EBW H and CD Potential for Spherical Tokamaks
- EURATOM/IPP. CR Association, 182 00 Prague (Czech Republic)
- EURATOM-CEA, Cadarache (France)
- EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Abingdon, OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States)
- College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (United States)
Spherical tokamaks (STs), which feature relatively high neutron flux and good economy, operate generally in high-ss regimes, in which the usual EC O- and X- modes are cut-off. In this case, electron Bernstein waves (EBWs) seem to be the only option that can provide features similar to the EC waves--controllable localized heating and current drive (H and CD) that can be utilized for core plasma heating as well as for accurate plasma stabilization. We first derive an analytical expression for Gaussian beam OXB conversion efficiency. Then, an extensive numerical study of EBW H and CD performance in four typical ST plasmas (NSTX L- and H-mode, MAST Upgrade, NHTX) is performed. Coupled ray-tracing (AMR) and Fokker-Planck (LUKE) codes are employed to simulate EBWs of varying frequencies and launch conditions. Our results indicate that an efficient and universal EBW H and CD system is indeed viable. In particular, power can be deposited and current reasonably efficiently driven across the whole plasma radius. Such a system could be controlled by a suitably chosen launching antenna vertical position and would also be sufficiently robust.
- OSTI ID:
- 21612522
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1406, Issue 1; Conference: 9. topical conference on radio frequency power in plasmas, Newport (United States), 1-3 Jun 2011; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3665018; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ANTENNAS
BERNSTEIN MODE
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRONS
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
H-MODE PLASMA CONFINEMENT
MAST TOKAMAK
NEUTRON FLUX
NSTX DEVICE
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA WAVES
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
STABILIZATION
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
CURRENTS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUATIONS
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
HEATING
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
MATHEMATICS
OSCILLATION MODES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
RADIATION FLUX
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES