Alcator C-Mod Run 1060407 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:448
Date Filed: 4/5/2006
Title:Comparison of Small ELM regimes on C-Mod, MAST and NSTX
First Author:Rajesh Maingi
Session Leader:Amanda Hubbard (shots 5-8)
Session Leader:Rajesh Maingi (shots 7-33)
Session Leader:Jerry Hughes (shots 9-13)

Operators
Session leader(s):Amanda Hubbard,Rajesh Maingi,Jerry Hughes
Physics operator(s):Earl Marmar,Steve Wolfe
Engineering operator(s):Andy Pfeiffer,Ed Fitzgerald,Bill Parkin

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP 448, Comparison of Small ELM regimes on C-Mod, MAST and NSTX SL: Hubb

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Apr 6 2006 04:33:24:930PM
Author: Amanda Hubbard
Run Plan for Part B of 1060407, MP 448, Comparison of Small ELM regimes on C-Mod, MAST and NSTX

Session Leaders: Rajesh Maingi (remote from PPPL) and Amanda Hubbard
Physics Operator: Earl Marmar

This run is contingent on successful overnight boronization of the vessel on 4/6, and subsequent conditioning of ICRF to at least 3 MW, which is expected to take part of the morning. See Physop Plan for boronization details.

Plan:


1. Set up target discharge. Start with shot 1050608018 (LSN, kappa=1.72, delta_l=0.52, delta_u 0.34) but reduce Ip to 730 kA to get q95=5.5, the present lower limit on NSTX. Compare with target and adjust shape and/or q95 as necessary.

Use target NL04=7x 1019 m-2, which should give EDA H-mode, and modest ICRF (2-3 MW) for these shots so it can tune up.
4 shots.

2. Power/beta scan. Increase power shot to shot in 0.5 MW increments. Each shot will include two power levels, to reduce total number needed. (2.5 MW, 3 MW, 3.5 MW, 4.0 MW, 4.5 MW, 5.0 MW). Monitor ELM type (expect to start getting ELMy regime) and pedestal beta. Keep RF pulse fairly short (~150 ms per power) to reduce boron erosion but still get good pedestal data.
6 shots.

3. Time permitting, start Density/n* scan.


Keeping power, and hopefully beta, in its upper range, scan target density shot to shot to vary nped, Tped and thus n*. Use two power levels per shot, selected based on results of step two. Start by raising target nel (9x 1019 m-2, 1.1x 1020 m-2, 1.3x1020 m-2, 1.5x1020 m-2. Upper limit will probably be set by neutral pressure limit of J-port, or if we are lucky, a transition to Type III ELMs.

Then scan downwards, 7x 1019 m-2 ,6x 1019 m-2. The limit in this case will be losing EDA and getting either transient ELM-free H-modes or, more interestingly, discrete Type I ELMs.

It is likely this will have to be completed on a second half-day, following NSTX experiments.

Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Apr 6 2006 04:56:46:213PM
Author: Earl Marmar
Physop Plan and engineering setup for Friday, April 7, 2006

MP 448, Comparison of Small ELM regimes on C-Mod, MAST and NSTX

SL: Hubbard, Maingi
PO: Marmar

Overnight boronization prior to the run

This will be the first full boronization of calendar year 2006.

We are using the 20% (B_2D_6)/ 80% He mix.

Desired parameters for the boronization:

Scan ECDC resonance from 44 cm to 103 cm, dwell at 70 cm
100% duty factor on the microwaves (no pulsing)

pressure targets: tc3/tc6/req 5.8/97.5/56 mT

boronize until pressure in the bottle has dropped by 60 psi

Then ECDC in He-4 for up to 4 hours, stopping by 7:30 am.


Power systems as on 1060405023
A-coil configuration: normal [+Dtop -Dbot -Jtop +Jbot] and enabled.
C-coil Start=0.3sec, Invert=2.0sec

all ICRF systems in run-on by 8:30 am.

Gas Setup:
----------
fill B-top 6psi D2 Hybrid enabled (PG4)
fill B-side lower 1 psi Argon Hybrid Disabled (PG1)
fill B-side Upper as is, Hybrid Disabled (PG2)
fill B-main 40psi D2 Hybrid Enabled (PG3)
NINJA: 12psi D2

Enable ECE, VUV, Z-bolo shutter assuming no vacuum problems

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Apr 7 2006 05:50:36:860PM
Author: Amanda Hubbard

Summary of 1060407, MP 448, Comparison of Small ELM regimes on C-Mod, MAST and NSTX

Session Leaders: Rajesh Maingi (remote from PPPL) and Amanda Hubbard (MIT)
with particpation from Hendrik Meyer (UKAEA) and Jerry Hughes subbing.
Physics Operator: Earl Marmar


The run was generally quite successful in scoping out the attainable parameters at NSTX/MAST shape and q95, though not in attaining all the values we had hoped.

