Applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge for helium ash measurements in the divertor region
Abstract Controlled fusion based on the magnetic confinement of the plasma is one of the main aims of the Euro-fusion programme. In the fusion device, the hydrogen isotopes, in nuclear reactions, will produce helium nuclei. The products, as the ash, will be removed from the plasma in the region of the so-called divertor. Controlling the helium to hydrogen ratio in this ‘exhaust gas’ will provide information about the efficiency of the fusion process as well as of the efficiency of the helium removal system. One of the methods to perform this task is to study the properties of the discharge conducted in such exhaust gas. In this paper, the applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge (D…
Impurity behaviour in JET-ILW plasmas fuelled with gas and/or with pellets: a comparative study with the transport code COREDIV
Abstract This study deals with the comparison of impurity behaviour in pellet and gas fuelled JET-ITER like wall pulses with the aim of finding the mechanisms leading to the generally observed higher concentration of tungsten in pellet fuelled plasmas. In fact, tungsten is the main high-Z impurity in the JET-ILW plasmas and is responsible for most of the radiative losses in the plasma core. Analysis of the experimental data pertaining to pulses at different plasma currents, different input power and different electron densities is integrated by numerical modelling with the self-consistent fluid transport code COREDIV. Experimentally, and numerically, the ratio between the radiated power in …
Erosion, screening, and migration of tungsten in the JET divertor
The erosion of tungsten (W), induced by the bombardment of plasma and impurity particles, determines the lifetime of plasma-facing components as well as impacting on plasma performance by the influx of W into the confined region. The screening of W by the divertor and the transport of W in the plasma determines largely the W content in the plasma core, but the W source strength itself has a vital impact on this process. The JET tokamak experiment provides access to a large set of W erosion-determining parameters and permits a detailed description of the W source in the divertor closest to the ITER one: (i) effective sputtering yields and fluxes as function of impact energy of intrinsic (Be,…
Core (XUV/VUV) and boundary (UV/vis/IR) plasma spectroscopy in fusion devices
This contribution describes the basic applications of passive optical emission spectroscopy in the visible and far-UV region of electromagnetic radiation to diagnostics of the magnetic confinement fusion plasma. To simplify and condense the broad topic it presents the most common ways of analyzing the spectra of atoms, ions and molecules in fusion plasma and disseminating results of those analysis to the non-spectroscopists. It provides the reasons for choosing some particular regions, elements and charge states to determine the impurity content and plasma-surface interactions in MCF (Magnetic Confinement Fusion) reactor. Examples used in the contribution are predominantly from measurements…
Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator
After completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreed for t…
Analiza spektralna plazmy w procesach azotowania jarzeniowego tytanu technologią aktywnego ekranu
Azotowanie jarzeniowe tytanu i jego stopów jest jedną z obróbek powierzchniowych umożliwiających wytworzenie warstw o wysokich twardościach. Celem pracy było dokonanie analizy porównawczej składu jakościowego widma procesowego uzyskanego na tytanowym ekranie aktywnym, z widmem wzorcowym w rurkach spektralnych. Plazmę procesową tworzyły gazy Ar, N2, H2 wprowadzane w przestrzeń wyładowania jarzeniowego. Analizowano widmo spektralne w trzech etapach technologii azotowania jarzeniowego tytanu którymi były: przygotowanie komory próżniowej i oprzyrządowania do procesu, aktywacja powierzchni tytanu w wyładowaniu jarzeniowym, azotowanie jarzeniowe tytanu. Przedstawiono badania oceny wpływu temperat…
A comprehensive study on the atom flow in the cross-field discharge of a Hall thruster
The flow properties of Xe atoms were investigated in the 1 kW class PPS100-ML Hall effect thruster by means of Doppler-shifted laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy in the near infrared. Fluorescence spectra of the resonant level and the metastable level have been acquired inside and outside the thruster channel under several operating conditions. Analytical treatment and modelling of the measured lineshapes indicate the atom axial velocity increases inside the channel to a value well above the sound speed before decreasing quickly in the near-field plume. Numerical simulations performed with a fluid/kinetic hybrid approach allow us to explain the shape of the velocity profile. Atomic flo…
Fabry–Pérot lineshape analysis in an optically thick expanding plasma
In this work the authors present Fabry–Perot measurements of Ar atom spectral line profiles originating from the expansion of an Ar–N2 thermal plasma into a low pressure environment. The plasma is characterized by strong density, temperature and velocity gradients and it offers a high degree of light absorption for some gas mixtures. First, it is demonstrated that the Abel inversion method cannot be applied under such conditions even if absorption is absent. Second, two approaches are examined to obtain plasma parameters in the case of an optically thick expanding plasma. It is shown that velocity and temperature development along the jet radius can be inferred from experimental lineshapes …
Understanding tungsten erosion during inter/intra-ELM periods in He-dominated JET-ILW plasmas
