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61. Regarding the optimization of O1-mode ECRH and the feasibility of EBW startup on NSTX-U

Author(s):
Lopez, N; Poli, F
Abstract:
Recently published scenarios for fully non-inductive startup and operation on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) (Menard et al 2012 Nucl. Fusion 52 083015) show Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) as an important component in preparing a target plasma for efficient High Harmonic Fast Wave and Neutral Beam heating. The modeling of the propagation and absorption of EC waves in the evolving plasma is required to define the most effective window of operation, and to optimize the launcher geometry for maximal heating and current drive during this window. Here, we extend a previous optimization of O1-mode ECRH on NSTX-U to account for the full time-dependent performance of the ECRH using simulations performed with TRANSP. We find that the evolution of the density profile has a prominent role in the optimization by defining the time window of operation, which in certain cases may be a more important metric to compare launcher performance than the average power absorption. This feature cannot be captured by analysis on static profiles, and should be accounted for when optimizing ECRH on any device that operates near the cutoff density. Additionally, the utility of the electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in driving current and generating closed flux surfaces in the early startup phase has been demonstrated on a number of devices. Using standalone GENRAY simulations, we find that efficient EBW current drive is possible on NSTX-U if the injection angle is shifted below the midplane and aimed towards the top half of the vacuum vessel. However, collisional damping of the EBW is projected to be significant, in some cases accounting for up to 97% of the absorbed EBW power
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
June 2018

62. Scenario Development During Commissioning Operations on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade

Author(s):
Battaglia, D.J.; Boyer, M.D.; Gerhardt, S.; Mueller, D.; Myers, C.E.; Guttenfelder, W.; Menard, J.E.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Scotti, F.; Bedoya, F.; Bell, R.E.; Berkery, J.W.; Diallo, A.; Ferraro, N.; Jaworski, M.A.; Kaye, S.M.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Ono, M.; Park, J.-K.; Podesta, M.; Raman, R.; Soukhanovskii, V.A.
Abstract:
The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) will advance the physics basis required for achieving steady-state, high-beta, and high-confinement conditions in a tokamak by accessing high toroidal field (1 T) and plasma current (1.0 - 2.0 MA) in a low aspect ratio geometry (A = 1.6 - 1.8) with flexible auxiliary heating systems (12 MW NBI, 6 MW HHFW). This paper describes progress in the development of L- and H-mode discharge scenarios and the commissioning of operational tools in the first ten weeks of operation that enable the scientific mission of NSTX-U. Vacuum field calculations completed prior to operations supported the rapid development and optimization of inductive breakdown at different values of ohmic solenoid current. The toroidal magnetic field (B_T0 = 0.65 T) exceeded the maximum values achieved on NSTX and novel long-pulse L-mode discharges with regular sawtooth activity exceeded the longest pulses produced on NSTX (tpulse > 1.8s). The increased flux of the central solenoid facilitated the development of stationary L-mode discharges over a range of density and plasma current (Ip). H-mode discharges achieved similar levels of stored energy, confinement (H98y,2 > 1) and stability (beta_N/beta_N-nowall > 1) compared to NSTX discharges for Ip < 1 MA. High-performance H-mode scenarios require an L-H transition early in the Ip ramp-up phase in order to obtain low internal inductance (li) throughout the discharge, which is conducive to maintaining vertical stability at high elongation (kappa > 2.2) and achieving long periods of MHD quiescent operations. The rapid progress in developing L- and H-mode scenarios in support of the scientific program was enabled by advances in real-time plasma control, efficient error field identification and correction, effective conditioning of the graphite wall and excellent diagnostic availability.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
April 2018

63. A Riccati Solution for the Ideal MHD Plasma Response with Applications to Real-time Stability Control

Author(s):
Glasser, A.; Kolemen, E.; Glasser, A.H.
Abstract:
To effectuate near real-time feedback control of ideal MHD instabilities in a tokamak geometry, a rapid solution for stability analysis is a prerequisite. Toward this end, we reformulate the δW stability method with a Hamilton-Jacobi theory, elucidating analytical and numerical features of the generic tokamak ideal MHD stability problem. The plasma response matrix is demonstrated to be the solution of an ideal MHD matrix Riccati differential equation (MRDE). Since Riccati equations are prevalent in the control theory literature, such a shift in perspective brings to bear a range of numerical methods that are well-suited to the robust, fast solution of control problems. We discuss the usefulness of Riccati techniques in solving the stiff ODEs often encountered in ideal MHD stability analyses-—for example, in tokamak edge and stellarator physics. We then demonstrate the applicability of such methods to an existing 2D ideal MHD stability code—DCON—enabling its parallel operation in near real-time. Output is shown to match with high accuracy, and with wall-clock time ≪ 1s. Such speed may help enable active feedback ideal MHD stability control, especially in tokamak plasmas whose ideal MHD equilibria evolve with inductive timescale τ > 1s-—as in ITER.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
March 2018

