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.     

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.     

托卡马克等离子体不同运行模式下的电子回旋波电流驱动

在给定等离子体密度分布下，从电子、离子的能量方程出发，根据不同运行模式下等离子体的热传导率不同，分别求出了中心负剪切模式，常规剪切H模式和L模式下的等离子体温度分布，然后通过求解波迹方程与相对论情况下的Fokker-Planck方程，分别计算了这些模式下的电子回旋波电流驱动和波功率沉积.得到在中心负剪切下，驱动电流最大，驱动效率最高，功率沉积和电流分布区间跨度大；在常规剪切H模式下，驱动电流较小，分布区间跨度比较窄，驱动效率相对较低；在常规剪切L模式，驱动电流效率最低，分布区间跨度也非常集中. 关键词： 托卡马克 电子回旋波电流驱动 中心负剪切 常规剪切     

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.     

托卡马克等离子体中的电子回旋波电流驱动

通过将波迹方程与相对论情况下的完全Fokker-Planck方程联合进行求解,研究了寻常波基频电子回旋波从托卡马克等离子体中平面弱场侧发射时的电流驱动。数值结果表明:随着等离子体电子密度、温度的提高, 功率沉积和电流分布的位置将向等离子体的边缘方向偏移,并且产生的总的驱动电流随之减小;入射波极向发射角和环向发射角度的改变对功率沉积、电流分布及其大小产生明显的影响。     

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.     

Identification of the magnetic island structure in the HL-2A tokamak

The identification of the magnetic island structure in the HL-2A tokamak is presented. First, the perturbation current as a source for the perturbation flux can be determined by using Mirnov probe measurements. By superposing the perturbation flux and the equilibrium flux reconnected by equilibrium fitting, the structure and the width of the magnetic islands can be estimated. The method has been used in the HL-2A experiments.     

Characteristics of electron cyclotron resonance plasma formed by lower hybrid current drive grill antenna

A 3.7 GHz system, which is meant for LHCD experiments on ADITYA tokamak, is used for producing ECR discharge. The ECR discharge is produced by setting the appropriate resonance magnetic field of 0.13 T, with hydrogen at a fill pressure of about 5 × 10⁻⁵ Torr. The RF power, up to 10 kW (of which ∼50% is reflected back), with a typical pulse length of 50 ms, is injected into the vacuum chamber of the ADITYA tokamak by a LHCD grill antenna and is used for plasma formation. The average coupled RF power density (the RF power/a typical volume of the plasma) is estimated to be ∼5 kW/m³. When the ECR appears inside the tokamak chamber for the given pumping frequency (f = 3.7 GHz) a plasma with a density (n _e) ∼ 4 × 10¹⁶ m⁻³ and electron temperature ∼8 eV is produced. The density and temperature during the RF pulse are measured by sets of Langmuir probes, located toroidally, on either side of the antenna. H_α signals are also monitored to detect ionization. An estimate of density and temperature based on simple theoretical calculation agrees well with our experimental measurements. The plasma produced by the above mechanism is further used to characterize the ECR-assisted low voltage Ohmic start-up discharges. During this part of the experiments, Ohmic plasma is formed using capacitor banks. The plasma loop voltage is gradually decreased, till the discharge ceases to form. The same is repeated in the presence of ECR-formed plasma (RF pre-ionization), formed 10 ms prior to the loop voltage. We have observed that (with LHCD-induced) ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges is reliably and repeatedly obtained with reduced loop voltage requirement and breakdown time decreases substantially. The current ramp-up rates also decrease with reduced loop voltage operation. These studies established that ECR plasma formed with LHCD system exhibits similar characteristics as reported earlier by dedicated ECR systems. This experiment also addresses the issue of whether ECR plasma formed with grill antenna exhibits similar behavior as that formed by single waveguide ECR antenna. Our experimental observations suggest that the characteristics of (LHCD system-induced) ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges show similar properties, reported earlier with normal ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges and hence LHCD system may be used as ECR system at reduced toroidal magnetic field for other applications like wall conditioning.      

Sawtooth-like electron density oscillations under laser blow-off and lower hybrid current drive in HL-1M tokamak

By using of a six-channel HCN laser interferometer, the sawtooth-like density oscillations without being exhibited in the ohmic phase plasma have been observed during lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) discharges in the HL-1M device. There are often accompanied by injected impurity with laser blow-off. Analyses show that this kind of density sawtooth-like oscillation comes from the mutual effect of LHCD and impurity. An available mechanism is the loss of superthermal electrons by the magnetic perturbation, which is caused by the crash of the central accumulated impurities.     

反常电子粘滞性引起的线性双撕裂模研究

用圆柱位形的磁流体动力学方程对由反常电子粘滞性引起的双撕裂模的线性行为做了数值研究.分析了两个有理面的间距、粘滞率大小和极向模数对双撕裂模模式结构的影响,给出了各种情况下双撕裂模线性增长率跟表征反常电子粘滞率大小的电子雷诺数的定标关系.     

