Author: Aaron Craig Bader
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
In this thesis we discuss measurements and modeling of minority heated fast-ion distributions in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. Analysis of fast-ions >100Te is important for both ITER and a future fusion reactor as both will have a significant population of 3.5 MeV alpha particles generated in fusion reactions. Fast particles in this energy range can drive unstable modes such as Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) and Reversed Shear Alfvén Eigenmodes (RSAEs). Furthermore, energetic ions may display plasma properties that differ from the bulk plasma. It is crucial to benchmark current simulation codes with measurements from highly energetic fast-ions on current devices. This thesis will focus on measurements of the fast-ion distribution made on C-Mod with an upgraded Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer (CNPA). Measurements of the fast-ion distributions will reveal strong dependences of the fast-ion effective temperature on both electron density and plasma current. For further analysis, we use the simulated distributions generated by the coupled full-wave spectral solver AORSA, with the zero orbit-width bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck code CQL3D. A new synthetic diagnostic integrated into CQL3D is used to make direct comparisons with the CNPA. We find that for plasmas that have a steady-state fast-ion distribution (df /dt = 0) the simulation and the experiment have good agreement. However, in simulations where the fast-ion distribution is evolving in time (df/dt =/ 0) we find a discrepancy between the simulation and the experimental results. The simulation is seen to evolve much slower than the experiment. Various reasons for the discrepancy are explored, including the possibility of a violation of the quasi-linear theory used in CQL3D.
Experimental Measurements and Numerical Modeling of Fast-ion Distributions in the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
Author: Aaron Craig Bader
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
In this thesis we discuss measurements and modeling of minority heated fast-ion distributions in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. Analysis of fast-ions >100Te is important for both ITER and a future fusion reactor as both will have a significant population of 3.5 MeV alpha particles generated in fusion reactions. Fast particles in this energy range can drive unstable modes such as Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) and Reversed Shear Alfvén Eigenmodes (RSAEs). Furthermore, energetic ions may display plasma properties that differ from the bulk plasma. It is crucial to benchmark current simulation codes with measurements from highly energetic fast-ions on current devices. This thesis will focus on measurements of the fast-ion distribution made on C-Mod with an upgraded Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer (CNPA). Measurements of the fast-ion distributions will reveal strong dependences of the fast-ion effective temperature on both electron density and plasma current. For further analysis, we use the simulated distributions generated by the coupled full-wave spectral solver AORSA, with the zero orbit-width bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck code CQL3D. A new synthetic diagnostic integrated into CQL3D is used to make direct comparisons with the CNPA. We find that for plasmas that have a steady-state fast-ion distribution (df /dt = 0) the simulation and the experiment have good agreement. However, in simulations where the fast-ion distribution is evolving in time (df/dt =/ 0) we find a discrepancy between the simulation and the experimental results. The simulation is seen to evolve much slower than the experiment. Various reasons for the discrepancy are explored, including the possibility of a violation of the quasi-linear theory used in CQL3D.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
In this thesis we discuss measurements and modeling of minority heated fast-ion distributions in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. Analysis of fast-ions >100Te is important for both ITER and a future fusion reactor as both will have a significant population of 3.5 MeV alpha particles generated in fusion reactions. Fast particles in this energy range can drive unstable modes such as Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) and Reversed Shear Alfvén Eigenmodes (RSAEs). Furthermore, energetic ions may display plasma properties that differ from the bulk plasma. It is crucial to benchmark current simulation codes with measurements from highly energetic fast-ions on current devices. This thesis will focus on measurements of the fast-ion distribution made on C-Mod with an upgraded Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer (CNPA). Measurements of the fast-ion distributions will reveal strong dependences of the fast-ion effective temperature on both electron density and plasma current. For further analysis, we use the simulated distributions generated by the coupled full-wave spectral solver AORSA, with the zero orbit-width bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck code CQL3D. A new synthetic diagnostic integrated into CQL3D is used to make direct comparisons with the CNPA. We find that for plasmas that have a steady-state fast-ion distribution (df /dt = 0) the simulation and the experiment have good agreement. However, in simulations where the fast-ion distribution is evolving in time (df/dt =/ 0) we find a discrepancy between the simulation and the experimental results. The simulation is seen to evolve much slower than the experiment. Various reasons for the discrepancy are explored, including the possibility of a violation of the quasi-linear theory used in CQL3D.
