Alcator C-Mod Run 990129 Information

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Miniproposals
Miniproposal:206
Date Filed:12/31/1998
Title:Restart Operation: January 1999
First Author:Steve Wolfe
Session Leader:Steve Wolfe (shots 1-17)

Operators
Session leader(s):Steve Wolfe
Physics operator(s):Earl Marmar
Engineering operator(s):Gary Dekow,Frank Silva,Bill Cochran

Engineering Operator Run Comment
MP206 Restart Operation/Wolfe/Marmer

Session Leader Plans

Physics Operators Plans

Session Leader Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 03:49:18:773PM
Author: To Be Determined
Session Leader's Summary of Fri 29-JAN-1999

MP 206 Restart Operation 1999
SL: wolfe
PO: Marmar Asst. PO: parker
EO: Silva,Cochran,Dekow

This run was a continuation of the attempts to clean up the machine and get
plasmas. Today's run was quite successful, and we now seem to be over the
hump. We got 13 plasmas and only 4 fizzles, and succeeded in getting both
limiter and divertor shots into rampdown. Helium ECDC between shots was tried
today in an effort to improve the reliability; this was apparently somewhat
successful (see the Physop summary for details).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Run Plan:

Continue trying to get decent plasmas.

We are starting from 990128021, which is programmed as a limiter discharge,
and has a corrected CLEARIN predictor factor. It will likely be necessary to
tune up the discharge after looking at what the first real plasma does.

[ Contrary to what I said in the run summary yesterday, the factor error was
not present last year. It was introduced on Wednesday when we recalculated the
predictors after replacing the Bp coil. ]

We will be trying ECDC in Helium between discharges today, to try to improve
the cleanup. It's worth a try, but I'm afraid the only way to clean this
machine up is tokamak discharges.

If we get limiter discharges running well and seem to be cleaning up the inner
wall, then we will go back to divertor discharges. Note that if we reload from
yesterday or the day before, we will have to reset the CLEARIN factor.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results:
--------
The first shot disrupted early, probably due to a gas problem when the TCI
failed. The TCI feedback was then turned off for most of the rest of the
day. We ran most of the day with no density feedback and the maintenance gas
level in the second segment (#4) set to zero, so the fueling was almost
entirely from the walls.

Shots 1 and 2 were based on 990128021. #3-15 had the ZXL and ZXU moved away
and CLEARIN=-.04, and were inboard limited, with some scrapeoff flux going
into the lower divertor. As we continued to run these limiter discharges with
no D2 puffing in the main flattop, the density dropped from 1.2e20 to
7e19. Attempts to fix the rampdown to avoid a disruption around 1.3 sec were
not very successful.

Shots 16 and 17 were divertor discharges, similar to 980120003 but with Ip
programmed for 700kA instead of 800. These were obtained by import_Segment
from 990128018 and correcting the factor on wire4, and making some additional
minor tweaks. Shot 16 was programmed for 5e19, which we got without opening
the gas valve. This shot ramped down nicely. Shot 17 asked for 8e19 and got
about 9e19, thanks to an increase in the maintenance level. It lasted to 1.38
sec. Both were nice looking diverted discharges, although with high H/D
ratios.

The "Irby Criterion" on both base pressure and individual partial pressures on
the RGA was successfully violated on many discharges. Base pressures up to
5e-7 were run with successful startups. It was possible to run mass 28 partial
pressures at least a factor of 2 above the previous maximum and still get good
plasmas, particularly after He ECDC. The between-shots wait period was reduced
from one hour to about 20 minutes.

Part 1 of this MiniProposal, "Get Plasma" is now complete, and we have made
some progress on part 2, "Cleanup discharges, increase reliability".
Diagnostic alignment (part 3) can proceed next week during dedicated runs. We
will also be documenting the behavior prior to boronization.



Physics Operator Summaries
Entered: Jul 7 2004 04:36:59:927PM
Author: To Be Determined
Physop summary for 990129

continuation of MP 206: Restart Operations 1999

PO: Marmar, Goetz
PO': Parker
SL: Wolfe
EO: Silva, Dekow

Considerable progress in the cleanup was made today, with 13 plasmas making it
at least to current flattop. Many plasmas made it to the beginning of
ramp-down, and one (shot 16) was nicely diverted and ramped down to .25 MA
before disrupting. Shot 17 had a measurable density rise due to the deuterium
puff, with flattop nl_04 of about 8e19, under feedback control. H/D ratios were
high all day. Rice reports that Mo was increasing and chlorine decreasing
through the day.

