Non-ohmic ignition scenarios in Ignitor Augusta Airoldi IFP, EURATOM-ENEA-CNR Association, Milano, Italy Francesca Bombarda, Giovanna Cenacchi Ignitor Group, ENEA, Italy Bruno Coppi MIT, USA DPP1 APS Meeting - Paper QP1.76
Abstract In the reference Ignitor scenario (B. Coppi et al. (21) Nuclear Fusion 41, 1253), extensively investigated by 1 1/2-D equilibrium-transport simulations, ignition was found to be reachable with ohmic heating only. Nevertheless, an auxiliary heating system at the ion cyclotron frequency delivering up to 18-24 MW, that is an amount comparable to the expected alpha heating, has been included in the machine design. Time dependent simulations show that the application of ICRH during the current ramp can accelerate the attainment of ignition, and it can help to control the evolution of the current profile, for example by keeping the value of the central q above 1. The present work carried out by the JETTO code aims at establishing the amount of power effectively required for ignition, in the standard limiter configuration. Although relatively low levels of RF power are appropriate to optimize the process of reaching ignition, these will be needed during a phase of varying magnetic field, requiring antennas tuned at various frequencies to operate in sequence. An overview of the possible heating procedures for the most significant phase of the Ignitor experiment is presented.
Ignitor reference parameter B.Coppi et al.(2 1) Nuclear Fu sion 41,1253 s Simulations start at this time Major radius R 1.32m Minor radii a b.47.86 Aspect ratio 2.8 Elongation k 1.8 Triangularity δ.4 Toroidal field B T (R ) 13T Toroidal current I p 11MA Poloidal current I ϑ 8 MA Plasma Volume V 1 m 3 Plasma Surface S a 36 m 2 Safety factor q Ψ 3.6 Plasma duration t (4 + 4)s Ip [MA] ; Bt [T] 15 1 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 t [s]
Simulation highlights -1- The updated version of the JETTO code is used (Airoldi and Cenacchi, NF (1997) 37,1117) Free-boundary axysimmetric equilibrium 2.5 1MA 2MA.8 2 3MA 4MA.4 Z [m] 1.5 1 5MA 6MA 7MA Z [m].5 8MA 9MA -.4 1MA -.8.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 11MA.6.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 R [m] R [m]
-2- Diffusion equations for: toroidal current density electron thermal energy ion thermal energy primary ion densities (D-T) impurity ion densities(c-o) Neoclassical electrical resistivity Losses due to: impurity radiation bremsstrahlung emission synchrotron radiation
-3- Electron thermal diffusion Coppi-Mazzucato + Coppi ubiquitous modes contribution χ e = c E χ CMG e + c UB χ UB e [Coppi et al., Phys. Scr. (1992) 45,112] Mixed Bohm-gyro-Bohm model χ e = α B χ Bohm e + α gb χ gb e [Vlad et al., NF (1998) 38,557] Ion thermal diffusion: χ i = χ i NC + c ei χ e
-4-1 Particle transport: = D n 2 S 2 + ( ρ) inw i V dv d n ρ α ρ / ρ Γ i p i with D p =α p χ e pl.8.6.4.2 f i f e Alpha heating source in the form: S α(e,i) = n D n T W α <σv DT >f e,i (T e )γ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 T e 2.5 [kev] 5MW RF power source by the simple expression P RF = P exp{-[(ρ c -ρ)/ ρ] 2 } MW/m 3 2 1.5 1.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 rho Augusta-17/7/1
Non-ohmic ignition scenarios The Ignitor ICRH system will be able to provide 18-24 MW in the frequency range 7-14 MHz through six 2-strap antennas. The application of ICRH during the current ramp up phase is complicated by the fact that, during part of that time, the toroidal field is also ramping up, from 8 to 13 T. Various heating schemes can be adopted - H or 3 He minority heating can be used in a 5:5 D-T plasma. The JETTO transport simulations indicate that the achievement of ignition can be accelerated by the application of relatively modest amounts of auxiliary heating. This allows considering staggered frequencies (up to 3)
Two-frequencies, 3 He minority heating 115 MHz 95 MHz
Three-frequencies, 3 He minority heating 12 MHz 15 MHz 9 MHz
Two frequencies, H minority heating 14 MHz 13 MHz
5 MW applied from 1.3s to 2.3s Coppi model for χ e Peaked RF profile Ohmic case 3 25 2 2.5 2 5MW MW 15 1 MW/m 3 1.5 1 5.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 t [s] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 rho Augusta-17/7/1 The more centered deposition profile gives the major boost to the ignition achievement
Energy confinement time - ohmic case and RF case τ CODE E = ( W + W ) /( P + P + P dw / dt) e i Ω α AUX tot dw/dt.7.6 ITER97L CODE ITER97L* 2 dw/dt.7.6 ITER97L CODE ITER97L* 2 dw/dt.5 15.5 15 s.4.3 1 MW s.4.3 1 MW.2 5.2 5.1.1 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 time [s] time [s] ITER97L. 2. 64. 96. 4. 6 1. 89. 3. 73 τ E =. 23Ai k Ip n19 a R B PIN ITER97L τ * 2 64 96 4 6 1 89 3 73 E 23A. i k. I. p n. 19 a. R. B. =. P. NET P = P + P + P IN Ω α AUX P = P + P + P dw dt NET Ω α AUX /
3MW from 4.3s to 5.3s B-gB model for χ e 2 blue - ohmic case red - RF heated case 2 2 15 1.5 1.5 MW 1 MW/m 3 1 1 5.5.5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 t [s] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ρ Augusta-KNb-july21 3MW are sufficient to prevent the triggering of sawteeth and ignition is achieved
Energy confinement times Ohmic case 3 MW applied at 4.3s.7.6 ITER97L CODE ITER97L* 2.7.6 ITER97L CODE ITER97L* 2 dw/dt.5 15.5 15 s.4.3 MW 1 dw/dt s.4.3 MW 1.2.1 5.2.1 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 time [s] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 time [s]
Conclusions A limited level of RF power, injected during the current ramp, can significantly shorten and optimize the time to reach ignition RF power may also be used to control the current density profile so as to avoid MHD instabilities See poster QP1.77 for the RF application in the case of an advanced scenario associated with X-point configurations