Lower-hybrid current drive experiments in TORE SUPRA

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860482· OSTI ID:7105216

Moreau, D ^[1]

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1. Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee, Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d'Etudes de Cadarache, 13108 St. Paul lez Durance Cedex (France)

Lower-hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments performed in TORE SUPRA ({ital Plasma} {ital Physics} {ital and} {ital Controlled} {ital Nuclear} {ital Fusion} {ital Research}, 1988 (IAEA, Vienna, 1989), Vol. 1, p. 9) are reported. Two large multijunction'' launchers have allowed to couple up to 6 MW to the plasma with a maximum power density of 45 MW/m{sup 2} and reflection coefficients lower than 3%. The current drive efficiency was about 2{times}10{sup 19} Am{sup {minus}2}/W with LH power alone at a volume-averaged electron temperature {l angle}{ital T}{sub {ital e}}{r angle}=1.4 keV, and a 22 sec long quasistationary discharge could be sustained by applying 2.8 MW during an 18 sec/1.6 MA current flattop at a line-averaged density {ital {bar n}}{sub {ital e}}=3{times}10{sup 19} m{sup {minus}3}. Stable LH current ramp-up assist was achieved, thus reducing the resistive flux consumption with an efficiency of 0.7{times}10{sup 19} Wb m{sup {minus}1}/MJ. Experiments with combined LHCD and ion cyclotron resonant heating allowed to inject up to 7.5 MW into the plasma. The electron energy content followed fairly well the Rebut--Lallia scaling law ({ital Plasma} {ital Physics} {ital and} {ital Controlled} {ital Nuclear} {ital Fusion} {ital Research}, 1988 (IAEA, Vienna, 1989), Vol. 2, p. 191). At {ital {bar n}}{sub {ital e}}=1.5{times}10{sup 19} m{sup {minus}3}, sawteeth were suppressed and {ital m}=1 MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) oscillations appeared. The central electron temperature then reached 8 keV for 3.6 MW injected.

• OSTI ID: 7105216
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 4:7; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
TOKAMAK DEVICES
CURRENT-DRIVE HEATING
LOWER HYBRID HEATING
DIVERTORS
PELLETS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA HEATING
SCALING LAWS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFINEMENT
ELECTRIC HEATING
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY HEATING
JOULE HEATING
RESISTANCE HEATING
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700310* - Plasma Confinement- (1992-)