Shots 2-8 were spent at standard 1 MA conditions, to condition RF post-boronization. RF was still somewhat trippy, and H-modes not as steady as one would like; the state of boronization remains to be well analysed.

From shot 9 we lowered Ip to 700 kA, got target q95=5.5. Relatively small shape tweaks by Steve Wolfe sufficed to match the NSTX target; match was good by shot 10; (Jerry and Rajesh were filling in for Amanda at this stage). H-mode performance was generally quite good, with H-factors in the range of H89(L)~2 and H98(H) ~ 1, which would indicate good RF absorption and wall conditions.

Total power was, however, limited, with P <+ 3 M on most discharges. J-port in particular seemed to trip more as the day progressed. D and E performed better, 1-1.5 MW each. Reproducibly, at lower target densiy (nel 6-7 e19 m-3), a large injection occurred at ~ 0.85 s. (eg shots 16, -18, and 29-33). Variations in the shape did not seem to change this; likely culprit is D antenna. The injections went away at nel target 9e19 m-2 (shots 24-26).

Pedestal pressure was limited by available RF, not MHD. Typical values were pe_95 <= 1.1e23 m-3 keV, significantly lower than ideal matching values. (which would have corresponded to ~ 2e23 m-3). This did not vary much with target density, which only weakly affected nped. (We have been working out beta values; will double-check definitions before adding to the run summary).
Collisionalities were ~ 1, as desirded, with some range during power and ne scans.

Towards the end of the run we tried scoping out more of the oeprationg space at this power, lowering Bt to 5 T (shot 27), reducing Ip to 600 kA (shot 28)., both or which reduced pe,ped to ~ 8e22. Ip was raised to 800 kA on shot 31.

The highest pressures of the day were obtained in the last two shots, (32,33h) wen we returned to 700 ka, low target ne and Yjun was able to increase power (3.7 MW max, some trips). Pe,ped was up to 1.38e23, transiently, and there were indications of (quite) small ELMs.

These shots will be further analysed and used as targets for next week's NSTX experiment, scheduled for 4/13.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Apr 7 2006 06:30:57:360PM
Author: Earl Marmar
This was a relatively straightforward run from the physop point of view. Machine operation recovered quickly from the boronization. Startup was quite reliable, with only minor tweaks to the EF4 current and prefill puff. J-port is still tripping a lot, especially above 1 MW. Tuning the shot for the MP was also straightforward, with slight shape changes using RXL, and current and density scans. At P_RF~3 MW, there were many shots with decent EDA H-modes, but usually they suffered increases in radiated power and degraded confinement after 100 to 200 msec in H-mode. This was worse for the lower target density shots, better for higher target density shots. On many shots, the TV views (particularly wide2) showed bright events from one corner of the D-port antenna, correlating with the times at which P_Rad jumped up in some cases. Three shots (4, 14, 16) disrupted early.

Scorecard:

fizzles: 3
dud: 1
plasmas: 29

Session Leader Comments
Apr 7 2006 11:01:30:183AM1060407006Amanda Hubbard
Still doing standard post-boron conditioning and assessment shots.

