Information Bridge

Bookmark and Share
Bibliographic Citation 
Full Text pdf 1 Mb   View Full Text or Access Individual Pages  -   search, view and/or download individual pages
DOI 10.2172/828582
Title Testing of Liquid Lithium Limiters in CDX-U
Creator/Author R. Majeski ; R. Kaita ; M. Boaz ; P. Efthimion ; T. Gray ; B. Jones ; D. Hoffman ; H. Kugel ; J. Menard ; T. Munsat ; A. Post-Zwicker ; V. Soukhanovskii ; J. Spaleta ; G. Taylor ; J. Timberlake ; R. Woolley ; L. Zakharov ; M. Finkenthal ; D. Stutman ; G. Antar ; R. Doerner ; S. Luckhardt ; R. Seraydarian ; R. Maingi ; M. Maiorano ; S. Smith ; D. Rodgers
Publication Date2004 Jul 30
OSTI IdentifierOSTI ID: 828582
Report Number(s)PPPL-3988
DOE Contract NumberAC02-76CH03073
DOI10.2172/828582
Other Number(s)TRN: US200427%%515
Resource TypeTechnical Report
Resource RelationOther Information: PBD: 30 Jul 2004
CoverageTopical
Research OrgPrinceton Plasma Physics Lab., Princeton, NJ (US)
Sponsoring OrgUSDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
Subject70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; BORON CARBIDES; CALIFORNIA; DIVERTORS; ELECTRIC CURRENTS; FIRST WALL; IMPURITIES; LIQUID METALS; LITHIUM; PERFORMANCE; PHYSICS; PLASMA; PLASMA DENSITY; RECYCLING; TESTING
Related SubjectEDGE PLASMA; LIMITERS; LITHIUM; PLASMA-WALL INTERACTION; SPHERICAL TOKAMAK
Description/AbstractPart of the development of liquid metals as a first wall or divertor for reactor applications must involve the investigation of plasma-liquid metal interactions in a functioning tokamak. Most of the interest in liquid-metal walls has focused on lithium. Experiments with lithium limiters have now been conducted in the Current Drive Experiment-Upgrade (CDX-U) device at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Initial experiments used a liquid-lithium rail limiter (L3) built by the University of California at San Diego. Spectroscopic measurements showed some reduction of impurities in CDX-U plasmas with the L3, compared to discharges with a boron carbide limiter. While no reduction in recycling was observed with the L3, which had a plasma-wet area of approximately 40 cm2, subsequent experiments with a larger area fully toroidal lithium limiter demonstrated significant reductions in both recycling and in impurity levels. Two series of experiments with the toroidal limiter have now be en performed. In each series, the area of exposed, clean lithium was increased, until in the latest experiments the liquid-lithium plasma-facing area was increased to 2000 cm2. Under these conditions, the reduction in recycling required a factor of eight increase in gas fueling in order to maintain the plasma density. The loop voltage required to sustain the plasma current was reduced from 2 V to 0.5 V. This paper summarizes the technical preparations for lithium experiments and the conditioning required to prepare the lithium surface for plasma operations. The mechanical response of the liquid metal to induced currents, especially through contact with the plasma, is discussed. The effect of the lithium-filled toroidal limiter on plasma performance is also briefly described.
Country of PublicationUnited States
LanguageEnglish
FormatMedium: ED; Size: 1.3 MB pages
Availability INIS; OSTI as DE00828582
To purchase this media from NTIS, click here
System Entry Date2008 Feb 05
Document Discussions
 (for display)
 (Email address will NOT be displayed.)

   (All fields required. Document Discussions not displayed until approved.)

Top