We performed between shot ECDC in helium before many of the discharges, in an
attempt to assess the possible benefits on cleanup. Details can be found in the
logbook; the main observational statistics are as follows:

The shots which were preceded by helium ECDC, and which followed a plasma shot,
were also plasma shots in 8 out of 9 such attempts. Shots which followed a
plasma shot, but did not have helium ECDC, resulted in fizzles for all 3 such
attempts. All fizzles (4 total) were followed by plasmas without intervening
ECDC. The Irby criteria for RGA measured partial pressures, as established from
yesterday's run, were exceeded, for at least some of the masses, on all attempts
today after shot 1. Starting with shot 9, we tried to keep the time in recool
after a plasma shot to about 20 minutes (shot 4, the first no-ECDC post-plasma
fizzle, was preceded by a one hour wait; shot 4 may also have had a B_R offset
problem, although that appeared no worse than on shot 3).

So, every shot today (after shot 1) that yielded plasma, was preceded either by
intershot helium ECDC, or by a fizzle.

The main impurities showing up on the RGA after plasmas continue to be
hydrocarbons, CO and CO_2.

Engineering systems performed well today; shot 13 terminated prematurely as a
result of an OH2L crowbar at 0.45 s; there were no obvious signs of problems
with the supply, and the problem did not recur.

Operation of the between shot ECDC went very smoothly.


Summary:

13 plasmas
4 fizzles
0 duds
------------
17 attempts

Session Leader Comments
Jan 29 1999 08:49:27:373AMSteve WolfeRun Plan:

Continue trying to get decent plasmas.
We are starting from 990128021, which is programmed as a limiter discharge, and has a corrected
CLEARIN predictor factor. It will likely be necessary to tune up the discharge after looking at
what the first real plasma does.

[ Contrary to what I said in the run summary yesterday, the factor error
was not present last year. It was introduced on Wednesday when we recalculated the predictors
after replacing the Bp coil. ]

We will be trying ECDC in Helium between discharges today, to try to improve the cleanup. It's
worth a try, but I'm afraid the only way to clean this machine up is tokamak discharges.

If we get limiter discharges running well and seem to be cleaning up the inner wall, then we
will go back to divertor discharges. Note that if we reload from yesterday or the day before, we
will have to reset the CLEARIN factor.




Jan 29 1999 09:04:50:543AM990129001Steve Wolfeshot #1: from 990128021, with less pg3 in seg1
plasma - 330ms, 660kA

tci crapped out early


Jan 29 1999 10:47:41:000AM990129002Steve Wolfeshot #2: plasma
to .55sec, 730kA.
sawtoothing merrily along
ha event at .51
nl4 feedback was off , nl4 reached 1.1 e20
It's an x-point discharge at .18 and .38 and at .540 according to efit

If we want it limited, we need to back off clearin further (and RCUR) and drop ZXL and maybe raise ZXU

ZCUR is satisfied on the hybrid, thinking it has -10000, but the actual position
looks to be near zero.
Jan 29 1999 11:18:09:640AM990129003Steve Wolfeshot #3: Drop zxl, raise zxu, clearin from -.03 to -.04, rcur negative by 0.005, PG3 maintenance
level to zero in seg 4.

plasma to 1.29sec, 730ka flattop into rampdown.
Vsurf = 1.6V, good limiter discharge.
nl4 with no gas is flat at 1.1 to 1.2e20
peak Te before sawteeth is 2keV, drops to 1 by end of shot.
No ecdc after this shot. watching the rga.

Note: we have now run three shots in a row (with an hour in between of course) and gotten to flattop
The Tuesday goals are now met, sort of.
Jan 29 1999 12:02:42:140PM990129004Steve Wolfeshot #4: no changes. Run after an hour, Irby criterion not met.
fizzle. Br is negative, but it was on the previous one too.
Jan 29 1999 12:36:58:373PM990129005Steve Wolfeshot #5: br tweak (1mT more positive) and go again, still not satisfying Irby criterion.
plasma, 1.28sec
nl4=1.18e20, no fin, no halpha problem, rampdown may have program problem.
Jan 29 1999 01:15:39:263PM990129006Steve Wolfeshot #6: some rampdown changes. ecdc before this shot for 20minutes; 44 is rising; still well over
Irby criterion, base=4.6e-7

plasma. So much for the Irby criteria.
ece gate valve was closed.
NL4 = 1.0e20; it's dropped from previous shot.
Still have a rampdown disruption, at the same time. n/nc is rising this time, > 1.3.

Jan 29 1999 01:36:02:810PM990129007Steve Wolfeshot #7: Ramp the Zx's away during rampdown. Reduce pre-puff again. 20min ecdc; base=7e-7
fizzle. late bd.

