Validation of equilibrium tools on the COMPASS tokamak

SOFT 2014 conference, submitted to Fusion Engineering and DesignInternational audienceVarious MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) equilibrium tools, some of which being recently developed or considerably updated, are used on the COMPASS tokamak at IPP Prague. MHD equilibrium is a fundamental property of the tokamak plasma, whose knowledge is required for many diagnostics and modelling tools. Proper benchmarking and validation of equilibrium tools is thus key for interpreting and planning tokamak experiments. We present here benchmarks and comparisons to experimental data of the EFIT++ reconstruction code [L.C. Appel et al., EPS 2006, P2.184], the free-boundary equilibrium code FREEBIE [J.-F. Artaud, S.H. Kim, EPS 2012, P4.023], and a rapid plasma boundary reconstruction code VacTH [B. Faugeras et al., PPCF 56, 114010 (2014)]. We demonstrate that FREEBIE can calculate the equilibrium and corresponding poloidal field (PF) coils currents consistently with EFIT++ reconstructions from experimental data. Both EFIT++ and VacTH can reconstruct equilibria generated by FREEBIE from synthetic, optionally noisy diagnostic data. Hence, VacTH is suitable for real-time control. Optimum reconstruction parameters are estimated

Dust tracking techniques applied to the STARDUST facility: First results

An important issue related to future nuclear fusion reactors fueled with deuterium and tritium is the creation of large amounts of dust due to several mechanisms (disruptions, ELMs and VDEs). The dust size expected in nuclear fusion experiments (such as ITER) is in the order of microns (between 0.1 and 1000 μm). Almost the total amount of this dust remains in the vacuum vessel (VV). This radiological dust can re-suspend in case of LOVA (loss of vacuum accident) and these phenomena can cause explosions and serious damages to the health of the operators and to the integrity of the device. The authors have developed a facility, STARDUST, in order to reproduce the thermo fluid-dynamic conditions comparable to those expected inside the VV of the next generation of experiments such as ITER in case of LOVA. The dust used inside the STARDUST facility presents particle sizes and physical characteristics comparable with those that created inside the VV of nuclear fusion experiments. In this facility an experimental campaign has been conducted with the purpose of tracking the dust re-suspended at low pressurization rates (comparable to those expected in case of LOVA in ITER and suggested by the General Safety and Security Report ITER-GSSR) using a fast camera with a frame rate from 1000 to 10,000 images per second. The velocity fields of the mobilized dust are derived from the imaging of a two-dimensional slice of the flow illuminated by optically adapted laser beam. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the possibility of dust tracking by means of image processing with the objective of determining the velocity field values of dust re-suspended during a LOVA

Convolutional neural networks for the identification of filaments from fast visual imaging cameras in tokamak reactors

The paper proposes a region-based deep learning convolutional neural network to detect objects within images able to identify the filamentary plasma structures that arise in the boundary region of the plasma in toroidal nuclear fusion reactors. The images required to train and test the neural model have been synthetically generated from statistical distributions, which reproduce the statistical properties in terms of position and intensity of experimental filaments. The recently proposed Faster Region-based Convolutional Network algorithm has been customized to the problem of identifying the filaments both in location and size with the associated score. The results demonstrate the suitability of the deep learning approach for the filaments detection

Integrated equilibrium reconstruction and MHD stability analysis of tokamak plasmas in the EU-IM platform

