PLASMA-SURFACE INTERACTIONS WITH ICRF ANTENNAS AND LOWER HYBRID GRILLS IN TORE SUPRA

摘要

The edge plasma interactions of the actively cooled radio-frequency heating launchers in Tore Supra ion-cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) antennas and lower-hybrid (LH) grills are studied using infrared video imaging. On the two-strap ICRF antennas, operated in fast-wave electron heating or current drive mode, hot spots with temperatures of 500-900 degrees C are observed by the end of 2 s power pulses of 2 MW per antenna. The steady-state temperature distribution is determined principally by the relative phase of the two antenna straps: dipole (heating) phasing results in significantly less antenna heating than does 90 degrees (current drive) phasing. Transient heat fluxes of 1-20 MW/m(2) are measured on the lateral protection bumpers at ICRF turn-on; these fluxes are primarily a function of plasma and radio frequency (rf) control. The remarkable feature of the lower hybrid edge interaction is the production of beams of heat flux in front of the grills; these beams propagate along the helical magnetic field lines and can deliver fluxes of 5-10 MW/m(2) over areas of several cm(2) to plasma-facing components. Both the ICRF and LH phenomena appear to result from the acceleration of particles by the near fields of the launchers. Modeling of the heat flux deposition on components and its relation to sputtering processes is presented. [References: 8]