Jan 29 1999 02:00:24:293PM990129008Steve Wolfeshot #8:plasma.
Still disrupts at 1.3sec
nl4=0.9e20 (it dropped again)
Jan 29 1999 02:19:24:780PM990129009Steve Wolfeshot #9: 5 minutes ecdc. Clearin and rcur tweaks in rampdown.
plasma, same length.
nl4=1.0e20 didn't drop that time.

Jan 29 1999 03:00:22:263PM990129010Steve Wolfeshot #10: no ecdc. Wait until base p is down to 5e-7;
Extend tf program by .15sec, move Ip controller switch from 1.05 to 1.5sec

fizzle
Jan 29 1999 03:00:02:857PM990129011Steve Wolfeshot #11: no ecdc. Wait until base p is down to 3.4e-7;
Extend tf program by .15sec, move Ip controller switch from 1.05 to 1.5sec

plasma disrupts at .9sec, nl4=1.4e-7, EF4 maybe on current rail at 3700a
Jan 29 1999 05:33:33:733PM990129012Steve Wolfeshot #12: 5minutes of ecdc, reduce ic_ef4 from 3500 to 3000. move rcur out 5mm to reduce outer gap.
start sequence at 20min.

plasma to 1.15, density rises to almost 2e20 at the end.
Jan 29 1999 03:52:56:793PM990129013Steve Wolfeshot #13:
plasma disrupts at 0.45 - OH2l crowbars before disruption.
COMM failure, no blown fuses.
Looked like an ok shot until the ps suicided.
Jan 29 1999 03:59:15:513PM990129014Steve Wolfeshot #14: no ecdc, wait 20 minutes.
fizzle, bd at 6.5msec, bouncer
Jan 29 1999 04:23:13:607PM990129015Steve Wolfeshot #15: plasma to 1.42sec, shark fin at the end.
nl4=7.5e19 until fin.
looks good.

Next shot, try a diverter
Jan 29 1999 04:47:24:670PM990129016Steve Wolfeshot #16: Import seg4 of 990128018 into seg2, and correct the clearin factor and drop the pg3 maint
level to zero. Also, extend the TF as on shot 15, and drop IC_EF4 to 3000, as above.
ecdc for about 15 min.

plasma to 1.63sec
nl4=5e19 and rising slowly
left gap=1.4cm, right gap=1.4cm
note that NL4 feedback was on, but we asked for 5e19, so the valve never openes

Nice shot.
Jan 29 1999 05:05:31:107PM990129017Steve Wolfeshot #17: ecdc for 5min. ask for nl4=8e19, put back some maint. gas.

plasma to 1.38sec
nl4=8.7e19 rising at the end.
vsurf=1.33, te 1.4-1.6kev

another nice shot.

Physics Operator Comments
Jan 29 1999 08:19:13:077AMEarl Marmar
MP: 206 Restart Operation, 1999

Overnight ECDC in D2

Engineering Setup same as shot
990128020
cryopump closed
TF under hybrid control

Gas setup - fill B-top with 6 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled
fill B-side lower with 6 psi of Helium NOT hybrid enabled
fill "K-side"* with 30 psi of D2 Hybrid enabled

Helium should be open to the plenum

Start from PCS settings for 990128021, which should be a limited shot.

We will continue observing the pumpout criterion after a successful plasma,
before trying for the next shot. For part of the time between shots, we will
ECDC, first in helium, and later in the run, possibly in deuterium.
Jan 29 1999 09:12:52:827AM990129001Earl Marmarhybrid coldstart complete; no errors; all matrices respond

load from 990128021

reduce PG3 voltage prog slightly in seg 1

plasma - nice breakdown - good current rise

disruption @ .325s; density feedback goes south @ 0.19s
Jan 29 1999 10:03:50:763AM990129002Earl MarmarShot 990129002
15 minutes of helium ECDC before this shot
mass 28 and 44 went below the limits immediately
mass 32 & 18 oscillating with the sweep, but then slowly reducing
mass 14 down immediately and slowly decreasing
some argon contamination in the plenum

after ECDC shut-off, mass 18, 28, 32, and 44 back up and then coming down slowly
mass 44 rising at the rate of 2e-9 / 10 min

zero controller for NL04 in segment 4 (TCI laser is oscillating)

60 minutes between shots

plasma - disrupts @ .55s
good breakdown and current rise
limited plasma - 2cm outer gap; EFIT finds two x-points
still too much gas
x-ray spectroscopy: Cl > S > Mo > Ar
Jan 29 1999 11:35:07:623AM990129003Earl MarmarShot 990129003
between shots ECDC in helium


turn off PG3 in seg 4

tweaks to Rcur, Zcur, Rxl, Zxu

plasma; 1.3 seconds; disrupt during rampdown
Jan 29 1999 12:11:59:623PM990129004Earl Marmarno ecdc between shots 3 and 4

