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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Predicting HHFW Heating Efficiency on NSTX via Whole-Device Full-Wave Simulation

We present a qualitative comparison of NSTX HHFW heating efficiency observations with results from the AORSA whole-device, linear simulation. The simulation retains a realistic geometry and core plasma kinetic physics such that scrape-off plasma linear RF fields can be calculated. By examining L-mode and neutral beam heated H-mode scenarios we quantify the conditions that result in a fast-wave coaxial mode in the scrape-off plasma. These large amplitude coaxial modes are expected to damp on collisions or couple to non-linear damping mechanisms and be correlated to an observed drop in core heating efficiency.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Upgrade and validation on plasma of the Tore Supra CW LHCD generator

A one year-long major upgrade of the 3.7 GHz Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) generator for the Tore Supra (TS) tokamak has been performed. It consisted in installing a first series of eight Thales Electron Devices (TED) 700 kW CW klystrons, new CW components and auxiliaries, and in modifying the transmitter control and protection software. Modifications and calibration of the sensors and the RF subsystems were completed as well. Finally, the RF power available in the generator has been increased by 35% and the pulse duration could reach 1000 s. A complete validation and optimization of the klystrons have been performed in 2010 on matched load before the generator could enter into operation. The eight klystrons connected with the Full Active Multijunction (FAM) antenna delivered 3.5 MW/50s in December 2010. The upgrade of the generator and the steps to validate the modifications are described.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Large Scale CW ECRH Systems: Meeting a Challenge

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) systems for next step-fusion devices like W7-X and ITER operate in CW-mode and provide a large flexibility to comply with various physics demands such as plasma start-up, heating and current drive, as well as configuration and MHD control. The request for many different sophisticated applications results in a growing complexity of the systems. This is in conflict with the request for high availability, reliability, and maintainability, which arises from DEMO demands. 'Advanced' ECRH-components must, therefore, comply with both the complex physics demands and operational robustness and reliability. The W7-X ECRH system is the first CW facility of an ITER relevant size and is used as a test bed for such components. Results on improvements of gyrotrons, transmission components and launchers are presented together with proposals for future developments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Energy dynamics in a simulation of LAPD turbulence

Energy dynamics calculations in a 3D fluid simulation of drift wave turbulence in the linear Large Plasma Device [W. Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] illuminate processes that drive and dissipate the turbulence. These calculations reveal that a nonlinear instability dominates the injection of energy into the turbulence by overtaking the linear drift wave instability that dominates when fluctuations about the equilibrium are small. The nonlinear instability drives flute-like (k{sub Parallel-To }=0) density fluctuations using free energy from the background density gradient. Through nonlinear axial wavenumber transfer to k{sub Parallel-To }{ne}0 fluctuations, the nonlinear instability accesses the adiabatic response, which provides the requisite energy transfer channel from density to potential fluctuations as well as the phase shift that causes instability. The turbulence characteristics in the simulations agree remarkably well with experiment. When the nonlinear instability is artificially removed from the system through suppressing k{sub Parallel-To }=0 modes, the turbulence develops a coherent frequency spectrum which is inconsistent with experimental data. This indicates the importance of the nonlinear instability in producing experimentally consistent turbulence.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Composition And Electrical Properties Of Dust From Tokamak Compass

In spite of the fact that fusion is a subject of the study for many years, there are still a lot of open questions. One of the interesting topics in fusion research is a presence of dust grains in reactors. In the paper, dust grains born in tokamak Compass are studied and compared with samples of a spherical geometry and well known composition. A unique experimental setup was used for investigations of charging properties of such grains and the SEM and EDX spectroscopy was applied for a study of grain composition. We focus on the secondary emission because this process plays a prominent role when a portion of energetic electrons is present in surroundings of a particular grain. It was shown that depending on the grain size and material, energetic electrons charge the grains to positive potentials comparable with the energy of impinging electrons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

LH launcher Arcs Formation and Detection on JET

Mechanisms of arc formation have been analyzed and the critical electric fields for the multipactor effect calculated, compared to the experimental values and found to be within the normal operational space of the LH system on JET. It has been shown that the characteristic electron energy (20-1000)eV for the highest multipactor resonances (N = 4-9) are within the limits of secondary electron yield above 1 required for multipactoring. Electrons with these energies provide the highest gas desorption efficiency when hitting the waveguide walls. The effect of higher waveguide modes and magnetic field on the multipactor was also considered. The distribution function for electrons accelerated by LH waves in front of the launcher has been calculated. The field emission currents have been estimated and found to be small. It is proposed that emission of Fel5, 16 lines, which can be obtained with improved diagnostics, could be used to detect arcs that are missed by a protection system based on the reflected power. The reliability and time response of these signals are discussed. A similar technique based on the observation of the emission of low ionized atoms can be used for a fast detection of other undesirable events to avoid sputtering or melting of the plasma facing components such as RF antenna. These techniques are especially powerful if they are based on emission uniquely associated with specific locations and components.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Proposal of an Arc Detection Technique Based on RF Measurements for the ITER ICRF Antenna

