Recent progress on lower hybrid current drive and implications for ITER
Journal article, 2013

The sustainment of steady-state plasmas in tokamaks requires efficient current drive systems. Lower hybrid current drive is currently the most efficient method to generate a continuous additional off-axis toroidal plasma current and to reduce the poloidal flux consumption during the plasma current ramp-up phase. The operation of the Tore Supra ITER-like lower hybrid (LH) launcher has demonstrated the capability to couple LH power at ITER-like power densities with very low reflected power during long pulses. In addition, the installation of eight 700 kW/CW klystrons at the LH transmitter has allowed increasing the total LH power in long-pulse scenarios. However, in order to achieve pure stationary LH-sustained plasmas, some R&D is needed to increase the reliability of all the systems and codes, from radio-frequency (RF) sources to plasma scenario prediction. The CEA/IRFM is addressing some of these issues by leading a R&D programme towards an ITER LH system and by the validation of an integrated LH modelling suite of codes. In 2011, the RF design of a mode converter was validated at a low power. A 500 kW/5 s RF window is currently under manufacture and will be tested at a high power in 2012 in collaboration with the National Fusion Research Institute. All of this work aims to reduce the operational risks associated with the ITER steady-state operations.

Author

J. Hillairet

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

Annika Ekedahl

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

M. Goniche

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

Y. S. Bae

National Fusion Research Institute

J. Achard

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

A. Armitano

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

B. Beckett

ITER Organization

J. Belo

Instituto Superior Tecnico

G. Berger-By

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

J. M. Bernard

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

E. Corbel

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

L. Delpech

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

J. Decker

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

R. J. Dumont

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

D. Guilhem

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

G. T. Hoang

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

F. Kazarian

ITER Organization

H. J. Kim

National Fusion Research Institute

X. Litaudon

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

R. Magne

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

L. Marfisi

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

P. Mollard

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

W. Namkung

Pohang University of Science and Technology

Emelie Nilsson

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

S. Park

National Fusion Research Institute

Y. Peysson

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

M. Preynas

Max Planck Society

P. K. Sharma

Institute for Plasma Research India

M. Prou

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

Nuclear Fusion

0029-5515 (ISSN) 1741-4326 (eISSN)

Vol. 53 7 073004

Subject Categories

Subatomic Physics

DOI

10.1088/0029-5515/53/7/073004

More information

Latest update

4/5/2022 7