Results from core-edge experiments in high Power, high performance plasmas on DIII-D

Significant challenges to reducing divertor heat flux in highly powered near-double null divertor (DND) hybrid plasmas, while still maintaining both high performance metrics and low enough density for application of RF heating, are identified. For these DNDs on DIII-D, the scaling of the peak heat flux at the outer target (q⊥P) ∝ [PSOL x IP] 0.92 for PSOL= 8−19MW and IP= 1.0–1.4MA, and is consistent with standard ITPA scaling for single-null H-mode plasmas. Two divertor heat flux reduction methods were tested. First, applying the puff-and-pump radiating divertor to DIII-D plasmas may be problematical at high power and H98 (≥ 1.5) due to improvement in confinement time with deuterium gas puffing which can lead to unacceptably high core density under certain conditions. Second, q⊥P for these high performance DNDs was reduced by ≈35% when an open divertor is closed on the common flux side of the outer divertor target (“semi-slot”) but also that heating near the slot opening is a significant source for impurity contamination of the core. PSI-22 keywords: DIII-D, Divertor geometry, Gas injection and fueling, Impurity sources, Power depositio

Applications of ECH on the DIII-D tokamak and projections for future ECH upgrades

Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive plays an important role in the DIII-D program. In high performance discharges EC power contributes greatly to MHD stability, and this is particularly important for discharges with low rotational torque applied, as will be the case for ITER. Off-axis EC current drive also plays a key role in the actualization of steady-state scenarios by supporting the desired current profile. In order to carry out these applications at higher beta and higher field, an upgrade of the EC power to 15 MW is needed, and the best gyrotron frequency for the DIII-D program is 117.5 GHz