Alcator C-Mod Run 1060706 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:398
Date Filed: 1/10/2005
Title:Complete identity experiments with JET on error field locked mode thresholds
First Author:T.C. Hender
Session Leader:T.C. Hender (shots 1-18)
Miniproposal:449
Date Filed: 4/14/2006
Title:Gas Jet Disruption Mitigation of VDE\\\'s
First Author:Robert Granetz
Session Leader:Robert Granetz (shots 1-7)

Operators
Session leader(s):Robert Granetz,T.C. Hender
Physics operator(s):Jim Irby
Engineering operator(s):Ed Fitzgerald,Gary Dekow,Bill Parkin

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP#398 PO:Irby SL:Granetz EO:Fitzgerald,Dekow and Parkin

Session Leader Plans
Entered: Jul 3 2006 04:58:42:240PM
Author: Robert Granetz
I've connected the argon bottle to the gas jet system and filled
the plenum to 70 bar. It's all set to go for Thursday's run.
Entered: Jul 5 2006 11:50:36:760AM
Author: T.C. Hender
Run begins at 9:00 and ends at 17:00

Note: A-coil configuration [Btop -Dbot -Gtop +Jbot] initially

RF Setup: NONE - no RF for this run.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Run Plan for MP#398:

q95=3.2 (I=1.55MA, B=7.85T, "JET shape") 1060426018 is a good reference at the right Ip/Bt but needs the
JET shape from e.g. 1050805016 Trying to get LM data at high field (7.85T)and quench VDE with MGI

1. Establish configuration and tune to get q95=3.25 at some convenient density NL04~1.2e20 and
[Btop -Dbot -Gtop +Jbot] at ~2500A (or better under B21_PROJ feedback control).

2a) Run under B21_PROJ feedback until close to flattop time, then drop A-coil current to zero as quickly as
possible after start of flattop. If no locked mode appears then decrease the density and try again,
learning the intrinsic threshold density. Once we get a mode, refine the threshold in the lower A-coil current
by finding a reduced but non-zero current that does not result in a locked mode.

2b) Same as 2a, but instead of decreasing the A-coil to zero ramp it up to maximum in, around 3.7kA, in flattop.
If we are at a density that results in a locked mode at this current then back off current to find a
threshold. Otherwise, decrease density until the locked mode appears for max current.

2c) If we didn't get it as part of 2a, find the intrinsic density threshold in flattop by repeating
the case where we drop the A-coil to zero and raising the density until the locked mode does not appear.
This gives us three points on a scaled circle plot for one A-coil orientation, thought they probably aren't
very far apart in angle and the magnitude is dominated by the intrinsic error.

3) With A-coil off try to increase density above intrinsic threshold. If successful go to (4)and (5); else skip
to (6).

4) Reverse polarity to -[Btop -Dbot -Gtop +Jbot] and get threshold value

5) Change to -[+Bbot +Dtop -Gbot -Jtop] and get threshold value with high density point.

6) Reverse polarity to [+Bbot +Dtop -Gbot -Jtop] and repeat 2b , preferably at the same density as (2) but
may need to adjust.


Physics Operators Plans
Entered: Jul 5 2006 04:41:49:577PM
Author: Jim Irby
SL: Hender, Wolfe, Granetz
PO: Irby

ECDC overnight in D2 at 2e-4 Torr
Vessel bake at 60 C

Power systems as on 1060509020 (8T)

OPS should prepare for 8T, high current operation (TF start at -1.5 s,
20 minutes between shot, TF scanners checked out and operational)

A-Coil configuration:

+Btop -Dbot -Gtop +Jbot
-Bbot -Dtop +Gbot +Jtop (use new jumpers; supply leads not connected)

Gas jet disruption mitigation will be enabled

Gas Setup:
fill B-Top with 6 psi D2 Hybrid enabled (PG4)
fill B-side lower with 1 psi Ar Hybrid DISABLED (PG1)
leave B-side upper as is Hybrid DISABLED (PG2)
fill B-main (C-side) with 40 psi D2 Hybrid enabled (PG3)
leave NINJA as is DISABLED

Enable the following gate valves and shutters: ECE, VUV, Z-bolo
shutters

No ICRF is required for this run



Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 8 2006 05:30:24:293AM
Author: T.C. Hender
A reasonably good session overall. We managed to successfully complete parts 1-4 of the session plan, but time lost due to the high number of fizzles meant that we were not able to achieve parts 5-6.

We got good data from 7 shots. Locked modes were observed on four of these and three shots ran through with no locked mode, providing a lower bound on the locked mode threshold. Other plasma shots were marred by early disruptions and/or injections.

