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New polarizer and launcher systems on a 28-GHz electron-cyclotron (EC) heating and current drive (HCD) system have been developed for non-inductive second-harmonic EC-plasma-current ramp-up in the QUEST spherical tokamak. A launcher system with two quasi-optical mirrors providing beam steering capability was designed to focus the incident beam to a small-sized waist of ∼0.05 m at the second-harmonic EC resonance layer. A relatively large focusing mirror was designed based on a Kirchhoff integral code developed to derive wave solutions. The focusing property of the launched beam was first confirmed with a 3-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic-wave simulator. Focusing characteristics were also checked at low-power test facilities, together with the steering capability. The performance of this launcher system was demonstrated to work as designed, and assembled in the QUEST device. The system was applied to the non-inductive second-harmonic EC plasma ramp-up experiments with no optimization required regarding the incident polarization. The results obtained for the non-inductive plasma ramp-up are also presented.

This research investigated fuel particle balance during long duration discharge in an all-metal plasma facing wall (PFW) through intensive QUEST execution. A simple wall model including the plasma-induced deposition layer that creates hydrogen (H) barriers, called the H barrier model, was established. A simple calculation, based on a combination of H state rate equations and the H barrier model, was applied to real plasma in the early phase of its longest discharge. The model accurately reconstructed the evolutions of electron density and wall-stored H over time, proper values are chosen for the parameters that are difficult to determine experimentally. Comparative calculations that used the H barrier and a fully reflective models, predicted significant impacts of wall models on the plasma density time response and value of electron density, indicating that a proper wall model should be developed for all-metal PFW devices. Keywords: Fuel particle balance, steady state operation, Hydrogen barrier model, QUEST

QUEST (Q-shu university experiment with steady state spherical tokamak) is a midsize spherical tokamak capable of steady-state operation, comprising all-metal plasma-facing walls and a hot wall (HW) to address issues pertaining to fuel particle balance. The HW was installed summer 2014. Quantitative analysis pertaining to the HW at 373 K is carried out, and clarify the quantitative impact of shot history that obviously appears in wall stored hydrogen just before the discharge at the wall temperature. The model indicates the plasma-induced deposition layer play an essential role in fuel particle balance. A clear temperature dependence of fuel recycling was observed using outgassing just after plasma termination and played an essential role in regulation of particle balance. Consequently, long duration discharges lasting more than 1 h has been obtained at wall temperature, TW

A spectroscopic system with multiple viewing chords was developed for QUEST (Q-shu University Experiment with Steady-State Spherical Tokamak) to measure the spatial distribution of ion toroidal velocities in discharges sustained by electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECH). Twenty-four viewing chords were aligned in the midplane and C III emission line spectra were measured for three types of ECH discharge under different magnetic field configurations. By applying an inversion method to the measured spectra, we evaluated the radial distributions of C2+ ion emissivity, temperature, and toroidal velocity. The error in the evaluated velocity was estimated to be less than 5 km/s. It was found that the velocity depends on the magnetic field configuration.

The spatial distribution of the hydrogen atom density was evaluated in a spherical tokamak (ST) plasma sustained only with 28 GHz electron cyclotron heating (ECH). The radially resolved H&delta, emissivity was measured using multiple viewing chord spectroscopy and Abel inversion. A collisional-radiative (CR) model analysis of the emissivity resulted in a ground-state hydrogen atom density of 1015&ndash, 1016 m&minus, 3 and an ionization degree of 1&ndash, 0.85 in the plasma.

In tokamaks, the temperature of the plasma-facing wall is an important parameter for achieving particle balance and therefore steady-state operation. QUEST, which is a middle-sized spherical tokamak, has hot walls that act as plasma-facing walls. They can be actively heated with sheath heaters and actively cooled with water. To control the wall temperature, heating and cooling systems have been developed. These systems adjust the power of the sheath heaters and the motor valves of the cooling system, respectively. The two systems communicate via Ethernet through UDP and control the hot-wall temperature cooperatively. The plasma control system (PCS) in QUEST has also been modified, especially with respect to gas fueling, in order to enable long-duration plasma sustainment. A feedback controller has been installed in the PCS, together with a mass flow controller, allowing Hα emission from the plasma which is used as a reference signal, to be well controlled. Plasma density calculations using a field-programmable gate array are proposed for the feedback control system.

