Alcator C-Mod Run 1050802 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:356
Date Filed:11/12/2003
Title:Mode Conversion Current Drive Experiments
First Author:Alexandre Parisot
Session Leader:Alexandre Parisot (shots 1-33)

Operators
Session leader(s):Alexandre Parisot
Physics operator(s):Robert Granetz
Engineering operator(s):Gary Dekow

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP#356 Mode conversion current drive in D[3He] at 50 MHz

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Aug 1 2005 05:42:53:613PM
Author: Alexandre Parisot
MP#356 Mode conversion current drive in D[3He] at 50 MHz.

The primary goal of this run is to measure net current drive from mode converted waves using loop voltage differences between co/counter phasing. This involves establishing an acceptable target discharge maximizing the efficiency (~ Te/(ne Zeff) according to parametrizations). This is a continuation of 150729.

Special gas: He3 15 PSI, B-side Upper
Diagnostics: standard set, with ECE and PCI (50 MHz, with localization).
ECDC: overnight + setup for in-between shot ECDC.

Run plan:
1) Start with 1050729033, and finish the sawtooth control studies:
Sweep mode conversion layer through the q=1 surface in heating/counter/co current drive. (3 shots)
Set toroidal field where maximum change was obtained in counter-current and co drive and ramp the power from J-port. (2 shots)

2) Load 1050729020 and continue discharge optimization. (5 to 10 shots)

3) Using the best target from 3), do a field scan to vary the deposition location around the magnetic axis, repeating discharges with +90, -90 and heating phasing. Look at loop voltage changes between co/counter to determine possible current drive. (15 shots)
Target mode conversion layer locations: r/a = 0., 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.2 on the HFS.
Corresponding values of the B_T: 5.73T, 5.63T, 5.53T, 5.43T, 5.38T (will be readjusted from concentration estimates in part 2).

Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Aug 1 2005 11:45:24:863PM
Author: Robert Granetz
Engineering setup for Tuesday, Aug 2005
 
MP #356 -- MCCD in D[He3] at 50 MHz (con't from 1050729, last Friday)

Session leader: A. Perisot
Physics operator: R. Granetz
 
Overnight ECDC, and bake at 60 C.
*** NOTE: Set up for between-shot ECDC ***
 
Run begins at 09:00 and ends at 17:00.

Power systems as on 1050729033 (0.6 MA, 5.2 T, inner wall limited, kappa=1.3)

A-coil configuration: normal [+Dtop -Dbot -Jtop +Jbot] and enabled.

Gas Setup:
   fill B-Top            with  6 psi D2  Hybrid enabled  (PG4)
   fill B-side lower     with  1 psi Ar  Hybrid DISABLED (PG1)
   fill B-side upper     with 15 psi He3 Hybrid enabled  (PG2)
   fill B-main (C-side)  with 40 psi D2  Hybrid enabled  (PG3)
   No NINJA

Enable the following gate valves and shutters, assuming no vacuum problems:
  ECE, VUV, Z-bolo shutters
 
Important Diagnostics:
  Standard set, with ECE and PCI (50 MHz, with localization).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICRF Setup: RF in run-on by 08:30, ready to go on first shot (J-port at 50 MHz)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Run plan: See the session leader's detailed posting.

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Aug 2 2005 06:15:24:673PM
Author: Alexandre Parisot
This was a very good day in terms of machine operation, but
a painful day for the session leader. We started trying to reproduce
the results on the sawtooth variations from Friday and extend
the scan all the way throughout the q=1 surface. We ended up
spending the entire day achieving this. The last three shots,
31, 32 and 33 are a good comparison co/counter and heating,
although injections on 32 will have to be taken into account.

Extending the scan from Friday to lower fields, we had multiple
trips from J-port below 5T, so we tried to increase the concentration
to do the scan at higher fields. In inner wall limited plasmas, this
made us go closer to the density limit and MARFEs prevented us from getting
good data. We went back to upper single null with feedback on the density to
establish good discharges with Zeff < 3, nl04 ~ 0.6 (ne0 ~ 1.6 x 10^20) and
Te0 ~ 3.5 keV with J-port at 2.5 MW. Disruptions or mutiple RF trips during
the flattop repeatedly prevented us from obtaining resoneable scans until the
last three shots. We made the scans go faster in field but the shots went
all the way, with flat RF.