64. Plasma boundary shape control and real-time equilibrium reconstruction on NSTX-U

Author(s):
Boyer, M.; Battaglia, D.; Mueller, D.; Eidietis, N.; Erickson, K.; Ferron, J.; Gates, D.; Gerhardt, S.; Johnson, R.; Kolemen, E.; Menard, J.; Myers, C.; Sabbagh, S.; Scotti, F.; Vail, P.
Abstract:
The upgrade to the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX-U) included two main improvements: a larger center-stack, enabling higher toroidal field and longer pulse duration, and the addition of three new tangentially aimed neutral beam sources, which increase available heating and current drive, and allow for flexibility in shaping power, torque, current, and particle deposition profiles. To best use these new capabilities and meet the high-performance operational goals of NSTX-U, major upgrades to the NSTX-U Control System (NCS) hardware and software have been made. Several control algorithms, including those used for real-time equilibrium reconstruction and shape control, have been upgraded to improve and extend plasma control capabilities. As part of the commissioning phase of first plasma operations, the shape control system was tuned to control the boundary in both inner-wall limited and diverted discharges. It has been used to accurately track the requested evolution of the boundary (including the size of the inner gap between the plasma and central solenoid, which is a challenge for the ST configuration), X-point locations, and strike point locations, enabling repeatable discharge evolutions for scenario development and diagnostic commissioning.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
March 2018

65. Electron-density-sensitive Line Ratios of Fe XIII--XVI from Laboratory Sources Compared to CHIANTI

Author(s):
Weller, M.E.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Soukhanovskii, V.A.; Scotti, F.; LeBlanc, B.P.
Abstract:
We present electron-density-sensitive line ratios for Fe XIII–XVI measured in the spectral wavelength range of 200–440 Å and an electron density range of (1–4)×10^13 cm^−3. The results provide a test at the high-density limit of density-sensitive line ratios useful for astrophysical studies. The measurements were performed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade, where electron densities were measured independently by the laser Thomson scattering diagnostic. Spectra were collected with a flat-field grazing-incidence spectrometer, which provided a spectral resolution of up to 0.3 Å, i.e., high resolution across the broad wavelength range. The response of the instrument was relatively calibrated using spectroscopic techniques in order to improve accuracy. The line ratios are compared to other laboratory sources and the latest version of CHIANTI (8.0.2), and an agreement within 30% is found.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
February 2018

66. ELM elimination with Li powder injection in EAST discharges using the tungsten upper divertor

Author(s):
Maingi, R.; Hu, J.S.; Sun, Z.; Tritz, K.; Zuo, G.Z.; Xu, W.; Huang, M.; Meng, X.C.; Canik, J.M.; Diallo, A.; Lunsford, R.; Mansfield, D.K.; Osborne, T.H.; Gong, X.Z.; Wang, Y.F.; Li, Y.Y.
Abstract:
We report the first successful use of lithium (Li) to eliminate edge-localized modes (ELMs) with tungsten divertor plasma-facing components in the EAST device. Li powder injected into the scrape-off layer of the tungsten upper divertor successfully eliminated ELMs for 3-5 sec in EAST. The ELM elimination became progressively more effective in consecutive discharges at constant lithium delivery rates, and the divertor D-alpha baseline emission was reduced, both signatures of improved wall conditioning. A modest decrease in stored energy and normalized energy confinement was also observed, but the confinement relative to H98 remained well above 1, extending the previous ELM elimination results via Li injection into the lower carbon divertor in EAST [J.S. Hu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114 (2015) 055001]. These results can be compared with recent observations with lithium pellets in ASDEX-Upgrade that failed to mitigate ELMs [P.T. Lang et al., Nucl. Fusion 57 (2017) 016030], highlighting one comparative advantage of continuous powder injection for real-time ELM elimination.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
December 2017

67. ELM-free and inter-ELM divertor heat flux broadening induced by Edge Harmonics Oscillation in NSTX

Author(s):
Gan, K.; Ahn, J.-W.; Gray, T.K.; Zweben, S.J.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Scotti, F.; Maingi, R.; Park, J.-K.; Canal, G.P.; Soukhanovskii, V.A.; McLean, A.G.; Wirth, B.D.
Abstract:
A new n=1 dominated Edge Harmonic Oscillation (EHO) has been found in NSTX. The new EHO, rotating toroidally in the counter-current direction and the opposite direction of the neutral beam, was observed during certain inter-ELM and ELM-free periods of H-mode operation. This EHO is associated with a significant broadening of the integral heat flux width (?_int) by up to 150%, and a decrease in the divertor peak heat flux by >60%. An EHO induced filament was also observed by the gas puff imaging diagnostic. The toroidal rotating filaments could change the edge magnetic topology resulting in toroidal rotating strike point splitting and heat flux broadening. Experimental result of the counter current rotation of strike points splitting is consistent with the counter-current EHO.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
December 2017

