Runaway electron generation decrease during a major disruption by limiter biasing in tokamaks

The high-energy current of runaway electrons during a major disruption in tokamak reactors can cause serious damage to the first wall of the reactors and reduce their life time. Therefore, finding a method to minimize runaway electron generation during a major disruption is much needed. Tokamak limiter biasing is one of the methods that can be used for controlling the radial electric field and can induce a transition to an improved confinement state. This paper attempts to examine the effect of limiter biasing on the generation of runaway electrons during a major disruption. To do so, a horizontal biased limiter placed on the tokamak was used. Main parameters such as plasma current, loop voltage, emitted hard X-ray intensity, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) oscillation and H_α radiation and spectrum of hard X-rays, in the presence and absence of negative and positive limiter biasing, were measured. The results show that the application of limiter biasing during a major disruption can reduce runaway electron generation.     

Investigation on the Hard X-ray Radiations of the IR-T1 Tokamak Plasma: Electric and Magnetic Perspectives

In this experiment, the effect of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluctuations in the hard X-ray radiation from the IR-T1 tokamak plasma is investigated. To reach this goal, the main parameters of plasma such as plasma current and loop voltage are measured. Also, the rake and poloidal Langmuir probes are used to calculate the radial and poloidal electric fields. To detect the hard X-ray radiation, a NaI-scintillator detector is used. To study on the MHD fluctuations, an array of 12 Mirnov coils is used. The obtained data are analyzed by using the singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm. The wavelet spectrum of the dominant principal components of Mirnov coils is drawn. The results of wavelet and SVD analysis show that the hard X-ray radiation is increased with increasing the fluctuations of the dominant principal components (at the same time). It is also shown that the rate of hard X-ray radiation emitted from the tokamak plasma increased with increasing the MHD fluctuations. The energy of the system is wasted and reduced by these radiations. This an increase in the particle pressure of the plasma.     

Design and construction of hot limiter biasing system for the tokamak

A hot limiter biasing system with a simplified fast switch circuit was designed, constructed, and installed on the IR-T1 tokamak, and then the negative voltage applied to a hot limiter inserted inside the tokamak fixed limiter and the plasma current, poloidal, and radial components of the magnetic fields, loop voltage, diamagnetic flux, and the ion saturation currents in the absence and presence of the biased limiter were measured. Results of measurements of biasing effects on the plasma equilibrium behavior and edge plasma rotation are compared and discussed.     

Scrape-off layer turbulence modulated by Mirnov oscillations

We investigate plasma turbulence at the scrape-off layer of TCABR tokamak. We apply a power spectral analysis to the magnetic Mirnov oscillations and electrostatic fluctuations, to quantify statistical properties and to estimate the turbulence-driven radial-particle flux. A distinctive peculiarity is the modulation of electrostatic turbulence by the Mirnov oscillations shown by the partial superposition of the frequency power spectra of these two oscillations. This characteristic allows us to investigate any possible influence of the Mirnov oscillations on particle transport. In fact, a significant part of this transport occurs at the Mirnov frequencies. The effect of this modulation is also analyzed for discharges modified by external perturbations, a DC biased electrode or an ergodic magnetic limiter.Presented at the Workshop Electric Fields Structures and Relaxation in Edge Plasmas, Nice, France, October 26–27, 2004.     

用偏压限制器控制KT－5C托卡马克等离子体边缘电场的实验研究

在托卡马克ＫＴ－５Ｃ上，我们首次采用可灵活组合的多块限制器进行了施加偏压以控制等离子体边缘电场的实验，结果表明，在本装置上限制器加正偏压优于加负偏压，正偏压改变等离子体边缘电场效果更明显。偏压限制器收集面积、纵场和偏置电压的大小对偏压效果的影响都是敏感的。改变限制器收集面积和偏压导致的边缘电场的变化最终将趋于饱和，另外发现，偏压限制器与等离子体柱的相对位置对等离子体边缘电场的影响也是重要的。     

