Alcator C-Mod Run 930526 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:
Date Filed:
Title:
First Author:
Session Leader:John Goetz (shots 1-27)

Operators
Session leader(s):John Goetz
Physics operator(s):Ian Hutchinson
Engineering operator(s): Unknown

Engineering Operator Run Comment
Continued positioning and feedback control of plasma

Session Leader Plans

Physics Operators Plans

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 03:49:07:460PM
Author: To Be Determined
Summary of 26 May 93 Run

Total 27 shots. 13 Plasmas exceeding 50 kA; 12 fizzles; 2 No flash.

Vertical offset on plasma height was removed and some of the Br
offset. These things contributed to improvement in vertical position.
However, the plasma still tended to be a little low. Exception was
shot 15 which had an early up and inside crash. The problem that this
plasma suffered from was fixed, apparently by removing the 5 height PID
feedback spike on B_R that had been put in at commutation.

The M matrix addition of OH1 and OH2 in addition to EF3 in the R_curr
wire seemed to be a good addition. However, the inherited PID gain of
10 was too high, and may have been close to instability. Shot 24, on
which the EF3 current limit was moved out of the way showed some
oscillations. The gain was lowered to 1.

Shot 26 also was the only shot in which the OH1 commutation was at 50
ms, the same as the OH2 and EF1. The inherited setting for the other
shots of the day (40ms) caused a big radial position excursion during
the period 40-50ms as a result of big voltage discrepancies between
OH1 and the other coils. Fixing this is a big step forward and gave a
shot with 270kA nearly flat, which lasted till power supplies switched
off. The position was very good at 40-55 ms, and then moved in so that
for 100-200 ms it was limited on the inboard wall with R ~ 0.60m and
a ~ 0.15 m.

Erratic current ramps were experienced throughout the day. There is
some indication that the exact time of breakdown influences the
subsequent current ramp. No systematic fix has been found. But one
sure would be nice!

IHH.

Physics Operator Summaries

Session Leader Comments
May 26 1993 09:19:14:660AMJohn GoetzBegin with shot 930519029
Voltage programming done on OH to control Vloop.
Try and bring Vloop to 2V at 100msec and hold it there
OH1 voltage = -100V and OH2 voltages = -25V
Vertical position has been set to z = 0.
To be done later: adjust M matrix for horizontal position feedback
To be done later: gang OH2 (and EF1) to OH1

Base pressure 1.3e-7 -- with cryo closed 3.7e-7
Fill pressure 6e-5

May 26 1993 10:03:43:800AM930526001John GoetzShould have been a repeat of 930525026 until 50msec, but the plasma current
never took off.

OH1 demand and bus voltage disagree by a factor of 3 to 4. Change the
OH1 demand signal to -25V.

May 26 1993 10:17:54:940AM930526002John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 290kAmps max with a disruption at 85msec.
Plasma starts low and continues to move down.
Magnetic reconstructions very similar to shots at the end of run 930525

Programming changes made to OH1 did not make it through. Will try again
for shot 003.

May 26 1993 10:30:07:670AM930526002John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps.

Changes for shot 004: EF3 voltage demand now -1000V from 25 msec on
(it was -2000V until 50 msec)
Attempt to move the plasma out a little if it forms


May 26 1993 10:31:53:040AM930526003John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps.

Changes for shot 004: EF3 voltage demand now -1000V from 25 msec on
(it was -2000V until 50 msec)
Attempt to move the plasma out a little if it forms


May 26 1993 10:56:08:100AM930526004John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps.

Changes for shot 005: OH2 commutation resistor lowered to 20mOhms from
25mOhms to try and compensate for the change in
OH1 voltage demand programming changes. (it was -2000V until 50 msec)

Proportional gain for Br changed from 0 to 0.5 from
30msec to 2sec



May 26 1993 11:34:22:780AM930526005John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 210 kAmps with flattop from 50 to almost 100 msec.
Disruption at 100+ msec. Discharge is inside. Reconstruction
says the plasma is small.
Interferometer and Z-meter say low density.

Changes for shot 006: EF3 voltage demand changed from -3000V to -2000V at
2msec and from -2000V to -1500V at 24msec. These
changes are an attempt to get the plasma off the inner
wall.