Preliminary analysis indicates that the locked mode threshold (Bpen) is the same as that found at 6.3T, though significantly less that that at 4.1T.

Useful shots:
Shots with locked modes: 6, 7, 17 and 18.
Full length shots with no locked mode: 10, 13 and 15.

Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 6 2006 06:37:54:677PM
Author: Jim Irby
Enginnering systems performed well today at the high fields and plasma
currents. However, post distruption fizzles were a problem for which
we did not find a solution. We dropped the prefill gas throughout the
day, but possibly not aggresively enough. Both Bz0 and Br0 were okay
throughout the day, and no tweaks were made.

We had several early disruptions at the beginning of the run. These
seemed to be caused by running the strike-point right on the outer
divertor nose. Moving RXL in 5 mm fixed this problem. We still had
full current disruptions following this change, but at 1.5 s instead
of 0.8 or 0.9 s. We tried to improve the rampdown by lowering the
density, and taking the plasma current down faster, but we had only
slight success in this effort (0.95 MA vs 1.2 MA). On shot 08 a
rather large chunk of something could be seen bouncing off the inner
wall (see wide 2 camera).

In a preops checkout this morning a blown TF fuse was found and
replaced. Two more blown fuses were found and replaced during the
run.

no power shot 11

fizzles 02,04,09,12,14,16

plasmas 01,03,05,06,07,08,10,13,15,17,18

Session Leader Comments
Jul 6 2006 09:54:57:297AM1060706001Robert Granetz
Shot 01 -- Gas jet fired by DPCS at t=0.982 s.
Current quench spike is at t=0.982 s.
Current quench duration is about 1-1.5 ms.
I_halo=231 kA

Prf=0.0 MW
Wth=80 kJ.

Plenum gas: argon
Pulse length (ms): 2.0
Plenum pre -pulse pressure (bar): 70.5
Plenum post-pulse pressure (bar): 65
Plenum change in  pressure (bar): 5-6

Jul 6 2006 09:56:47:610AM1060706001Robert GranetzI don't think the gas jet actually triggered this disruption.
It fired at just about the same time as the current spike occurs.
Jul 6 2006 10:25:12:213AM1060706002Robert GranetzShot 02 -- Fizzle. Gas jet did not fire.
Dec 11 2012 10:20:13:020AM1060706003Robert GranetzShot 03 -- It wasn't me. The gas jet was disabled and definitely did not
fire...the voltage signal on the fast valve power supply remains
zero, and the plenum pressure remained unchanged at 70 bar.

Physics Operator Comments
Jul 6 2006 09:43:08:480AM1060706001Jim Irbyloaded in Steve's setup shot from his pcs_scratch directory.
TF current 220 kA
Ip 1.6 MA
nl_04 request 1.2e20/m^2

zeroed A-field current in seg02.

load/clean

One bad fuse found in TF supply and replaced.
TF scanner data looked very good during 1060705 run.

approx 20 minutes late because of slow cooling of C-Right (cooling turned off search for some reason).

**********************************************

plasma to 0.98 s --- gas jet fired 0.982 s
Bt 7.822 T at 216 kA, Ip 1.56 MA
Q 3.24 at 1 s

dT TF about +16C

EF4 railed

halo current warning: IBt> 1500 kAT

EF2U/EF2L coil stress warning

Very high pressure in ECE beamline shuts it down (vented).

TF joint resistance scanner looks very good
Jul 6 2006 10:05:22:190AM1060706002Jim Irbygas jet treshold from 11000 to 15000 but jet disabled for this shot
load/clean

ECE should be back online

Integral gain on a-coil feedback from 4 to 0.
Proportional gain on a-coil feedback from 1 to 0.
load/clean

fizzle --- CIII very high --- pressure up



Jul 6 2006 10:53:24:697AM1060706003Jim Irbyprepuff from 22 to 20 ms
load/clean

basepressure 1,0e-6 Torr

plasma with disruption at 0.852 s

A-Coil feedback should have been on from 0.2 to 0.8 s, but I turned them off for the entire shot.

EF2 coils stress and halos current warnings again.

TF scanner looks very good.

Bz0 drifted up about 1 mT between shot 1 and 3.
Jul 6 2006 10:59:22:057AM1060706004Jim Irbya-coil feedback from 0.2 to 0.8 s
integral gain 4.0
prop gain 1.0
load/clean

fizzle --- should have dropped the gas?
Lots of carbon III again
fields look very good


Jul 6 2006 11:27:55:433AM1060706005Jim Irbyprefill to 18 ms from 20.
nl_04 request to 1.1 from 1.2e20 /m^2
load/clean

plasma for 0.908 s

a-coil feedback continues past 0.8 s --- looks like program samples-and-holds last current value??


