Hybrid Transmission Line for ECRH in the Helically Symmetric Experiment

The HSX oversized, mode-converting ECRH transmission line has been upgraded to a hybrid system to increase launched microwave power and reduce electrical arcing. Filtering of high-order, spurious modes ensures efficient coupling to a Gaussian beam for optimal electron heating. A Vlasov mode converter and two phase-correcting ellipsoidal mirrors convert the TE₀₂ gyrotron output mode to a symmetric, linearly polarized, microwave beam. A swappable twist reflector plate rotates beam polarization for 2nd-harmonic X-mode or fundamental O-mode ECRH. Long distances are traversed by coupling the beam to a dual-mode (TE₁₁ + TM₁₁), smooth, circular cross-section waveguide. This system has been successfully tested without arcing for 50 ms pulses and over 100 kW of launched power. Analysis of the microwave beam for 50 kW, 2 ms microwave pulses reveals agreement with predicted beam shapes at two beam locations. The new system has also demonstrated increased plasma stored energy for ECRH plasmas with equal launched power.     

Quasioptical Transmission Lines for ECRH at TJ-II Stellarator

Two mirror lines have been used to transmit the microwave power from the powerful microwave generators to the TJ-II plasmas. Both lines have been tested at nominal power level and they are in operation now. This paper deals with the final design of the transmission lines and their testing. Before starting operation at high power level, measurements of the wave beam parameters at low power level were performed. Two horn antennas were designed to simulate the gyrotron output. The results are presented in this paper. A computer code based on Huygens diffraction theory was developed to simulate the propagation of the beam along the mirror lines. A comparison of the theoretical and the experimental results is also shown here.     

EAST 电子回旋共振加热效果的数值模拟和分析

为了给EAST 电子回旋共振加热物理实验提供理论依据和模拟预测,从电子热输运方程出发,运用 CRONOS 输运程序对不同等离子体和波参数下,电子回旋加热效果进行了数值模拟计算。给出不同电子回旋波功率、入射角、电子密度和纵场等参数对电子回旋加热效果的影响,预测在不同参数下,电子温度、等离子体总内能和能量约束时间的变化,分析了其原因,并与实验结果进行了初步的比较。     

X波段极化可重构高功率微波辐射器仿真设计

为了提高高频段高功率微波反射面天线的馈电效率,同时使波束波导馈线更加紧凑,提出一种新型的X波段极化可重构高功率微波辐射器结构。通过波纹喇叭辐射器产生准高斯的HE11模辐射,采用双相位修正镜组成的波束变换系统实现将准高斯波束转换为电场分布更为均匀的平顶波束或其余期望分布的波束,平顶分布的输出波束可使得馈源在相同介质窗尺寸下获得更高的功率容量,同时实现了波束传播方向的90°转弯;此外采用双圆极化栅网的级联组合,实现了对输出波束极化特性的调变。通过全电磁波仿真分析验证了该辐射器的设计思路。     

On the low-threshold parametric mechanism of the anomalous power absorption in electron cyclotron resonance heating experiments in toroidal devices

The experimental conditions that facilitate the excitation of parametric decay instabilities upon the electron cyclotron resonance heating of a plasma at the second harmonic extraordinary wave in tokamaks and stellarators and, as a result, make anomalous absorption of microwave power possible have been analyzed. It has been shown that, in the case of a nonmonotonic radial profile of the plasma density, when the beam of electron cyclotron waves passes near the equatorial plane of a toroidal device, the parametric excitation of electron Bernstein waves, as well as the generation of ion Bernstein waves propagating from the parametric decay region to the nearest ion cyclotron harmonic, where they efficiently interact with ions, is possible. The proposed theoretical model can explain the anomalous generation of accelerated ions observed upon electron cyclotron heating in small and moderate toroidal facilities.     

Polarizer with Nonrectangular Grooves in the HE11 Mode Transmission Line

This paper presents experimental results on polarizers with nonrectangular grooves to be used in high power millimeter wave transmission lines for electron cyclotron heating (ECH) of fusion plasmas. A low-power test at a frequency of 106.4 GHz has been carried out for several polarizers with different groove depths. The polarization characteristics experimentally measured are in good agreement with numerical results in which the actual groove shape functions are taken into account. This confirms the design optimization for future polarizer. Favorable results have also been obtained in a 400 kW-level high-power test for the polarizer installed in an ECH transmission line of the Heliotron-E plasma device.     

