On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM

Desempenho de bezerros da raça Holandesa alimentados com proteína de soja sólida ou líquida Performance of Holstein calves fed soybean meal protein in solid or liquid form

Avaliaram-se os efeitos da substituição de metade do total de proteína da dieta na forma sólida (farelo de soja) por proteína na forma líquida (leite de soja), com relações sólidos:líquidos de 100,0:0%; 87,5:12,5%; e 75,0:25,0%. Utilizaram-se 24 bezerros machos da raça Holandesa com 60 dias de idade, distribuídos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com três dietas à base de concentrado (80%) e feno de capim coast-cross (Cynodon dactylon) (20%), balanceadas para nitrogênio e energia. Nas dietas com partes líquidas, o intuito foi manter o reflexo de formação da goteira esofagiana no período experimental de 10 meses, no qual os animais foram mantidos em confinamento, sendo abatidos ao atingirem pesos corporais superiores a 400 kg. Em alguns dos animais, dotados de cânulas de rúmen, foi possível detectar neste órgão apenas pequenas quantidades do leite de soja ingerido, confirmando sucesso na formação da goteira esofagiana. Os ganhos de peso diários apresentaram redução linear (1,399; 1,341; e 1,191 kg) à medida que foram fornecidas maiores quantidades de leite de soja. As conversões de matéria seca e proteína bruta em ganhos de peso, durante os últimos 60 dias experimentais, pioraram conforme aumentaram as quantidades de proteína na forma líquida. O fornecimento de proteína na forma líquida na dieta não altera os rendimentos de carcaça em bezerros holandeses.<br>The effects were assessed of substituting half the total diet protein in solid form (soybean meal) with liquid form (soybean milk) at solid:liquid ratios of: 100.0:0% L; 87.5:12.5% L; 75.0:25.0% L. Twenty-four Holstein breed 60-d male calf steers were assigned to a randomized block design, with three concentrate (80%) diets and 20% coast-cross (Cynodon dactylon) hay, balanced for nitrogen and energy. In the diets with liquid parts, the intention was to keep the functional reflex of the esophageal groove throughout the 10 months of the experimental period, in which the animals were kept in a feedlot until slaughter at body weights higher than 400 kg. In some of the animals, with rumen canulas, only small quantities of ingested soybean milk were detected in the rumen contents, indicating success in esophageal groove formation. Daily weight gains were linearly reduced (1.399, 1.341 and 1.191 kg) as the treatments supplied larger quantities of soybean milk. Dry matter and crude protein conversions in weight gains, in the last 60 days of the experimental period, declined as the proportions of liquid feed increased. Supplying protein in liquid form in the diet did not alter carcass yield in Holstein steer

Alimentação de bezerros ruminantes com dieta líquida, via goteira esofageana: parâmetros ruminais Ruminant calves feeding with liquid diet, through esophageal groove: ruminal parameters

Efeitos de fornecer proteína texturizada de soja (PTS) na forma líquida, via goteira esofágica, ou na forma sólida, via concentrados, foram estudados em um delineamento quadrado latino 4 x 4, empregando quatro novilhos Holandeses providos de cânulas ruminais, pesando cerca de 100 kg cada, no início do experimento. Os tratamentos consistiram de níveis crescentes de PTS na forma líquida (0, 33, 66 e 100%), oferecidos em mamadeiras, e níveis decrescentes de misturas concentradas, mantendo-se a mesma quantidade de nitrogênio em todas as dietas. Os subperíodos experimentais foram de 21 dias, sendo os primeiros 16 de adaptação às rações (feno de Cynodon dactilon, mistura concentrada e alimento líquido). Ensaio de digestibilidade in situ foi executado do dia 17 ao 20, sendo os tempos de incubação de 0, 1,5, 3, 6, 12, 24 e 48 horas, para o farelo de soja e PTS, e 0, 6, 12, 24, 48h, 72 e 96 horas para o feno. Foram tomadas amostras de conteúdo ruminal para análise de volume e taxa de passagem de líquidos, e pH, no dia 21 às 0, 1, 3, 6, 12 e 24 horas. No dia 20, conteúdos ruminais foram coletados para análise de ácidos graxos voláteis (AGV) e N amoniacal às 0, 2, 4, 5 e 6h após a primeira alimentação do dia. Foi observado aumento na taxa de passagem e turnover líquido com a diminuição do suplemento protéico na forma líquida. Não ocorreram efeitos da forma de alimentação nas concentrações dos totais de AGV ou nas suas porcentagens molares individuais, do mesmo modo que o pH não foi afetado. Não houve efeitos da forma de alimentação sobre a degradabilidade in situ da proteína e da matéria seca do farelo de soja e PTS, tampouco efeitos sobre a degradabilidade da matéria seca e fibra em detergente neutro do feno.<br>Effects of feeding textured soy protein (TSP), in liquid form throught esophageal groove, or solid form throught concentrate meal, were studied in a 4 x 4 Latin-square change-over design, using four Holstein steers fitted with ruminal cannulas, averaging 100 kg live weight at the beginning of trial. Treatments consisted of increasing TSP levels in liquid form (0, 33, 66 and 100%) offered through nipple-pail, and decreasing levels in concentrate meal to keep the same amout of nitrogen in all diets. Twenty-one days sub periods were used, the first sexteen for diet adaptation (Cynodon dactilon hay, concentrate mixture and liquid feed). In situ degradability assay was runned from day 17 to 20, and incubation times were 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48hours for soybean meal and TSP, and 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours for coastcross hay. Ruminal contents colections to analize liquid volume, passage rate, and pH were made at twentieth first day at 0h, 1h, 3h, 6h, 12h, and 24h. On twentieth day ruminal contents were colected to analyze volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia nitrogen at 0, 2h, 3h, 4h, 5h and 6h after first feed. An increase in passage rate and ruminal turnover was observed as the liquid suplement protein amount decreased. There were no effects of feeding form in the total VFA concentrations or its individual molar percentages; also ruminal pH was not affected. There were no effects of feeding form upon in situ degradability of soybean meal and TSP dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP), as well as there were no effects in the degradability of Coast-Cross hay DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF)