High-performance finite-difference time-domain simulations of C-Mod and ITER RF antennas

Journal Article · Thu Dec 10 00:00:00 EST 2015 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936468· OSTI ID:22496181

Jenkins, Thomas G., E-mail: [e-mail]; Smithe, David N., E-mail: [e-mail] ^[1]

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1. Tech-X Corporation, 5621 Arapahoe Avenue Suite A, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States)

Finite-difference time-domain methods have, in recent years, developed powerful capabilities for modeling realistic ICRF behavior in fusion plasmas [1, 2, 3, 4]. When coupled with the power of modern high-performance computing platforms, such techniques allow the behavior of antenna near and far fields, and the flow of RF power, to be studied in realistic experimental scenarios at previously inaccessible levels of resolution. In this talk, we present results and 3D animations from high-performance FDTD simulations on the Titan Cray XK7 supercomputer, modeling both Alcator C-Mod’s field-aligned ICRF antenna and the ITER antenna module. Much of this work focuses on scans over edge density, and tailored edge density profiles, to study dispersion and the physics of slow wave excitation in the immediate vicinity of the antenna hardware and SOL. An understanding of the role of the lower-hybrid resonance in low-density scenarios is emerging, and possible implications of this for the NSTX launcher and power balance are also discussed. In addition, we discuss ongoing work centered on using these simulations to estimate sputtering and impurity production, as driven by the self-consistent sheath potentials at antenna surfaces.

• OSTI ID: 22496181
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1689, Issue 1; Conference: 21. topical conference on radio frequency power in plasmas, Lake Arrowhead, CA (United States), 27-29 Apr 2015; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALCATOR DEVICE
ANTENNAS
BALANCES
DENSITY
EXCITATION
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
ICR HEATING
IMPURITIES
ION CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
ITER TOKAMAK
LOWER HYBRID CURRENT DRIVE
LOWER HYBRID HEATING
NSTX DEVICE
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA
RF SYSTEMS
SIMULATION
SPUTTERING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS