Survey of target plate heat flux in diverted DIII-D tokamak discharges

Abstract

A series of observations is presented concerning divertor heat flux, q div , in the DIII-D tokamak, and it is shown that many features can be accounted for by assuming that the heat flux flows preferentially along field lines because τ < τ ⊥ in the scrape-off layer (SOL). Exceptions to this agreement are pointed out and the discrepancies explained by means of two dimensional (2-D) effects. About 80% of the discharge input power can be accounted for. The power deposited on the target plate due to enhanced losses during edge localized modes (ELMs) is less than 10% of the total target power in most cases. X point height scans for lower single null (LSN) diverted discharges show that the peak heat flux variation is primarily due to flux expansion and secondarily due to transport of energy across the magnetic field in the divertor. At the outer strike point q div,peak ∝ Pin(Ip − Ip,0)G(gin)(1/Bt) 4/9 (B div /Bmp)f (L div , χ ⊥ ), where G is a linear function of the inner gap, gin, over a specified range and f describes cross-field energy transport in the divertor. Evidence of radial in-out asymmetries (comparing the outer strike point with the inner strike point or centre-post) and toroidal asymmetries in q div is presented and the heat flux peaking due to tile gaps and misalignment of tiles is examined. For magnetically balanced double null (DN) discharges with downward ∇B ion drift, it is found that q div is inherently higher in the lower divertor than in the upper divertor, having a 3:1 downward bias. Examples of heat flux reduction by gas puffing deuterium or neon in LSN and DN discharges are given. At least a threefold reduction of the peak heat flux in both the upper and lower divertors of a DN discharge, using D2 puffing, is reported.

Investigation of ELM [edge localized mode] Dynamics with the Resonant Magnetic Perturbation Effects

“…The Alcator C-Mod discharge has weaker scaling of the width of the divertor heat load with the plasma current relative to the four DIII-D discharges that were analyzed in this study. These trends reproduce the experimental observations [18][19][20]. The differences in neoclassical scaling of divertor heat load width might be attributed to differences in collisionality in Alcator C-Mod and DIII-D discharges.…”

Toroidally asymmetric distributions of hydrocarbon (CD) emission and chemical sputtering sources in DIII-D

“…The surface temperature distribution measured with a vertically viewing IR camera [10] was found to be toroidally periodic along the inner divertor, in forward and reversed B T configurations. The IR camera measures the thermal emission from the tiles over a wavelength range of 8-12 μm, thus avoiding spectral contamination with deuterium molecular bands at 2-3 μm [11].…”

Divertor IR thermography on Alcator C-Mod

“…IR thermography is an important tool that can quantify heat-flux "footprints" at divertor targets [1][2][3][4][5] . On ITER, IR thermography is to be used as the primary diagnostic for a number of important measurements, including…”