Alcator C-Mod Run 1060323 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:355
Date Filed:11/12/2003
Title:ICRF Testing & Conditioning
First Author:Steve Wukitch
Session Leader:Steve Wukitch (shots 2-34)

Operators
Session leader(s):Steve Wukitch
Physics operator(s):Ron Parker,Joseph Snipes,Ron Parker
Engineering operator(s):Bill Cochran,Gary Dekow

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP355 RF Conditioning

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Mar 22 2006 04:32:55:320PM
Author: Steve Wukitch
Engineering setup for Thursday 23-Mar-2006

MP355 RF Conditioning

Session leader: Wukitch
Physics operator: Parker

Overnight ECDC in D2, and bake at 60 C.

Run begins at 09:00 and ends at 17:00

Power systems as on 1060321011 (1.0 MA fiducial, 5.4 T, LSN)

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 + 2 psi Ne Hybrid DISABLED (PG1)
leave B-side upper as is Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill B-main (C-side) with 40 psi D2 Hybrid enabled (PG3)
fill NINJA with 12 psi D2 Enabled

Enable the following gate valves and shutters, assuming no vacuum problems:
ECE, VUV, Z-bolo shutters

Torvac setup: Gate valves open

Important Diagnostics: magnetics, standard impurity spectroscopy

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICRF Setup: FMIT#1 in run-on by 7:30.
FMIT#2-4 in run-on by 08:30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plan: Continue machine cleanup and ICRF conditioning (including Jport)
in fiducial discharges.

Once reasonable power is reached on J antenna, begin exploration
of pulse length and power limits

Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Mar 22 2006 04:43:56:943PM
Author: Ron Parker
Engineering setup for Thursday 23-Mar-2006

MP355 RF Conditioning

Session leader: Wukitch
Physics operator: Parker

Overnight ECDC in D2, and bake at 60 C.

Run begins at 09:00 and ends at 17:00

Power systems as on 1060321011 (1.0 MA fiducial, 5.4 T, LSN)

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 + 2 psi Ne Hybrid DISABLED (PG1)
leave B-side upper as is Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill B-main (C-side) with 40 psi D2 Hybrid enabled (PG3)
fill NINJA with 12 psi D2 Enabled

Enable the following gate valves and shutters, assuming no vacuum problems:
ECE, VUV, Z-bolo shutters

Torvac setup: Gate valves open

Important Diagnostics: magnetics, standard impurity spectroscopy

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICRF Setup: FMIT#1 in run-on by 7:30.
FMIT#2-4 in run-on by 08:30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plan: Continue machine cleanup and ICRF conditioning (including Jport)
in fiducial discharges.

Once reasonable power is reached on J antenna, begin exploration
of pulse length and power limits

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Mar 23 2006 05:11:43:550PM
Author: Steve Wukitch
Run Summary:

D antenna conditioned quickly to 1.2 MW and eventually conditioned to
1.4 MW. J antenna continued to struggle and much of its inconsistency
was due to failed retries (antenna would fault immediately upon
retry). The J antenna fault level for the reflected to forward power
ratio appears low (~16%) instead of the nominal 25%. We will need to
check attenuation to verify and correct and we can do this effectively
with vacuum conditioning.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Mar 23 2006 05:20:17:877PM
Author: Ron Parker
The run was devoted to ICRF conditioning and the same discharge was programmed for all shots: I = 1 MA, B = 5.4 T and n_eL(4) ~0.8e20 m-2. The machine ran fairly well, although there were three duds early in the run and 3 Fizzles later on. It seems that fizzles are best avoided by early breakdown (~ 5 ms) with a smooth burnout of Halpha. This requires constant monitoring and adjustment of the stray fields and pressure, but may also depend on the cleanliness of the machine that results from earlier shots. There were 15 straight shots without a dud or fizzle (shots 7-22), interrupted only by one shot in which the TF did not energize (this apparently happens from time to time and the cause is not known.) But toward the end of the run the startup seemed to become less reliable.

Scorecard: 33 attempts plus one no power shot, 25 full term plasmas, 3 duds, 3 fizzles and one early (60 ms) current quenching disruption (shot 34).