Experimental and Numerical Characterization of Ion-cyclotron Heated Protons on the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
Author: Vincent Tang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 187
Book Description
Energetic minority protons with -100 keV effective temperature are routinely created in Alcator C-Mod plasmas with the application of ICRF. A new multi-channel Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer is used to make measurements of these distributions in Alcator C-Mod's unique and reactor-relevant operating space via an active charge-exchange technique (CX). Using a detailed model that accounts for beam, halo, and impurity CX, core proton temperatures of 430-120 keV are directly measured for the first time in lower density (neo0 0.8 - 1.5 x 1020/m3) Alcator C-Mod plasmas using only 0.5 MW of ICRF power. The model found that the minority proton temperatures are peaked spatially away from r/a=O, even for an on-axis resonance. Additionally, noticeable phase-space anisotropy is seen as expected for ICRF heating. The measured effective temperatures scale approximately with the Stix parameter. The CNPA measurements are also compared with several leading simulation packages. Preliminary comparisons with results from the AORSA/CQL3D Full-wave/Fokker-Planck (FW/FP) code using a new synthetic diagnostic show good agreement and demonstrate that these complex codes are required to simulate Alcator C-Mod's energetic minority populations with accuracy. These FW/FP analyses represent the first comparison between predictions of such detailed codes and extensive minority ion experimental measurements.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 187
Book Description
Energetic minority protons with -100 keV effective temperature are routinely created in Alcator C-Mod plasmas with the application of ICRF. A new multi-channel Compact Neutral Particle Analyzer is used to make measurements of these distributions in Alcator C-Mod's unique and reactor-relevant operating space via an active charge-exchange technique (CX). Using a detailed model that accounts for beam, halo, and impurity CX, core proton temperatures of 430-120 keV are directly measured for the first time in lower density (neo0 0.8 - 1.5 x 1020/m3) Alcator C-Mod plasmas using only 0.5 MW of ICRF power. The model found that the minority proton temperatures are peaked spatially away from r/a=O, even for an on-axis resonance. Additionally, noticeable phase-space anisotropy is seen as expected for ICRF heating. The measured effective temperatures scale approximately with the Stix parameter. The CNPA measurements are also compared with several leading simulation packages. Preliminary comparisons with results from the AORSA/CQL3D Full-wave/Fokker-Planck (FW/FP) code using a new synthetic diagnostic show good agreement and demonstrate that these complex codes are required to simulate Alcator C-Mod's energetic minority populations with accuracy. These FW/FP analyses represent the first comparison between predictions of such detailed codes and extensive minority ion experimental measurements.