Tungsten erosion was quantified during inter/intra-ELM periods in He-dominated JET-ILW plasmas by optical emission spectroscopy. The intra-ELM tungsten sputtering in helium plasmas, which dominates the total W source, prevails by a factor of about 4 over inter-ELM sputtering in the investigated ELM frequency range from 90 Hz-120 Hz. He ions are mainly responsible for the W erosion during the ELMs in He plasmas. The strong in/out asymmetry of the ELM-induced W erosion is observed in He plasmas even at high ELM frequencies beyond 100 Hz. In Ohmic/L-mode plasmas and during the H-mode inter-ELM plasma phases both He2+ and Be2+ ionic species are major contributors to the W erosion. Their contrib…
Overview of first Wendelstein 7-X high-performance operation
Abstract The optimized superconducting stellarator device Wendelstein 7-X (with major radius , minor radius , and plasma volume) restarted operation after the assembly of a graphite heat shield and 10 inertially cooled island divertor modules. This paper reports on the results from the first high-performance plasma operation. Glow discharge conditioning and ECRH conditioning discharges in helium turned out to be important for density and edge radiation control. Plasma densities of with central electron temperatures were routinely achieved with hydrogen gas fueling, frequently terminated by a radiative collapse. In a first stage, plasma densities up to were reached with hydrogen pellet injec…
Evolution of nitrogen concentration and ammonia production in N 2 -seeded H-mode discharges at ASDEX Upgrade
Ammonia formation was studied in a series of dedicated nitrogen seeded H-mode discharges at ASDEX Upgrade. The evolution of ammonia formation was investigated with a reference phase before the seeding, and a long, stable flat-top nitrogen-seeded phase. It was monitored with divertor spectroscopy and analysis of the exhaust gas. The amount of the detected ammonia increased continuously over the course of five discharges with the same nitrogen seeding rate. The same trend was observed in the nitrogen density in the core plasma, as measured by charge exchange recombination spectroscopy and other signals, linked to the effects of nitrogen seeding. The results show that the rate of ammonia forma…
Hyperfine structure of some near-infrared Xe I and Xe II lines
International audience; This work reports on the experimental determination of the hyperfine splitting of the Xe I lines at 828.01 nm and 834.68 nm and the Xe II line at 834.72 nm. Measurements were performed by means of Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy in a low-pressure radio-frequency discharge. The absolute wavelength of all hyperfine components is obtained by way of a high-precision wavemeter backed-up with the absorption spectrum of the NO 2 molecule. We provide an accurate estimate of hyperfine constants for the lower level of the Xe II transition at 834.72 nm. The two Xe I transition outcomes of our experimental study are compared with data available in the literature.
Metastable oxygen atom velocity and temperature in supersonic CO2plasma expansions
Radial and axial velocity distribution functions of metastable oxygen atoms were obtained by way of resonant laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy at 777.19 nm in rarefied supersonic plasma jets produced from pure CO2 and CO2–N2 gas mixtures. The N2 seeded fraction is 3% in volume in order to mimic the Martian atmosphere composition. The measured lineshapes allow computation of the mean radial velocity and the perpendicular temperature, with respect to the jet axis, as well as the mean axial velocity and the parallel temperature. With an arcjet plasma source input power of 6.5 kW, the metastable O(5S) atom axial velocity is around 4500 m s−1 and the atom perpendicular temperature reaches …
The Role of Combined ICRF and NBI Heating in JET Hybrid Plasmas in Quest for High D-T Fusion Yield
Combined ICRF and NBI heating played a key role in achieving the world-record fusion yield in the first deuterium-tritium campaign at the JET tokamak in 1997. The current plans for JET include new experiments with deuterium-tritium (D-T) plasmas with more ITER-like conditions given the recently installed ITER-like wall (ILW). In the 2015-2016 campaigns, significant efforts have been devoted to the development of high-performance plasma scenarios compatible with ILW in preparation of the forthcoming D-T campaign. Good progress was made in both the inductive (baseline) and the hybrid scenario: a new record JET ILW fusion yield with a significantly extended duration of the high-performance pha…
Overview of the JET results in support to ITER
The 2014–2016 JET results are reviewed in the light of their significance for optimising the ITER research plan for the active and non-active operation. More than 60 h of plasma operation with ITER first wall materials successfully took place since its installation in 2011. New multi-machine scaling of the type I-ELM divertor energy flux density to ITER is supported by first principle modelling. ITER relevant disruption experiments and first principle modelling are reported with a set of three disruption mitigation valves mimicking the ITER setup. Insights of the L–H power threshold in Deuterium and Hydrogen are given, stressing the importance of the magnetic configurations and the recent m…
Letter
We present a study of the power threshold for L–H transitions (PLH) in almost pure helium plasmas, obtained in recent experiments at JET with an ITER-like wall (Be wall and W divertor). The most notable new result is that the density at which PLH is minimum, ${\bar{n}}_{\text{e},\mathrm{min}}$, is considerably higher for helium than for deuterium and hydrogen plasmas. We discuss the possible implications for ITER in its pre-fusion operating power phase.