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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.     

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。     

Faraday rotation of microwave fields in an electron cyclotronresonance plasma

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma is created with 2.45-GHz linearly polarized microwaves, which propagate in the direction of the magnetic field. Measurements of the relative power and polarization angle versus z have been made within the first few centimeters of the quartz entry window. As the microwave electric field enters the plasma, it rotates while becoming elliptically polarized then circularly polarized. The rotation angle versus z and the component of the microwave field along the major axis of the polarization ellipse versus z are explained by cold plasma dispersion theory     

HL-1M装置边缘参数测量

在HL－1M装置上利用马赫／郎缪尔探针分别在欧姆放电,低杂波注入,中性束注入,离子回旋加热和电子回旋加热等情况下测量下刮离层和等离子体边缘的极向流速度和电场,得到了它们的径向分布,研究了LHW,NBI,ICRH和ECRH对改善等离子体约束性能,边缘粒子的径向传输的影响。     

Observation of Localized Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating in a Magnetic Mirror

A right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) electron cyclotron wave is launched along the axis of a steady-state magnetically confined plasma column. Detailed measurements of the spatial variation of electron temperature, density, plasma potential, and wave amplitude about the resonance zone are presented. In particular, data are presented where the temperature increase due to electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) is strongly localized near the resonance position. A numerical wave heating model has been developed for electrons in a magnetic mirror and is found to be in qualitative agreement with observations.     

Wave Trajectory and Electron Cyclotron Heating in Tokamak Plasmas

Wave trajectories in high density tokamak plasmas are studied numerically. Results show that the ordinary wave injected at an appropriate incident angle can propagate into the dense plasmas and is mode-converted to the extraordinary wave at the plasma cutoff, is further converted to the electron Bernstein wave during passing a loop or a folded curve near the upper hybrid resonance (UHR) layer, and is cyclotron damped away, resulting in local electron heating before arriving at the cyclotron resonance layer. Similar trajectory and damping are obtained when a microwave in a form of extraordinary wave is injected quasi-perpendicularly in the direction of decreasing toroidal field.     

射频击穿等离子体对高功率微波传输特性的影响

利用极化正交的高功率微波合路器,开展了等离子体对于微波传输特性的实验研究.通过改变前级源的功率和脉冲宽度,使得在合路器耦合缝处发生射频击穿,产生等离子体.等离子体扩散进入微波传输主通道,对于高功率微波的传输产生明显的影响,导致微波能量吸收和极化的偏转.初步实验结果表明,等离子体扩散到主通道中心的时间约为3μs,扩散速度约为1μs/cm,等离子体的恢复时间约为5μs.实验测得等离子体导致的微波极化方向最大偏转角度约为4.1?,此时通道内电子个数约为3.7×1015,极化偏转角度与电子数密度以及微波频率相关.     

Electron Cyclotron Heating Experiments in Tokamaks and Stellarators

This paper reviews the application of high-frequency microwave radiation to plasma heating near the electron cyclotron frequency in tokamaks and stellarators. Successful plasma heating by microwave power has been demonstrated in numerous experiments. Predicted future technological developments and current theoretical understanding suggest that a vigorous program in plasma heating will continue to yield promising results.     

托卡马克等离子体不同平衡位形下的电子回旋波电流驱动

在给定的等离子体总电流和中心电流密度条件下,数值求解平衡方程,求出不同拉长比和三角形变因子的托卡马克等离子体温度、密度、磁场分布,然后通过求解波迹方程和Fokker-Planck方程,分别计算这些位形下的电子回旋波波迹和电流驱动.结果表明：电子回旋波X模从顶部发射时,随着拉长比的增大,波迹会向弱场侧偏移.电子回旋波X模从弱场侧发射时,电子回旋波在等离子体中传播沉积的功率份额随着拉长比的增大而增加,驱动电流位置随着三角形变因子的增大向等离子体中心移动.驱动电流位置随环向和极向发射角的减小向中心移动,对应的电流密度峰值也变大.     