Irby criiteria not quite satisfied; going after 1 hour wait; base pressure = 1.7e-7

rampdown tweaks after 1.2 s

RCUR in
ZXU up
ZXL down

fizzle

B_R about 2 mT negative; this was also true on shot 3
Jan 29 1999 12:28:02:890PM990129005Earl MarmarB_R offset to .003 T from .002

Base pressure 1.7

Irby criteria still not satisfied on all masses

plasma; similar to shot 3; disrupt at 1.3 s
Jan 29 1999 01:06:41:780PM990129006Earl MarmarECDC between shots 5 and 6; in helium for 20 minutes

keep RCUR and CLEARIN constant during rampdown
keep EF2 by EF4 constant at 2000 during rampdown

take 1 ms off prefill puff (now 15 ms)

base pressure 4.8e-7

plasma; so much for the Irby criterion

looks much like shot 5; disrupt in rampdown at 1.32 s

density somewhat lower
Jan 29 1999 01:34:43:123PM990129007Earl MarmarECDC in Helium between 6 and 7 for 15 minutes

rampdown changes:

ZXU up
ZXL down


Also, 1 more ms off prefill puff (now 14 ms)

base pressure 5.4e-7

fizzle
Jan 29 1999 02:00:16:217PM990129008Earl Marmaradd 1 ms to prefill puff (now 15 msec)

base pressure 3.2e-7

plasma; disrupting at the same place.
Jan 29 1999 02:18:49:483PM990129009Earl MarmarECDC 5 minutes before shot 9

rampdown tweaks:

RCUR in
CLEARIN in

base pressure 4.6e-7

plasma

disrupt at 1.32
Jan 29 1999 02:35:34:780PM990129010Earl Marmarno ECDC before shot 10

wait for 20:00 minutes

extend TF flattop to 1.35

Ip controller shift delayed to 1.5 s from 1.05 s

base pressure 4.9e-7

fizzle
Jan 29 1999 02:58:36:733PM990129011Earl Marmarno changes

wait 13 minutes

base pressure 3.4e-7

plasma; disrupt at .88 s

Jan 29 1999 03:15:36:500PM990129012Earl MarmarECDC 5 minutes in He before shot 12



reduce EF4 current prog from 3500 to 3000 amp during flattop
RCUR out by 5 mm to reduce outer gap

wait 21 minutes

base pressure 4.0e-7

plasma; disrupt at 1.15

looking dirtier
Jan 29 1999 03:49:21:250PM990129013Earl MarmarECDC for 5 minutes in He before shot 13

no other changes

wait 20 minutes

base pressure 4.4e-7

plasma

OH2 lower problem, at time of OH1 crossover; disrupt at .452 s

Jan 29 1999 04:04:10:263PM990129014Earl Marmarno ECDC before shot 14

wait 20 minutes

base pressure 3.9e-7

fizzle
Jan 29 1999 04:19:40:827PM990129015Earl Marmarno ECDC before 15

wait 12 minutes

base pressure 2.9e-7

plasma; ends with a sharkfin at 1.42 s
Jan 29 1999 04:47:32:123PM990129016Earl MarmarECDC 10 minutes in He before shot 16

Reload segment 4 from 990128018, into segment 2; attempt a diverted shot

tweak pulsed gas and keep TF invert at 1.35 s

wait 20 minutes

base pressure 5.0e-7

plasma; ramped down; nicely diverted


Engineering Operator Comments
ShotTimeTypeStatusComment
108:58:14:500AMPlasmaOkno faults/plasma
209:56:43:750AMPlasmaOkno faults/plasma/ECDC between shots
310:58:59:030AMPlasmaOknofaults/plasm/ecdc between shot
411:57:53:390AMPlasmaOkno faults/fizzel
512:15:53:780PMPlasmaOkno faults/ plasma
601:00:55:467PMPlasmaOkno faults/plasma
701:30:00:530PMPlasmaOkNo Faults
801:43:59:327PMPlasmaOkno faults
902:07:23:920PMPlasmaOkno faults/plasma
1002:30:16:450PMPlasmaOkNo Faults
1102:46:19:530PMPlasmaOkNo faults
1203:10:19:903PMPlasmaOkNo Faults
1303:33:16:577PMPlasmaBadFaults on OH2L Com, EF1L Auto Crowbar, OH1 Auto Crowbar
1403:55:26:670PMPlasmaOkNo faults
1504:11:03:043PMPlasmaOkNo faults
1604:34:44:250PMPlasmaOkNo Faults
1704:58:04:483PMPlasmaOkNo Faults