Multi-megawatt, gigajoule plasma operation in Tore Supra
Journal article, 2014
Integrating several important technological elements required for long pulse operation in magnetic fusion devices, the Tore Supra tokamak routinely addresses the physics and technology issues related to this endeavor and, as a result, contributes essential information on critical issues for ITER. During the last experimental campaign, components of the radiofrequency system including an ITER relevant launcher (passive active multijunction (PAM)) and continuous wave/3.7 GHz klystrons, have been extensively qualified, and then used to develop steady state scenarios in which the lower hybrid (LH), ion cyclotron (IC) and electron cyclotron (EC) systems have been combined in fully stationary shots (duration similar to 150 s, injected power up to similar to 8MW, injected/extracted energy up to similar to 1 GJ). Injection of LH power in the 5.0-6.0MW range has extended the domain of accessible plasma parameters to higher densities and non-inductive currents. These discharges exhibit steady electron internal transport barriers (ITBs). We report here on various issues relevant to the steady state operation of future devices, ranging from operational aspects and limitations related to the achievement of long pulses in a fully actively cooled fusion device (e. g. overheating due to fast particle losses), to more fundamental plasma physics topics. The latter include a beneficial influence of IC resonance heating on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability in these discharges, which has been studied in detail. Another interesting observation is the appearance of oscillations of the central temperature with typical periods of the order of one to several seconds, caused by a nonlinear interplay between LH deposition, MHD activity and bootstrap current in the presence of an ITB.
RIPPLE
Physics
Fluids & Plasmas
MHD
1991
GERMANY
TOKAMAK
CONFINEMENT
V33
Nuclear
tokamak
JUN 03-07
ANTENNAS
ICRH
POWER
P1601
1991
RCELLI F
STEADY-STATE
lower hybrid
MHD
BERLIN
Physics
steady-state
gigajoule
PLASMA PHYSICS AND CONTROLLED FUSION18TH EUROPEAN CONF ON CONTROLLED FUSION AND PLASMA PHYSICS
Tore Supra
Author
R. J. Dumont
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
M. Goniche
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Annika Ekedahl
Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering
B. Saoutic
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
J. F. Artaud
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
V. Basiuk
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
C. Bourdelle
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Y. Corre
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
J. Decker
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
D. Elbeze
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
G. Giruzzi
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
G. T. Hoang
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
F. Imbeaux
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
E. Joffrin
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
X. Litaudon
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
P. Lotte
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
P. Maget
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
D. Mazon
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Emelie Nilsson
Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
0741-3335 (ISSN) 1361-6587 (eISSN)
Vol. 56 7 075020Subject Categories
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
DOI
10.1088/0741-3335/56/7/075020