May 26 1993 11:51:25:300AM930526006John GoetzToroidal field = 4.9T.
Plasma current = 160 kAmps with flattop from 70 to almost 85 msec.
Disruption at 88 msec. Discharge begins outside and moves inside
starting at about 50msec. Current ramp is much slower (due to
changes in EF3 voltage programming)

Changes for shot 007: EF3 voltage demand changed from -2000V to -3000V at
2msec and from -1000V to -500V at 100msec. Voltage
demand remains -1500V at 24msec. These changes are
an attempt to get the current rise rate back and then
still be able to control the horizontal position.



May 26 1993 12:14:28:350PM930526007John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 220 kAmps with flattop from 50 to 75 msec. Current begins
to ramp down and then disruption at 88 msec. Discharge begins outside
and moves inside but not as quickly as shot 006.

Changes for shot 008: OH1 voltage demand changed from -25V to -35V (factor
of 4 accounted for) from 50 to 200msec and OH2
voltage demand changed from -25V to -35V from 50 to
200msec. Voltage demand remains -1500V at 24msec.
These changes are an attempt to lengthen the flattop
and try to hold the plasma outside longer.



May 26 1993 12:19:03:530PM930526008John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 20 kAmps
No obvious magnetic troubles.
Changes for shot 009: None



May 26 1993 12:39:42:900PM930526009John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 200 kAmps Flattop from 50 to 75 msec. Rampdown until
disruption at 230msec. Discharge further in than shot 007 because
current ramped up less quickly.

Changes for shot 010: Changed voltage demand on OH1 from -35V to -45V (factor
of 4 taken into account) from 40 to 200msec in order to get more loop
voltage. IC_EF4 changed from 600V to 620V at 1msec in order to get
the vertical field closer to zero for an earlier breakdown.



May 26 1993 12:57:22:010PM930526010John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 210 kAmps Rampdown until termination at 270msec. Many
disruptions during the rampdown. Discharge still a little low.

Changes for shot 011: Changed voltage demand on OH1 from -45V to -50V (factor
of 4 taken into account) from 40 to 200msec and OH2 voltage demand
changed from -35V to -45V in order to get more loop voltage.
IC_EF4 changed from 620 to 640Amps at 1msec in order to get
the vertical field closer to zero for an earlier breakdown.



May 26 1993 01:04:28:900PM930526011John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 20 kAmps
No discernible difference in Bz between shots 010 and 011.
Breakdown is a bit (or so) earlier.

Changes for shot 012: None



May 26 1993 01:24:19:910PM930526012John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 200 kAmps No flattop. Disruptions on the rampdown.
Termination at 265msec.
Current rise not as fast as 010 and it rolls over before the top.

Changes for shot 013:
Changed the Br(0) demand from 8mT to 5mT



May 26 1993 01:32:24:080PM930526013John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 20 kAmps
Br(0) lowered from shot 012.

Changes for shot 014:
None



May 26 1993 01:47:02:150PM930526014John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps

Changes for shot 015:
Change EF3 voltage demand from 0V at 0msec to 0V at -1msec and
from -3000V at 2msec to -3000V at 1msec in order to fiddle
with the current rise and breakdown times.


May 26 1993 02:10:37:490PM930526015John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 80 kAmps
Current rise faster.
Plasma up and inside.
Breakdown is 1 msec earlier than 014.

Changes for shot 016:
Change proportional gain on Br(0) PID from 5 to 1 from 0 to 50msec to
see what happens with the vertical position.

May 26 1993 02:26:15:060PM930526016John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 200 kAmps
Current rise 150kA in 44msec
No flattop - rampdown starts at 100msec. Termination at 270msec.
Disruptions during rampdown.
PHA temperature shows a dip during the middle of the shot.
Vertical position - a little low. Plasma does not slam inside,
actually moves out a bit.

Changes for shot 017:
None

May 26 1993 02:36:31:570PM930526017John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps
Breakdown occurs earlier than on shot 016

Changes for shot 018:
Fill pressure from 6e-5 to 4e-5 to see if there is an effect on the
avalanche.

May 26 1993 03:01:30:830PM930526018John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 220 kAmps
Current rise 150kAmps in 42msec
Breakdown at 5.5msec
Flattop from 90 to 110 msec
Disruptions during rampdown - termination at 270msec
Plasma rests on inner wall and then expands in volume later in time

Changes for shot 019:
RCUR predictor changed from EF3 voltage only to EF3 and OH1, OH2_U,
and OH2_l voltages. OH1 voltage is -.01 units and the OH2's are
-.002 units. (EF3 is +.1 units)

May 26 1993 03:12:53:730PM930526019John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 0 kAmps
Too much Bz (-8mT instead of -5mT on shot 018)
Breakdown too late.

