Long Pulse H-Mode Scenarios Sustained by RF Heating on EAST

Abstract EAST has demonstrated its capability of long pulse operation using RF heating （LHCD and ICRF） in past experiments. One key issue to realize the long pulse H-mode expert- meats is to sustain the plasma current for steady state operation. Based on the calculations of the transport code ONETWO and its coupled RF code GENRAY, two scenarios have been proposed to achieve the 10 s H-mode plasma with Ip=400 kA, 〈 ne 〉=4.5×1019 m-a, βN=2, and the 100 s H-mode plasma with Ip=280 kA, 〈 ne 〉=3.5×1019 m-a, βN=1.8 recently. The current drive of lower hybrid wave is an important issue in the two scenarios. An experimental result on lower hybrid current drive in H-mode plasmas on EAST is also presented.

Effect of driving frequency on electron heating in capacitively coupled RF argon glow discharges at low pressure

A one-dimensional（1D） fluid model on capacitively coupled radio frequency（RF） argon glow discharge between parallel-plates electrodes at low pressure is established to test the effect of the driving frequency on electron heating. The model is solved numerically by a finite difference method. The numerical results show that the discharge process may be divided into three stages： the growing rapidly stage, the growing slowly stage, and the steady stage. In the steady stage,the maximal electron density increases as the driving frequency increases. The results show that the discharge region has three parts： the powered electrode sheath region, the bulk plasma region and the grounded electrode sheath region. In the growing rapidly stage（at 18 μs）, the results of the cycle-averaged electric field, electron temperature, electron density, and electric potentials for the driving frequencies of 3.39, 6.78, 13.56, and 27.12 MHz are compared, respectively. Furthermore,the results of cycle-averaged electron pressure cooling, electron ohmic heating, electron heating, and electron energy loss for the driving frequencies of 3.39, 6.78, 13.56, and 27.12 MHz are discussed, respectively. It is also found that the effect of the cycle-averaged electron pressure cooling on the electrons is to ＂cool＂ the electrons; the effect of the electron ohmic heating on the electrons is always to ＂heat＂ the electrons; the effect of the cycle-averaged electron ohmic heating on the electrons is stronger than the effect of the cycle-averaged electron pressure cooling on the electrons in the discharge region except in the regions near the electrodes. Therefore, the effect of the cycle-averaged electron heating on the electrons is to ＂heat＂ the electrons in the discharge region except in the regions near the electrodes. However, in the regions near the electrodes, the effect of the cycle-averaged electron heating on the electron is to ＂cool＂ the electrons. Finally, the space distributions of the electron pressure cooling the electron ohmic heating and the electron heating at 1/4 T, 2/4 T, 3/4 T, and 4/4 T in one RF-cycle are presented and compared.

Realization of minute-long steady-state H-mode discharges on EAST

In the 2016 EAST experimental campaign,a steady-state long-pulse H-mode discharge with an ITER-like tungsten divertor lasting longer than one minute has been obtained using only RF heating and current drive,through an integrated control of the wall conditioning,plasma configuration,divertor heat flux,particle exhaust,impurity management,and effective coupling of multiple RF heating and current drive sources at high injected power.The plasma current（Ip - 0.45 MA） was fully-noninductively driven（Vloop 〈 0.0 V） by a combination of-2.5 MW LHW,-0.4 MW ECH and -0.8 MW ICRF.This result demonstrates the progress of physics and technology studies on EAST,and will benefit the physics basis for steady state operation of ITER and CFETR.

Production of a High-Mach-Number Plasma Flow for an Advanced Plasma Space Thruster

A higher specific impulse and a larger thrust are required for a mannedinterplanetary space thruster. Prior to a realization of a fusion-plasma thruster, amagneto-plasma-dynamic arcjet (MPDA) powered by a fission reactor is one of the promising candidatesfor a manned Mars space thruster. The MPDA plasma is accelerated axially by a self-induced j x Bforce. Thrust performance of the MPDA is expected to increase by applying a magnetic nozzle insteadof a solid nozzle. In order to get a much higher thruster performance, two methods have beeninvestigated in the HITOP device, Tohoku University. One is to use a magnetic Laval nozzle in thevicinity of the MPDA muzzle for converting the high ion thermal energy to the axial flow energy. Theother is to heat ions by use of an ICRF antenna in the divergent magnetic nozzle. It is found thatby use of a small-sized Laval-type magnetic nozzle, the subsonic flow near the muzzle is convertedto be supersonic through the magnetic Laval nozzle. A fast-flowing plasma is successfully heated byuse of an ICRF antenna in the magnetic beach configuration.