International audienceIn the framework of the EUROfusion Work Package on Code Development for Integrated Modelling, a scientific Kepler workflow for the reconstructionof Tokamak plasma equilibrium was developed. It includes consolidated reconstruction codes such as EQUAL, CLISTE, EQUINOX and post-processing error bar estimator SDSS, all using the same physics and machine data ontology and methods for accessing the data used in the European Integrated Modelling (EU-IM) framework [6]. Presently implemented modules (actors) are interfaced to “data bundles” e.g. magnetic sensors, Thomson scattering diagnostics as well as poloidal field coil data, are packed into a “machine bundle”, to facilitate the data exchange in the workflow through selfconsistent datasets. The reconstruction codes feature polynomial or spline (natural or Bspline) representation for the profiles and non-uniform spatially distributed knots for the equilibrium regularisations are implemented. Equilibrium reconstructions relying on magnetics data only (magnetic diagnostic, PF/TF coils and iron core) or with added internal data (motional Stark effect, polarimetry or pressure) may be performed. For pedestal top/edge pressure profile assisted reconstructions, pre-processing of the experimental density and temperature data presently includes a median filter and time average around the time of interest, mapped to the flux coordinates obtained for that time in the previous (magnetics only) reconstruction. Ion density is assumed to be proportional to electron density and fast particle density is assumed negligibl

Runaway beam studies during disruptions at JET-ILW

Équipe 107 : Physique des plasmas chaudsInternational audienceRunaway electrons (RE) during disruptions are a concern for future tokamaks including ITER with its metallic wall. Although RE are rare in spontaneous disruptions with the JET ITER-like Wall (JET-ILW), RE beams up to 380 kA were obtained using massive injection (MGI) of argon in JET-ILW divertor discharges. Entry points into the RE domain defined by operational parameters (toroidal field, argon fraction in MGI) are unchanged but higher RE currents have been obtained inside the JET-ILW MGI-generated RE domain when compared to JET-C. This might be due to the influence of the metallic wall on the current quench plasma. Temperatures of 900 degrees C have been observed following RE impacts on beryllium tiles. Heat deposition depth of similar to 2 mm has to be assumed to match the tile cooling time. 3D simulations of the RE energy deposition using the ENDEP/MEMOS codes show that material melting is unlikely with 100 kA RE beams

Runaway electron beam generation and mitigation during disruptions at JET-ILW

Équipe 107 : Physique des plasmas chaudsInternational audienceDisruptions are a major operational concern for next generation tokamaks, including ITER. They may generate excessive heat loads on plasma facing components, large electromagnetic forces in the machine structures and several MA of multi-MeV runaway electrons. A more complete understanding of the runaway generation processes and methods to suppress them is necessary to ensure safe and reliable operation of future tokamaks. Runaway electrons were studied at JET-ILW showing that their generation dependencies (accelerating electric field, avalanche critical field, toroidal field, MHD fluctuations) are in agreement with current theories. In addition, vertical stability plays a key role in long runaway beam formation. Energies up to 20 MeV are observed. Mitigation of an incoming runaway electron beam triggered by massive argon injection was found to be feasible provided that the injection takes place early enough in the disruption process. However, suppressing an already accelerated runaway electron beam in the MA range was found to be difficult even with injections of more than 2 kPa.m(3) high-Z gases such as krypton or xenon. This may be due to the presence of a cold background plasma weakly coupled to the runaway electron beam which prevents neutrals from penetrating in the electron beam core. Following unsuccessful mitigation attempts, runaway electron impacts on beryllium plasma-facing components were observed, showing localized melting with toroidal asymmetries

Activation material selection for multiple foil activation detectors in JET TT campaign

In the preparation for the Deuterium-Tritium campaign, JET will operate with a tritium plasma. The T + T reaction consists of two notable channels: (1) T + T -> He-4 + 2n, (2) T + T -> He-5 + n -> He-4 + 2n. The reaction channel (1) is the reaction with the highest branching ratio and a continuum of neutron energies being produced. Reaction channel (2) produces a spectrum with a peak at 8.8 MeV. A particular problem is the ratio between the individual TT reaction channels, which is highly dependent on the energy of the reacting tritium ions. There are very few measurements on the TT spectrum and the study at JET would be interesting. The work is focused on the determination of the spectral characteristics in the TT plasma discharges, especially on the presence of the 8.8 MeV peak, a consequence of channel (2) of the TT reaction. The possibility to use an optimized set of activation materials in order to target the measurement of the 8.8 MeV peak is studied. The lower limit of detection for the channel (2) ratio within the TT reaction is estimated and the influence of DT source neutrons, which are a consequence of deuterium traces in the plasma, is investigated