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采用高斯光束的研究方法,结合Fokker-Planck方程,在堆级等离子体条件下模拟了发射波功率密度的改变对电子回旋波功率沉积以及电流驱动的影响。结果表明,高功率密度的波束会拓宽功率沉积剖面,使功率沉积的位置略有外移,电流驱动效率略有降低。     

发射波功率密度对电子回旋波电流驱动的影响

采用高斯光束的研究方法,结合Fokker-Planck方程,在堆级等离子体条件下模拟了发射波功率密度的改变对电子回旋波功率沉积以及电流驱动的影响。结果表明,高功率密度的波束会拓宽功率沉积剖面,使功率沉积的位置略有外移,电流驱动效率略有降低。     

Stabilization of tearing mode by current drive

The major disruption limits the operation of present tokamaks. Experimental evidences point out that the growth of tearing modes or the magnetic islands is primarily responsible for the occurrence. Taking the non-inductive current drive effects into account, a set of 3D nonlinear equation is derived. It is shown from simulation that the growth of the magnetic island is suppressed effectively by RF current drive. It is consistent with recent experiments on the HL-1 tokamak in which the plasma is stabilized by an RF current drive.     

Investigation of lower hybrid current drive during H-mode in EAST tokamak

H-mode discharges with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) alone are achieved in EAST divertor plasma over a wide parameter range. These H-mode discharges are characterized by a sudden drop in D_α emission and a spontaneous rise in main plasma density. Good lower hybrid (LH) coupling during H-mode is obtained by putting the plasma close to the antenna and by injecting D₂ gas from a pipe near the grill mouse. The analysis of lower hybrid current drive properties shows that the LH deposition profile shifts off axis during H-mode, and current drive (CD) efficiency decreases due to the increase in density. Modeling results of H-mode discharges with a general ray tracing code GENRAY are reported.     

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.     

托卡马克中电子回旋波与低杂波协同驱动的物理研究

揭示了电子回旋波与低杂波协同驱动等离子体并获得协同电流的机理. 从物理上阐述了双波协同驱动在相空间上和在电流剖面上所需满足的匹配关系. 通过计算机模拟研究展示了协同驱动的净增电流与波功率之间存在的非线性关系, 并对其给出了物理上的解释.本文工作将为相关实验的设计和分析提供物理上的支撑.     

HL-2M装置低杂波钛泵电流监测器的研制

选用Arduino nano开源硬件平台、OLED图形显示器和SD卡等器件,研制了钛泵电流监测器,实现了在非实验期间钛泵电流长期低速采集、存储和趋势图显示功能。同时启用内部中断和外部中断,提升采样频率到1k Hz,拓展了监测器的应用范围。测试结果表明,监测器趋势图与测试信号一致,最大采集误差为0.25μA。     

Application of Galerkin spectral method for tearing mode instability

Magnetic reconnection and tearing mode instability play a critical role in many physical processes. The application of Galerkin spectral method for tearing mode instability in two-dimensional geometry is investigated in this paper. A resistive magnetohydrodynamic code is developed, by the Galerkin spectral method both in the periodic and aperiodic directions. Spectral schemes are provided for global modes and local modes. Mode structures, resistivity scaling, convergence and stability of tearing modes are discussed. The effectiveness of the code is demonstrated, and the computational results are compared with the results using Galerkin spectral method only in the periodic direction. The numerical results show that the code using Galerkin spectral method individually allows larger time step in global and local modes simulations, and has better convergence in global modes simulations.     

HT-7低杂波电流驱动效率与有效电荷数及电子温度的关系

在HT-7超导托卡马克中进行了低杂波电流驱动的功率扫描实验,功率变化范围为100kW至700kW,频率为2.45GHz。研究了等离子体平均有效电荷数及电子温度与低杂波功率之间的关系。给出了不同功率下低杂波电流驱动效率与有效电荷数及电子温度之间的关系:HT-7装置低杂波驱动效率与电子温度成正比,与有效电荷数成反比。指出了动态杂质控制是改善低杂波电流驱动效率的关键问题。     

HT-7低杂波电流驱动效率与有效电荷数及电子温度的关系

在HT-7超导托卡马克中进行了低杂波电流驱动的功率扫描实验,功率变化范围为100 kW至700 kW,频率为2.45 GHz。研究了等离子体平均有效电荷数及电子温度与低杂波功率之间的关系。给出了不同功率下低杂波电流驱动效率与有效电荷数及电子温度之间的关系：HT-7装置低杂波驱动效率与电子温度成正比,与有效电荷数成反比。指出了动态杂质控制是改善低杂波电流驱动效率的关键问题。