通过软X射线信号研究芯部等离子体的结构

介绍了如何从软X射线原始信号上分析等离子体芯部磁场结构的方法. 在HT-7托卡马克上,通过分析一炮典型的放电数据,直接从软X射线原始信号上分析了磁岛的位置和旋转方向. 通过软X射线图像反演的结果和Mirnov信号上观察到的m=2模的走向验证了磁岛旋转的方向和位置. 关键词： 软X射线 MHD不稳定性 磁岛     

HL—1装置的硬X射线锯齿振荡

软X射线的锯齿振荡,在ST,Pulsator和TEXT等装置上已观测到;在Pulsator和PLT上已研究了硬X射线锯齿波。PLT和Pulsator观测结果为,产生的硬X射线锯齿振荡为反锯齿和内破裂的软X射线锯齿相对应。Pulsator的硬X射线锯齿和软X射线锯齿一样,这种趋势一直持继到放电结束,而硬X射线峰值发生在软X射线内破裂后大约200μs。PLT的硬X射线锯齿比软X射线锯齿延迟1至5ms。本工作目的是在内破裂后,从软、硬X射线锯齿波对比,观测硬X射线到达峰值这段延迟时间,并以此来量度逃逸电子约束时间。     

HL-1装置的X射线测量

本文叙述了HL-1装置的X射线测量。结果表明,电子温度随着等离子体电流通道的缩小而升高,其典型值为480eV。稳定放电的软X射线扰动幅度大约是总强度的15％,锯齿振荡周期约为2ms。与磁探针信号比较,明显看到了内、外模之间的耦合关系。多次放电清洗了真空空器壁,含水量下降;硬X射线测量表明,逃逸产生率减小。     

Mirnov Oscillations in a Small Tokamak

The confinement, the stability conditions, and the main characteristics of the detected Mirnov oscillations in the small tokamak TBR-1 are presented. The discharges investigated can be characterized, in terms of MHD activity, in two distinct regimes as the safety factor at the limiter ql is changed from 4 to 7.     

Analyses of edge plasma characteristics in HL-2A

The edge plasma characteristics are studied by both a movable array of Mach/Reynolds stress/Langmuir 10-probes in the boundary region and the fixed flush probe arrays on the 4 divertor neutralization plates at the same toroidal cross-section in the HL-2A tokamak. The dependence of the Reynolds stress on poloidal flow in the edge plasma is analysed. The result indicates that the sheared poloidal flow in tokamak plasma can be induced by the radial gradient of Reynolds stress. In the divertor experiments of HL-2A, the profiles of the electron temperature, density and floating potential on divertor plates are measured by the flush probe arrays. The edge electron temperature in divertor configuration is higher than that in limiter configuration. The temperature asymmetry between outer and inner target plates is observed. The result of magnetic surface reconstructed from 18 Mirnov coils signals is presented. Both the particle recycling and the impurity flux in the bulk plasma during divertor discharges are discussed. Neutral gas pressure in divertor chamber, measured by fast ionization gauge during divertor discharge, is given.     

Analysis of tokamak plasma confinement modes using the fast Fourier transformation

The Fourier analysis is a satisfactory technique for detecting plasma confinement modes in tokamaks. The confinement mode of tokamak plasma was analysed using the fast Fourier transformation (FFT). For this purpose, we used the data of Mirnov coils that is one of the identifying tools in the IR-T1 tokamak, with and without external field (electric biasing), and then compared it with each other. After the Fourier analysis of Mirnov coil data, the diagram of power spectrum density was depicted in different angles of Mirnov coils in the ‘presence of external field’ as well as in the ‘absence of external field’. The power spectrum density (PSD) interprets the manner of power distribution of a signal with frequency. In this article, the number of plasma modes and the safety factor q were obtained by using the mode number of q = m /n (m is the mode number). The maximum MHD activity was obtained in 30–35 kHz frequency, using the density of the energy spectrum. In addition, the number of different modes across 0–35 ms time was compared with each other in the presence and absence of the external field.     

