No abstract

Demonstrating improved confinement of energetic ions is one of the key goals of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. In the past campaigns, measuring confined fast ions has proven to be challenging. Future deuterium campaigns would open up the option of using fusion-produced neutrons to indirectly observe confined fast ions. There are two neutron populations: 2.45 MeV neutrons from thermonuclear and beam-target fusion, and 14.1 MeV neutrons from DT reactions between tritium fusion products and bulk deuterium. The 14.1 MeV neutron signal can be measured using a scintillating fiber neutron detector, whereas the overall neutron rate is monitored by common radiation safety detectors, for instance fission chambers. The fusion rates are dependent on the slowing-down distribution of the deuterium and tritium ions, which in turn depend on the magnetic configuration via fast ion orbits. In this work, we investigate the effect of magnetic configuration on neutron production rates in W7-X. The neutral beam injection, beam and triton slowing-down distributions, and the fusion reactivity are simulated with the ASCOT suite of codes. The results indicate that the magnetic configuration has only a small effect on the production of 2.45 MeV neutrons from DD fusion and, particularly, on the 14.1 MeV neutron production rates. Despite triton losses of up to 50 %, the amount of 14.1 MeV neutrons produced might be sufficient for a time-resolved detection using a scintillating fiber detector, although only in high-performance discharges.

After completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreed for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3  ×  1019 m−3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.

Abstract. The ITER electron cyclotron (EC) upper port antenna (or launcher) is nearing completion of the detailed design stage and will soon be starting the final build to print design. The main objective of this launcher is to drive current locally to stabilise the NTMs (depositing ECCD inside of the island that forms on either the q=3/2 or 2 rational magnetic flux surfaces) and control the sawtooth instability (deposit ECCD near the q=1 surface). The launcher should be capable of steering the focused beam deposition location to the resonant flux surface over the range in which the q=1, 3/2 and 2 surfaces are expected to be found, for the various plasma equilibria susceptible to the onset of NTMs and sawteeth. The aim of this paper is to provide the design status of the principle components that make up the launcher: port plug, mm-wave system and shield block components. The port plug represents the chamber that provides a rigid support structure that houses the mm-wave and shield blocks. The mm-wave system is comprised of the components used to guide the RF beams through the port plug structure and refocus the beams far into the plasma. The shield block components are used to attenuate the nuclear radiation from the burning plasma, protecting the fragile in-port components and reducing the neutron streaming through the port assembly. The design of these three subsystems is described, in addition, the relevant thermo-mechanical and electro-magnetic analysis are reviewed for the critical design issues.

Currently, a new multi-frequency ECRH system is under construction at the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak experiment. This system employs, for the first time in a fusion device, multi-frequency gyrotrons, step-tunable in the range 105–140 GHz. The first two gyrotrons, working at 105 and 140 GHz, were installed and tested. The matching optics unit includes a set of phase correcting mirrors for each frequency as well as a pair of broadband polarizer mirrors. The transmission line consists of non-evacuated corrugated HE11 waveguides with an inner diameter (ID) of 87 mm and has a total length of about 70 m. Transmission losses were deducted from calorimetric measurements both at the beginning and at the end of the transmission line at both frequencies and are in reasonable agreement with theory. Two transmission lines are completed so far and first plasma experiments with the new system have started. The first gyrotron Odissey-1 is currently being equipped with a broadband chemical vapour deposition (CVD) diamond Brewster output window and will become a step-tunable gyrotron with the additional frequencies 117 and 127 GHz. A tunable double-disc CVD-diamond window will be mounted at the torus. The system includes fast steerable launchers at the front end that will allow very localized feedback controlled power deposition in the plasma.