Fully non-inductive second (2nd) harmonic electron cyclotron (EC) plasma current ramp-up was demonstrated with a newlly developed 28 GHz system in the QUEST spherical tokamak. A high plasma current of 54 kA was non-inductively ramped up and sustained stably for 0.9 s with a 270 kW 28 GHz wave. A higher plasma current of 66 kA was also non-inductively achieved with a slow ramp-up of the vertical field. We have achieved a significantly higher plasma current than those achieved previously with the 2nd harmonic EC waves. This fully non-inductive 2nd harmonic EC plasma ramp-up method might be useful for future burning plasma devices and fusion reactors, in particular for operations at half magnetic field with the same EC heating equipment.

In order to understand the atomic hydrogen distribution in different kinds of plasma and its influence on the recycling, two kinds of plasmas were used: non-confined annular electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and confined long duration plasmas. The permeation probes are used to measure directly the atomic hydrogen flux at several poloidal positions. The permeation through metals due to the ion and atom component of the hydrogen flux to the wall is indistinguishable. To estimate the contribution of the ions directly, Langmuir probes were used. The Гinc profile behind the plasma facing components (PFCs) is almost constant, ∼2 ×1018 H/s/m2.

A grid-based ECH ST/Tokamak start-up model is being developed where plasma parameters, generated plasma currents, and resulting poloidal magnetic fields are evolved from the vacuum fields. Initially, the current generated is purely pressure driven since the electron temperature is too low for ECCD. The grad-B drift driven current together with the processional currents can then create a closed flux surface configuration and then the bootstrap current in a closed configuration can further enhance the plasma current. After the flux closure, the 2nd harmonic ECH heating efficiency increases with plasma current since the confinement is increased and resulting electron temperature rise would further increase the ECH absorption and plasma current. Once the temperature of hot minority component becomes sufficiently high ∼1 keV, the ECCD becomes significant for full current ramp-up.

The plasma current is ramped up primarily by a 28 GHz electron cyclotron wave (ECW) in the Q-shu University experiment Steady-State Spherical Tokamak (QUEST), with multiple harmonic resonance layers from the second to the fourth stay in the plasma core. A steering antenna comprising two quasi-optical mirrors enhances the power density of ECWs. The ECW beam is injected obliquely from the low-field side where the parallel refractive index is N ∥ = 0.75 at the second-harmonic resonance layer. Analysis of the resonance condition has found that energetic electrons moving forward along the magnetic field resonate more effectively than those moving backward. Such symmetry breaking is consistent with the results of the current ramp-up experiment. The peak plasma current reaches I p > 70 kA, constantly injecting a beam of radio frequency power of 100 kW. Ray-tracing by the TASK/WR code demonstrates that the power of the 28 GHz extraordinary mode is absorbed by energetic electrons via single-pass cyclotron absorption.

In the present RF-driven (ECCD) steady-state plasma on QUEST (Bt = 0.25 T, R = 0.68 m, a = 0.40 m), plasma current seems to flow in the open magnetic surface outside of the closed magnetic surface in the low-field region according to plasma current fitting (PCF) method. We consider that the current in the open magnetic surface is due to orbit-driven current by high-energy particles in RF-driven plasma. So based on the analysis of current density profile based on the orbit-driven current, plasma equilibrium is to be calculated. We calculated high energy particles guiding center orbits as a contour plot of conserved variable in Hamiltonian formulation and considered particles initial position with different levels of energy and pitch angles that satisfy resonance condition. Then the profile of orbit-driven current is estimated by multiplying the particle density on the resonance surface and the velocity on the orbits. This analysis shows negative current near the magnetic axis and hollow current profile is expected even if pressure driven current is considered. Considering the hollow current profile shifted toward the low-field region, the equilibrium is fitted by J-EFIT coded by MATLAB.

