Enhanced Conversion of Thermal Electron Bernstein Waves to the Extraordinary Electromagnetic Mode on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

Taylor, G. ; Efthimion, P.C. ; Jones, B. ; LeBlanc, B.P. ; Wilson, J.R. ; Wilgen, J.B. ; Bell, G.L. ; Bigelow, T.S. ; Maingi, R. ; Rasmussen, D.A. ; Harvey, R.W. ; Smirnov, A.P. ; Paoletti, F. ; Sabbagh, S.A.

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory.

关键词: Thermonuclear Reactors;    Heating;    Cyclotron Radiation Mode Conversion;    Iaea;    70 Plasma Physics And Fusion Technology;   

DOI  :  10.2172/809850
RP-ID  :  PPPL-3757
RP-ID  :  AC02-76CH03073
RP-ID  :  809850

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

A four-fold increase in the conversion of thermal electron-Bernstein waves (EBW) to the extraordinary mode (X-mode) was measured when the density scale length (L subscript ''n'') was progressively shortened by a local Boron nitride limiter in the scrape-off of an ohmically heated National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) plasma [M. Ono, S. Kaye, M. Peng, et al., Proceedings 17th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 1999), Vol. 3, p. 1135]. The maximum conversion efficiency approached 50% when L subscript ''n'' was reduced to 0.7 cm, in agreement with theoretical predictions that used locally measured L subscript ''n''. Calculations indicate that it is possible to establish L subscript ''n'' < 0.3 cm with a local limiter, a value predicted to attain approximately 100% EBW conversion to the X-mode in support of proposed EBW heating and current drive scenarios.