Observation of Energetic Particle Driven Modes Relevant to Advanced Tokamak Regimes
Author: R. Nazikian
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alpha rays
Languages : en
Pages : 13
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alpha rays
Languages : en
Pages : 13
Book Description
Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports
Experimental Application and Numerical Study of Reflectometry in the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
Author: Yijun Lin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 182
Book Description
The amplitude modulated ordinary-mode reflectometer in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak is used to study the quasi-coherent (QC) continuous edge fluctuations in enhanced Da (EDA) H-modes. Reflectometer data show that the QC fluctuations are localized near the center of the density pedestal. The radial width (FWHM) is usually in the range of 0.1 - 0.3 cm. The width increases with the increase of resistivity rl. The line-integrated fluctuation level approximately scales with (v*q95).56. This result indicates that higher q95, higher density, and lower temperature are favored for the QC fluctuations. Neither the location nor the width changes significantly in an EDA H-mode period, while the frequency and level vary. A 2-D full-wave code has been developed to simulate and quantitatively interpret reflectometry signals. The code uses the finite-difference time-domain method to solve Maxwell's equations in two dimensions. Perfectly-matched layers are used as the boundary. The Huygens source technique is used to generate Gaussian beams and separate the reflected waves from the total field. Simulations based on realistic 2-D geometry of the Alcator C-Mod reflectometer provide a calibration curve by which we can relate the QC fluctuations in reflectometry signals to plasma density fluctuations. Results indicate that the line-integrated fluctuation level derived from reflectometry is similar to that measured by the phase contrast imaging system. Simulations also indicate that plasma curvature extends the reflectometry response to fluctuations of high poloidal wavenumber. A preliminary study indicates that reflectometry can be used to estimate the correlation length of the turbulence in Alcator C-Mod provided that the fluctuation level is small.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 182
Book Description
The amplitude modulated ordinary-mode reflectometer in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak is used to study the quasi-coherent (QC) continuous edge fluctuations in enhanced Da (EDA) H-modes. Reflectometer data show that the QC fluctuations are localized near the center of the density pedestal. The radial width (FWHM) is usually in the range of 0.1 - 0.3 cm. The width increases with the increase of resistivity rl. The line-integrated fluctuation level approximately scales with (v*q95).56. This result indicates that higher q95, higher density, and lower temperature are favored for the QC fluctuations. Neither the location nor the width changes significantly in an EDA H-mode period, while the frequency and level vary. A 2-D full-wave code has been developed to simulate and quantitatively interpret reflectometry signals. The code uses the finite-difference time-domain method to solve Maxwell's equations in two dimensions. Perfectly-matched layers are used as the boundary. The Huygens source technique is used to generate Gaussian beams and separate the reflected waves from the total field. Simulations based on realistic 2-D geometry of the Alcator C-Mod reflectometer provide a calibration curve by which we can relate the QC fluctuations in reflectometry signals to plasma density fluctuations. Results indicate that the line-integrated fluctuation level derived from reflectometry is similar to that measured by the phase contrast imaging system. Simulations also indicate that plasma curvature extends the reflectometry response to fluctuations of high poloidal wavenumber. A preliminary study indicates that reflectometry can be used to estimate the correlation length of the turbulence in Alcator C-Mod provided that the fluctuation level is small.
Turbulence and Transport Studies with Phase Contrast Imaging in the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak and Comparisons with Gyrokinetic Simulations
Author: Liang Lin (Ph. D.)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 189
Book Description
(cont.) Our study shows that although the short wavelength turbulence in the ETG range is unstable in the linear ohmic regime, the nonlinear simulation with k[theta][rho]s up to 4 does not raise the electron thermal diffusivity to the experimental level, where k[theta] is the poloidal wavenumber and [rho]s is the ion-sound Larmor radius. The H-Mode studies focus on plasmas before and during internal transport barrier formation in an enhanced D[alpha], H-Mode plasma. The simulated fluctuations from GYRO agree with experimental measurements in the ITG regime. GYRO also shows good agreement in transport predictions with experimental measurements after reducing the ion temperature gradient (~15%) and adding ExB shear suppression, all within the experimental uncertainty.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 189
Book Description
(cont.) Our study shows that although the short wavelength turbulence in the ETG range is unstable in the linear ohmic regime, the nonlinear simulation with k[theta][rho]s up to 4 does not raise the electron thermal diffusivity to the experimental level, where k[theta] is the poloidal wavenumber and [rho]s is the ion-sound Larmor radius. The H-Mode studies focus on plasmas before and during internal transport barrier formation in an enhanced D[alpha], H-Mode plasma. The simulated fluctuations from GYRO agree with experimental measurements in the ITG regime. GYRO also shows good agreement in transport predictions with experimental measurements after reducing the ion temperature gradient (~15%) and adding ExB shear suppression, all within the experimental uncertainty.
Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 610
Book Description
Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 610
Book Description
Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.
Fast Wave Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating Experiments on the Alcator C Tokamak
Author: Thomas Donavon Shepard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
Fast Wave Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating Experiments on the Alcator C Tokamak
Author: Thomas Donavon Shepard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description