The plasma control system (PCS) of QUEST is developed according to the progress of QUEST project. Since one of the critical goals of the project is to achieve the steady-state operation with high temperature vacuum vessel wall, the PCS is also required to have the capability to control the plasma for a long period. For the increase of the loads to processing power of the PCS, the PCS is decentralized with the use of reflective memories (RFMs). The PCS controls the plasma edge position with the real-time identification of plasma current and its position. This identification is done with not only flux loops but also hall sensors. The gas fueling method by piezo valve with monitoring the Hα signal filtered by a digital low-pass filter are proposed and suitable for the steady-state operation on QUEST. The present status and prospect of the PCS are presented with recent topics.

As QUEST has a small central solenoid (CS), a larger Ohmic discharge current has been obtained when the plasma shifts to the inboard side. This tendency restricts a divertor operation to the smaller plasma current regime. As the inner divertor coil has a smaller mutual inductance, it would be expected that its utilization seems to be better for easier plasma current ramp-up for a divertor operation. In this work, we made comparative studies on the plasma current ramp-up for two divertor coils. It is found that while the inner divertor coil with smaller mutual inductance needs a larger coil current, the outer divertor coil with larger mutual inductance needs a smaller coil current for divertor operation. Thus we have found that the plasma current ramp-up characteristics are almost similar for both configurations. We also propose a new fueling method for spherical tokamak (ST) using the coaxial helicity injection (CHI). The main plasma current would be generated at first, and then the CHI plasma current is created between bottom two electrode plates and merged into the main plasma current for fueling.

In the present RF-driven divertor plasma of QUEST, it has been observed that orbit-driven current flows in the open magnetic surfaces outside of the closed magnetic surfaces. To observe this phenomenon and the characteristics of the orbit-driven current, current density profiles have been calculated on two different equilibrium conditions. We calculated current density profiles from particle guiding center orbits both for the fundamental and the second harmonic resonances for the 8.2 GHz electron cyclotron current drive. From this calculation, hollow current density profiles have been obtained with significant characteristics on both conditions. Only positive current distribution has been observed in the open magnetic surfaces outside of the closed magnetic surfaces.

Fully non-inductive plasma start-up was successfully achieved by using a well-controlled microwave source on the spherical tokamak, QUEST. Non-inductive plasmas were maintained for approximately 3–5 min, during which time power balance estimates could be achieved by monitoring wall and cooling-water temperatures. Approximately 70%–90% of the injected power could be accounted for by calorimetric measurements and approximately half of the injected power was found to be deposited on the vessel wall, which is slightly dependent on the magnetic configuration. The power distribution to water-cooled limiters, which are expected to be exposed to local heat loads, depends significantly on the magnetic configuration, however some of the deposited power is due to energetic electrons, which have large poloidal orbits and are likely to be deposited on the plasma facing components.

In order to evaluate the magnetic surface current density distributions, the electron guiding center orbits were calculated with the equilibrium fitting plasma equilibrium analysis. The current density distributions in electron cyclotron-heated plasma were estimated from the orbit analyses in the equilibrium plasma shaping for the fundamental and the second-harmonic resonant electrons separately. The current density distribution profiles on the equatorial plane were obtained for the electrons with initially positive and negative velocities parallel to the magnetic field direction as well as the trapped electrons. The surface averaged current density profiles of the closed flux surfaces were also evaluated. A significant amount of the positive current density distributions appeared outside the last closed flux surface (LCFS), while all the negative current density distributions were evaluated inside the LCFS. The trapped electrons being the second-harmonic electron cyclotron resonant contributed the negative current inside the LCFS. The positive current density distributions outside the LCFS were significant for the driven current density for both the fundamental and second-harmonic resonances.