Session Leader Comments
Mar 23 2006 09:54:13:243AM1060323001Steve Wukitchdud
Mar 23 2006 09:54:28:027AM1060323002Steve Wukitch002 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3->0.8 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.8->2 MW [0.6,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults - need better match
J: ran max faults

Mar 23 2006 09:54:07:057AM1060323003Steve Wukitchdud
Mar 23 2006 09:53:54:683AM1060323004Steve Wukitch004 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3->0.8 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.8->2 MW [0.6,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 1 fault
J: ran max faults
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 10:08:44:447AM1060323005Steve Wukitchdud
Mar 23 2006 10:23:19:590AM1060323006Steve Wukitchdud
Mar 23 2006 10:42:42:017AM1060323007Steve Wukitch007 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 1 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.8->2 MW [0.6,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 5 faults
J: ran max faults
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 11:04:57:737AM1060323008Steve Wukitch008 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 1 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran max faults troubles with transitions
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 11:17:18:207AM1060323009Steve Wukitch009 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 1.2 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 9 faults
J: ran max faults still has troubles with transitions
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 11:27:30:783AM1060323010Steve Wukitch010 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 1.2 MW [1.0,1.5]sec
J: 0.8->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 5 faults
J: max faults
next: repeat - adjust RF waveforms

Mar 23 2006 11:43:14:033AM1060323011Steve Wukitch011 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.2 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 7 faults
J: ran first off is programmed and max faults on retries
next: repeat - adjust RF waveforms

Mar 23 2006 12:26:56:597PM1060323012Steve Wukitch012 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.2 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 8 faults
J: ran again first off is programmed and max faults on retries
next: repeat - adjust RF waveforms

Mar 23 2006 12:27:19:173PM1060323013Steve Wukitch013 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.2 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran with some improvement
next: repeat - adjust RF waveforms

Mar 23 2006 12:27:32:347PM1060323014Steve Wukitch014 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.2 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran max faults - more faults on the ramp
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 12:34:16:753PM1060323015Steve Wukitchno TF
Mar 23 2006 01:05:01:800PM1060323016Steve Wukitch016 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.2 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults
J: ran max faults - better more like 13
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 01:08:37:097PM1060323017Steve Wukitch017 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults
J: ran faults - better
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 01:20:57:440PM1060323018Steve Wukitch018 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 4 faults
J: ran faults - worse than previous shot
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 01:50:35:317PM1060323019Steve Wukitch019 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults
J: ran faults - better than previous shot
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 01:49:51:550PM1060323020Steve Wukitch020 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 6 faults
J: ran faults - little worse than shot
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 01:57:58:987PM1060323021Steve Wukitch021 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran 6 faults
J: ran faults - little worse than previous shot
next: repeat

Mar 23 2006 04:09:22:707PM1060323022Steve Wukitchfizzle
Mar 23 2006 04:09:37:550PM1060323024Steve Wukitch024 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran multiple faults
J: ran max faults but ran 0.2 msec at 2 MW

Mar 23 2006 04:08:35:643PM1060323025Steve Wukitch025 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran multiple faults
J: ran multiple faults

Mar 23 2006 04:08:24:783PM1060323026Steve Wukitch026 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 ramp to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran multiple faults

Mar 23 2006 04:03:07:097PM1060323027Steve Wukitchfizzle
Mar 23 2006 04:02:47:423PM1060323028Steve Wukitch028 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults
J: ran max faults - all J3DC1 faults
next: break to insert 1 dB on J DC1 reflected

Mar 23 2006 04:02:35:783PM1060323029Steve Wukitch029 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran max faults
J: ran max faults - all J4DC0 faults

Mar 23 2006 04:18:33:033PM1060323030Steve Wukitch030 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran max faults - all J4DC0 faults

Mar 23 2006 04:27:41:190PM1060323031Steve Wukitch031 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran max faults - all J4DC0 faults

Mar 23 2006 04:56:57:627PM1060323032Steve Wukitch032 BT~5.4T, Ip=1 MA, nl04=0.8
D: 0.3 step to 1.4 MW [0.65,1.5]sec
J: 0.4->2 MW [0.55,1.5]sec
result: plasma
D: ran
J: ran not quite dead yet

Mar 23 2006 04:56:05:800PM1060323033Steve Wukitchfizzle
Mar 23 2006 05:11:24:173PM1060323034Steve Wukitch034 killer injection

Physics Operator Comments
Mar 23 2006 09:21:16:777AM1060323002Ron ParkerShot 001 was a no power shot, to check scanner operation.