68. Energetic-particle-modified global Alfven eigenmodes

Author(s):
Lestz, J.B.; Belova, E.V.; Gorelenkov, N.N.
Abstract:
Fully self-consistent hybrid MHD/particle simulations reveal strong energetic particle modifications to sub-cyclotron global Alfven eigenmodes (GAE) in low-aspect ratio, NSTX-like conditions. Key parameters defining the fast ion distribution function -- the normalized injection velocity v_0/v_A and central pitch -- are varied in order to study their influence on the characteristics of the excited modes. It is found that the frequency of the most unstable mode changes significantly and continuously with beam parameters, in accordance with the Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonances which drive the modes, and depending most substantially on v_0/v_A. This unexpected result is present for both counter-propagating GAEs, which are routinely excited in NSTX, and high frequency co-GAEs, which have not been previously studied. Large changes in frequency without clear corresponding changes in mode structure could indicate the existence of a new energetic particle mode, referred to here as an energetic-particle-modified GAE (EP-GAE). Additional simulations conducted for a fixed MHD equilibrium demonstrate that the GAE frequency shift cannot be explained by the equilibrium changes due to energetic particle effects.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
December 2017

69. Injected mass deposition thresholds for lithium granule instigated triggering of edge localized modes on EAST

Author(s):
Lunsford, R.; Sun, Z.; Maingi, R.; Hu, J.S.; Mansfield, D.; Xu, W.; Zuo, G.Z.; Diallo, A.; Osborne, T.; Tritz, K.; Canik, J.; Huang, M.; Meng, X.C.; Gong, X.Z.; Wan, B.N.; Li, J.G.
Abstract:
The ability of an injected lithium granule to promptly trigger an edge localized mode (ELM) has been established in multiple experiments. By horizontally injecting granules ranging in diameter from 200 microns to 1mm in diameter into the low field side of EAST H-mode discharges we have determined that granules with diameter > 600 microns are successful in triggering ELMs more than 95% of the time. It was also demonstrated that below 600 microns the triggering efficiency decreased roughly with granule size. Granules were radially injected from the outer midplane with velocities ~ 80 m/s into EAST upper single null discharges with an ITER like tungsten monoblock divertor. These granules were individually tracked throughout their injection cycle in order to determine their efficacy at triggering an ELM. For those granules of sufficient size, ELM triggering was a prompt response to granule injection. By simulating the granule injection with an experimentally benchmarked neutral gas shielding (NGS) model, the ablatant mass deposition required to promptly trigger an ELM is calculated and the fractional mass deposition is determined.
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
December 2017

70. Density perturbation mode structure of high frequency compressional and global Alfvén eigenmodes in the National Spherical Torus Experiment using a novel reflectometer analysis technique

Author(s):
Crocker, N.A.; Kubota, S.; Peebles, W.A.; Rhodes, T.L.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Belova, E.; Diallo, A.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Sabbagh, S.A.
Abstract:
Reflectometry measurements of compressional (CAE) and global (GAE) Alfvén eigenmodes are analyzed to obtain the amplitude and spatial structure of the density perturbations associated with the modes. A novel analysis technique developed for this purpose is presented. The analysis also naturally yields the amplitude and spatial structure of the density contour radial displacement, which is found to be 2–4 times larger than the value estimated directly from the reflectometer measurements using the much simpler ‘mirror approximation’. The modes were driven by beam ions in a high power (6 MW) neutral beam heated H-mode discharge (#141398) in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. The results of the analysis are used to assess the contribution of the modes to core energy transport and ion heating. The total displacement amplitude of the modes, which is shown to be larger than previously estimated (Crocker et al 2013 Nucl. Fusion 53 43017), is compared to the predicted threshold (Gorelenkov et al 2010 Nucl. Fusion 50 84012) for the anomalously high heat diffusion inferred from transport modeling in similar NSTX discharges. The results of the analysis also have strong implications for the energy transport via coupling of CAEs to kinetic Alfvén waves seen in simulations with the Hybrid MHD code (Belova et al 2015 Phys. Rev. Lett. 115 15001). Finally, the amplitudes of the observed CAEs fall well below the threshold for causing significant ion heating by stochastic velocity space diffusion (Gates et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 87 205003).
Type:
Dataset
Issue Date:
November 2017

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