High-power ICRF and LHCD experiments on Tore Supra

Conference · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

OSTI ID:6689855

Saoutic, B; Beaumont, B; Becoulet, A; Bizarro, J P; Fraboulet, D; Garbet, X; Goniche, M; Guiziou, L; Hoang, G T; Hutter, T; Joffrin, E; Kuus, H; Litaudon, X; Mollard, P; Moreau, D; Nguyen, F; Pecquet, A L; Peysson, Y; Rey, G; van Houtte, D ; Zabiego, M ^[1]

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1. Association Euratom-CEA/DRFC CE-Cadarache/13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

For a given ICRF power, the sawtooth-free period duration increases with plama density. This trend, correlated with an increasing soft X-ray inversion radius, clearly shows a better stabilization by hot ions at higher density. A tentative explanation is given through a full modeling of the hot ion anisotropy using a Fokker Planck code coupled with a 1/2 D power balance code simulating experimental data. A linear stability analysis of the kink/tearing m=1 mode, in terms of a MHD kinetic functional, shows that the anisotropy of the distribution function may amplify the effect of the hot ion pressure gradient. A two-fold lengthening of the sawtooth-free period is obtained when applying LHCD to ICRF heated plasmas. Analysis of polarimetric data shows that, instead of the continuous decrease of the central safety factor observed when using ICRF alone, the q value freezes'' when LHCD power exceeds 3 MW. This demonstrates a current profile control effect opening the way towards steady-state stabilization. Working with both ICRH and LHCD on the same target plasma allows thorough comparisons of transport with different power deposition profiles and coupling mechanisms. The energy stored in electrons is the same although the electronic temperature gradients are quite different. Nevertheless, due to better ion heating, the energy life time (discarding hot ions contribution) is always higher with ICRH. Local transport analyses allow comparisons between both heating schemes for different confinement situations.

• OSTI ID: 6689855
• Report Number(s): CONF-9304112--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Journal Volume: 289:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700350 -- Plasma Production
Heating
Current Drive
& Interactions-- (1992-)
700460* -- Fusion Technology-- Heating & Fueling Systems
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
FLUID MECHANICS
Fu
Fuels-- (1992)
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
HYDRODYNAMICS
ICR HEATING
INSTABILITY
KINK INSTABILITY
LOWER HYBRID CURRENT DRIVE
LOWER HYBRID HEATING
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NON-INDUCTIVE CURRENT DRIVE
OSCILLATIONS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SAWTOOTH OSCILLATIONS
TEARING INSTABILITY
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TORE SUPRA TOKAMAK