Author: John E. Rice Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 38
Book Description
Double transport barrier plasmas comprised of an edge enhanced Da (EDA) H-mode pedestal and an internal transport barrier (ITB) have been observed in Alcator C-Mod. The ITB can be routinely produced in ICRF heated plasmas by locating the wave resonance off-axis near r/a [approx.] 0.5, provided the target plasma average density is above [approx.] 1.4 1020/m3, and can develop spontaneously in some Ohmic H-mode discharges. The formation of the barrier appears in conjunction with a decrease or reversal in the central (impurity) toroidal rotation velocity. The ITB foot is located near r/a = 0.5, regardless of how the barrier was produced. The ITBs can persist for [approx.] 15 energy confinement times (tE), but exhibit a continuous increase of the central electron density, up to values near 11021/m3 (in the absence of an internal particle source), followed by collapse of the barrier. This barrier is also evident in the ion temperature profiles, and a significant drop of the core thermal conductivity, ceff, when the barrier forms is confirmed by modeling. Application of additional on-axis ICRF heating arrests the density and impurity peaking, which occurs along with an increase (co-current) in the core rotation velocity. Steady state double barrier plasmas have been maintained for 10 tE or longer, with n/nGW [approx.] 0.75 and with a bootstrap fraction of 0.13 near the ITB foot. The trigger mechanism for the ITB formation is presently not understood.
Author: Catherine L. Fiore Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 58
Book Description
Recent studies of internal transport and double transport barrier regimes in Alcator C-Mod [I.H. Hutchinson, et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] have explored the limits for forming, maintaining, and controlling these plasmas. C-Mod provides a unique platform for studying such discharges: the ions and electrons are tightly coupled by collisions and the plasma has no internal particle or momentum sources. The double-barrier mode comprised of an edge barrier with an internal transport barrier (ITB) can be induced at will using off-axis ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) injection on either the low or high field side of the plasma with either of the available ICRF frequencies (70 or 80 MHz). When enhanced D [alpha] high confinement mode (EDA H-mode) is accessed in Ohmic plasmas, the double barrier ITB forms spontaneously if the Hmode is sustained for [approx.] high confinement times. The ITBs formed in both Ohmic and ICRF heated plasmas are quite similar regardless of the trigger method. They are characterized by strong central peaking of the electron density, and reduction of the core particle and energy ...
Author: Stephen J. Wukitch Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 42
Book Description
Double transport barrier modes (simultaneous core and edge transport barrier) have been observed with off-axis ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak [I.H. Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511(1994)]. An internal transport barrier (ITB) is routinely produced in enhanced D[alpha] H-mode (EDA) discharges where the minority ion cyclotron resonance layer is at r/a (0.5) during the current flat top phase of the discharge. The density profile becomes peaked without the presence of a particle source in the plasma core and continues to peak until the increased core impurity radiation arrests the improved energy confinement, ultimately leading to a barrier collapse. With the addition of moderate (0.6 MW) central ICRF heating, the double barrier mode was maintained for as long as the ICRF power was applied and modeling shows that the internal thermal barrier was maintained throughout the discharge. The presence of sawteeth throughout most of the ITB discharge allows sawtooth induced heat pulse analysis to be performed. This analysis indicates that there is an abrupt radial discontinuity in the heat pulse time to peak profile when an ITB is present. Furthermore, this discontinuity appears to move into the core plasma from the edge region in about 0.2 sec, several confinement times. The deduced thermal diffusivity, Xhp indicates a barrier exists in the electron thermal transport, the barrier is limited to a narrow radial region, and the transport is unaffected outside this narrow radial extent.
Author: John E. Rice Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 32
Book Description
Internal transport barrier (ITB) plasmas with peak pressures of 0.25 MPa and pressure gradients as large as 2.5 MPa/m have been produced in Alcator C-Mod using off-axis ICRF heating. The onset of the ITBs is apparent when the pressure gradient exceeds 1.0 MPa/m, which is similar to the JET criterion of [rho]* s/L [equal to or greater than] 0.014. Concomitant with the peaking of the core pressure as the ITB develops is a drop of the toroidal rotation velocity profile inside of the barrier foot; the maximum of the velocity gradient coincides with the peak in the pressure gradient. The quasi-coherent (QC) mode, associated with the enhanced D[alpha] (EDA) H-mode plasmas which evolve the ITBs, breaks up and disappears as the barriers develop, even though the measured edge pedestal parameters remain fixed. The position of the ITB foot has been moved over a range of 1/3 of the plasma minor radius by varying the toroidal magnetic field. The peak in the calculated bootstrap current density profile has correspondingly been regulated over a similar range in plasma minor radius. The location of the density profile foot is found to expand as the toroidal magnetic field is reduced and the ICRF frequency is lowered. The density foot radius is relatively independent of q95, however, in a scan of the plasma current at fixed BT and wave frequency.