We did not adress the loop voltage part of this experiment, although
the USN targets we obtained are an improvement from Friday's discharges.
They are probably a good place to start from for further experiments.

Today and last Friday also left us with some puzzles about the relationship
between 3He puff time, duration, the target density and the obtained 3He
concentration, in upper single null and inner wall limited plasmas. While we
finally obtained goods target, a better understanding of this would be helpful
for further low density mode conversion experiments.

Overall, the data collected on the sawtooth period changes is very encouraging.
It seems consistent with current drive from mode converted waves around the q=1
surface, and will analyzed in detail.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Aug 2 2005 05:08:21:453PM
Author: Robert Granetz
Physics operator summary for Tuesday 02 Aug 2005:

MP #356 -- MCCD in D[He3] at 50 MHz (con't from 1050729, last Friday)

Session leader: A. Parisot
Physics operator: R. Granetz
 
The tokamak ran extremely reliably today, with no fizzles, duds, computer
hangs, nor power supply problems.  We didn't have any cell accesses either,
so we managed to get a respectable number of shots despite the fact that a
significant amount of thinking by the session leader was required between
shots, leading to numerous DPCS changes by the physop.  We mostly ran inner
wall equilibria (DPCS segment 2), with some upper null discharges (DPCS
segment 3) sprinkled in, especially later in the run day.  There were a
number of early disruptions, the reasons for which were not at all clear.
The ICRF worked reasonably well, with many shots having 2.5 MW from J and
1.4 MW from E.  The session leader's report summarizes the MCCD physics
results.

Scorecard: 33 plasmas
            0 duds
            0 fizzles
            0 computer-related aborts
            0 cycle tests
           --------------
    Total: 33 shot cycles

Session Leader Comments
Aug 2 2005 09:41:25:433AM1050802001Alexandre ParisotPlasma. RF has trips after 1 sec, the plasma seems to be dithering into H-mode.
Zeff is below 2.

Next. Repeat.
Aug 2 2005 09:55:30:010AM1050802002Alexandre ParisotPlasma. Good shot. Heating phase.
No clear changes on the sawtooth period.
The density reaches nl04 ~ 0.9 during the RF.

Next. Change phasing for J-port.
Aug 2 2005 10:08:34:403AM1050802003Alexandre ParisotPlasma. J-port faults out early.
No clear break-in-slope data so far, cannot check the 3He concentration.

Next. Go to 5.4T flat to check the concentration.


Aug 2 2005 10:26:23:010AM1050802004Alexandre ParisotPlasma. Faint break-in-slope data, concentration might be too low.

Next. Increase puff duration to 150 ms.


Aug 2 2005 10:46:17:170AM1050802005Alexandre ParisotPlasma. Estimated concentration ~ 20 - 25 %.
I'll have to come back to that series of shots to understand why I could
not estimate the concentration before. Should we expect a different
relationship puff duration - concentration for the first shots of a day (after ECDC) ?

Next. Decrase puff duration to 120 ms.


Aug 2 2005 10:56:38:980AM1050802006Alexandre ParisotPlasma. Concentration still slightly over 20%, at least now we know what it is...
Move back to sawtooth control experiments.

Next. Put back field ramp for shot 1 and decrase puff duration to 100 ms.


Aug 2 2005 11:35:21:043AM1050802008Alexandre ParisotPlasma. No sawteeth in the discharge.
We see some MHD activity throughout the discharge, appearing before the RF turns on. Not quite sure what it is. Locked mode ?

Next. Repeat.


Aug 2 2005 11:44:36:510AM1050802009Alexandre ParisotPlasma. Sawteeth are back.
J-port has multiple trips after 1.2sec.

Next. Repeat.


Aug 2 2005 01:12:44:327PM1050802015Alexandre ParisotPlasma. J-port trips after 1.2. Is there anything special that the RF does not
like for fields below 4.95T ?

Next. Ramp up the field from 4.7 to 5.2T


Aug 2 2005 01:21:22:340PM1050802016Alexandre ParisotPlasma. J-port trips all the way now.
We'll have to change the concentration to do this scan at higher fields,
this means higher concentrations.

Next. Puff 150 ms 3He.


Aug 2 2005 01:47:44:167PM1050802018Alexandre ParisotNext. Puff 200 ms 3He.


Aug 2 2005 01:58:39:210PM1050802019Alexandre ParisotBreak-in-slope is clearer.
We are further off-axis, at the inner edge of the inversion radius.

