Validation of D-T fusion power prediction capability against 2021 JET D-T experiments
Journal article, 2023

JET experiments using the fuel mixture envisaged for fusion power plants, deuterium and tritium (D-T), provide a unique opportunity to validate existing D-T fusion power prediction capabilities in support of future device design and operation preparation. The 2021 JET D-T experimental campaign has achieved D-T fusion powers sustained over 5 s in ITER-relevant conditions i.e. operation with the baseline or hybrid scenario in the full metallic wall. In preparation of the 2021 JET D-T experimental campaign, extensive D-T predictive modelling was carried out with several assumptions based on D discharges. To improve the validity of ITER D-T predictive modelling in the future, it is important to use the input data measured from 2021 JET D-T discharges in the present core predictive modelling, and to specify the accuracy of the D-T fusion power prediction in comparison with the experiments. This paper reports on the validation of the core integrated modelling with TRANSP, JINTRAC, and ETS coupled with a quasilinear turbulent transport model (Trapped Gyro Landau Fluid or QualLiKiz) against the measured data in 2021 JET D-T discharges. Detailed simulation settings and the heating and transport models used are described. The D-T fusion power calculated with the interpretive TRANSP runs for 38 D-T discharges (12 baseline and 26 hybrid discharges) reproduced the measured values within 20 % . This indicates the additional uncertainties, that could result from the measurement error bars in kinetic profiles, impurity contents and neutron rates, and also from the beam-thermal fusion reaction modelling, are less than 20 % in total. The good statistical agreement confirms that we have the capability to accurately calculate the D-T fusion power if correct kinetic profiles are predicted, and indicates that any larger deviation of the D-T fusion power prediction from the measured fusion power could be attributed to the deviation of the predicted kinetic profiles from the measured kinetic profiles in these plasma scenarios. Without any posterior adjustment of the simulation settings, the ratio of predicted D-T fusion power to the measured fusion power was found as 65%-96% for the D-T baseline and 81%-97% for D-T hybrid discharge. Possible reasons for the lower D-T prediction are discussed and future works to improve the fusion power prediction capability are suggested. The D-T predictive modelling results have also been compared to the predictive modelling of the counterpart D discharges, where the key engineering parameters are similar. Features in the predicted kinetic profiles of D-T discharges such as underprediction of ne are also found in the prediction results of the counterpart D discharges, and it leads to similar levels of the normalized neutron rate prediction between the modelling results of D-T and the counterpart D discharges. This implies that the credibility of D-T fusion power prediction could be a priori estimated by the prediction quality of the preparatory D discharges, which will be attempted before actual D-T experiments.

QuaLiKiz

ETS

JINTRAC

TRANSP

fusion power prediction

TGLF

JET D-T

Author

Hyun-Tae Kim

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

F. Auriemma

Consorzio Rfx

Jorge Ferreira

Instituto Superior Tecnico

Stefano Gabriellini

Sapienza University of Rome

A. Ho

Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)

P. Huynh

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

K. Kirov

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

R. Lorenzini

Consorzio Rfx

M. Marin

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)

M. Poradziński

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Nan Shi

General Atomics

G. Staebler

General Atomics

Z. Stancar

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

G. Stankūnas

Lithuanian Energy Institute

Vito Konrad Zotta

Sapienza University of Rome

E Belli

General Atomics

FJ Casson

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Clive D Challis

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

J. Citrin

Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER)

D. Van Eester

Royal Military Academy

Emil Fransson

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

D. Gallart

Centro Nacional de Supercomputacion

J. Garcia

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

Luca Garzotti

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Renato Gatto

Sapienza University of Rome

J. Hobirk

Max Planck Society

A. Kappatou

Max Planck Society

E. Lerche

Royal Military Academy

Andrei Osipov

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

C. Maggi

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

M. Maslov

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

M. Nocente

University of Milano-Bicocca

Ridhima Sharma

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

A. Di Siena

Max Planck Society

Pär Strand

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

E. Tholerus

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Dmytro Yadykin

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics

Nuclear Fusion

00295515 (ISSN) 17414326 (eISSN)

Vol. 63 11 112004

Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon Europe through a joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium

European Commission (EC) (101052200), 2021-01-01 -- 2025-12-31.

Subject Categories

Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics

DOI

10.1088/1741-4326/ace26d

More information

Latest update

3/4/2024 3