Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 7, 2502140 (2012)

Overview Articles

Advances in Lower Hybrid Current Drive for Tokamak Long Pulse Operation: Technology and Physics

Gia Tuong HOANG, Léna DELPECH, Annika EKEDAHL, Young-soon BAE¹⁾, Joelle ACHARD, Gilles BERGER-BY, Moo-hyun CHO²⁾, Joan DECKER, Remi DUMONT, Heejin DO²⁾, Cedric GOLETTO, Marc GONICHE, Dominique GUILHEM, Julien HILLAIRET, Haejin KIM¹⁾, Patrick MOLLARD, Won NAMKUNG²⁾, Seungil PARK¹⁾, Hyeon PARK²⁾, Yves PEYSSON, Serge POLI, Marc PROU, Melanie PREYNAS, Promod Kumar SHARMA³⁾, Hyung-Lyeol YANG¹⁾ and Tore Supra Team

: CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
1): National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea
2): Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea
3): Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India

(Received 28 November 2011 / Accepted 19 March 2012 / Published 15 October 2012)

Abstract

The paper gives a picture of the present status and understanding of technology and physics of Lower Hybrid Current Drive for long pulse operation in tokamaks, including the development of continuous wave (CW) high power klystrons, and its evolutions towards ITER. 3.7 GH / 700 kW CW klystrons produced in series by Thales Electron Devices are now in operation on Tore Supra. First series of eight klystrons delivered more than 4 MW to sustain non-inductive plasmas during 50 s. Moreover, a prototype of 500 kW CW klystron operating at 5 GHz developed for KSTAR by Toshiba Electron Tubes and Devices, and foreseen for ITER, is able to produce RF output powers of 300 kW / 800 s and 450 kW / 20 s on matched load. The situation on wave coupling and antennas is reported, with the latest Tore Supra results of the new CW Passive-Active Multi-junction (PAM) launcher: the antenna concept foreseen for ITER. First experiments with the PAM antenna in Tore Supra have provided extremely encouraging results in terms of power handling and coupling. Relevant ITER power density of ∼25 MW/m² (2.7 MW of power injected into the plasma) has been maintained over ∼80 s. In addition, LH power of 2.7 MW has been coupled at a plasma-antenna distance of 10 cm.

Keywords

lower hybrid current drive, CW klystron, ITER, tokamak, long pulse operation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.7.2502140

Full Text

PDF format (3.8Mbytes) PDF Download

References

[1] A. Béoulet and G.T. Hoang, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 50, 124055 (2008).
[2] O. Motojima, Nucl. Fusion 47, S668 (2007).
[3] T. Yamamoto et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 45, 716 (1980).
[4] K. Ohkubo et al., Nucl. Fusion 22, 203 (1982).
[5] S. Kubo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1994 (1983).
[6] J. Li and B. Wan, Nucl. Fusion 51, 094007 (2011).
[7] B. Wan et al., Nucl. Fusion 49, 104011 (2009).
[8] The JET Team, Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, 1993 (Proceed. 14th IAEA Conf, Wurzburg, Germany, 1992), Vol. 1, p. 197, IAEA-CN-56/A-7-7.
[9] D. Van Houtte et al., Nucl. Fusion 44, L11 (2004).
[10] H. Zushi et al., Nucl. Fusion 43, 1600 (2003).
[11] G.S. Lee, M. Kwon, C.J. Doh, B.G. Hong, K. Kim and M.H. Cho, Nucl. Fusion 41, 1515 (2001).
[12] P.K. Sharma et al., 23rd National Symposium on Plasma Science & Technology; Journal of Physics: Conference Series 208, 012027 (2010).
[13] G.T. Hoang et al., Nucl. Fusion 49, 075001 (2009).
[14] http://www.tpg.efda.org/hcd/public/HCD-08-03-01
[15] J. Decker et al., Nucl. Fusion 51, 073025 (2011).
[16] S.H. Kim et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 51, 065020 (2009).
[17] C.E. Kessel et al., Nucl. Fusion 47, 1274 (2007).
[18] Ph. Bibet et al., Nucl. Fusion 35, 1213 (1995).
[19] F. Mirizzi et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 66-/68, 621 (2003).
[20] Ph. Bibet et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 74, 419 (2005).
[21] J. Hillairet et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 823 (2011).
[22] M. Porkolab et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 450 (1984).
[23] F. Leuterer et al., Nucl. Fusion 31, 2315 (1991).
[24] V. Pericoli-Ridolfini et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 93 (1999).
[25] M.L. Watkins et al., in Fusion Energy 2006 (Proc. 21st Int. Conf. Chengdu, 2006) (Vienna: IAEA) CD-ROM file OV/1-3 and http://www-naweb.iaea.org/napc/physics/FEC/FEC2006/html/index.htm
[26] K. Ushigusa et al., Nucl. Fusion 29, 1055 (1989).
[27] S. Ide et al., in Fusion Energy 1998 (Proc. 17th Int. Conf. Yokohama, 1998) (Vienna: IAEA) CD-ROM file CD1/4 and http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/csp_008c/fec1998/html/node97.htm#14638
[28] S. Bernabei et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1255 (1982).
[29] G. Briffod et al., Nucl. Fusion 25, 1033 (1985).
[30] F. Kazarian et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 84, 1006 (2009).
[31] http://www.cpii.com/product.cfm/1/20/48
[32] K. Hanada et al., in 22nd IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (Geneve, Switzerland) FT/P3-25. http://www-naweb.iaea.org/napc/physics/FEC/FEC2008/html/node114.htm#26074
[33] H. Do et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 992 (2011).
[34] L. Delpech et al., 19th Topical Conference on RF Power in Plasmas, Newport (2011). In submission to Fusion Eng. Des.
[35] D. Guilhem et al., Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 279 (2011).
[36] V. Pericoli Ridolfini et al., Nucl. Fusion 45, 1085 (2005).
[37] A. Ekedahl et al., Nucl. Fusion 50, 112002 (2010).
[38] J. Hillairet et al., Nucl. Fusion 50, 125010 (2010).
[39] M. Preynas et al., Nucl. Fusion 51, 023001 (2011).
[40] G. Berger-By et al., 19th Topical Conference on RF Power in Plasmas, Newport (2011).
[41] A. Ekedahl et al., 19th Topical Conference on RF Power in Plasmas, Newport (2011).

This paper may be cited as follows:

Gia Tuong HOANG, Léna DELPECH, Annika EKEDAHL, Young-soon BAE, Joelle ACHARD, Gilles BERGER-BY, Moo-hyun CHO, Joan DECKER, Remi DUMONT, Heejin DO, Cedric GOLETTO, Marc GONICHE, Dominique GUILHEM, Julien HILLAIRET, Haejin KIM, Patrick MOLLARD, Won NAMKUNG, Seungil PARK, Hyeon PARK, Yves PEYSSON, Serge POLI, Marc PROU, Melanie PREYNAS, Promod Kumar SHARMA, Hyung-Lyeol YANG and Tore Supra Team, Plasma Fusion Res. 7, 2502140 (2012).