• Energy Research

DIII-D L-mode experiments with local boron powder injection for real-time wall conditioning have been interpreted for the first time with the 3D plasma edge transport Monte Carlo code EMC3-EIRENE. Local B sourcing in plasma scenarios with upstream densities 1.5 ⋅ 10^19 m −3 and 2.2 MW heating results in a nonaxisymmetric B distribution in the scrape-off layer (SOL) and on the divertor. The SOL frictional flows at high plasma density cause a strong inboard drag of injected impurities (≈ 90%), while lower background plasma densities tend to result in a more uniform distribution. The thermal forces prevent B deposition in the near SOL while the frictional force causes B fluxes to cover the divertor plasma-facing components in a region 7-10 cm beyond the strike line. Radiative dissipation occurs for B influxes above 1 ⋅ 10^20 s −1 and causes a moderate, non-axisymmetric reduction of the far SOL divertor heat fluxes. A comparison of top and midplane B injection shows no substantial difference in inboard vs. outboard asymmetries of the B distribution. On the other hand, erosion or recycling at the strike line may distribute the boron more uniformly in the SOL.

Divertor designs involving liquid lithium have been proposed as an alternative to solid designs and wall conditioning techniques. However, Li affinity with tritium poses a risk for the fuel cycle. This study investigates deuterium retention in pre-lithiated samples and Li-D co-deposits in the DIII-D tokamak, making for the first time a direct comparison between Li-D co-deposits and pre-deposited Li films. Samples were exposed to H-mode plasmas in the far scrape-off layer (SOL), and Li powder was injected in-situ with the impurity powder dropper to study the uniformity of Li coatings, and the dependence of fuel retention on Li thickness. The results show that at temperatures below the melting point of lithium, deuterium retention is independent of the thickness of pre-deposited Li layers, with Li-D co-deposits being the primary factor for fuel retention. Both pre-deposited and in-situ deposited Li showed lower erosion than predicted by sputtering yield calculations. These results suggest that fuel retention in fusion reactors using lithium in the divertor will likely be dominated by co-deposits rather than in the divertor itself. If one desires to use Li to achieve flatter temperature profiles, operando Li injection is advantageous over pre-deposited Li films, at least at temperatures below the melting point of lithium.

First results are reported from the 3D Monte Carlo far-SOL impurity transport code 3DLIM. Tungsten deposition profiles measured on a Collector Probe (CP) located in the far-SOL near the outer midplane, OMP, during W tracer experiments in DIII-D are reproduced by 3DLIM. Radial deposition profiles are replicated showing the effect that a decrease in connection length from the CP to the nearest wall contact point has on impurity transport to the probe, as well as the effect of assuming purely diffusive vs convective radial transport. For purely diffusive radial transport, a diffusion coefficient of 10 m2/s best reproduces deposition patterns on both sides of the CP, but for purely convective radial transport a speed of 125 m/s is shown to have better agreement with the ITF deposition profile. Deposition profiles show peaking in W content along the length of the CP edges that is also reproduced in 3DLIM, but only when assuming a convection-dominated SOL plasma parallel transport prescription for the background plasma. The degree of the peaking is shown to be a secondary indicator of the effective location of the W source in the near-SOL OMP relative to the far-SOL (near/far from the separatrix). Identifying the location of the effective source provides insight into near-SOL impurity dynamics, including the existence and location of impurity accumulation near the OMP separatrix. Such accumulation typically occurs in SOLPS and other edge code modeling, but has hitherto been difficult to confirm experimentally. The impurity density at the edge is the boundary condition for impurity levels in the confined plasma.

An integrated modeling framework for investigating the application of solid boron powder injection for real-time surface conditioning of plasma-facing components in tokamak environments is presented. Utilizing the DIII-D impurity powder dropper setup, this study simulates B powder injection scenarios ranging from mg/s to tens of mg/s, corresponding to B flux rates of $10^{20}-10^{21}$ B/s in standard L-mode conditions. The comprehensive modeling approach combines EMC3-EIRENE for simulating the D plasma background and DIS for the ablation and transport of the B powder particles. The results show substantial transport of B to the inboard lower divertor, predominantly influenced by the main ion plasma flow. The dependency on powder particle size (5-250 $μ$m) was found to be insignificant for the scenario considered. The effects of erosion and redeposition were considered to reconcile the discrepancies with experimental observations, which saw substantial deposition on the outer divertor PFCs. For this purpose, the WallDYN3D code was updated to include B sources within the plasma domain and integrated into the modeling framework. The mixed-material migration modeling shows evolving B deposition patterns, suggesting the formation of mixed B-C layers or predominantly B coverage depending on the powder mass flow rate. While the modeling outcomes at lower B injection rates tend to align with experimental observations, the prediction of near-pure B layers at higher rates has yet to be experimentally verified in the C environment of the DIII-D tokamak. The extensive reach of B layers found in the modeling suggests the need for modeling that encompasses the entire wall geometry for more accurate experimental correlations. This integrated approach sets a precedent for analyzing and applying real-time in-situ boron coating techniques in advanced tokamak scenarios, potentially extendable to ITER.

Collector probes have been used to examine tungsten divertor leakage in a variety of scenarios with low-Z impurity seeding during operation with the new tungsten-coated SAS-VW divertor in DIII-D. Measurements of tungsten deposition on collector probes inserted into the far Scrape-off-Layer (SOL) are used to deduce how efficiently tungsten leaks out of the closed, V-shaped divertor after it is eroded from the target surfaces. Qualitative differences in the tungsten deposition patterns across the collector probes provide clear experimental evidence that the SOL conditions depend on the low-Z impurity seeding conditions. These measurements show that in scenarios where neon gas is injected into the plasma, the tungsten divertor leakage and SOL transport depend on the poloidal location from which the neon is injected. In particular, neon injection from the Inner Midplane and Outer Midplane appear to each result in higher divertor leakage by a factor of 2 to 3 compared to cases with neon injection from either the SOL Crown or from the SAS-VW divertor itself.

A series of L-mode plasma discharges was performed in the DIII-D tokamak to assess the impact of outer strike point (OSP) position and toroidal magnetic field direction on erosion and core contamination potential of the recently-installed, tungsten-coated Small Angle Slot (SAS-VW) divertor. In one discharge, in-slot emission spectroscopy measured an < 48 % increase in the W gross erosion rate when the OSP was moved 3 cm outwards, away from the V-shaped vertex of the slot divertor. However, the effective W yield (erosion rate divided by the incident D flux) was, overall, insensitive to changes in OSP location. Consistently low estimates of the effective W yield based on measurements taken a few cm outwards from the vertex suggest potentially significant C surface contamination. No W emission signal was detected when orienting the toroidal magnetic field such that the ion B×∇B drift direction is pointed away from the X-point. However, measurements of W content in the plasma core for both toroidal magnetic field directions suggest the presence of additional, unmeasured sources of erosion. The difference in the measured core W density with OSP position is much greater than the difference in the measured erosion rates, which may suggest that the leakage of eroded impurities out of the divertor is governed primarily through the parallel ion temperature gradient and friction forces.