Comparative measurements of plasma position using coils,hall probes,and bolometers on CASTOR tokamak

Plasma position on CASTOR tokamak is measured by several systems based on different experimental methods. Vertical and horizontal plasma displacements are deduced from data of 4 Mirnov coils spaced poloidaly by 45°. Output of the Mirnov coils is routinely used as an input for automatic feed-back control of plasma position on CASTOR. Independently, we used an array of 16 Hall sensors, which measure the required magnetic field directly. Additional information on plasma position is obtained from two arrays of bolometers that measure horizontal and vertical profile of plasma radiation. Principle design of the all used diagnostics is given. Comparison of horizontal and vertical displacements deduced using various experimental methods is presented.     

HL—1装置逃逸电子产生硬X射线锯齿振荡的频谱计算

在HL-1装置上用硬X射线测得相应的打在孔栏处逃逸电子通量,其通量脉动呈现反锯齿振荡。为辨别这个振荡是一个真实的物理扰动,还是毫无意义的噪声涨落或背景振动,我们对获取的硬X射线通量作了频谱分析,证实逃逸电子打在限制器上产生的硬X射线受到一     

Numerical Modelling of Limiter Biasing Experiments on TEXTOR-94

The 2D multifluid code TECXY has been used to model the experimental biasing of the toroidal belt limiter ALT-II on the tokamak TEXTOR-94 with respect to the first wall. It is well known that the edge flow pattern can be influenced by the poloidal electric drifts from imposing radial electric fields. The modelling with TECXY introduces imprinted bias currents in the scrape-off layer for the case of negative (limiter) biasing, and imprinted bias potentials for the case of positive biasing. This allows to simulate sufficiently well the experimental current-voltage characteristics for either biasing and also reproduces the essential features and trends of the observed plasma profiles in the SOL. A moderate negative biasing is found to be optimal for the exhaust efficiency of the pump limiter.     

空间傅里叶分析法识别MHD扰动模式

讨论了用空间傅里叶分析法确定托卡马克等离子体MHD磁扰动模式的方法。根据托卡马克实验的状况,对不同情况下的MHD磁扰动进行了详细的数值模拟,重点分析了该方法的系统误差,模拟结果与HL-1M装置上的实验结果进行了对比。比较结果表明,用空间傅里叶分析法识别托卡马克中的MHD扰动模式是一种可以行之有效的方法。     

HL-2A偏滤器运行模式的探针测量

在HL-2A装置的偏滤器位形运行模式下,用偏滤器靶板上的平面型嵌入式静电探针阵列测量了同一环截面的内外和上下四个中性化板上的电子温度、密度、悬浮电位分布。偏滤器运行模式下的边缘电子温度高于孔栏运行模式下的边缘的电子温度。比较了内外靶板之间的温度不对称性。给出了由18个米尔诺夫线圈信号重建获得的磁分界面,并用强磁场快速电离规测量了偏滤器室的中性气体压强变化。测量结果表明,在偏滤器运行模式下,主真空室中边缘粒子再循环降低,杂质通量水平下降。     

