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Results are presented from an experiment in which a large amount of deuterium gas was continuously puffed at the scrape-off layer and exhausted from the DIII-D pump divertor ('puff and pump' technique). The experiments were conducted with a single null divertor configuration during edge localized mode (ELM)ing H mode. Steady state density conditions were attained during the strong deuterium puff. The deuterium puff reduced the central plasma density of argon, puffed continuously as a trace impurity, by as much as a factor of 20, and the central argon radiated power density by as much as a factor of 10

We have used experiments and modeling to develop a new radiative divertor configuration for DIII-D. Gas puffing experiments with the existing open divertor have shown the creation of a localized (∼ 10 cm diameter) radiation zone which results in substantial reduction (3–10) in the divertor heat flux while τ E remains ∼ 2 times ITER-89P scaling. However, n e increases with D 2 puffing, and Z eff increases with neon puffing. Divertor structures are required to minimize the effects on the core plasma. The UEDGE fluid code, benchmarked with DIII-D data, and the DEGAS neutrals transport code are used to estimate the effectiveness of divertor configurations; slots reduce the core ionization more than baffles. The overall divertor shape is set by confinement studies which indicate that high triangularity (δ ≈ 0.8) is important for high τ E VH-modes. Results from engineering feasibility studies, including diagnostic access, will be presented.

In this paper, we examine a denser and broader scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma, one class of which was first seen in VH mode, in the DIII-D tokamak. An enhanced SOL appears in many types of double-null (DN) discharges and is not a property of VH mode only. The L and H mode DN enhanced SOL density and temperature profiles exhibit a 5–6 cm broad profile outside the separatrix. The VH mode enhanced SOL is associated with a higher separatrix density and temperature and is only 1.5–2 cm wide. Both types of SOL enhancement are only observed in high triangularity discharges. The origin of the enhanced SOL is, however, not yet understood.

A regime of improved H mode energy confinement, the VH mode, was obtained following boronization of the DIII-D Tokamak vacuum vessel. The gradual confinement improvement in VH mode is associated with expansion of the H mode pedestal and reduction of thermal diffusivity in a region just inside the pedestal. Disappearance of density fluctuation bursts is associated with a confinement improvement in the latter region. The VH mode is terminated in a rapid global energy loss which is initiated by a mode with toroidal mode number, n approximately 5, consistent with calculated instability to an edge localized ideal kink. The improved confinement in VH mode is consistent with the extension of the region of the E*B velocity shear turbulence suppression zone further in from the plasma boundary. Expansion of the ideal ballooning second stability region and of the region with drift reversal stabilization of trapped particle modes are also considered as possible explanations for the confinement improvement

We summarize results from DIII-D in regard to issues for reactor application of H-mode. Recently, DIII-D has begun to operate a cryopump (D{sub 2} pumping speed = 31,000 {ell}/s at a pressure of 2 mTorr). Initial results are very favorable for density control in H-mode. The plasma density could be reduced by 50%. Energy confinement is unchanged so the temperature rises in proportion to the density drop. Ability to access these less collisional plasmas in H-mode is favorable to current drive application. With the all-graphite wall, impurity accumulation has been eliminated. The exceedingly good confinement of VH-mode offers the possibility of retaining good confinement while radiating copious power from the plasma edge using injected noble gas impurities.

A regime of improved H-mode energy confinement, VH-mode, is obtained in the DIII-D tokamak with adequate vessel conditioning. The improved confinement in VH-mode is consistent with the extension of the region of high E*B velocity shear turbulence suppression zone further in from the plasma boundary. The energy confinement enhancement in VH-mode can be limited by ELMs, localized momentum transfer events, or operation at high heating power or low q. Energy confinement enhancement improves with increasing triangularity of the plasma cross section and is independent of elongation. The termination of VH-mode is associated with an edge localized kink mode which is destabilized by both the large edge pressure gradient and edge current density.

D{sub 2} gas injected into ELMing H-mode discharges in DIII-D reduced total integrated heat flux to the divertor by {approximately}2{times} and peak heat flux by {approximately}5{times}, with only modest degradation to plasma stored energy. Steady gas injection without particle pumping results in eventual degradation in stored energy. The initial reduction in peak heat flux at the divertor tiles may be primarily due to the increase in radiated power from the X-point/divertor region. The eventual formation of a high density region near the X-point appears to play a role in momentum (and energy) transfer from the flux surfaces near the outboard strike point to flux surfaces farther out into the scrapeoff. This may also contribute to further reduction in peak heat flux.

A new modeling effort is made in order to understand the observed relatively low levels of impurity contamination during the VH-mode phase on DIII-D, as compared to those observed during the H-mode phase of selected discharges. The key element is the inclusion of the real 2-D flux surface geometry in the prediction of impurity penetration of sputtered atoms through the scrape-off layer into the core plasma. Of the elements which determine the impurity content in the plasma: sputtering yield, penetration, and core transport, the penetration through the scrape-off layer is found to be the most determinative factor. The low impurity content in VH-mode is attributed to the development of a scrape-off layer with higher density and temperature properties than those normally obtained in H-mode.

