Alcator C-Mod Run 1050207 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:298a
Date Filed: 5/20/2002
Title:C-Mod Plasma Startup
First Author:Jim Irby
Session Leader:Jim Irby (shots 1-25)

Operators
Session leader(s):Jim Irby
Physics operator(s):Ron Parker,Ron Parker,Jim Irby,Jim Irby,Ron Parker
Engineering operator(s):

Engineering Operator Run Comment
Plasma Startup and Conditioning/Cochran

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Feb 7 2005 11:47:16:880AM
Author: Jim Irby
We will continue plasma conditioning today.

Start from 1050204013 (the 150 ms, 500 kA shot from Friday)

There will still be no density feedback today.

I suggest we puff gas for 20 or 30 ms and then run off whatever comes out of the walls.

Object is to get full length low density shots.

We should keep plasma current low until we are happy with OH2L coax
resistance. Delays should remain on TF and OH supplies to
keep double swing in OH2L.

Shot 1 should be a data system test

We should do a very complete cell check since lots of work has been going
on in the cell.

Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Feb 7 2005 12:41:37:427PM
Author: Ron Parker
The run today will have plasma conditioning as its goal.

We will start from a shot last Friday, 1050204013.

There will be no density feedback; instead we'll use preprogrammed gas puff.

Our objective will be to get full length low density shots, ideal for LHCD.

Shot 1 will test the data system

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Feb 8 2005 09:57:51:350AM
Author: Jim Irby
Primary task for today was to run the machine and continue plasma cleanup.
We got one 1.3 s, 550 kA discharge today (shot 22), and one 0.4 s discharge (shot 18).
Plasmas are still very dirty (ciii high after first 400 ms discharge) and h/(h+d) is around 50%.
We will discharge clean tonight and conditions should be better tomorrow.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Feb 7 2005 07:10:34:613PM
Author: Ron Parker
The run was devoted simply to cleaning up the machine and producing decent
plasmas. There were 23 shots of which 4 were cycle shots. All attempts at
plasma broke down (no duds), but only 5 shots produced substantial currents.

The best shot of the day was #22 which lasted for 1.25 s with a current of
550 kA. This shot ran entirely on wall-produced gas (except for the prefill).
In general, the tuning of the BR and BV was not particularly fruitful; breakdown
could be produced as early as ~ 4.5 ms, but the better discharges, such as they
were, were produced with later breakdown ~ 5.5 ms. Clearly, the result of a
long lasting shot is to produce loosely boundcimpurities for subsequent shots
that prevent burnthrough. Patience is required.



Session Leader Comments
Feb 7 2005 11:59:49:287AMJim IrbyWe were unable to move the neuts/hards into position in time for the run today.
Will have it ready to go for tomorrow.

Matt thinks the 2Pi diode and foil will be operational today. The foil will not
be calibrated, but Matt will check on it tonight. He also expects the diode array
to be operational.

We will not have density feedback.

Earl has hooked up the H/D fiber, the single chord VB, and the DALSA.


Feb 7 2005 12:07:51:910PMJim IrbyGV1 and GV2 will close at pulse for 300 s. SV3 open, SV4 at 200 clicks
Feb 7 2005 12:48:50:460PM1050207001Jim IrbyCycle test okay except we were missing all the oh_coax instrumentation data.
Found crate offline. With Josh's help we got it back online.


Feb 7 2005 01:22:02:270PM1050207002Jim IrbyAnother data system check to make sure the oh coax instrumentation is ready to go.

result: OH instrumentation is now okay, but sparker signal started too early??

Feb 7 2005 01:52:56:660PM1050207004Jim Irbysparker signals okay now.

ready for shot when Steve is satisfied with the DPCS and magnetics signals.

Steve ready with DPCS; ready for shot (13:35)

bright flash: fizzle



Feb 7 2005 02:26:41:020PM1050207005Jim Irbyfizzle

Feb 7 2005 02:26:52:600PM1050207006Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 03:03:57:723PM1050207007Jim Irbyplasma

Earl does have h/d running. About 25%

Feb 7 2005 03:25:06:147PM1050207008Jim Irbycycle test
Feb 7 2005 03:36:14:460PM1050207009Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 04:11:43:537PM1050207010Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 04:12:05:647PM1050207011Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 04:12:12:677PM1050207012Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 04:32:53:863PM1050207012Jim Irbyfizzle
Feb 7 2005 04:48:08:820PM1050207014Jim Irbyfizzle

OH2L below 2 uohms for the first time.

Feb 7 2005 05:05:51:677PM1050207015Jim IrbyRon has reloaded shot 7.

Plasma
Feb 7 2005 06:37:59:320PM1050207022Jim Irbyplasma for 1.3 s, 550 kA

h/(h+d) 50%

Feb 7 2005 06:46:34:193PM1050207023Jim Irbyfizzle

Physics Operator Comments
Feb 7 2005 01:39:30:100PM1050207001Ron ParkerFirst shot was a cycle test.
Feb 7 2005 01:39:52:270PM1050207002Ron ParkerShot 2 was a cycle test.
Feb 7 2005 01:41:32:863PM1050207003Ron Parker
Shot 3 was a cycle test, hopefully the last for now.
Feb 7 2005 01:51:46:210PM1050207004Ron ParkerShot 4 had a small flash, technically a fizzle. BR was about 1.5 mT (+) at breakdown,
so this was reduced by 0.0005 T for next shot.
Feb 7 2005 03:16:10:960PM1050207005Ron ParkerShot 5 was about the same as shot 4, although BR was < 0.5 mT at breakdown.