Poloidal and radial distributions of the hydrogen flux, both atomic and ion, to the plasma facing materials (PFMs) are measured with four fixed and one movable PdCu membrane probes in the QUEST spherical tokamak. Direct information about hydrogen retention in the areas far from main plasma-wall interaction is essential because the significant part of the global retention is due to atomic hydrogen. Incident hydrogen flux Γ inc is numerically reconstructed by fitting the experimentally measured hydrogen flux Γ p , permeated through the membrane. The sensitivity of the probe is improved when compared with other work which allows dynamic changes of the retention flux to be monitored, allowing detection of 10% of the Γ inc modulation, or ∼10 17 H m −2 s −1 .

In the present RF-driven (ECCD) steady-state plasma on QUEST, the plasma current seems to flow in the open magnetic surface outside of the closed magnetic surface in the low-field region according to the plasma current fitting (PCF) method. The current in the open magnetic surface is due to the orbit-driven current by high-energy particles in the RF-driven plasma. High-energy particles guiding center orbits are calculated as contour plots of conserved variables in the Hamiltonian formulation considering particles in the initial position with different energies and pitch angles satisfying the resonance condition. A negative current appears near the magnetic axis, and a hollow current profile is expected even if the pressure driven current is considered. The equilibrium is fitted within nested magnetic surfaces by J-EFIT coded by MATLAB using the hollow current profile shift toward the low-field region. Although the plasma boundary shape reflects the plasma current density profile, the equilibrium shape fitted by J-EFIT does not coincide with the orbit-driven current profile. However, introducing an extension of the current profile without assuming nested contours into the J-EFIT code appropriately fits the plasma shape with the hollow current profile to the measured magnetic data.

At the Plasma Research Center at University of Tsukuba, development of megawatt gyrotrons is being performed as a collaborative electron cyclotron heating (ECH) study with some research organizatio...

After several experimental campaigns in the Kyushu University Experiment with Steady-state Spherical Tokamak (QUEST), the originally stainless steel plasma-facing wall (PFW) becomes completely covered with a deposited film composed of mixture materials, such as iron, chromium, carbon, and tungsten. In this work, an innovative colorimetry-based method was developed to measure the thickness of the deposited film on the actual QUEST wall. Because the optical constants of the deposited film on the PFW were position-dependent and the extinction coefficient k1 was about 1.0–2.0, which made the probing light not penetrate through some thick deposited films, the colorimetry method developed can only provide a rough value range of thickness of the metal-containing film deposited on the actual PFW in QUEST. However, the use of colorimetry is of great benefit to large-area inspections and to radioactive materials in future fusion devices that will be strictly prohibited from being taken out of the limited area.

A drift error correction technique with machine vision and a real-time equilibrium calculation code have been developed on the QUEST (Q-shu university experiment with the steady-state spherical tokamak) for steady-state operation. The drift error caused by the long time-integration of magnetic raw signals has to be removed. With a captured image of the plasma’s cross section, the plasma’s position is identified by use of image filters. The measured magnetic flux values are corrected to the calculated flux values estimated by using this plasma position. The correction with the captured image work as expected in the preliminary result using a flashlight instead of a plasma.

In the present RF-driven plasma with a lot of high-energy electrons, there may be anisotropic plasma pressure, which makes the usual equilibrium analysis difficult, but the Cauchy condition surface method can reconstruct the plasma shape precisely regardless of the anisotropy. In addition, the plasma current effect in the open magnetic surfaces outside of the closed magnetic surfaces is considered in the RF-driven divertor plasma. In the reconstruction process, singular value (SV) decomposition is used and optimal criterion function for generalized cross validation is estimated concerning truncation or reduction of the small-SV components.