Shot 2 was the first plasma shot and ran well, with rampdown to 50 kA before disruption.
Mar 23 2006 09:34:36:353AM1060323003Ron ParkerA classic dud! No Halpha. Gas was 10% higher than on first shot-- .082 mT vs. .074 mT, both of which seem a bit high. Lower pulsed gas by 5 ms for next shot.

Meanwhile, power room access for RF problem.
Mar 23 2006 09:49:50:573AM1060323004Ron ParkerShot came back, fill pressure .065 mT. Early breakdown ~4.5 ms. Bz very slightly
more positive than in 1060321011 shot that was loaded to begin the run.
Mar 23 2006 10:02:24:353AM1060323005Ron ParkerAnother classic dud. Absolutely unexplainable in terms of fill pressure 5% higher than last shot), or error fields at t= 5ms. No point to change anything.
Mar 23 2006 10:37:20:970AM1060323006Ron ParkerAnother dud -- this is a real case study for breakdown. Stray fields are perfect, pressure is the only variable. We'll increase it by 3 ms on the pulsed gas valve for next shot.

Lower EF4 current by 5 Amps, from -1335 to -1340.

Cooling problems, F-right vertical stuck at -157. ~ 10 minute delay.
Mar 23 2006 10:48:11:567AM1060323007Ron ParkerShot came back. Continue with shot.

Argon/Neon will be injected on next shot.


Mar 23 2006 10:56:50:503AM1060323008Ron ParkerShot ran again, not clear what change was responsible, if any.

No changes for next shot.

F-right vertical leg still high (-157) but not ratcheting, so we'll continue to run at -157.

Joe Snipes will fill in for me unitl ~ 12:00.
Mar 23 2006 11:23:47:830AM1060323009Joseph SnipesShot 9: Joe Snipes taking over for Ron Parker as Physop while he is away for
an hour or so. Repeat. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 11:23:55:363AM1060323010Joseph SnipesShot 10: Li pellet injection just after 1.5 s. Otherwise no changes. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 11:36:09:877AM1060323011Joseph SnipesShot 11: Brock claims that the injection at 1.6s on shot 10 was not his pellet. He will try again for this
shot. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 11:49:28:127AM1060323012Joseph SnipesShot 12: Repeat. LPI no longer attempting to fire pellets. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 12:17:58:143PM1060323013Joseph SnipesShot 13: Repeat. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 12:18:08:770PM1060323014Joseph SnipesShot 14: Repeat. Good shot.
Mar 23 2006 12:33:09:410PM1060323015Ron ParkerShot 15 was a no-TF shot, reasons unknown.

Next shot should be back.
Mar 23 2006 12:56:09:923PM1060323016Ron ParkerShot 16 ran well. Short delay in running the shot due to an apparent EF4 cooling problem that turned out to be instrumental.
Mar 23 2006 01:06:44:893PM1060323017Ron ParkerShot 17 looked good. No changes, keep firing.
Mar 23 2006 01:21:22:143PM1060323018Ron ParkerShot 18 ran well, no changes.
Mar 23 2006 01:44:27:033PM1060323019Ron ParkerShot 19 ran well. Still no changes.
Mar 23 2006 01:57:16:050PM1060323020Ron ParkerShot 20 ran well, machine has been in a groove.

Bz0 was alittle more positive on that shot than in shot 19, eg. 0.0 mT @ 5 ms
vs -.7 mT @ 5ms on shot 20. Breakdown moved to ~ 6.4 ms vs 5.3 ms on shot 19. We'll see if this is a trend on the next shot.