RF arc detection is a key operational and safety issue for the ICRF system on ITER. Indeed the high voltages inside the antenna put it at risk of arcing, which could cause substantial damage. This paper describes the various possibilities explored by circuit simulation and the strategy now considered to protect the ITER ICRF antenna from RF arcs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Validation of the Electrical Properties of the ITER ICRF Antenna using Reduced-Scale Mock-Ups

Experimental measurements on reduced-scale mock-ups allow validating the electrical properties and RF numerical optimization of the ITER ICRF antenna. Frequency response in the different regions of the antenna is described and key parameters for performance improvement are given. Coupling is improved by acting on the front-face geometry (strap width, antenna box depth and vertical septa recess). The 4-port junction acts as a frequency filter and together with the service stub performs pre-matching in the whole frequency band. Influence of the Faraday screen on coupling is limited. The effect of voltage limitation on the maximum total radiated power is given. The importance of a good decoupling network and of grounding is emphasized. Finally the control of the antenna wave spectrum is performed by implementing feedback controlled load-resilient matching and decoupling options and control algorithms are tested.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Results of the implementation on a mock-up of the full 3dB hybrid matching option of the ITER ICRH system

Each of the two ICRH antennas for ITER must couple 20MW to the plasma in the 40-55MHz band via an array of 24 radiating shorted straps fed by four generators. The matching system must provide automatic matching control on the mean load provided by the plasma and be resilient (parallel {Gamma}{sub G} parallel <0.2) to a wide range of fast antenna load excursions occurring in ELMy plasmas. Furthermore, good control of the current distribution in the strap array must be possible for the various heating and current drive scenarios. Two load resilient matching options have been considered for ITER: the 4 'Conjugate-T'(CT) and the 4 hybrids ones, the first being presently considered as a back-up option. Automatic control of these 2 options has been developed, and tested for optimization on a low-powered scaled mock-up. Successful implementation of the simultaneous feedback control of 11 actuators for the matching of the 4 CT and for the control of the toroidal phasing has already been achieved. The matching and the array current control of the 3dB hybrid option are provided by simultaneous feedback control of the decouplers and double stub tuners (in total 23 actuators) and this has also been successfully achieved for the full array. The paper discusses the circuit implementation and presents the obtained results.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

High Dielectric Dummy Loads for ITER ICRH Antenna Laboratory Testing: Numerical Simulation of One Triplet Loading by Ferroelectric Ceramics

Up to now, classical 'water' loads have been used for low power testing of ITER ICRH prototype or mock-up antennas . A fair description of the antenna frequency response is obtained excepted for the phasing (0 {pi} 0 {pi}). High dielectric loads are requested to improve the antenna response in the low frequency band. In view of laboratory testing, dummy loads are also required to have efficient wave spatial attenuation to avoid standing waves and to minimize load volume. In this paper, barium titanate ceramic powders mixed with water are shown to exhibit very attractive electromagnetic properties. Coupling performance of one triplet of the ITER ICRH antenna to such kind of loads is numerically investigated. The radiated wave attenuation into the load is also characterized. In spite of its frequency dispersion, 'barium titanate' loads are shown to allow the characterization of the full scale triplet frequency response on a scaled-down mock-up.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Design of the ITER ICRF Antenna

The CYCLE consortium has been designing the ITER ICRF antenna since March 2010, supported by an F4E grant. Following a brief introduction to the consortium, this paper: describes the present status and layout of the design; highlights the key mechanical engineering features; shows the expected impact of cooling and radiation issues on the design and outlines the need for future R and D to support the design process. A key design requirement is the need for the mechanical design and analysis to be consistent with all requirements following from the RF physics and antenna layout optimisation. As such, this paper complements that of Durodie et al.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2011

Analysis of ICRH antenna loading data in TEXTOR obtained during gas injection experiments

The possibility of increasing the coupling of ICRH power to plasmas on TEXTOR by gas injection was investigated, for a given voltage applied at the input of an antenna pair. The antenna pair was operated in the conjugated T mode, D(H) heating was used. Modeling of the antenna by transmission line theory shows that load resilience is maintained in a broad range of independent resistance variation for each strap. It is found that the absolute value of the reflection coefficient can be maintained below 0.2 for typical values of resistance measured in plasma shots (2-10 {Omega}/m) in good matching conditions. During gas injection, the loading resistance showed a clear increase with increasing line average electron density measured close to the plasma edge. Evidence of fast wave eigenmodes was also found, as characteristic resonant behavior of loading resistance and antenna self-inductance, due to poor absorption in the plasma caused by high H minority concentration.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Influence of the Edge Plasma Profile and Parameters on the Coupling of an ICRH Antenna. Application to ITER

