Disruptions are a major operational concern for next generation tokamaks, including ITER. They may generate excessive heat loads on plasma facing components, large electromagnetic forces in the machine structures and several MA of multi-MeV runaway electrons. A more complete understanding of the runaway generation processes and methods to suppress them is necessary to ensure safe and reliable operation of future tokamaks. Runaway electrons were studied at JET-ILW showing that their generation dependencies (accelerating electric field, avalanche critical field, toroidal field, MHD fluctuations) are in agreement with current theories.

We present an ultrafast neural network (NN) model, QLKNN, which predicts core tokamak transport heat and particle fluxes. QLKNN is a surrogate model based on a database of 300 million flux calculations of the quasilinear gyrokinetic transport model QuaLiKiz. The database covers a wide range of realistic tokamak core parameters. Physical features such as the existence of a critical gradient for the onset of turbulent transport were integrated into the neural network training methodology. We have coupled QLKNN to the tokamak modelling framework JINTRAC and rapid control-oriented tokamak transport solver RAPTOR. The coupled frameworks are demonstrated and validated through application to three JET shots covering a representative spread of H-mode operating space, predicting turbulent transport of energy and particles in the plasma core. JINTRAC-QLKNN and RAPTOR-QLKNN are able to accurately reproduce JINTRAC-QuaLiKiz T i,e and n e profiles, but 3 to 5 orders of magnitude faster. Simulations which take hours are reduced down to only a few tens of seconds. The discrepancy in the final source-driven predicted profiles between QLKNN and QuaLiKiz is on the order 1%-15%. Also the dynamic behaviour was well captured by QLKNN, with differences of only 4%-10% compared to JINTRAC-QuaLiKiz observed at mid-radius, for a study of density buildup following the L-H transition. Deployment of neural network surrogate models in multi-physics integrated tokamak modelling is a promising route towards enabling accurate and fast tokamak scenario optimization, Uncertainty Quantification, and control applications.

A power-balance model, with radiation losses from impurities and neutrals, gives a unified description of the density limit (DL) of the stellarator, the L-mode tokamak, and the reversed field pinch (RFP). The model predicts a Sudo-like scaling for the stellarator, a Greenwald-like scaling, , for the RFP and the ohmic tokamak, a mixed scaling, , for the additionally heated L-mode tokamak. In a previous paper (Zanca et al 2017 Nucl. Fusion 57 056010) the model was compared with ohmic tokamak, RFP and stellarator experiments. Here, we address the issue of the DL dependence on heating power in the L-mode tokamak. Experimental data from high-density disrupted L-mode discharges performed at JET, as well as in other machines, are taken as a term of comparison. The model fits the observed maximum densities better than the pure Greenwald limit.

The pedestal structure of type I ELMy H-modes has been analysed for JET-ILW. The electron pressure pedestal width is independent of ρ* and increases proportionally to √β pol,PED. Additional broadening of the width is observed, at constant β pol,PED , with increasing ν* and/or neutral gas injection and the contribution of atomic physics effects in setting the pedestal width cannot as yet be ruled out. Neutral penetration alone does not determine the shape of the edge density profile in JET-ILW. The ratio of electron density to electron temperature scale lengths in the edge transport barrier region, η e , is of order 1.5-2. The inter-ELM temporal evolution of the pedestal structure in JET-ILW is not unique, but depends on discharge conditions, such as heating power and gas injection levels. The strong reduction in p e,PED with increasing D 2 gas injection at high power is primarily due to clamping of ∇T e, half way through the ELM cycle and is suggestive of turbulence limiting the T e pedestal growth. The inter-ELM pedestal evolution in JET-ILW is consistent with the EPED model assumptions only at low beta. At higher beta the inter-ELM pedestal evolution is qualitatively inconsistent with the KBM constraint at low gas rate, while at high gas rate the P-B constraint is not satisfied and the ELM trigger mechanism remains as yet unexplained.

This work presents a detailed characterisation of the MAST Scrape Off Layer in L-mode. Scans in line averaged density, plasma current and toroidal magnetic field were performed. A comprehensive and integrated study of the SOL was allowed by the use of a wide range of diagnostics. In agreement with previous results, an increase of the line averaged density induced a broadening of the midplane density profile. This increase was not correlated with divertor detachment, as confirmed by the systematic increase of the target ion flux and decrease of the D γ /D α emission. Also, no clear correlation is found with the density of the neutral particles at the wall. At comparable density levels, discharges with higher current did not show broadening. Outer target ion saturation current and heat flux decay lengths were measured and compared with midplane data. For the saturation current, the upstream projections of the target values, based on diffusive models, did not match the midplane measurements, neither in amplitude nor in trend, while agreement was found for the heat fluxes, suggesting a different perpendicular transport mechanism for the two channels. Furthermore, the value of the heat flux decay length was quite insensitive to changes in the thermodynamic conditions, in agreement with recent scaling laws. In all the cases studied, sawtooth oscillations were present but they simply rescaled self-similarly the target profiles. The separatrix conditions changed significantly during a sawtooth cycle, but the heat flux decay length and divertor spreading factor remained nearly constant, indicating that these quantities are rather insensitive to the upstream thermodynamic state of the SOL.