Next. Ramp the field from 5.4T to 5.0T.



Aug 2 2005 02:13:28:063PM1050802020Alexandre ParisotGood break-in-slope data. Estimated concentration 25%.
E had multiple trips and J faulted out. The load was very different
even on the early part, even though it was just a repeat until 0.8sec.

Next. Repeat.



Aug 2 2005 02:24:22:567PM1050802021Alexandre ParisotGood scan through the q=1 surface.

Next. Go to the opposite phasing for comparison.



Aug 2 2005 02:47:12:410PM1050802023Alexandre ParisotGood scan through the q=1 surface, digital phase 230deg.
We have some trips on J-port late when changes in the sawtooth period occur.
Let's try to move this structure earlier (without changing the field)

Next. 3He puff duration 250ms.



Aug 2 2005 03:00:10:393PM1050802024Alexandre ParisotGood scan through the q=1 surface, digital phase 230deg.
Density is going above nl04 ~ 1.0, some MARFEs.

Next. Go to opposite phasing.



Aug 2 2005 03:02:49:533PM1050802024Alexandre ParisotGood scan through the q=1 surface, digital phase 230deg.
Density is going above nl04 ~ 1.0, some MARFEs.
We might be too high in concentration.

Next. Go to opposite phasing.



Aug 2 2005 03:20:05:283PM1050802025Alexandre ParisotChanges in sawtooth period seem related to the MARFEs, not clear effect
from the RF. We can run that high in concentration with this current.
Our USN plasmas had lower densities, let's try going back to that.

Next. Flat 5.5T USN, with 150ms 3He [0.2,0.35s], set target density to nl04 = 0.6 after 0.35s.



Aug 2 2005 03:37:06:517PM1050802026Alexandre ParisotPlasma, parameters as desired. Disrupted at 1.1sec.
J-port ran with preprogrammed notch.

Next. Increase puff duration to 200ms.


Aug 2 2005 03:48:08:563PM1050802027Alexandre ParisotPlasma, disrupted at 0.95sec. Break-in-slope gives 30% 3He.

Next. Decrease puff duration to 150ms. Ramp Bt down from 5.4T to 5.0T.



Aug 2 2005 04:20:09:097PM1050802028Alexandre ParisotPlasma, injections change the sawtooth period.
No clear effect from the RF.

Next. Ramp field from 5.6T to 5.4T.



Aug 2 2005 04:21:06:067PM1050802029Alexandre ParisotPlasma, disrupted at 1.1sec.

Next. Ramp field from 0.6s to 1.0s, 5.6T to 5.4T.



Aug 2 2005 04:33:42:113PM1050802030Alexandre ParisotPlasma, good shot. RF turns on at 0.7s, my mistake.
Nice changes in the sawtooth period.

Next. Ramp field from 0.6s to 1.0s, 5.6T to 5.0T. RF on 0.6-1.4s.



Aug 2 2005 04:41:28:847PM1050802031Alexandre ParisotPlasma, nice shot.

Next. Go to the opposite phasing.



Aug 2 2005 04:53:38:753PM1050802032Alexandre ParisotPlasma, nice shot.

Next. Go to heating phase.



Aug 2 2005 05:31:22:660PM1050802033Alexandre ParisotPlasma, nice shot.
End of the run.



Physics Operator Comments
Aug 2 2005 09:34:50:637AM1050802001Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. 0.6 MA, 5.2 T with a slight ramp down during the latter half
of the shot. Inner wall limited. Prf_J=2.5 MW (50 MHz), Prf_E=1.0-1.4 MW (80 MHz).
No runaways.

Next shot: no DPCS changes.
Aug 2 2005 09:47:37:060AM1050802002Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Same as shot 01 except for some hard x-rays.

Next shot: add 1 ms to pre-fill. Change J-port phasing.
Aug 2 2005 10:13:22:107AM1050802003Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Good shot, except that the runaways are getting worse.  J-port turned
off very early.

Next shot: Change Btor programming to be 5.4 T, constant throughout the shot.
           Also increase pre-fill by 2 more ms.

Aug 2 2005 10:25:06:810AM1050802004Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Btor=5.4 T, constant. Hard x-rays went away.
Prf_J=2.5 MW, Prf_E=1.4 MW.

