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Expansion of the Operation Region of Tokamak Plasmas Using the Stationary Direct Current of a Central Solenoid

Osamu WATANABE, Hibiki YAMAZAKI, Yongtae KO, Kotaro IWASAKI and Naoto TSUJII

The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan

(Received 3 December 2020 / Accepted 21 February 2021 / Published 21 April 2021)

Abstract

A stationary direct current of a central solenoid (DC_CS) can expand the operation region of tokamak plasmas. For tokamak plasma formation experiments using electron cyclotron heating (ECH) alone, the minimum ECH power and plasma current necessary for tokamak plasma formation were reduced using the DC_CS, which was applied in the counter rotational direction to the plasma current. In TST-2, the minimum ECH power necessary for the formation of a tokamak plasma was reduced from 3.3 to 1.6 kW when the DC_CS was changed from 0 to 184 A. Simultaneously, the plasma current that was needed to sustain the tokamak plasma configuration was reduced to 0.6 kA.

Copyright (c) 2021 The Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research

Keywords

tokamak plasma formation, electron cyclotron heating, stationary direct current of central solenoid, operation region of tokamak plasma

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.16.2402059

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