The work of the ITPA SOL/divertor group is reviewed and implications for ITER discussed. Studies of near SOL gradients have revealed a connection to underlying turbulence models. Analysis of a multi-machine database shows that parallel conduction gradients near the separatrix scale as major radius. New SOL measurements have implicated low-field side transport as driving parallel flows to the inboard side. The high-n nature of ELMs has been elucidated and new measurements have determined that they carry ~10-20% of the ELM energy to the far SOL with implications for ITER limiters and the upper divertor. Analysis of ELM measurements imply that the ELM continuously loses energy as it travels across the SOL-larger gaps should reduce surface loads. The predicted divertor power loads for ITER disruptions has been reduced as a result of finding that the divertor footprint broadens during the thermal quench and that the plasma can lose up to 80% of its thermal energy before the thermal quench (not true for VDEs or ITBs). On the other hand predictions of power loading to surfaces outside the divertor have increased. Disruption mitigation through massive gas puffing has been successful at reducing divertor heat loads but estimates of the effect on the main chamber walls indicate 10s of kG of Be could be melted/mitigation. Estimates of ITER tritium retention have reduced the amount retained/discharge although the uncertainties are large and tritium cleanup may be necessary every few days to weeks. Long-pulse studies have shown that the fraction of injected gas that can be recovered after a discharge decreases with discharge length. The retention rate on the sides of tiles appears to ~ 1-3% of the ion flux to the front surface for C tiles and ~100x less for Mo tiles. T removal techniques are being developed based on surface heating and surface ablation although ITER mixed materials will make T removal more difficult. The use of mixed materials gives rise to a number of potential processes-e.g. reduction of surface melting temperatures (formation of alloys) and reduction of chemical sputtering. Advances in modelling of the ITER divertor and flows have enhanced the capability to match experimental data and predict ITER performance.
The effects of edge-localized modes (ELMs) on divertor particle and heat fluxes were investigated for the first time in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The experiments were carried out with both double null and lower single null divertor configurations, and comparisons were made between the H-mode plasmas with lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) and those with combined ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). The particle and heat flux profiles between and during ELMs were obtained from Langmuir triple-probe arrays embedded in the divertor target plates. And isolated ELMs were chosen for analysis in order to reduce the uncertainty resulting from the influence of fast electrons on Langmuir triple-probe evaluation during ELMs. The power deposition obtained from Langmuir triple probes was consistent with that from the divertor infra-red camera during an ELM-free period. It was demonstrated that ELM-induced radial transport predominantly originated from the low-field side region, in good agreement with the ballooning-like transport model and experimental results of other tokamaks. ELMs significantly enhanced the divertor particle and heat fluxes, without significantly broadening the SOL width and plasma-wetted area on the divertor target in both LHCD and LHCD + ICRH H-modes, thus posing a great challenge for the next-step high-power, long-pulse operation in EAST. Increasing the divertor-wetted area was also observed to reduce the peak heat flux and particle recycling at the divertor target, hence facilitating long-pulse H-mode operation. The particle and heat flux profiles during ELMs appeared to exhibit multiple peak structures, and were analysed in terms of the behaviour of ELM filaments and the flux tubes induced by modified magnetic topology during ELMs.
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