Next shot: increase He3 puff to 150 ms (from 100 ms).
Aug 2 2005 10:44:20:433AM1050802005Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Good shot.  Hard x-rays are back.  2.5 MW from J; 1.3 MW from E.

Next shot: move PG3 preprogrammed gas a little earlier in time (3 ms) in segment 1
           (Earl's suggestion).  Shorten He3 pulse to 120 ms (from 150 ms).

Aug 2 2005 10:53:41:277AM1050802006Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Good shot.  Some early hard x-rays.

Next shot: change BTOR back to the 5.2 T with late ramp (copy from shot 03), and
           reduce He3 puff back to 100 ms.

Aug 2 2005 11:20:39:793AM1050802007Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Short, resistive shot, presumably done in by impurities.  Lots of hard
x-rays too.

Next shot: increase pre-fill another 2 ms (to 40 ms !) and also remove pre-programmed
           gas puff from PG3 in segment 2.

Aug 2 2005 11:34:14:213AM1050802008Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Disrupted during rampdown. Good RF. Unusual MHD oscillations
and no sawteeth on the ECE and SXR. Hard x-rays are gone.

Next shot: no changes. Hope the sawteeth come back.
Aug 2 2005 11:42:31:090AM1050802009Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Hard x-rays remain at bay. Sawteeth are back.

Next shot: reduce A-coil programming (as advised by Steve Wolfe).
Aug 2 2005 11:52:31:857AM1050802010Robert GranetzPlasma. Early disruption, short resistive plasma. Hard x-rays.

Next shot: increase pre-fill by 2 ms (to 42 ms !)
Aug 2 2005 12:08:33:963PM1050802011Robert GranetzPlasma. Short, resistive plasma. No hard x-rays on this shot, so that's not the cause
of the early disruptions. The "wide1" and "dant" video cameras show some injections.

Next shot: repeat, no changes.
Aug 2 2005 12:26:51:560PM1050802012Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Another short, disruptive shot.  I see one of the retros lighting up on the inboard
wall.  Could this be causing the early disruption?

Next shot: try an upper single null to see if the plasma still disrupts.  Do this by turning segment 3
           on and segment 2 off, and then copying Btor, PG3, and PG2 pre-programming over as well.

Aug 2 2005 12:37:48:027PM1050802013Robert GranetzPlasma. Upper null. Disrupted at t=0.92 s. Slight vertical instability early in the discharge.
DANT video view shows lots of dust/particulates.

Next shot: tweak early ZXU down a little.
Aug 2 2005 12:49:09:213PM1050802014Robert GranetzPlasma. Upper null. Lasted longer (disrupted at t=1.1 s).

Next shot: go back to the inner wall limited equilibrium (shot 12), but add the PG3 pre-programmed
D2 gas puff back in (copied from earlier today).
Aug 2 2005 12:59:51:043PM1050802015Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Inner wall limited again.  Good shot.  Maybe the PG3 puff at t=0.1 s really helps avoid a
disruption.

Next shot: reverse the Btor ramp.  Have Btor=4.7 T early in the flattop and then ramp it up to 5.2 T
           later in the flattop.

Aug 2 2005 01:17:58:887PM1050802016Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Good shot.  Btor reverse ramped, as desired.  RF didn't like it though.  Some early
runaways.

Next shot: return to the original Btor ramp (copy from shot 15).  Also increase
           He3 puff to 150 ms (from 100 ms)

Aug 2 2005 01:30:08:823PM1050802017Robert GranetzPlasma. Disrupted at t=0.8 s.

Next shot: program Btor for 5.4 T, constant.
Aug 2 2005 01:40:41:823PM1050802018Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. RF had numerous faults.

Next shot: increase He3 puff to 200 ms (from 150 ms).
Aug 2 2005 01:59:50:570PM1050802019Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot.

Next shot: program in a Btor ramp from 5.4 T at t=0.8 s down to 5.0 T at t=1.4 s for remainder of flattop
Aug 2 2005 02:08:26:283PM1050802020Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Btor ramped as desired. Both E nor J antennas faulted alot.

Next shot: no DPCS changes. Work on the RF coupling.
Aug 2 2005 02:21:26:423PM1050802021Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. No hard x-rays. Zeff=1.5. Good RF performance.

Next shot: no DPCS changes.
Aug 2 2005 02:34:56:720PM1050802022Robert GranetzPlasma. Disrupted at t=0.96 s.