A 28~GHz system with a high-power gyrotron tube has been used for the QUEST spherical tokamak to form an over-dense plasma for electron Bernstein wave heating (EBWH) and current drive with an 8.2~GHz-wave. Non-inductive high-density plasma ramp-up experiments with dual-frequency (dual$-f$) electron cyclotron (EC) [ 8.2~GHz and 28~GHz ] waves were conducted. A spontaneous density jump (SDJ) to an over-dense state was observed as a bifurcation phenomenon in the dual$-f$ wave experiment. The over-dense plasma on the 8.2~GHz-wave was non-inductively ramped up to 25~kA, and was maintained for 0.4~s under stable plasma equilibrium after two such jumps in one shot. Heating to mildly energetic electrons and bulk electrons was observed even in the over-dense region. The electrostatic EBWH effect on the mildly energetic electrons in the over-dense region is assessed following a dispersion analysis of the 8.2 GHz-wave. The bulk electron heating effect observed is explained as heat exchange from mildly energetic electrons heated by the electrostatic EBWH wave. Remarkably, a high hard-X-ray-radiation temperature ~ 500~keV was also observed in tangential viewing for current-carrying electrons in the over-dense core region. Synergetic heating from the overlap of different 28~GHz EC harmonic resonances as well as higher harmonic heating is discussed for maintaining the highly energetic electrons in the over-dense core region. In addition, the SDJ process and mechanism are considered based on the discussion of the electron heating effects with the 8.2 GHz-wave.

Global particle balance in non-inductive long-duration plasma on QUEST has been investigated. Approximately 70% of the fuel hydrogen (H) was retained in the wall and then was almost exhausted just after the discharge. The global recycling ratio (Rg), defined as the ratio of the evacuated H2 flux to that injected, was found to gradually increase during discharges and subsequently rose rapidly. To study the growth of Rg, the thermal desorption spectra after deuterium implantation in a specimen exposed to QUEST plasma was analyzed with a model which includes reflection, diffusion, solution, recombination, trapping, and plasma-induced desorption in the re-deposition layer. The model reconstructs the growth of Rg during a long-duration plasma and indicates solution plays a dominant role in the growth.

A plasma control system to sustain divertor configurations is developed on QUEST (Q-shu university experiment with steady-state spherical tokamak). Magnetic fluxes are numerically integrated at 100 kHz using FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) modules and transferred to a main calculation loop at 4 kHz. With these signals, plasma shapes are identified in real time at 2 kHz under the assumption that the plasma current can be represented as one filament current. This calculation is done in another calculation loop in parallel by taking advantage of a multi-core processor of the plasma control system. The inside and outside plasma edge positions are controlled to their target positions using PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control loops. Whereas the outside edge position can not be controlled by the outer PF coil current, the inside edge position can be controlled by the inner PF coil current.

Blob-filaments have been observed by combined measurement with a fast camera and a movable Langmuir probe in an open magnetic field line configuration of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating plasma in QUEST. Blob-filaments extended along field lines do correspond to over-dense plasma structures and propagated across the field lines to the outer wall. The radial velocity of the blob structure, Vb, was obtained by three methods and was dominantly driven by the E × B force. The radial velocity, size of the blob showed good agreements with the results obtained by sheath-connected interchange theoretical model. Vb corresponds to roughly 0.02–0.07 of the local sound speed (Cs) in QUEST. The higher moments (skewness S and kurtosis K) representing the shape of PDF of density fluctuation are studied. Their least squares fitting with quadratic polynomial is K = (1.60 ± 0.27)S2 − (0.46 ± 0.20). The larger blob structures, occurring only 10% of the time, can carry more than 60% loss of the entire radial particle flux.

QUEST has a divertor configuration with a high and a negative n-index, and the problem of plasma vertical position instability control in QUEST is still under extensive study for achieving high efficiency plasma. The instability we considered is that the toroidal plasma moves either up or down in the vacuum chamber until it meets the vessel wall and is extinguished. The actively controlled coils (HCU and HCL) outside the vacuum vessel are serially connected in feedback with a measurement of the plasma vertical position to provide stabilizing control. In this work, a robust controller is employed by using the loop synthesis method, and provides robust stability over a wide range of n-index. Moreover, the gain of the robust controller is lower than that of a typical proportional derivative (PD) controller in the operational frequency range; it indicates that the robust controller needs less power consumption than the PD controller does.

