Initial conditioning of the TFTR vacuum vessel

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.572698· OSTI ID:6755741

Dylla, H F; Blanchard, W R; Krawchuk, R B; Hawryluk, R J; Owens, D K

We report on the initial conditioning of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) vacuum vessel prior to the initiation of first plasma discharges, and during subsequent operation with high power Ohmically heated plasmas. Following evacuation of the 86-m/sup 3/ vessel with the 10/sup 4/ 1/s high vacuum pumping system, the vessel was conditioned by a 15-A dc glow discharge in H/sub 2/ at a pressure of 5 mTorr. Rapid-pulse discharge cleaning was used subsequently to preferentially condition the graphite plasma limiters. The effectiveness of the discharge cleaning was monitored by measuring the exhaust rates of the primary discharge products (CO/C/sub 2/H/sub 4/, CH/sub 4/, and H/sub 2/O). After 175 h of glow discharge treatment, the equivalent of 50 monolayers of C and O was removed from the vessel, and the partial pressures of impurity gases were reduced to the range of 10/sup -9/--10/sup -10/ Torr.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 6755741
• Journal Information: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States), Journal Name: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States) Vol. 2:2; ISSN JVTAD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
ALKANES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEANING
CONTAINERS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELEMENTS
GLOW DISCHARGES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPURITIES
LIMITERS
METHANE
NONMETALS
OPERATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PUMPING
SURFACE CLEANING
SURFACE FINISHING
TFTR REACTORS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TOKAMAK TYPE REACTORS
VACUUM SYSTEMS
WATER