Next shot: no DPCS changes.
Aug 2 2005 02:45:25:970PM1050802023Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot, full length again. I don't know why some of these disrupt early. It seems to
be unrelated to our control. Pretty good RF performance.

Next shot: increase He3 puff to 250 ms (from 200 ms).
Aug 2 2005 03:02:45:817PM1050802024Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Seemed to be some marfing on the inboard midplane, which doesn't make sense, given
that we're running inner wall limited plasmas. Good RF performance.

Next shot: no DPCS changes
Aug 2 2005 03:25:56:830PM1050802025Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. RF was good until t=1.16 s, then starts faulting alot.

Next shot: upper null (turn on segment 3), Btor flat at 5.5 T, He3 puff 0.2-0.35 s (150 ms duration),
nl_04=0.35e20 until t=0.4 s and then ramp up to 0.6e20 m-2 for remainder of flattop.
Also copied PG3 programming.
Aug 2 2005 03:36:11:300PM1050802026Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Disrupted at t=1.28 s. Got all the requested parameters and changes.
RF looks very good.

Next shot: increase He3 puff to 200 ms duration (from 150 ms).
Aug 2 2005 03:50:02:567PM1050802027Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Disrupted at t=0.98 s.  Upper null (DPCS segment 3).  E-port antenna is not on.

Next shot: decrease He3 puff duration to 150 ms (from 250 ms) and change Btor
           to start at 5.4 T and ramp down to 5.0 T during the latter portion
           of the discharge.

Aug 2 2005 04:05:02:800PM1050802028Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot, full length upper null plasma, finally. J-Port =2.5 MW, E-port=0.

Next shot: program Btor to ramp from 5.6 T down to 5.2 T.
Aug 2 2005 04:19:41:173PM1050802029Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Te0 gradually decays after 0.95 s, as do the sawteeth, followed by a disruption at
t=1.11 s.  Is this a locked mode?

Next shot: increase A-coil programming by 500 amps.  Also change timing of Btor
           ramp to make it a little earlier.

Aug 2 2005 04:30:52:877PM1050802030Robert Granetz
Plasma.  Good shot.  Full length upper null discharge.  J-port timing wasn't changed, however.

Next shot: modify the Btor ramp to continue dropping Btor to 5.0 T at t=1.4 s.  Also change
           RF timing appropriately.

Aug 2 2005 04:41:45:033PM1050802031Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Full-length upper null plasma. Btor ramps as requested.
Prf_J=2 MW.

Next shot: no DPCS changes.
Aug 2 2005 04:56:24:877PM1050802032Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Full-length upper null plasma. Prf_J=2.4 MW, Prf_E=0.

Next (last) shot: no DPCS changes.
Aug 2 2005 05:06:45:003PM1050802033Robert GranetzPlasma. Good shot. Full-length upper null plasma. Prf_J=2.2 MW, Prf_E=0. No hard x-rays.

End of run.

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:25:08:277AMPlasmaOk
209:39:45:183AMPlasmaOk
309:55:50:200AMPlasmaOk
410:11:23:623AMPlasmaOk
510:29:09:607AMPlasmaOk
610:45:23:310AMPlasmaOk
710:58:12:997AMPlasmaOk
811:21:31:840AMPlasmaOk
911:34:48:480AMPlasmaOk
1011:47:15:933AMPlasmaOk
1111:59:36:543AMPlasmaOk
1212:12:24:620PMPlasmaOk
1312:27:02:857PMPlasmaOk
1412:39:38:747PMPlasmaOk
1512:52:09:623PMPlasmaOk
1601:04:58:090PMPlasmaOk
1701:19:02:623PMPlasmaOk
1801:33:18:997PMPlasmaOk
1901:45:47:760PMPlasmaOk
2001:59:59:727PMPlasmaOk
2102:12:36:613PMPlasmaOk
2202:25:03:173PMPlasmaOk
2302:37:45:423PMPlasmaOk
2402:50:42:863PMPlasmaOk
2503:03:46:313PMPlasmaOk
2603:25:39:220PMPlasmaOk
2703:38:25:020PMPlasmaOk
2803:51:04:440PMPlasmaOk
2904:05:25:253PMPlasmaOk
3004:21:35:003PMPlasmaOk
3104:34:21:770PMPlasmaOk
3204:47:14:393PMPlasmaOk
3305:01:11:050PMPlasmaOk