Plasma starts well, 4 MW RF, 166 kJ. But, not so good after the RF trips.
Less steady than first few shots.
Apr 7 2006 11:07:17:230AM1060407007 test entry again
Apr 7 2006 11:48:34:917AM1060407009Jerry HughesJerry here, sitting in for Amanda while she attends a conference call.
Ip and target density look about right. RF seems only marginaly happy.
Wukitch reports something "goofy" affecting the loading during this shot
and the previous.
Apr 7 2006 12:04:54:150PM1060407010Jerry HughesRajesh is happy with the shape. J-port appears to be having trouble.
Prf=2.1MW from D+E. Push forward, trying to improve RF situation,
reduce injections.
PCI data is coming in starting now, Liang reports.
Apr 7 2006 12:18:10:650PM1060407011Jerry HughesRF delivery remains the same. D+E good, multiple trips on J.
Radiated power similar, only no big injection. Stays in EDA H-mode the
whole time.
Apr 7 2006 12:24:04:543PM1060407012Jerry HughesTweaked YAG alignment before this shot, and improved it apparently.
J-port has a slightly better Nice Te pedestal on first H-mode.
Impurity injections kill the H-mode, but it recovers, with higher radiation.
Apr 7 2006 12:32:06:933PM1060407012Jerry HughesTweaked YAG alignment before this shot, and improved it apparently.
J-port has a slightly better Nice Te pedestal on first H-mode.
Impurity injections kill the H-mode, but it recovers, with higher radiation.
Rajesh now says the shape is a perfect match.
Next shot: Start doing steps in RF, as much as possible.
Apr 7 2006 01:21:28:323PM1060407012 Decent shot. Shape looks like a perfect match to the NSTX and MAST target
shapes. Teped high early ~ 600 eV but then drops later to 400 eV. Beta ped
local at outer midplane ~ 0.2%.
Apr 7 2006 12:39:27:043PM1060407013Jerry HughesRF starts out very well, 2.5MW from D+E. Good H-modes, no injections.
Steady Te,95~500--550. J-port still can't go steady .
Apr 7 2006 12:49:27:870PM1060407013 Nice shot. Looks like neped ~ 1.8e20, teped ~ 580 eV during steady
EDA phase. I estimate beta ped ~ 0.3% locally. Shape is a perfect match
to the NSTX and MAST targets in the MP.
Apr 7 2006 01:08:03:480PM1060407014Amanda HubbardAmanda is back in control room. Shot started well, with 3.4 MW. But disrupts ~0.8 secs. Maybe I should have stayed away...

Try to repeat, without the disruption.
Apr 7 2006 01:24:19:510PM1060407014 Teped up to 700 eV before disruption, neped 1.7e20, beta ped local ~ 0.33%.
On the right track before the impurity influx.
Apr 7 2006 01:00:28:630PM1060407015Amanda HubbardPost-disruption fizzle.
Apr 7 2006 01:23:40:887PM1060407016Amanda HubbardBig injection at 0.87 secs. Disrupts 0.93 s.
3.3 MW total power.

Before injection, Te95 717 eV, ne95 1.7e20m-3., pe95 9.8e22

(very close to pressure on 1030612013, one of our better 600 kA H-modes)



Apr 7 2006 02:00:39:207PM1060407017 Teped up to ~600 eV, neped 1.7e20, beta ped local ~ 0.3%. Nice shot.
Apr 7 2006 01:52:14:520PM1060407018Amanda HubbardTried going back to shape of shot 12. Big injection at 0.85 seconds, in low (2.7 MW) power part of the RF pulse. H-modes and RF went south from there.

So, tentatively conclude that the shape is not the main issue.
Go back to NSTX shape for shot 19, shorten RF pulse and try to raise power.

May 18 2006 04:20:11:783PM1060407019Amanda HubbardSimilar. RF up to 3.2 MW, But, rather large injection.
Short H-mode, 124 kJ, Te8 600 eV, Te95~700 eV, pe95~ 8e22, ne95 1.7e20.
Apr 7 2006 02:19:49:083PM1060407020 Teped up to ~650 eV, neped 1.8e20, beta ped local ~ 0.33%, rhostar~.0045,
nustare=0.8.
Apr 7 2006 02:21:41:070PM1060407021 Very similar pedestal parameters to the last shot.
Apr 7 2006 02:29:13:120PM1060407021Amanda HubbardUsed less power from D more from others.

Better - later injection and it is apparently not Moly but Iron.
Prf=3.1 MW, got about the same pedestal parameters. Pe_95~1..1e23

Next shot, raise target nel a little.
Apr 7 2006 02:35:06:133PM1060407022Amanda HubbardRaised target nel. Caused RF mismatch, only got 0.75 MW (from J-port).
L-mode.

Retune, retry.
Apr 7 2006 02:44:58:590PM1060407023Amanda HubbardFizzle
Apr 7 2006 03:07:55:850PM1060407024Amanda Hubbard
H-Mode. Target 9e19 m-3. Surprisingly, H-mode density not much increased. Nel 1.5e20 m-2, ne ~1.8e20 m-3. pe95 0.86e 23

Only got 2.1 MW. Retune J.
Apr 7 2006 03:51:16:053PM1060407024 Teped ~ 500 eV, neped ~ 1.7e20. OK
Apr 7 2006 03:51:45:460PM1060407025 Very similar to last shot.
Apr 7 2006 03:51:50:083PM1060407025Amanda HubbardBetter. 2.5-3.5 MW, some trips. pe95~9e22
Retune.
May 18 2006 04:23:59:580PM1060407026Amanda HubbardRF 3.3 MW, farily clean. Pe_95 ~1.05e23, ne951.7e20, Te95 ~611 eV
Apr 7 2006 03:47:38:867PM1060407027Amanda HubbardTried reducing Bt to 5.0 T (off-axis heating). But, Peped dropped to 8e22, not a win in beta_tor.