The Role of Radial Electric Fields in the Tokamaks TEXTOR-94, CASTOR, and T-10

Radial electric fields (E _r) and their role in the establishment of edge transport barriers and improved confinement have been studied in the tokamaks TEXTOR-94 and CASTOR, where E _r is externally applied to the plasma in a controlled way using a biased electrode, as well as in the tokamak T-10 where an edge transport barrier (H-mode) is obtained during electron-cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) of the plasma.The physics of radial currents was studied and the radial conductivity in the edge of TEXTOR-94 (R = 1.75 m, a = 0.46 m) was found to be dominated by recycling (ion-neutral collisions) at the last closed flux surface (LCFS) and by parallel viscosity inside the LCFS. From a performance point of view (edge engineering), such electrode biasing was shown to induce a particle transport barrier, a reduction of particle transport, and a concomitant increase in energy confinement. An H-mode-like behaviour can be induced both with positive and negative electric fields. Positive as well as negative electric fields were shown to strongly affect the exhaust of hydrogen, helium, and impurities, not only in the H-mode-like regime.The impact of sheared radial electric fields on turbulent structures and flows at the plasma edge is investigated on the CASTOR tokamak (R = 0.4 m, a = 0.085 m). A non-intrusive biasing scheme that we call "separatrix biasing" is applied whereby the electrode is located in the scrape-off layer (SOL) with its tip just touching the LCFS. There is evidence of strongly sheared radial electric field and E×B flow, resulting in the formation of a transport barrier at the separatrix. Advanced probe diagnosis of the edge region has shown that the E×B shear rate that arises during separatrix biasing is larger than for standard edge plasma biasing. The plasma flows, especially the poloidal E×B drift velocity, are strongly modified in the sheared region, reaching Mach numbers as high as half the sound speed. The corresponding shear rates ( 5×10⁶ s^-1) derived from both the flow and electric field profiles are in excellent agreement and are at least an order of magnitude higher than the growth rate of unstable turbulent modes as estimated from fluctuation measurements.During ECRH in the tokamak T-10 (R = 1.5 m, a = 0.3 m), a regime of improved confinement is obtained with features resembling those in the H-mode in other tokamaks. Using a heavy ion beam probe, a narrow potential well is observed near the limiter together with the typical features of the L-H transition. The time evolution of the plasma profiles during L-H and H-L transitions is clearly correlated with that of the density profile and the formation of a transport barrier near the limiter. The edge electric field is initially positive after the onset of ECRH. It changes its sign during the L-H transition and grows till a steady condition is reached. Similar to the biasing experiments in TEXTOR-94 and CASTOR, the experimentally observed transport barrier is a barrier for particles.     

Application of Emissive Probes for Plasma Potential Measurements in Fusion Devices

In experimental fusion devices, up to now, only cold probes were used to determine the plasma potential in the s crape‐ o ff l ayer (SOL), and their floating potential was assumed to be proportional to the plasma potential. However, drifting electrons or beams shift the current‐voltage characteristic of a cold probe by a voltage, which corresponds to the mean kinetic energy of the drifting electrons. This problem can be avoided by the use of electron emissive probes, since an electron emission current is independent of electron drifts in the surrounding plasma. In addition emissive probes are insensitive to electron temperature fluctuations in the plasma. We have used an arrangement of three emissive probes in the edge plasma region of ISTTOK (Instituto Superior Técnico tokamak) at Lisbon. The probes have been mounted in such a way that the tips are positioned on the same poloidal meridian but on different minor radii in the SOL. With this arrangement, the plasma potential has been measured in the edge region of the ISTTOK, and first results are presented in this contribution.     

First results of movable limiter experiments and its effects on the tokamak plasma confinement

Limiters play a number of roles in the tokamak operation. It serves primarily to protect the wall from the plasma when there are disruptions, runaway electrons, or other instabilities and also the limiters localize the plasma–surface interaction. In this research, we presented the first results of movable limiter experiments and its effects on the tokamak plasma confinement. For this purpose, we designed, constructed, and installed a movable localized poloidal limiter, and then measured the effects of limiter position on the time intervals of plasma parameters such as plasma density, temperature, and energy confinement time. The results of effects of the movable limiter experiments on plasma confinement.     

Identification and Analysis of Magnetic Structures on HL-2A

1 Introduction Tearing modes in tokamak plasmas have been studied for many years In HL-2A tokamak, MHD instabilities are investigated by means of the Mirnov probes. The mode number can be determined by the methods of phase comparison analysis or correlation analysis from the experimental data of Mirnov probes, but the analysis of complicated mode structures is difficult. An identification and analysis method of magnetic islands is presented basing on simulation of the perturbation current and magnetic field in plasmas.