Author: Catherine L. Fiore Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 90
Book Description
Internal transport barriers, marked by steep density and pressure profiles and reduction of core transport are obtained in Alcator C-Mod. Transient single barriers are observed at the back transition from H- to L- mode, and also when pellet injection is accompanied by ICRF power. Double barriers are induced with injection of off-axis ICRF power deposition. These also arise spontaneously in Ohmic H-mode plasmas when the H-mode lasts for several energy confinement times. C-Mod provides a unique platform for studying such discharges: the ions and electrons are tightly coupled by collisions with Ti/Te=1, and the plasma has no internal particle or momentum sources. ITB plasmas with average pressure greater than 1 atmosphere have been obtained. To form an ITB, particle and thermal flux are reduced in the barrier region, allowing the neoclassical pinch to peak the density while maintaining the central temperature. Gyrokinetic simulation suggests that long wavelength drift wave turbulence in the core is marginally stable at the ITB onset, but steepening of the density profile destabilizes trapped electron (TEM) modes inside the barrier. The TEM ultimately drives sufficient outgoing particle flux to balance the inward pinch and halt further density rise, which allows control of particle and impurity peaking.
Author: Catherine L. Fiore Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 21
Book Description
(cont.) Examination of the gyrokinetic stability indicates that the density and temperature profiles of the plasma core are inherently stable to long- wavelength drift mode driven turbulence at the onset time of the ITB, but that the increasing density gradients cause the trapped electron mode (TEM) to play a role in providing a control mechanism to ultimately limit the steepness of the density gradient in the ITB region.
Author: C Wendell Horton, Jr Publisher: #N/A ISBN: 9813225904 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 522
Book Description
For a few seconds with large machines, scientists and engineers have now created the fusion power of the stars in the laboratory and at the same time find the rich range of complex turbulent electromagnetic waves that transport the plasma confinement systems. The turbulent transport mechanisms created in the laboratory are explained in detail in the second edition of 'Turbulent Transport in Magnetized Plasmas' by Professor Horton.The principles and properties of the major plasma confinement machines are explored with basic physics to the extent currently understood. For the observational laws that are not understood — the empirical confinement laws — offering challenges to the next generation of plasma students and researchers — are explained in detail. An example, is the confinement regime — called the 'I-mode' — currently a hot topic — is explored.Numerous important problems and puzzles for the next generation of plasma scientists are explained. There is growing demand for new simulation codes utilizing the massively parallel computers with MPI and GPU methods. When the 20 billion dollar ITER machine is tested in the 2020ies, new theories and faster/smarter computer simulations running in near real-time control systems will be used to control the burning hydrogen plasmas.
Author: John E. Rice Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 34
Book Description
(Cont.) In EDA H-mode discharges which develop internal transport barriers, the velocity profiles become hollow in the center, indicating the presence of a negative radial electric field well in the vicinity of the barrier foot. Upper single null diverted and inner wall limited L-mode discharges exhibit strong counter-current rotation (with V[phi](0) [approx.] -60 km/s in some cases), which may be related to the observed higher H-mode power threshold in these configurations. For plasmas with locked modes, the toroidal rotation is observed to stop (V[phi]
Author: Catherine L. Fiore Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 26
Book Description
The formation of internal transport barriers (ITB) has been observed in the core region of Alcator C-Mod under a variety of conditions. The improvement in core confinement following pellet injection (pellet enhanced performance or PEP mode) has been well documented on Alcator C-Mod in the past. Recently three new ITB phenomena have been observed which require no externally applied particle or momentum input. Short lived ITBs form spontaneously following the high confinement (H) to low confinement (L) mode transition and are characterized by a large increase in the global neutron production (enhanced neutron or EN modes.) Experiments with ICRF (ion cyclotron range of frequencies) power injection to the plasma off-axis on the high field side results in the central density rising abruptly and becoming peaked. The ITB formed at this time lasts for 10 energy confinement times. The central toroidal rotation velocity decreases and changes sign as the density rises. Similar spontaneous ITBs have been observed in ohmically heated H-mode plasmas. All of these ITB events have strongly peaked density profiles with a minimum in the density scale length occurring near r/a = 0.5 and have improved confinement parameters in the core region of the plasma. Keywords: Alcator C-Mod; confinement; tokamaks; transport phenomena; neutrons.
Author: John E. Rice
Author: Catherine L. Fiore
Author: Stephen J. Wukitch
Author: John E. Rice
Author: Catherine L. Fiore
Author: Catherine L. Fiore
Author: C Wendell Horton, Jr
Author: John E. Rice
Author: Catherine L. Fiore
Author: Thomas Sunn Pedersen