Next, try going back to 5.4 T, reduce Ip to 600 kA - see if this gets into ELMy regime any easier. Target 7e19 m-2.

Apr 7 2006 04:22:04:187PM1060407028Amanda Hubbard
Try reducing Ip to 600 kA. q95=6.
Still EDA. Pe reduced to 8.2e22; not a net gain.


Apr 7 2006 04:19:39:463PM1060407029Amanda HubbardGo back to 700 kA, 7e19, bu with Argon off.

3.1 MW, similar to previous shots - including the Injection.

Next: up to 800 kA.
Apr 7 2006 04:50:59:443PM1060407032 Te95 approached 700 ev, n95~1.9-2e20, highest pedestal at 95% all day.
Apr 7 2006 05:07:01:620PM1060407033 Te95 approached 650 ev, n95~1.9-2e20; decent shot.

Physics Operator Comments
Apr 7 2006 09:41:07:310AM1060407001Earl MarmarFirst part of the run will be boronization recovery, bringing the RF up to ~3 MW.

load from 1060405024
decrease prefill puff to 16 msec
nl_04 target to 0.8e20

dud
fields look ok; B_z might be a bit too negative
Apr 7 2006 10:04:17:840AM1060407002Earl Marmarprefill puff to 20 msec
EF4 10 A less negative (now -1335 A at t=0)

plasma
startup bounced
no nl_04 data for this shot
Apr 7 2006 10:13:06:213AM1060407003Earl Marmarenable argon (40 msec puff, starting at .3 seconds)
LPI enabled

plasma
startup better
2 MW (D+E), 149 kJ
Apr 7 2006 10:25:47:247AM1060407004Earl Marmarno pcs changes
plasma
fringe jump on the interferometer around .28; does not appear to have affected the feedback
disruption at 0.7 s (after a big jump in radiated power)
Apr 7 2006 10:42:34:950AM1060407005Earl Marmarreduce prefill puff by 1 msec (now 19 msec)

plasma
disrupt at 400 kA in rampdown (Li pellet)
C II signal is up (disruption on shot 4)

Apr 7 2006 10:53:44:497AM1060407006Earl Marmarno pcs changes
plasma
startup still looks ok

disrupt in rampdown (500 kA), Li pellet
Apr 7 2006 11:11:47:810AM1060407007Earl Marmarno pcs changes

plasma

density is not reaching target before RF
Apr 7 2006 01:04:54:870PM1060407008Earl Marmarraise nl_04 target to 9e19

plasma

Apr 7 2006 11:35:23:650AM1060407009Steve Wolfe
SHot#9: Earl has lowered the current to 730ka and the 
density to 7e19, to start Amanda/Rajesh's shot setup. 
He and Amanda are off to their conference call, and I'll
physop for the next hour or so. 

Apr 7 2006 11:42:12:200AM1060407009Steve Wolfe
SHot#9: plasma, 700kA, nl04=8e19 q=5.5
Two h-modes, still injections, rf on and off.
Doutl may be a little high? around .55
kappa a little low around 1.67

Apr 7 2006 11:53:47:463AM1060407010Steve Wolfe
Shot#10: No shape change, let RF try to get better matching
Result: plasma, still one H->L at .85sec, target nl04=.77e20
kappa~1.7, du=.32, dl=.54, q=5.5; Rajesh is looking at shape overlay,
J is having trouble, D&E looking ok, averaging around 2MW



Apr 7 2006 12:07:53:840PM1060407011Steve Wolfe
Shot#11: Repeat
plasma, stays eda'ish this time. Looked like some light 
around the D antenna, but it runs clean. Injection at .95sec raises prad,
drops Wmhd, which peaks at 114kJ. J-port still very unhappy.
E-port is clean at 1MW, but the RF_POWER_NET trace isn't seeing it,
so it reads low by 1MW. 




Apr 7 2006 12:25:27:853PM1060407012Steve Wolfe
Shot#12: RXL from -.005 to +.005 to get lower delta_l 
(per Rajesh). 
Mozilla blew away in logbook for second time today
plasma. Got delta_l=.48, as requested. 
Injection and H->L at .96seconds
J a little better, RF around 3MW

Apr 7 2006 12:35:03:450PM1060407013Steve WolfeShot#13: Mozilla Firefox blew away again. Now using IDL logbook!
Repeat with RF taking a second step to higher power later in shot;
hoping the injections cooperate at this level.

plasma, H-mode looks steadier, Neuts/Hards around 1e13, slightly
lower than last shot. RF at 2.5MW, steady to 1.0sec from D&E, J faulting late.
Apr 7 2006 12:48:21:307PM1060407014Steve WolfeShot#14: Repeat, raise power.
Early disruption. .85sec. It was on it's way to being a winner, too!
Big injection, presumably Moly. RF was good at 3.3MW or so, while the plasma
lasts.