A thin boron film has been applied to the DIII-D tokamak plasma facing surfaces to reduce impurity influx, particularly oxygen and carbon. A direct result of this surface modification was the observation of a regime of very high energy confinement, VH-mode, with confinement times from 1.5 to 2 times greater than predicted by H-mode scaling relation for the same set of parameters. VH-mode discharges are characterized by low ohmic target densities, low edge neutral pressure, and reduced cycling. These conditions have reduced the collisionality, {nu}*, in the edge region producing a higher edge pressure gradient and a significant bootstrap current, up to 30% of the total current. We will describe the edge plasma properties after boronization including reductions in recycling inferred from measurements of {tau}{sup p}*. In particular we will discuss the edge plasma conditions necessary for access to VH-mode including the boronization process and properties of the deposited film.

Accurate equilibrium reconstruction and detailed stability analysis of a strongly shaped, double‐null, βT=11% discharge shows that the plasma core is in the second stable regime to ideal ballooning modes. The equilibrium reconstruction using all the available data (coil currents, poloidal magnetic loops, motional Stark effect data, the kinetic pressure profile, the magnetic axis location, and the location of the two q=1 surfaces) shows a region of negative magnetic shear near the magnetic axis, an outer positive shear region, and a low shear region connecting the two. The inner negative shear region allows a large positive shear region near the boundary, even at low q (q95=2.6), permitting a large outer region pressure gradient to be first regime stable. The inner region is in the second stable regime, consistent with the observed axial beta [βT(0)=44%]. In the low shear region p’ vanishes, consistent with Mercier stability. This is one way to extend the ballooning limit in shaped plasmas while maintainin...

The DIII-D tokamak has been carbonized by the application of a carbon film covering all plasma facing surfaces. Carbonization was done in order to reduce the metal impurity influx and central metal accumulation especially during beam heated D{sup O} {yields} D{sup +} H-mode discharges. After carbonization, nickel impurity line radiation was reduced by a factor of 10 during the ohmic phase of the discharge and up to a factor of 30 during the H-mode phase. The reduction of metal impurities also produced a reduction of total radiated power and allowed high current operation. After carbonization, the highest plasma current in a double null divertor, and the highest stored energy ever achieved on DIII-D were observed, 3 MA and 3.6 MJ respectively. A toroidal beta, {beta}{sub T} = 5.1%, at full field, 2.1 T, was obtained. On the first day after carbonization, H-mode density profiles were more peaked than pre-carbonization discharges. 20 refs., 6 figs.

A survey of the boundary physics research on the DIII-D tokamak and an outline of the DIII-D Advanced Divertor Program (ADP) is presented. We will present results of experiments on impurity control, impurity transport, neutral particle transport, and particle effects on core confinement over a wide range of plasma parameters, Ip ≲ 3 MA, βT ≲ 10.7%, P(auxiliary)≲ 20 MW. Based on the understanding gained in these studies, we in collaboration with a number of other laboratories have devised a series of experiments (ADP) to modify the core plasma conditions through changes in the edge electric field, neutral recycling, and plasma-surface interactions.

The DIII‐D tokamak is being upgraded to allow for divertor biasing, baffling, and pumping experiments. This paper gives an overview of the new diagnostics added to DIII‐D as part of this advanced divertor program. They include tile current monitors, fast reciprocating Langmuir probes, a fixed probe array in the divertor, fast neutral pressure gauges, and Hα measurements with TV cameras and fiber optics coupled to a high‐resolution spectrometer.

A novel, electrically biasable, semiclosed divertor was installed and operated in the DIII-D lower outside divertor location. The semiclosed divertor has yielded static gas pressure buildups in the pumping plenum in excess of 10 mtorr. Electrical bias controls the distribution of particle recycle between the inner and outer divertors by E*B drifts. Depending on sign, bias increases or decreases the plenum gas pressure. Bias greatly reduces the sensitivity of plenum pressure to separatrix position. In particular, E*B drifts in the DIII-D geometry can direct plasma across a divertor target and then optimally into the pumping aperture. Bias, even without active pumping, has also demonstrated a limited control of ELMing H-mode plasma density. >

Following boronization, tokamak discharges in DIII-D have been obtained with confinement times up to a factor of 3.5 above the ITER89-P L-mode scaling and 1.8 times greater than the DIII-D/JET H-mode scaling relation. Very high confinement phases are characterized by relatively high central density with ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{e}}$(0)\ensuremath{\approxeq}1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$, and central ion temperatures up to 13.6 keV at moderate plasma currents (1.6 MA) and heating powers (12.5--15.3 MW). These discharges exhibit a low fraction of radiated power, P\ensuremath{\le}25%, ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{e}\mathit{f}\mathit{f}}$(0) close to unity, and lower impurity influxes than comparable DIII-D discharges before boronization.

A major portion of the DIII-D program includes studies of the L-H transition, of the VH-mode, of particle transport and control and of the power-handling capability of a divertor. Significant progress has been made in all of these areas and the purpose of this paper is to summarize the major results obtained during the last two years. An increased understanding of the origin of improved confinement in H-mode and in VH-mode discharges has been obtained, good impurity control has been achieved in several operating scenarios, studies of helium transport provide encouraging results from the point of view of reactor design, an actively pumped divertor chamber has controlled the density in H-mode discharges and a radiative divertor is a promising technique for controlling the heat flux from the main plasma.