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Title: Electrostatic Dust Detector with Improved Sensitivity

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/959343· OSTI ID:959343

Methods to measure the inventory of dust particles and to remove dust if it approaches safety limits will be required in next-step tokamaks such as ITER. An electrostatic dust detector, based on a fine grid of interlocking circuit traces, biased to 30 or 50 V, has been developed for the detection of dust on remote surfaces in air and vacuum environments. Gaining operational experience of dust detection on surfaces in tokamaks is important, however the level of dust generated in contemporary short-pulse tokamaks is comparatively low and high sensitivity is necessary to measure dust on a shot-by-shot basis. We report on modifications in the detection electronics that have increased the sensitivity of the electrostatic dust detector by a factor of up to 120, - a level suitable for measurements on contemporary tokamaks.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-ACO2-76CHO3073
OSTI ID:
959343
Report Number(s):
PPPL-4320; TRN: US1005729
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English