• Energy Research

The feasibility of getting "D" shaped plasma configurations in FTU, with a possible X point close to the first wall, has been investigated with the aim of achieving an H-mode regime in this machine. This regime could allow both evaluating the thermal effects on the liquid lithium limiter due to the possible Edge Localized Modes and studying the L-H transition properties in low recycling conditions due to the presence of lithium. An alternative design for the magnetic system in FTU has been also proposed, to realize an X-point inside the plasma chamber, close to the Liquid Lithium Limiter. Preliminary experiments with elongated configurations and limited ECRH additional heating power did not allowed approaching the L-H transition but they were used to develop a proper elongation control. This controller allowed guaranteeing the vertical stability in elongated configurations despite the reduced power available for the horizontal field coils in FTU. The elongation was stably keep over 1.2, while the lithium limiter was very close to the last close flux surface. Neither limiter damages nor plasma pollution were observed in these configurations. A possible alternative connection of the poloidal field coils in FTU is here proposed, with the aim of achieving a true X-point configuration with a magnetic single null well inside the plasma chamber and strike points on the lithium limiter. A preliminary assessment of this design allowed estimating the required power supply upgrade and showed its compatibility with the existing mechanical structure and cooling system, at least for plasmas with current up to 300 kA and flat-top duration up to 4 s.

The feasibility of getting "D" shaped plasma configurations in FTU, with a possible X point close to the first wall, has been investigated with the aim of achieving an H-mode regime in this machine. This regime could allow both evaluating the thermal effects on the liquid lithium limiter due to the possible Edge Localized Modes and studying the L-H transition properties in low recycling conditions due to the presence of lithium. An alternative design for the magnetic system in FTU has been also proposed, to realize an X-point inside the plasma chamber, close to the Liquid Lithium Limiter. Preliminary experiments with elongated configurations and limited ECRH additional heating power did not allowed approaching the L-H transition but they were used to develop a proper elongation control. This controller allowed guaranteeing the vertical stability in elongated configurations despite the reduced power available for the horizontal field coils in FTU. The elongation was stably keep over 1.2, while the lithium limiter was very close to the last close flux surface. Neither limiter damages nor plasma pollution were observed in these configurations. A possible alternative connection of the poloidal field coils in FTU is here proposed, with the aim of achieving a true X-point configuration with a magnetic single null well inside the plasma chamber and strike points on the lithium limiter. A preliminary assessment of this design allowed estimating the required power supply upgrade and showed its compatibility with the existing mechanical structure and cooling system, at least for plasmas with current up to 300 kA and flat-top duration up to 4 s.

Integrating the plasma core performance with an edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) that leads to tolerable heat and particle loads on the wall is a major challenge. The new European medium size tokamak task force (EU-MST) coordinates research on ASDEX Upgrade (AUG), MAST and TCV. This multi-machine approach within EU-MST, covering a wide parameter range, is instrumental to progress in the field, as ITER and DEMO core/pedestal and SOL parameters are not achievable simultaneously in present day devices. A two prong approach is adopted. On the one hand, scenarios with tolerable transient heat and particle loads, including active edge localised mode (ELM) control are developed. On the other hand, divertor solutions including advanced magnetic configurations are studied. Considerable progress has been made on both approaches, in particular in the fields of: ELM control with resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP), small ELM regimes, detachment onset and control, as well as filamentary scrape-off-layer transport. For example full ELM suppression has now been achieved on AUG at low collisionality with n = 2 RMP maintaining good confinement HH(98, y2) 0.95. Advances have been made with respect to detachment onset and control. Studies in advanced divertor configurations (Snowflake, Super-X and X-point target divertor) shed new light on SOL physics. Cross field filamentary transport has been characterised in a wide parameter regime on AUG, MAST and TCV progressing the theoretical and experimental understanding crucial for predicting first wall loads in ITER and DEMO. Conditions in the SOL also play a crucial role for ELM stability and access to small ELM regimes.