Tracer-Encapsulated Solid Pellet (TESPEL) injection system for the TJ-II stellarator
A tracer-encapsulated solid pellet (TESPEL) injection system for the TJ-II stellarator was recently developed. In order to reduce the time and cost for the development, we combined a TESPEL injector provided by National Institute for Fusion Science with an existing TJ-II cryogenic pellet injection system. Consequently, the TESPEL injection into the TJ-II plasma was successfully achieved, which was confirmed by several pellet diagnostics including a normal-incidence spectrometer for monitoring a tracer impurity behavior.
Examination of the shock wave regular reflexion phenomenon in a rarefied supersonic plasma flow
The flow properties of a low-pressure weakly ionized supersonic argon plasma jet are examined using Fabry–Perot interferometry and laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The flow velocity and equilibrium temperature measured at the torch nozzle exit are in close agreement with computational fluid dynamics calculations. The model also predicts the plasma flow to be in a rarefied regime. Departure from thermal equilibrium is indeed observed behind the nozzle where the parallel temperature differs significantly from the perpendicular temperature. The development of the axial velocity component along the jet center stream line reveals the occurrence of the shock wave regular reflexion phenome…
Modelling of combined ICRF and NBI heating in JET hybrid plasmas
During the 2015-2016 JET campaigns many efforts have been devoted to the exploration of high performance plasma scenarios envisaged for ITER operation. In this paper we model the combined ICRF+NBI heating in selected key hybrid discharges using PION. The antenna frequency was tuned to match the cyclotron frequency of minority hydrogen (H) at the center of the tokamak coinciding with the second harmonic cyclotron resonance of deuterium. The modelling takes into account the synergy between ICRF and NBI heating through the second harmonic cyclotron resonance of deuterium beam ions which allows us to assess its impact on the neutron rate RNT. We evaluate the influence of H concentration which w…
Erosion and screening of tungsten during inter/intra-ELM periods in the JET-ILW divertor
Abstract Intra-ELM tungsten sources, which dominate the total W source, are quantified in the inner and outer divertor of JET-ILW. The amount of the sputtered W atoms for individual ELMs demonstrates a clear dependence on the ELM frequency. It decreases when the pedestal temperature is lower and, correspondingly, the ELM frequency is higher. Nevertheless, the entire gross erosion W source (the number of eroded W atoms per second due to ELMs) increases initially with ELM frequency and reaches its maximum at fELM ≈ 50–55 Hz followed by its reduction in the high frequency range. The in/out asymmetry of the intra-ELM W sources during ELMs is a critical issue and is investigated in this contribu…
Analysis of metallic impurity content by means of VUV and SXR diagnostics in hybrid discharges with hot-spots on the JET-ITER-like wall poloidal limiter
In preparation for the upcoming JET D-T campaign, great effort has been devoted during the 2015-2016 JET campaigns with the ITER-like wall (ILW) to the extension of the high performance H-mode phase in baseline and hybrid scenarios. Hybrid discharges were the only ones that have been stopped by the real-time vessel protection system due hot-spot formation on the outboard poloidal limiter. Generation of hot-spots was linked to the application of high neutral beams injection and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) power. In tokamaks with high-Z plasma components, the use of ICRH heating is also accompanied by an increased metallic impurity content. Simultaneous control of hot-spot temperat…