The coupling to the fast wave of an ICRH antenna is principally determined by its distance to an optimum plasma density correlated to the cutoff one and by the density gradient between this optimum density and the bulk plasma. This explains the differences in coupling for the various heating and current drive phasings as predicted for different plasma edge profiles considered for ITER. For a given electron density edge profile the ion mix, the steady magnetic field and the frequency have also a significant effect on the coupling performances. These quantities affect the coupling mainly by influencing the position of the optimum density in the profile. A marked perturbation of the coupling leading to a large edge power deposition can occur when the Alfven resonance lies in the edge profile. The results are applied to different ICRF scenarios considered for ITER at full and half toroidal field.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Density profile sensitivity study of ASDEX Upgrade ICRF Antennas with the TOPICA code

During operation of the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF) system, Tungsten (W)-coated poloidal limiters and structures connected along magnetic field lines to the antenna can be sources of W, which is attributed to sputtering by ions accelerated in radio frequency (RF) sheaths. In order to analyze and optimize the ICRF antenna performance, accurate and efficient simulation tools are necessary. TOPICA code was developed for analysis of ICRF antenna systems with plasma loading conditions modeled with ID FELICE code. This paper presents an initial comparative analysis of two AUG ICRF antennas for a set of model plasma density profiles (with varying density gradient and antenna cut-off distance). The antennas are presently installed in AUG and differ in that one was partially optimized using HFSS code to reduce E{sub ||} near fields. Power transferred to plasma and sheath driving RF potentials are computed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Operating The Upgraded NSTX HHFW Antenna Array In An Environment With Li-coated Surfaces

The single-feed, end-grounded straps of the NSTX 12-strap HHFW antenna array have been replaced with double-feed, center-grounded straps to reduce the voltages in the vicinity of the Faraday shield (FS) for a given strap current. The strap spacings to the FS and to the back plate were increased by 3 mm to decrease the electric fields for a given voltage. The electric fields near the FS have been roughly halved for the same strap currents, permitting a direct examination of the roles that internal fields play in determining antenna power limits in plasmas. Extensive RF/plasma conditioning of the antenna was required to remove enough of the evaporated Li deposits from prior wall conditioning to permit coupling in excess of 4 MW to L- and H-mode plasmas in 2009. Most arcs were associated with expulsion of Li from the FS/antenna frame surfaces. The center-grounded straps were less susceptible to arcing during ELMing H-mode plasmas. Reliable operation above 2 MW was difficult after the installation of the Liquid Lithium Divertor (LLD) in 2010. Li-compound 'dust' was found in the antennas after this run and is believed to have contributed to the reduced power limit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

New Concepts For High Power ICRF Antennas

This paper presents new concepts for Ion Cyclotron Heating antennas based on cascaded sequences of tuned radiating structures. It is shown that, in large arrays, such as the ones proposed for fusion reactors applications, these schemes offer, in principle, a number of desirable features, such as operation at power density significantly higher than currently adopted systems, at equal maximum voltage and array geometry, simple mechanical layout, suitable for water cooling, a compact impedance tuning system, passive decoupling of the array elements, single ended or balanced feed from two power sources. The antenna layout also allows the remote, real time measurement of the complex impedance of the radiating elements and the detection, location, and measurement of the complex admittance of arcs occurring anywhere in the structure, as discussed in [1].

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Tore Supra LH transmitter upgrade, a new RF driver for the power spectrum

New real time tools have been developed for testing new 700kW/3.7GHz/CW klystrons and for the operations on very long plasma shots. After the commissioning of the 18 series tubes on the high power test bed facility, the installation of the first 8 klystrons in the Tore Supra transmitter and the adjustment tests on load, this upgrade work has been materialized during the last 2010 campaign by a successful operation on the Full Active Multijunction (FAM) C3 antenna, with new performances: 3.5MW/40s on plasma. The RF output power control in amplitude and phase has been improved for a better control of the wave spectrum launched into the plasma. The new klystrons have no modulating anode and the high cathode voltage must be adjusted with the RF input power in order to optimize the RF output power with a minimization of the thermal power losses in the collector. A new phase correction, depending on the 3 RF output power ranges used, has been introduced. The improvements made in 2009 and 2010 on the generic phase loop and the procedures used during the real time tests of the RF transfer functions in amplitude and phase are detailed below. All RF measurements systems, RF safety systems and the RF calibration procedures have been revised in order to have the best consistency, reproducibility and with a measurement error against the calorimetry measurement lower than 10%.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Coupling characteristics of the ITER relevant lower hybrid antenna in Tore Supra: experiments and modelling

A new concept of lower hybrid antenna for current drive has been proposed for ITER [Bibet et al, Nuclear Fusion 1995]: the Passive Active Multijunction (PAM) antenna that relies on a periodic combination of active and passive waveguides. An actively cooled PAM antenna at 3.7 GHz has been recently installed on the tokamak Tore Supra. The paper summarizes the comprehensive experimental characterization of the linear coupling properties of the PAM antenna to the Tore Supra plasmas. These experimental results are systematically compared with the linear wave coupling theory via the linear ALOHA code. Good agreement between experimental results and ALOHA have been obtained. The detailed validation of the coupling modelling is an important step toward the validation of the PAM concept in view of further optimizing the electromagnetic properties of the future ITER antenna.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