ELM Suppression through density profile modification with lithium wall coatings in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review Letters

OSTI ID:965864

Maingi, Rajesh ^[1]; Osborne, T. ^[2]; LeBlanc, B ^[3]; Bell, R. E. ^[3]; Manickam, J. ^[3]; Snyder, P. ^[2]; Menard, J. ^[3]; Mansfield, D. K. ^[3]; Kugel, H. ^[3]; Kaita, R. ^[3]; Gerhardt, S. P. ^[3]; Sabbagh, S. A. ^[4]; Kelly, F. A. ^[3]

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1. ORNL
2. General Atomics, San Diego
3. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)
4. Columbia University

Reduction or elimination of edge localized modes (ELMs) while maintaining high confinement is essential for future fusion devices, e.g. the ITER. An ELM-free regime was recently obtained in the National Spherical Torus Experiment, following lithium (li) evaporation onto the plasma facing components. Edge stability calculations indicate that the pre-li discharges were unstable to low-n peeling/ballooning modes, while broader pressure profiles stabilized the post-li discharges. Normalized energy confinement increased by 50% post-li, with no sign of ELMs up to the global stability limit.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 965864
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 103
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COATINGS
EDGE LOCALIZED MODES
MITIGATION
LITHIUM
NSTX DEVICE
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
STABILITY