Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
                 May 18, 2009
                   

FY2009 weeks of research operations:
  Target: TBD
  Completed:  0 weeks


Physics
-------

We continued to have meetings last week to consider proposals from the
last IDEAS Forum.  Meetings covering Pedestal Physics, Advanced
Scenarios, Enhanced L-mode, Particle Transport and Ion-scale Turbulence
studies were held.  During these meetings the relevance of the proposals
to the overall physics program was considered, priorities were assessed,
and consideration given to the amount of run time required.  In many
cases ideas were consolidated into single experimental proposals.


Operations
----------

Work on machine re-assembly continued last week with completion of cable
runs for the vessel heaters and thermocouples.  Testing of the heater
system with upgraded control software is ongoing.  Installation of the
TF scanner system that monitors feltmetal joint resistances has
begun. The igloo cover is now in place, completing installation of the
gamma and neutron shield that protects instrumentation in the cell.

Last Tuesday the alternator stator Hi-Pot, Polarization Index, and
winding resistance tests were successfully completed.  These tests
represent a major step forward in bringing the alternator back into
service.  The rotor has been moved between axial thrust bearing limits,
and the axial position probes have been calibrated.  Calibration of the
other instrumentation including vibration sensors will begin on Monday.
The alternator drive motor is being moved back into position.

Work continued over the weekend on installation of new boron coated
tiles onto the split and full limiters.  This work is now complete, and
the limiters are ready for installation. Work also continued on the
in-vessel installation of periscopes, Langmuir probes, thermocouples, the
MSE heat shield, magnetics coils, gas puff imaging, and other diagnostic
related components.


Lower Hybrid Systems
--------------------

We continue to fabricate components for the new launcher.  The first of
the production 4-way couplers has been taken to the vendor for welding
of the forward waveguide sections onto the coupler body.  Fourteen of the
sixteen coupler bodies have been completed.  Production brazing of the
vacuum windows into the forward waveguide sections continued over the
weekend.  Four more waveguides have been leak-checked successfully and
are being prepared for welding.

High power tests of the prototype coupler have allowed initial tests of
the new rf probes and their associated I/Q detectors to be made.  The
performance of these new components agrees with predictions from
modeling results.


ICRF Systems
------------

The MOSFETs in the final power amplifier (FPA) grid regulator for FMIT#3
have been replaced with a modern, high reliability component, and
ferrites have been installed to insure that rf parasitic oscillations
are properly damped.  Preparations are being made to bench test these
new components before installation in the transmitter.


Travel and Visits
-----------------

David Anderson, U. Wisconsin, Madison, delivered a PSFC Seminar on
"Equilibrium currents and electron transport studies in HSX". While
visiting, he had productive discussions with several PSFC scientists.

Mark Smith, PPPL, was at MIT last week to help with the MSE in-vessel
installation.
_______________________________________________
Cmod_weekly mailing list
Cmod_weekly@lists.psfc.mit.edu
http://lists.psfc.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/cmod_weekly