BR was also a little more positive, 0.0 mT @ 5 ms compared to -.3 mT.
Mar 23 2006 02:00:39:767PM1060323021Ron ParkerShot 21 ran well and continues the good streak. Breakdown OK, No changes.
Mar 23 2006 02:44:01:830PM1060323022Ron ParkerShot 22 ran well, a few bumps showing up on Halpha burnout.
Mar 23 2006 02:42:51:503PM1060323023Ron ParkerThe string of good shots ended with shot 23 as it fizzled.

The stray fields look fine, the pressure might be a tad high ~ .077 mTorr.

We'll take 2 ms off the pulsed gas.
Mar 23 2006 02:42:22:720PM1060323024Ron ParkerThe shot came back. Bz is arguably a bit too high, ~0.7 mT @ 5 ms. No change, we'll watch it to see if this is a trend.
Mar 23 2006 03:11:20:783PM1060323025Ron ParkerShot 25 ran full term.
Mar 23 2006 03:10:56:830PM1060323026Ron ParkerShot 26 ran well, breakdown is a little late, 7ms.
Mar 23 2006 03:19:17:753PM1060323027Ron ParkerFizzle! For next shot, reduce Bz by 5 Amps on EF4, decrease BR by .1 mT.
Mar 23 2006 03:46:39:847PM1060323028Ron ParkerShot came back with 5 ms breakdown. Short delay due to cell access.
Mar 23 2006 04:00:42:393PM1060323029Ron ParkerShot 29 went off and ran well. Breakdown just under 5 ms.


Mar 23 2006 04:18:06:190PM1060323030Ron ParkerShot 30 ran well, breakdown at 6 m, bump in Halpha at .01 s.

No changes for next shot.
Mar 23 2006 04:30:44:970PM1060323031Ron ParkerShot 31 went off and ran well. Breakdown just over 5 ms. Small bump on Halpha early during rampup. No change for next shot, just 1 ms less pulsed gas.
Mar 23 2006 04:46:15:767PM1060323032Ron ParkerShot 32 went off and ran well. Breakdown moving out a bit to 6.5 ms.
Mar 23 2006 05:00:50:160PM1060323033Ron ParkerShot 33 fizzled, not clear why except one could see it coming with the delayed startup and bump on halpha during the early ramp.
Mar 23 2006 05:08:04:423PM1060323034Ron ParkerA wierd one! Shot started up well, breakdown just over 5 ms., but suffered early injections that led to a disruption early in current rampup, first at around 75 kA, the second at ~110 kA which killed the discharge.

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:02:29:900AMTestOkScanner Test
209:14:01:807AMPlasmaOk
309:28:34:400AMPlasmaOk
409:42:11:103AMPlasmaOk
509:57:31:823AMPlasmaOk
610:11:50:527AMPlasmaOk
710:37:25:957AMPlasmaOk
810:51:28:690AMPlasmaOk
911:04:48:347AMPlasmaOk
1011:18:14:220AMPlasmaOk
1111:34:40:470AMPlasmaOk
1211:47:40:533AMPlasmaOk
1312:02:30:520PMPlasmaOk
1412:16:18:190PMPlasmaOk
1512:29:47:127PMPlasmaBadTF did not fire, No faults indicated
1612:48:44:423PMPlasmaOk
1701:02:51:097PMPlasmaOk
1801:16:08:457PMPlasmaOk
1901:28:56:830PMPlasmaOk
2001:41:36:550PMPlasmaOk
2101:54:18:017PMPlasmaOk
2202:06:56:253PMPlasmaOk
2302:19:41:113PMPlasmaOk
2402:32:53:970PMPlasmaOk
2502:45:59:830PMPlasmaOk
2602:58:49:283PMPlasmaOk
2703:11:35:237PMPlasmaOk
2803:24:29:503PMPlasmaOk
2903:55:39:270PMPlasmaOk
3004:09:02:423PMPlasmaOk
3104:21:37:783PMPlasmaOk
3204:34:38:113PMPlasmaOk
3304:48:26:410PMPlasmaOk
3405:01:02:330PMPlasmaOk