Jul 6 2006 11:57:14:430AM1060706006Jim Irbyadded new point at 0.8 s to integrator C and zeroed gate from 0.8 to 2.0 s.
added new points to a-coil integral and prop gains. Both gains now zero from 0.8 to 2. s.

prepuff gas from 18 to 17 ms

load/clean

RXL from 0.025 to 0.020 in attempt to reduce impurity influx

plasma for 1.6 s

a-coils did turn off.
Jul 6 2006 12:15:17:920PM1060706007Jim Irbya-coils programmed for 1100A from 0.8 to 1.3 s with a rampdown to zero at 1.4.
alternator to 1718 RPM to make sure bearing #2 vibration stays low

plasma for 1.45 s

TF scanner data looks good.
Jul 6 2006 12:57:08:967PM1060706008Jim Irbya-coils to 4000 A from 0.8 to 1.3 s then rampdown to 0 at 1.4s

plasma for 0.73 s --- large injection ends plasma

large chunk of something seen on wide2 camera moves in from well outside and bounces off of inner wall. not clear if it's from the outer divertor or somewhere closer to the midplane.


Jul 6 2006 01:05:00:970PM1060706009Jim Irbyno DPCS changes

fizzle --- fields okay --- early carbon increase

sparker current very low === about 45 uA


Jul 6 2006 01:25:52:807PM1060706010Jim Irbysparker start from -3.9 to -3.99 s. Duration 4.05 s.

plasma to 1.517 s



Jul 6 2006 02:19:41:750PM1060706011Jim Irbygoing into cell to reverse a-coil leads

nl_04 request to 2e20/m^2

a-coil feedback control integral and prop gain to 0.0
a-coil programmed current to 0.0 A.

Pulled RXL toward zero after 1.3 s to help with rampdown.

load clean

found blown fuses in TF....

everyone back in control room at t=54:00 minutes

igt at 6.3e-7 Torr at check

no power shot --- didn't ramp up alternator --- also had scanner reset issue.



Jul 6 2006 02:46:11:807PM1060706012Jim Irbytry again

after a long wait, a fizzle

fields good, pressue okay.
Jul 6 2006 03:04:07:343PM1060706013Jim Irbyone more try --- no DPCS changes

IGT at 5.4e-7 Torr

plasma for 1.5 s --- density well above 2e20?


Jul 6 2006 03:23:52:400PM1060706014Jim Irbya-coils ramp up from 0.7 to 0.8 s to 2000 A then rampdown starting at 1.3 s.

prefill from 17 to 16 ms

fizzle --- carbon peak again, h-alpha stays high


Jul 6 2006 03:51:56:143PM1060706015Jim Irbyrampdown Ip to 0.0 bu 1.7 s --- try to have a little smaller disruption current
nl_04 request to -8e19/m^2 beyond 1.3 s
pulsed gas 3 request negative past 1.3 s
load/clean

plasma for 1.48 s. --- Ip down to .947MA at disruption (was about 1.2 MA)


Jul 6 2006 04:25:25:470PM1060706016Jim Irbyprepuff to 14 ms from 16 ms.

still got a fizzle --- carbon up as usual
Jul 6 2006 04:34:40:240PM1060706017Jim Irbyrepeat

plasma for 1.40 s


Jul 6 2006 06:11:37:120PM1060706018Jim Irbynl_04 density request goes negative at 0.8 s
pg03 gas request goes negative at 0.8 s
loaded shot 1060706010 into seg 2
load/clean

a-coil connections put back in original configuration.

plasma for 1.503 s


Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:21:07:393AMPlasmaOk
209:59:12:910AMPlasmaOk
310:22:41:900AMPlasmaOk
410:53:20:637AMPlasmaOk
511:16:53:897AMPlasmaOk
611:40:41:987AMPlasmaOk
712:03:41:590PMPlasmaOk
812:31:07:053PMPlasmaOk
912:55:25:920PMPlasmaOk
1001:18:02:460PMPlasmaOk
1102:16:58:060PMPlasmaBadNo Power, Alternator Excitation Field Not Ramp in Time
1202:29:05:410PMPlasmaOk
1302:52:39:873PMPlasmaOk
1403:17:20:943PMPlasmaOk
1503:39:53:703PMPlasmaOk
1604:02:32:007PMPlasmaOk
1704:25:12:907PMPlasmaOk
1804:54:21:060PMPlasmaOk