Integrated Simulation Study of ELM Pacing by Pellet Injection in ITER

Simulations with an integrated code TOPICS-IB showed that a small pellet can significantly reduce the ELM energy loss by penetrating deeply into the pedestal and triggering high-n ballooning modes localized near the pedestal top, with conditions; the injection from the low-field-side with a speed fast enough to approach the pedestal top when the pedestal pressure is about 95% of natural ELM onset. The effectiveness of the above suitable conditions of pellet injection for ELM pacing has been confirmed by JT-60U and then ITER simulations. The pellet particle content required for ELM pacing is larger for the pedestal plasma with higher density and farther from the stability boundary of ideal ballooning mode near the pedestal top. For an ITER standard scenario, the required pellet particle content is about a few % of pedestal particle content, which gives the physics background to the present design value. Simulations also showed that fueling pellets can be injected from the high-field-side just after ELM pacing pellets without disturbing the pacing. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)