4 research outputs found
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Fast wave current drive experiment on the DIII-D tokamak
One method of radio-frequency heating which shows theoretical promise for both heating and current drive in tokamak plasmas is the direct absorption by electrons of the fast Alfven wave (FW). Electrons can directly absorb fast waves via electron Landau damping and transit-time magnetic pumping when the resonance condition {omega} {minus} {kappa}{sub {parallel}e}{upsilon}{sup {parallel}e} = O is satisfied. Since the FW accelerates electrons traveling the same toroidal direction as the wave, plasma current can be generated non-inductively by launching FW which propagate in one toroidal direction. Fast wave current drive (FWCD) is considered an attractive means of sustaining the plasma current in reactor-grade tokamaks due to teh potentially high current drive efficiency achievable and excellent penetration of the wave power to the high temperature plasma core. Ongoing experiments on the DIII-D tokamak are aimed at a demonstration of FWCD in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF). Using frequencies in the ICRF avoids the possibility of mode conversion between the fast and slow wave branches which characterized early tokamak FWCD experiments in the lower hybrid range of frequencies. Previously on DIII-D, efficient direct electron heating by FW was found using symmetric (non-current drive) antenna phasing. However, high FWCD efficiencies are not expected due to the relatively low electron temperatures (compared to a reactor) in DIII-D
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Direct electron absorption of fast waves on the D3-D tokamak
Short communication
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Direct electron heating by 60 MHz fast waves on DIII-D
Efficient direct electron heating by fast waves has been observed on the DIII-D tokamak. A four strap antenna with (0,{pi},0,{pi}) phasing launched up to 1.6 MW of fast wave power with {vert bar}n{sub {parallel}}{vert bar} {approx} 11. This {vert bar}n{sub {parallel}}{vert bar} is suitable for strong electron interaction in ohmic target plasmas (T{sub e} {le} 2 keV). Ion cyclotron absorption was minimized by keeping the hydrogen fraction low ({lt}3%) in deuterium discharges and by operating at high ion cyclotron harmonics ({omega} = 4{Omega}{sub H} = 8{Omega}{sub D} at 1T). The fast wave electron heating was weak for central electron temperatures below 1 keV, but improved substantially with increasing T{sub e}. Although linear theory predicts a strong inverse magnetic field scaling of the first pass absorption, the measured fast-wave heating efficiency was independent of magnetic field. Multiple pass absorption of the fast waves appears to be occurring since at 2.1 T nearly 100% efficient plasma heating is observed while the calculated first pass absorption is 6% to 8%. The central electron temperature during fast wave heating also increased with magnetic field. The improved electron heating at higher magnetic fields may be due in part to a peaking of the ohmic plasma current and the ohmic electron temperature profiles. Centrally peaked deposition profiles were measured by modulating the fast wave power at 10 Hz and observing the local electron temperature response across the plasma. 11 refs., 10 figs
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Analysis of non-inductive current drive from ECCD and bootstrap on T-10
The combination of electron cyclotron current drive and the bootstrap effect has produced completely non-inductively driven current of 75kA for up to 200 msec in the T-10 tokamak. At higher values of plasma current I{sub p} {approximately} 175kA, I{sub p} {ge} 60kA was maintained by ECCD. These experiments have been modeled with the coupled ray training and transport codes TORAY and ONETWO. Within the uncertainties in the experimental data, the calculations show that the sum of bootstrap and ECCD substantially exceeded the net programmed plasma current. 2 figs