RF plasma production and heating below ion-cyclotron frequencies in Uragan torsatrons

V. E. Moiseenko, V. L. Berezhnyj, V. N. Bondarenko, P. Ya Burchenko, F. Castejón, V. V. Chechkin, V. Ya Chernyshenko, M. B. Dreval, I. E. Garkusha, G. P. Glazunov, L. I. Grigor'Eva, D. Hartmann, C. Hidalgo, V. G. Konovalov, V. D. Kotsubanov, Ye D. Kramskoi, A. E. Kulaga, A. V. Lozin, A. I. Lyssoivan, V. K. MironovI. N. Mysiura, R. O. Pavlichenko, V. K. Pashnev, V. S. Romanov, A. N. Shapoval, A. I. Skibenko, A. S. Slavnyi, E. L. Sorokovoy, Yu S. Stadnik, V. S. Taran, V. I. Tereshin, V. S. Voitsenya

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In the IPP-Kharkiv there are two torsatrons (stellarators) in operation, and in both of them Alfvén resonance heating under high-k conditions is used. This method of heating is advantageous for small-size devices, since in contrast to the minority and second-harmonic heating it can be realized at lower plasma densities. A series of experiments has been performed at the Uragan-3M torsatron with an aim to investigate the features of the discharge with a three-half-turn antenna. Electron temperatures in the T̄e = 0.2-0.5keV range are achieved at plasma densities n̄e ≈ (0.5-1.5) × 1013 cm-3 . The plasma energy content has increased by a factor of 2 with respect to the plasma produced with the frame antenna. A new four-strap shielded antenna has been manufactured and installed in the Uragan-2M. A high-frequency discharge for wall conditioning is introduced in the Uragan-2M torsatron. The discharge is sustained by a specially designed small frame antenna, and efficient hydrogen dissociation is achieved. A self-consistent model has been developed for simulation of plasma production in ICRF. The model includes a set of particle and energy-balance equations for the electrons, and the boundary problem for the Maxwell equations. The first calculation results on RF plasma production in the Uragan-2M stellarator with the frame-type antenna are presented.

Original languageEnglish
Article number083036
JournalNuclear Fusion
Volume51
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2011

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