究了捕获电子效应对电子回旋波和低杂波协同的影响.结果显示,随着捕获角的增大,双波协同驱动电流会减小,且协同因子也会明显减小,即捕获角对两只波协同驱动流的影响要比其对单独驱动电流的影响更加敏感.通过加宽低杂波共振区可减弱电子回旋波电流驱动对捕获角的依赖,同时发现随着电子回旋波功率的增加,捕获角对电子回旋波电流驱动的影响也会变小.     

Study of runaway electron behaviour during electron cyclotron resonance heating in the HL-2A Tokamak

During the current flat-top phase of electron cyclotron resonance heating discharges in the HL-2A Tokamak, the behaviour of runaway electrons has been studied by means of hard x-ray detectors and neutron diagnostics. During electron cyclotron resonance heating, it can be found that both hard x-ray radiation intensity and neutron emission flux fall rapidly to a very low level, which suggests that runaway electrons have been suppressed by electron cyclotron resonance heating. From the set of discharges studied in the present experiments, it has also been observed that the efficiency of runaway suppression by electron cyclotron resonance heating was apparently affected by two factors: electron cyclotron resonance heating power and duration. These results have been analysed by using a test particle model. The decrease of the toroidal electric field due to electron cyclotron resonance heating results in a rapid fall in the runaway electron energy that may lead to a suppression of runaway electrons. During electron cyclotron resonance heating with different powers and durations, the runaway electrons will experience different slowing down processes. These different decay processes are the major cause for influencing the efficiency of runaway suppression. This result is related to the safe operation of the Tokamak and may bring an effective control of runaway electrons.     

Overlapping of resonances and stochasticity of electron trajectories in cyclotron masers

When an electromagnetic (EM) wave has a large amplitude and electrons have a large energy, the electron cyclotron frequency in the process of interaction with an EM wave can vary significantly. This can lead to overlapping of cyclotron resonances at different harmonics. It is shown that such an overlapping causes the stochasticity of electron orbits. Estimates show that this effect can be present in relativistic gyrodevices currently under development for driving future accelerators.     

Internal kink instability during off-axis electron cyclotron current drive in the DIII-D tokamak

Experimental evidence is reported of an internal kink instability driven by a new mechanism: barely trapped suprathermal electrons produced by off-axis electron cyclotron heating on the DIII-D tokamak. It occurs in plasmas with an evolving safety factor profile q(r) when q(min) approaches 1. This instability is most active when ECCD is applied on the high field side of the flux surface. It has a bursting behavior with poloidal/toroidal mode number = m/n = 1/1. In positive magnetic shear plasmas, this mode becomes the fishbone instability. This observation can be qualitatively explained by the drift reversal of the barely trapped suprathermal electrons.