Next: Try again

Apr 7 2006 01:22:00:713PM1060407016Earl MarmarI'm taking over from Steve Wolfe as physop.

no pcs changes
plasma
hesitation on startup
disrupt just before 1 sec, during RF (~3 MW)
Apr 7 2006 01:37:10:660PM1060407017Earl Marmarreduce B_R offset by .5 mT (now -.0005)

plasma

survived (power was slightly lower)
Apr 7 2006 01:47:30:073PM1060407018Earl MarmarRXL back to program from shot 11 (increase lower triangularity)

plasma

EDA H-mode killed by large increase in Prad
Apr 7 2006 02:06:25:707PM1060407018Earl MarmarRXL back to program from shot 11 (increase lower triangularity)
Apr 7 2006 02:06:25:893PM1060407018Earl MarmarRXL back to program from shot 11 (increase lower triangularity)
Apr 7 2006 02:06:21:317PM1060407019Earl Marmarback to the decreased lower triangularity (as on shot 17)

plasma
Apr 7 2006 02:06:39:020PM1060407020Earl Marmarno pcs changes
plasma
Apr 7 2006 02:27:50:587PM1060407021Earl Marmarno pcs changes

plasma
Apr 7 2006 02:37:10:950PM1060407022Earl Marmarraise nl_04 target to 9e19

plasma
RF unhappy with increased density (D and E mismatched)
Apr 7 2006 06:17:55:513PM1060407023Earl Marmarno pcs changes

fizzle
B_z may be creeping up a bit
Apr 7 2006 06:18:28:047PM1060407024Earl Marmarreduce prefill puff by 1 msec (now 18 msec)
EF4 10 A more negative (now -1345 A)


plasma
Apr 7 2006 03:17:26:863PM1060407025Earl Marmarno pcs changes

plasma
j-port struggling
Apr 7 2006 03:48:02:960PM1060407026Earl Marmarno pcs changes

plasma
Apr 7 2006 03:48:31:473PM1060407027Earl MarmarI_TF to -139 kA

plasma
Apr 7 2006 03:55:10:397PM1060407028Earl MarmarI_TF back to -150 kA
I_p to 600 kA
nl_04 target to 6e19

plasma
Apr 7 2006 04:11:02:160PM1060407029Earl MarmarI_p to 700 kA

disable argon puff (B side lower)

plasma
Apr 7 2006 04:18:41:837PM1060407030Earl Marmar800 kA

argon still off

fizzle
Apr 7 2006 04:44:58:130PM1060407031Earl MarmarEF4 5 A more negative (now -1350 A)

plasma
Apr 7 2006 04:45:12:287PM1060407032Earl MarmarEF4 to -1345 A

I_p to 700 kA

plasma
Apr 7 2006 06:14:46:123PM1060407033Earl Marmarnl_04 target to 6e19

plasma

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:37:13:480AMPlasmaOk
209:50:26:277AMPlasmaOk
310:03:45:247AMPlasmaOk
410:18:01:527AMPlasmaOk
510:32:13:590AMPlasmaOk
610:46:45:963AMPlasmaOk
711:03:10:527AMPlasmaOk
811:22:04:307AMPlasmaOk
911:34:29:980AMPlasmaOk
1011:46:59:027AMPlasmaOk
1111:59:49:213AMPlasmaOk
1212:16:21:903PMPlasmaOk
1312:29:44:370PMPlasmaOk
1412:42:44:730PMPlasmaOk
1512:55:09:440PMPlasmaOk
1601:07:45:290PMPlasmaOk
1701:23:08:527PMPlasmaOk
1801:36:54:550PMPlasmaOk
1901:50:16:330PMPlasmaOk
2002:02:44:363PMPlasmaOk
2102:15:36:693PMPlasmaOk
2202:28:07:667PMPlasmaOk
2302:40:43:997PMPlasmaOk
2402:53:19:090PMPlasmaOk
2503:06:06:867PMPlasmaOk
2603:18:45:880PMPlasmaOk
2703:34:03:333PMPlasmaOk
2803:49:04:600PMPlasmaOk
2904:03:16:800PMPlasmaOk
3004:15:58:990PMPlasmaOk
3104:28:47:987PMPlasmaOk
3204:41:55:177PMPlasmaOk
3304:56:39:040PMPlasmaOk