In the last few years, long-pulse H-mode plasma discharges (with small edge-localized modes and normalized beta, β N ~ 1) have been realized at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). This paper reports on high-β N (>1.5) discharges in the 2015 EAST campaign. The characteristics of these H-mode plasmas have been presented in a database. Analysis of the experimental limit of β N has revealed several main features of typical discharges. Firstly, efficient, stable high heating power is required. Secondly, control of impurity radiation (partly due to interaction between the plasma and the in-vessel components) is also a critical issue for the maintenance of high-β N discharges. In addition an internal transport barrier (ITB) has recently been observed in EAST, introducing further improvement in confinement surpassing H-mode plasmas. ITB dynamics is another key issue for high-β N plasmas in EAST. Each of these features is discussed in this paper. Study and improvement of these issues could be considered as the key to achieving long-pulse high-β N operation with EAST.

In order to investigate the overall atomic hydrogen background and the dynamic characteristics of wall pumping/fuelling phenomenon, a permeation probe system has been developed and applied in the spherical tokamak QUEST. Reliability of measurements, within ±3% accuracy and a positive correlation with the hydrogen line emission over three orders of magnitude have been demonstrated for more than 3000 various plasma discharges. By comparison of the experimental permeation (flux) curves with the numerically simulated curves, the net incident atomic hydrogen flux is evaluated in the range of 1 × 1019 H m−2 s−1 to 4 × 1020 H m−2 s−1. The atomic flux has been investigated as a function of various plasma operation parameters like RF power, gas pressure and magnetic configuration. Using the static particle balance and permeation measurements, the progress in wall conditioning has been investigated. An inverse correlation between the atomic hydrogen flux and improvement in wall pumping has been observed over the two campaigns.

After several non-inductive current startup experimental campaigns in the spherical tokamak QUEST, its metallic first walls have revealed various kinds of damages as a signature of strong plasma wall interaction (PWI). Several types of footprint traces, namely colored regions formed due to material erosion/redeposition, melting of plasma facing components (PFCs) and numerous arc tracks on the chamber walls are recognized. Analysis of the re-deposited materials on collector probes is carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). Redeposition of several impurity materials such as carbon, oxygen and tungsten is identified. The footprint traces are majorly formed on the lower side PFCs, showing a large up/down asymmetry. Both toroidally symmetric and asymmetric footprint traces are formed on the bottoms side divertor plate and the lower part of the outboard side walls, respectively. Localized melting occurred on the outboard side limiters is attributed to the loss of energetic electrons produced via electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating. The observed damages are discussed in view of localized PWI, loss of energetic electrons, particle drifts, sputtering, arcing and redeposition of eroded materials. Material analysis and numerically calculated guiding center orbits of the charge particles are used to discuss these damages.

Ambient fluctuations and the generation of coherent convective structures are investigated as a function of vertical to toroidal magnetic field ratio (Bz/Bt) in the spherical tokamak QUEST [K. Hanada et al., Plasma Fusion Research 5, S1007]. Fluctuation signals are obtained at a high spatial and temporal resolution using the fast visible camera. The coherent structures (blobs) were seen to be apparent only beyond a critical Bz/Bt ratio (~ 10). This clearly indicates a shift from the drift to the interchange mode with the increase in vertical magnetic field. The blobs are propagated radially at a high speed ~ 10 m/s which is ~ 1/10 of the ion acoustic speed in QUEST. Lifetime of the blobs is about 700 μs. Second part of the study comprises of the investigation of the finer structures in the current ramp-up phase which is characterized by lower levels of fluctuations. Singular value decomposition (SVD) and principal component analysis (PCA) techniques are applied on the fast camera images to reveal the structures which are otherwise embedded in the overall intensity image. Electron banana orbits were seen to form from the slab annular plasma and grow wider to eventually shape the plasma current front.

CCS (Cauchy Condition Surface) method is a numerical approach to reproduce plasma shape, which has good precision in conventional tokamaks. In order to apply it in plasma shape reproduction of ST (Spherical Tokamak), the calculation precision of the CCS method in a spherical tokamak CPD (Compact PWI experimental Device) (Bt = 0.25 T, R = 0.3 m, a = 0.2 m) has been analyzed. The precision was confirmed also in ST and decided to be applied to a spherical tokamak QUEST (Bt = 0.25 T, R = 0.68 m, a = 0.40 m).. In present stage from the magnetic measurement, it is known that the eddy current effect is large in QUEST experiment, and there are no special magnetic measurements for eddy current now, so some proper model should be selected to evaluate the eddy current effect. The eddy current density by not only CS (Center Solenoid) coil but also plasma current is calculated using EDDYCAL (JAEA). The eddy current magnitudes are taken as unknown variables and solved together with plasma shape reconstruction in ohmic discharge and ECCD (Electron Cyclotron Current Drive) discharge.