We'll try the gas next, reducing the preprogrammed pulse to 20 ms from 25
Feb 7 2005 02:20:03:723PM1050207006Ron ParkerShot 6 was similar to previous shots, althought the H-alpha signal was
lower by 10-15%, consistent with the lower fill pressure. Nevertheless,
there was no indication of a longer survival.

Consensus seems to be that BR should be more negative yet at breakdown,
so for next shot BR will be reduced by 0.5 mT (i.e., set at -1.0 mT)
Feb 7 2005 03:11:29:257PM1050207007Ron ParkerSuccess on shot 7 -- pulse lasted 300 msec @ ~ 500 kA. Density rises steadily
to n_eL(4) ~ 1.e20 m-2.

Shot 8: similar settings, but Segment 2 PG3 gas reduced to zero after 200 ms.

Oops -- more computer system problems. Shot 8 will be a shot cycle.
Feb 7 2005 03:23:30:553PM1050207008Ron ParkerShot 8 was a shot cycle.
Feb 7 2005 03:28:21:630PM1050207009Ron ParkerShot 9 was a fizzle. The gas will be slightly reduced (~ 10%) for next shot.
Feb 7 2005 03:47:05:270PM1050207010Ron ParkerShot 10 still fizzled, apparently choking on impurities.

We'll continue to reduce gas fill (2 ms) and also lower BR by 1 mT.

Feb 7 2005 04:04:00:677PM1050207011Ron ParkerShot is still fizzling. Is Bz too positive? Lower by 20 A.

Feb 7 2005 04:27:13:100PM1050207012Ron ParkerPlasma breakdown is early, ~ 5ms, but current does not rise. Carbon signal increased on that shot
compared to shot 11.
Feb 7 2005 04:32:57:320PM1050207013Ron ParkerNo change, no difference in result. Still very resistive. Breakdown is early and reliable
but current doesn't rise rapidly enough. Same settings.
Feb 7 2005 04:35:58:660PM1050207014Ron ParkerShot 14 was more of the same. Reload shot 7.
Feb 7 2005 04:53:58:693PM1050207015Ron ParkerWe got some current. Still a ratty discharge, particularly after 70 ms, but current made it to
300 kA. Later breakdown by about 2 ms seems to help. Keep trying.
Feb 7 2005 05:13:40:363PM1050207016Jim IrbyWhile Ron is at a meeting I'll try PO position

repeat of shot 15

fizzle --- ciii high

Feb 7 2005 05:23:25:303PM1050207017Jim Irbyrepeat of shot 16

gatevalve-toggle turned off for this shot and next one --- does it help startup?


plasma for 80 ms, 230 kA

Feb 7 2005 05:40:08:553PM1050207018Jim Irbygood plasma: 400 ms, 580 kA

ciii signal pretty clean and low

h/(h+d) 50%

gatevalve-toggle off for this shot

2PI diode is working and indicates an injection did us in..
Feb 7 2005 05:43:05:537PM1050207019Jim Irbyrepeat shot 18

gatevalve-toggle disabled

fizzle


Feb 7 2005 05:58:44:240PM1050207020Jim Irbyprefill from 20 to 18 ms

fizzle --- just noticed that we had pulsed gas #3 on to 400 ms

gatevalve-toggle was enabled for this shot
Feb 7 2005 06:16:12:863PM1050207021Jim Irbypulsed gas #3 zerroed out otherwise repeat of shot 20

forgot to load pulsed gas #3 changes on last shot --- should be okay for next shot


Feb 7 2005 06:26:32:130PM1050207022Ron ParkerParker back as PO. While gone, skilled tuning by Irby and Wolfe brought plasma to 1.25 s.

No gas injected during shot.

Repeat on next shot.
Feb 7 2005 06:43:20:647PM1050207023Ron ParkerShot fizzled, but seems on the verge of burning through.

Try again.
Feb 7 2005 06:53:34:160PM1050207024Ron ParkerShot 24 fizzled. No changes for shot 25.

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
112:13:31:257PMTestOk
212:48:00:473PMTestOkData system test
301:24:33:990PMTestOkData system test
401:34:40:710PMPlasmaOk
501:54:25:410PMPlasmaOk
602:08:50:770PMPlasmaOk
702:23:31:287PMPlasmaOk
803:10:02:740PMTestOk
903:19:29:943PMPlasmaOk
1003:36:30:460PMPlasmaOk
1103:52:40:240PMPlasmaOk
1204:05:15:757PMPlasmaOk
1304:18:37:410PMPlasmaOk
1404:31:47:020PMPlasmaOk
1504:47:03:257PMPlasmaOk
1605:02:05:210PMPlasmaOk
1705:14:33:630PMPlasmaOk
1805:27:01:223PMPlasmaOk
1905:39:24:647PMPlasmaOk
2005:51:56:833PMPlasmaOk
2106:04:17:350PMPlasmaOk
2206:16:40:787PMPlasmaOk
2306:36:07:770PMPlasmaOk
2406:48:22:460PMPlasmaOk
2507:00:44:473PMPlasmaOk