Stabilization Analysis of Neoclassical Tearing Mode in Fusion Plasmas

Abstract

For the stabilization of neoclassical tearing mode (NTM), Electron Cyclotron Current Drive (ECCD) is used. The change of the EC control efficiency depends on EC modulation width and EC injection phase lag from the Opoint of magnetic island. In this work, NTM stabilization by ECCD is analyzed using 1.5-dimensional transport code TOTAL, in which the time variation of magnetic island is described by the modified Rutherford equation. NTM in ITER can be stabilized when the EC phase lag is smaller than 10% and the EC modulation width is around 20%, when the time-averaged EC current and power is fixed.

Critical Issues of Burning Plasma, Engineering, Economic and Environmental Assessments on Steady-State Fusion Reactors

“…After the benchmark test with JT-60U and LHD experimental results and other integrated code results, we analyzed ITB operation scenario with high bootstrap current [3], ITB control by pellet injection [4], edge control by Krypton impurity injection [5], impurity exhaust by sawteeth oscillation [6], NTM evolution/control by electron cyclotron current drive/non-resonant helical field (ECCD/NRHF) application [7], and rather strong helical field application for plasma configuration improvement [8,9].…”