Since the first H-mode discharges in 2010, the duration of the H-mode state has been extended and a significantly wider operational window of plasma parameters has been attained. Using a second neutral beam (NB) source and improved tuning of equilibrium configuration with real-time plasma control, a stored energy of W tot ∼ 450 kJ has been achieved with a corresponding energy confinement time of τ E ∼ 163 ms. Recent discharges, produced in the fall of 2012, have reached plasma β N up to 2.9 and surpassed the n = 1 ideal no-wall stability limit computed for H-mode pressure profiles, which is one of the key threshold parameters defining advanced tokamak operation. Typical H-mode discharges were operated with a plasma current of 600 kA at a toroidal magnetic field B T = 2 T. L-H transitions were obtained with 0.8-3.0 MW of NB injection power in both single-and double-null configurations, with H-mode durations up to ∼15 s at 600 kA of plasma current. The measured power threshold as a function of lineaveraged density showed a roll-over with a minimum value of ∼0.8 MW at ne ∼ 2×10 19 m −3 . Several edge-localized mode (ELM) control techniques during H-mode were examined with successful results including resonant magnetic perturbation, supersonic molecular beam injection (SMBI), vertical jogging and electron cyclotron current drive injection into the pedestal region. We observed various ELM responses, i.e. suppression or mitigation, depending on the relative phase of in-vessel control coil currents. In particular, with the 90 • phase of the n = 1 RMP as the most resonant configuration, a complete suppression of type-I ELMs was demonstrated. In addition, fast vertical jogging of the plasma column was also observed to be effective in ELM pace-making. SMBI-mitigated ELMs, a state of mitigated ELMs, were sustained for a few tens of ELM periods. A simple cellular automata ('sand-pile') model predicted that shallow deposition near the pedestal foot induced small-sized high-frequency ELMs, leading to the mitigation of large ELMs. In addition to the ELM control experiments, various physics topics were explored focusing on ITER-relevant physics issues such as the alteration of toroidal rotation caused by both electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and externally applied 3D fields, and the observed rotation drop by ECRH in NB-heated plasmas was investigated in terms of either a reversal of the turbulence-driven residual stress due to the transition of ion temperature gradient to trapped electron mode turbulence or neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) torque by the internal kink mode. The suppression of runaway electrons using massive gas injection of deuterium showed that runaway electrons were avoided only below 3 T in KSTAR. Operation in 2013 is expected to routinely exceed the n = 1 ideal MHD no-wall stability boundary in the long-pulse H-mode ( 10 s) by applying real-time shaping control, enabling n = 1 resistive wall mode active control studies. In addition, intensive works for ELM mitigation, ELM dynamics, toroidal ro...

Since the successful first plasma generation in the middle of 2008, three experimental campaigns were successfully made for the KSTAR device, accompanied with a necessary upgrade in the power supply, heating, wall-conditioning and diagnostic systems. KSTAR was operated with the toroidal magnetic field up to 3.6 T and the circular and shaped plasmas with current up to 700 kA and pulse length of 7 s, have been achieved with limited capacity of PF magnet power supplies. The mission of the KSTAR experimental program is to achieve steady-state operations with high performance plasmas relevant to ITER and future reactors. The first phase (2008–2012) of operation of KSTAR is dedicated to the development of operational capabilities for a super-conducting device with relatively short pulse. Development of start-up scenario for a super-conducting tokamak and the understanding of magnetic field errors on start-up are one of the important issues to be resolved. Some specific operation techniques for a super-conducting device are also developed and tested. The second harmonic pre-ionization with 84 and 110 GHz gyrotrons is an example. Various parameters have been scanned to optimize the pre-ionization. Another example is the ICRF wall conditioning (ICWC), which was routinely applied during the shot to shot interval. The plasma operation window has been extended in terms of plasma beta and stability boundary. The achievement of high confinement mode was made in the last campaign with the first neutral beam injector and good wall conditioning. Plasma control has been applied in shape and position control and now a preliminary kinetic control scheme is being applied including plasma current and density. Advanced control schemes will be developed and tested in future operations including active profiles, heating and current drives and control coil-driven magnetic perturbation.

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It has been demonstrated that lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) systems play a crucial role for steady-state tokamak operation, owing to their high current drive (CD) efficiency and hence their capability to reduce flux consumption. This paper describes the extensive technology programmes developed for the Tore Supra (France) and the KSTAR (Korea) tokamaks in order to bring continuous wave (CW) LHCD systems into operation. The Tore Supra LHCD generator at 3.7 GHz is fully CW compatible, with RF power PRF = 9.2 MW available at the generator to feed two actively water-cooled launchers. On Tore Supra, the most recent and novel passive active multijunction (PAM) launcher has sustained 2.7 MW (corresponding to its design value of 25 MW m−2 at the launcher mouth) for a 78 s flat-top discharge, with low reflected power even at large plasma-launcher gaps. The fully active multijunction (FAM) launcher has reached 3.8 MW of coupled power (24 MW m−2 at the launcher mouth) with the new TH2103C klystrons. By combining both the PAM and FAM launchers, 950 MJ of energy, using 5.2 MW of LHCD and 1 MW of ICRH (ion cyclotron resonance heating), was injected for 160 s in 2011. The 3.7 GHz CW LHCD system will be a key element within the W (for tungsten) environment in steady-state Tokamak (WEST) project, where the aim is to test ITER technologies for high heat flux components in relevant heat flux density and particle fluence conditions. On KSTAR, a 2 MW LHCD system operating at 5 GHz is under development. Recently the 5 GHz prototype klystron has reached 500 kW/600 s on a matched load, and studies are ongoing to design a PAM launcher. In addition to the studies of technology, a combination of ray-tracing and Fokker–Planck calculations have been performed to evaluate the driven current and the power deposition due to LH waves, and to optimize the N∥ spectrum for the future launcher design. Furthermore, an LHCD system at 5 GHz is being considered for a future upgrade of the ITER Heating and Current Drive systems, with a power capability of 20 MW coupled to the plasma using a PAM launcher. An R&D programme is being conducted at CEA/IRFM to develop a BeO vacuum window which is a safety critical component of the transmission line. In addition, a mock-up of a TE10–TE30 mode converter at 5 GHz, designed for a rectangular transmission line, has been manufactured and successfully tested on Tore Supra at low RF power.