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 073004Subject Categories
Subatomic Physics
DOI
10.1088/0029-5515/53/7/073004