Changes for shot 020:
Forgot the factor of 4 on OH1. Changed OH1 voltage in RCUR predictor
from -.01 to -.0025. Changed IC_EF4 from 640 to 660 Amps to try and
deal with the vertical field.

May 26 1993 03:22:56:080PM930526020John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 0 kAmps
Too much Bz; IC_EF4 changes not taken from after last shot.

Changes for shot 021:
Changed IC_EF4 from 640 to 700 Amps to try and bring the vertical
field closer to zero (approx. -7mT now). Fill pressure changed from
4e-5 to 6e-5.

May 26 1993 03:36:10:640PM930526021John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 20 kAmps
Bz now -5mT
Shot should have gone. Null looks o.k.

Changes for shot 022:
IC_EF4 changed from 700 to 740Amps at 1msec to try and reduce Bz more.

May 26 1993 03:54:24:550PM930526022John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 180 kAmps
Current rise is 150kAmps in 45msec. Only makes 180kAmps.
Current rampdown finds a plateau around 100kA, but then continues
the ramp with termination at 270msec. Discharge position is better
this shot - moves out during middle and then back in.
Bz still -5mT.
Nl_05 is progressively getting worse. Please disregard this density
information.

Changes for shot 023:
None

May 26 1993 04:04:13:540PM930526023John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps

Changes for shot 024:
EF3 PLC current limit set to 20kAmps from 15kAmps

May 26 1993 04:24:59:210PM930526024John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 190 kAmps Peaks at 70msec and then ramps down with disruptions
all the way down. Plateau at 100kAmps. Radial position is much better
beginning at 70msec.

Changes for shot 025: OH1 crowbar to 50msec from 40msec. No change on the V
waveform. (Trying to fix the fact that the plasma moves in at the
crowbar time due to differences in OH1 and OH2's)

May 26 1993 04:51:37:320PM930526025John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 30 kAmps.
EF3's have funny waveform due to feedback with high gain on a no plasma shot

Changes for shot 026:
Proportional gain for RCUR PID changed from 10 to 1 and start time
from 50 to 24msec.
EF3 PLC limit set back to 15kAmps

May 26 1993 05:03:15:650PM930526026John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 270 kAmps. Flattop from 70 to 140msec. No disruptions on
rampdown until power supply inversion time at 250msec.
Position is still a bit low and inside.
Change of OH1 crowbar smoothed out OH1 and OH2 waveforms.

Changes for shot 026:
OH1 and OH2's voltage programming extended to 300msec. TF and OH
inversion times set to 350msec.

May 26 1993 05:09:24:200PM930526027John GoetzToroidal field = 5.0T.
Plasma current = 20 kAmps.

Last shot of the day.

Physics Operator Comments

Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
109:21:24:410AMPlasmaOklow Plasma Power supplies OK
210:05:23:330AMPlasmaOkGood
310:17:32:480AMPlasmaOkgood
410:30:44:170AMPlasmaOkLow Plasma I OH1 power Supply voltage Intermittant
510:57:11:230AMPlasmaOkPlasma Current 210 KA.
611:33:41:210AMPlasmaOkPlasma I 160KA.
711:51:47:280AMPlasmaOkgood shot
812:12:22:120PMPlasmaOkPlasma Shot Low Current Plasma
912:22:47:750PMPlasmaOkPlasma Shot 200 KA.
1012:37:34:500PMPlasmaOkGood Plasma Shot 210KA.
1112:56:57:620PMPlasmaOkFuse Loss tf Caninet #4
1201:11:12:800PMPlasmaOkplasma shot 200KA
1301:25:04:070PMPlasmaOk20ka plasma no faults
1401:34:05:930PMPlasmaOk30ka plasma
1501:47:18:830PMPlasmaOk80ka plasma
1602:11:25:160PMPlasmaOk220ka
1702:24:23:930PMPlasmaOk30ka plasma current
1802:37:39:690PMPlasmaOk220ka plasma
1903:00:44:720PMPlasmaOk No PLasma Current
2003:13:31:910PMPlasmaOkno plasma current.
2103:23:20:290PMPlasmaOkLow Plasma current.
2203:37:47:620PMPlasmaOk Good Plasma shot Current 180ka
2303:55:34:710PMPlasmaOklow plasma
2404:06:11:770PMPlasmaOkPlasma Current 190 KA.
2504:24:09:060PMPlasmaOkPlasma shot low current
2604:51:21:300PMPlasmaOk Very good shot Plasma current 270KA.
2705:02:45:830PMPlasmaOkLong pulse low plasma cvurrent.