X-Ray Measurements during Whistler-Mode Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Startup and Heating in an Axisymmetric Magnetic Mirror

New measurements and analyses of whistler-mode electron cyclotron resonant heating (ECRH) startup and heating in an axisymmetric magnetic mirror are presented. Experimental studies of startup are presented which include the effects of initial neutral gas pressure on density and energy buildup rates, the effects of electron-beam-generated seed plasma on startup times, and a possible density threshold for the absolute whistler instability. Results of two types of analyses are presented. The first is a Fokker-Planck finite-element simulation the principal result of which is the prediction of the creation of a sloshing electron velocity distribution in the first 10 ?s after microwave power is applied. The second simulation uses rate equations to predict buildup, with rate coefficients based on a model sloshing-electron distribution function. Both results are consistent with experimental observations. Measurements of X-ray emission provided information about plasma transport, the sloshing electron spatial distribution, and the hot-electron average energy. The foil ratio technique gave average energies of 1-3 keV during whistler-mode ECRH, in agreement with afterglow measurements of hot electron decay. Possible applications of whistler-mode ECRH plasma production and heating are for plasma soft X-ray sources and plasma potential modification in tandem mirror machines.     

Low-threshold absolute parametric decay instabilities in experiments on electron cyclotron resonance heating in tokamaks

We have analyzed experimental conditions for the excitation of absolute parametric decay instabilities accompanying the electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) of plasma at the second harmonic of resonance in tokamaks. It has been shown that, in the case of a nonmonotonic radial profile of the plasma density, when a heating beam passes near the equatorial plane of a tokamak, the parametric excitation of resonances of ion Bernstein waves accompanied by the generation of the backscattered microwave radiation can occur. The threshold of absolute instability thus developed is determined by the dissipation of an ion Bernstein wave and can be exceeded in current experiments on the ECRH of a plasma in tokamaks.     

Microwave preionization of the tokamak discharge at the electron cyclotron resonance

When ohmic heating power is applied during the microwave discharge at the electron cyclotron resonance, the plasma current and density build-up become fast and the loop voltage required to start the tokamak discharge decreases. The micro-wave burst observed in the initial stage is reduced and the burst of hard X-rays, occurring at the quasi-steady stage of discharge in the case of no microwave injection, disappears, suggesting that the production of run-away electrons is suppressed strongly.     

On a new mechanism of excitation of the absolute parametric decay instability of an electromagnetic wave in experiments on electron cyclotron resonance heating in toroidal devices

Experimental conditions under which the low-threshold absolute parametric decay instability of an electromagnetic wave with extraordinary polarization at the electron cyclotron resonance heating of a plasma at the second harmonic resonance in toroidal devices are analyzed. A new mechanism is proposed for the localization of a daughter electrostatic wave in the toroidal direction in the region of a high-power pump beam. This mechanism, along with the two-dimensional localization of the daughter wave because of a nonmonotonic radial profile of the plasma density and the poloidal inhomogeneity of the magnetic field, can be responsible for the parametric excitation of a three-dimensional cavity for this wave and, as a result, low-threshold absolute decay instability of the pump wave.     

低磁场S波段相对论返波振荡器的工作特性

为了实现高功率微波发生器的小型化,开展了S波段低磁场相对论返波振荡器工作特性的研究工作。由于S波段返波振荡器频率低,对应的电子回旋共振磁场强度也很低,因此低磁场条件下面临着电子束传输效率低和束波互作用效率低两大问题。为解决上述问题,采取下列措施:通过加大电子束与器件内壁的距离,提高电子束传输效率;采用较深的慢波结构作为提取腔,实现高束波互作用阻抗;提取腔前采用浅深度慢波结构,使提取腔区域的电子速度与微波相速同步。粒子模拟证明,以上措施有效,在引导磁场强度仅为0.17 T、电子束电压435 kV、电流6.5 kA的条件下,该返波管获得功率为670 MW、效率约为25%的输出微波。相对于常规S波段相对论返波振荡器的磁场系统(B=0.8 T),适用于该返波管的0.17 T低强度磁场系统螺线管外半径下降了20%,能耗下降了约93.8%。