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Title: Extension of high T{sub e} regime with upgraded ECRH system in the LHD

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4864513· OSTI ID:22263847

Enhancement of the output power per gyrotron has been planned in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Three 77-GHz gyrotrons with an output power of more than 1 MW have been operated. In addition, a high power gyrotron with the frequency of 154 GHz (1 MW/5 s, 0.5 MW/CW) was newly installed in 2012 and the total injection power of ECRH reached 4.6 MW. The operational regime of ECRH plasma on the LHD has been extended due to the upgraded ECRH system such as the central electron temperature T{sub e0} = 13.5 keV with n{sub e} = 1×10{sup 19}m{sup −3}. In the LHD, an electron-internal-transport barrier (e-ITB) related to the production of high T{sub e} plasmas has been realized by strongly centre-focused ECRH. The electron thermal confinement clearly improved inside the e-ITB. The radial electric field was measured using the heavy ion beam probe. The formation of the positive E{sub r} was observed in the core region, which well agreed with the prediction of the neoclassical transport theory. The energy confinement characteristics have been investigated in the ECRH plasmas. It was found that higher plasma stored energy and lower radiation power was realized in the outward configuration. The plasma stored energy of 530 kJ with n{sub e} = 3.2×10{sup 19}m{sup −3}, which is the 1.7 times larger than the previous record in the ECRH plasma in the LHD, has been successfully achieved.

OSTI ID:
22263847
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1580, Issue 1; Conference: 20. topical conference on radiofrequency power in plasmas, Sorrento (Italy), 25-28 Jun 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English