Metallic dust behavior was observed in full lower hybrid current drive plasmas on TRIAM-1M, which had all-metal plasma facing components. TRIAM-1M was shut-down on December 2005 and then in-vessel dusts were collected with a suction aspirator through a membrane filter of 100 nm meshes. The toroidal distribution of the total mass of collected in-vessel dusts was measured and the largest amount was found to be near the vertical movable limiter (VML). The typical size of in-vessel dusts was 1–10 μm and the impact on augmenting the surface area was not significant. Dusts were observed to be either flaky or spherical in form and the majority of the flakes had accumulated around the VML. Eruption detritus were observed on the surface of large flakes and this suggests that the burst of blistering are one of the origins of in-vessel dusts.

Blob generation mechanisms have been studied in slab plasma produced by electron cyclotron waves in a simple magnetic configuration with vertical (Bz) and toroidal fields (Bt). Two dimensional high speed images are analyzed as plasma and fluctuation evolution. Near the outer boundary (source region) of the slab plasma helix-sinusoidal perturbations are exited, whose helix angle and vertical wavelength are consistent with pitch angle and turn distance of the magnetic field lines there. Two dimensional evolution of these helix instabilities are studied as a function of Bz/Bt. Steep gradient outside the source region triggers the plasma to expand radially as a blob ejection. Along the ridge line of the maximum inverse scale length a wave front of the helix perturbation moves outward. Radial ejection of blob with typical velocity of ∼1 km/s is recognized as non-linear evolution of these helix instabilities. Acceleration of a blob is found in the source-free region.

Blob-like structures are observed in an open magnetic field line configuration of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating plasma in QUEST. The combined measurement with a fast camera and a movable Langmuir probe show that visible filamentary structures extended along field lines do correspond to over-dense plasma structures. Ion saturation current time trace shows a front-like asymmetric burst when a visible structure reaches the probe during its outward propagation. The typical radial velocity of the blob-like structure, V b , was measured as ∼1 km/s with the fast camera at the intermediate area. V b increased as the blob-like structure moved along major radius, R (outward). The average velocity of E × B drift derived from the probe measurement, slightly larger than V b , was also increased as the blob-like structure propagated to larger R .

Both start-up and sustainment of plasma were successfully achieved by fully non-inductive current drive using microwave with a frequency of 8.2 GHz. Plasmas current of 15 kA was implemented for 1 s. Magnetic surface reconstruction exhibited a plasma shape with an aspect ratio of below 1.5. The plasma current was dependent significantly on the launched microwave power and vertical magnetic field, while not affected by the mode of launched wave and the toroidal refractive index. Hard X-ray (HXR) emitted from energetic electrons accelerated by the microwave was observed, and the discharge with a plasma current over 4 kA followed the same trend as the number of photons of 10 keV to 12 keV. This suggests that the plasma current may be driven by energetic electrons. Based on the experimental conditions, alternative explanations of how the plasma current could be driven are discussed.

Particle retention and recycling in plasma fusion devices are generally associated with the diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the materials. The resulted permeation of atomic hydrogen is known as plasma driven permeation (PDP). This permeation may also be significant, even in the walls, which are not directly exposed to the plasma. Under similar conditions, the permeation flux (Γperm) of hydrogen through a 30 μm thick Ni membrane heated at 412–575 K has been measured in the spherical tokamak QUEST. Γperm is being measured during the scans of different operating parameters like RF power (PRF), chamber pressure (Pchamber), discharge widths (τdis) and vertical magnetic field (BZ). Simultaneously edge plasma density and spectral intensities of atomic (Balmer) lines and molecular (Fulcher) bands have been compared with the permeation measurements. A linear relationship has been established between the time integrated Γperm i.e. permeation fluence (Qperm) and the time integrated Hα intensity i.e. Hα fluence (Qα). Qperm also shows a strong relationship with the edge plasma density and various spectral fluences. The obtained results are discussed for exploring the applicability of the permeation probes in measuring the atomic flux near the first walls.

Initial results from the recently implemented transient coaxial helicity injection (CHI) system on QUEST are reported. QUEST uses a new CHI electrode configuration in which the CHI insulator is not part of the vacuum boundary, making this configuration easier to implement in fusion reactors. Experimental results show that transient CHI startup in this alternate electrode configuration is indeed possible. Reliable gas breakdown was achieved, and toroidal currents up to 45 kA were generated.

Experiments to study wall recycling behaviour have been performed in the small spherical tokamak compact plasma–wall interaction experimental device (CPD) from the viewpoint of global as well as local plasma wall interaction condition. Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma of typically ∼50 to 400 ms duration is produced using ∼40 to 80 kW RF power. In order to study the global wall recycling behaviour, pressure measurements are carried out just before and after the ECR plasma in the absence of any external pumping. The recycling behaviour is found to change from release to pumping beyond a certain level of pressure value which is again found to be a function of shot history. The real-time local wall behaviour is studied in similar RF plasma using a rotating tungsten limiter, actively coated with lithium. Measurement of H α light intensity in front of the rotating surface has indicated a clear reduction (∼10%) in the steady-state hydrogen recycling with continuous Li gettering of several minutes.

Fully non-inductive lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) plasmas have been achieved in TRIAM-1M and HT-7 superconducting tokamaks, but the current control in toroidal plasma was performed in different way during their steady-state operation (SSO). In HT-7, the plasma current was controlled mainly by the ohmic field, and partially by LHCD through ohmic transformer magnetic flux feedback control. In TRIAM-1M, the plasma current was controlled by lower hybrid wave (LHW) power directly according to a simple simulation model.

On tokamak devices, an induction electric field induced by poloidal field (PF) coils plays a role to produce initial plasma. On a DIII-D tokamak, the required induction electric field for plasma breakdown agrees well with theoretical predictions based on the Townsend avalanche theory. According to the Townsend avalanche theory, the minimum induction electric field for plasma breakdown depends on neutral gas pressure and connection length. For stable plasma breakdown, a sufficiently large induction electric field is required. However, in the case of spherical tokamaks without electric insulation in the toroidal direction, the effect of eddy currents flowing in the toroidal direction should be considered in evaluating a feasible induction electric field because this effect suppresses the generation of an induction electric field. On a QUEST spherical tokamak, the possibility of Townsend avalanche breakdown is studied by evaluating the connection length and achievable induction electric field. The connection length is greater than 100 m in the case where a null point is set to be R=0.56 m with a CS coil current of 2.0 kA and a PF26 coil current of 0.4 kA. Moreover, the induction electric field is about 1.5 V at this point including the effect of eddy currents. With these values, the initial plasma production by the induction electric field is sufficiently possible on QUEST.

The high power and long pulse operation of the gyrotron as well as efficient transmission of its output are quite important for achieving improved plasma performances. A 28 GHz 1 MW gyrotron developed for GAMMA 10/PDX achieved an output power of 1.38 MW in 2015 experiment after the power supply was improved. Furthermore, a new 28/35 GHz dual-frequency gyrotron (2 MW 3 s and 0.4 MW CW) for QUEST, NSTX-U, Heliotron J and GAMMA 10/PDX has been fabricated, after the preliminary test of a double-disk sapphire window installed in the gyrotron was performed. In the first experimental test, the oscillation of the main mode was confirmed at a frequency of 28.036 GHz with a Gaussian-like beam and an output power of 1.22 MW.

Combined experiments with lower hybrid (LH) waves (LHWs) and electron cyclotron (EC) waves (ECWs) have been performed to study counter (ctr) current drive (CD) (ctr-CD) in LHCD plasma. Although the...