HL-2A托卡马克装置的工程和实验概况

中国环流器二号A装置(HL-2A)是核工业西南物理研究院2002年投入实验运行的托卡马克,它是我国第1个具有偏滤器、等离子体截面具有一定垂直拉长的托卡马克.HL-2A的磁体使用铜导体,具有良好的灵活性和等离子体的可近性,其极向场线圈全部位于环向场线圈之内,位于真空室内的偏滤器的成形线圈可建立双零和单零的偏滤器位形.HL-2A已发展了30多套先进的等离子体诊断系统和总功率4 MW的辅助加热系统,加料技术得到持续发展.随着上述系统的建设和放电综合控制技术的提高,HL-2A装置已获得了高约束模式,这为开展先进托卡马克(AT)物理实验,ITER和聚变堆的科学、技术和工程问题等的研究奠定了基础.HL-2A也成为国际上最活跃的中型托卡马克,为国际托卡马克物理活动(ITPA)作出了积极贡献.     

中国环流器二号A(HL-2A)装置物理设计

文章是关于中国环流器二号A(HL-2A)装置物理设计的总结报告,包括以下几方面的内容:分析计算等离子体截面变形及由截面拉长引起的垂直不稳定性,提出对HL-2A极向磁场线圈电流和控制系统的要求;研究通过中性束注入加热(NBI)和低混杂波电流驱动(LHCD)实现等离子体剖面控制,模拟并设计HL-2A的高性能的运行模式;分析HL-2A先进约束位形(RS位形)下的磁流体力学不稳定性,为实现高性能模式稳态运行的等离子体控制指出方向;同时,利用数值模拟分析HL-2A偏滤器等离子体性能,为偏滤器的改进提供依据。     

偏滤器物理设计与实验研究

应用B2-code模拟了偏滤器等离子体行为,优化了HL-2A装置偏滤器位形。研究了偏滤器刮削层中等离子体与器壁间过渡鞘层的离子碰撞效应,模拟研究了利用LHCD和NBI控制等离子体剖面分布在HL-2A中建立准稳态的反磁剪切位形。HL-2A装置首次实现了下单零点的偏滤器位形运行,完成了偏滤器初步物理实验,截至2004年底,获得等离子体电流320 kA,等离子体存在时间1 580 ms,环向磁场2.2 T。开展了高功率密度聚变堆偏滤器靶板的设计研究,特别是流动液态锂偏滤器靶板表面的物理过程的研究。探索性研究了用RF有质动力势改善偏滤器排灰效率和减少氚投料量。对FEB- E聚变堆偏滤器进行了优化设计。用电子束模拟对碳基材料及钨进行了高热负荷冲击实验,完成了钨/铜合金的热等静压焊接及热疲劳试验研究。研究了氦在钨中的滞留与热解吸行为。     

Imaging System and Plasma Imaging on HL-2A Tokamak

As a new diagnostic means, plasma-imaging system has been developed on the HL-2A tokamak, with a basic understanding of plasma discharge scenario of the entire torus, checking the plasma position and the clearance between the plasma and the first wall during discharge. The plasma imaging system consists of (1) color video camera, (2) observation window and turn mirror, (3) viewing & collecting optics, (4) video cable, (5) Video capture card as well as PC. This paper mainly describes the experimental arrangement, plasma imaging system and detailed part in the system, along with the experimental results. Real-time monitoring of plasma discharge process, particularly distinguishing limitor and divertor configuration, the imaging system has become key diagnostic means and laid the foundation for further physical experiment on the HL-2A tokamak.     

Magnetic configuration flexibility of snowflake divertor for HL-2M

HL-2M (Li, 2013 [1]) is a tokamak device that is under construction. Based on the magnetic coils design of HL-2M, four kinds of divertor configurations are calculated by CORSICA code (Pearlstein et al., 2001 [2]) with the same main plasma parameters, which are standard divertor, exact snowflake divertor, snowflake-plus divertor and snowflake-minus divertor configurations. The potential properties of these divertors are analyzed and presented in this paper: low poloidal field area around X-point, connection length from outside mid-plane to the primary X-point, target plate design and magnetic field shear. The results show that the snowflake configurations not only can reduce the heat load at divertor target plates, but also may improve the magneto-hydrodynamic stability by stronger magnetic shear at the edge. A new divertor configuration, named “tripod divertor”, is designed by adjusting the positions of the two X-points according to plasma parameters and magnetic coils current of HL-2M.     

Thermal-hydraulic analysis of the HL-2M divertor using an homogeneous equilibrium model

The heat flux of the HL-2M divertor would reach 10 MWm-2 or more at the local area when the device operates at high parameters.Subcooled boiling could occur at high thermal load,which would be simulated based on the homogeneous equilibrium model.The results show that the current design of the HL-2M divertor could withstand the local heat flux 10 MW m-2 at a plasma pulse duration of 5 s,inlet coolant pressure of 1.5 MPa and flow velocity of 4 m s-1.The pulse duration that the HL-2M divertor could withstand is closely related to the coolant velocity.In addition,at the time of 2 min after plasma discharge,the flow velocity decreased from 4 m s-1 to 1 m s-1,and the divertor could also be cooled to the initial temperature before the next plasma discharge commences.     

The Principle of Plasma Boundary Identification on HL-2A Tokamak

Plasma boundary identification is a basic task for studies on equilibrium and confinement in a divertor tokamak. With the progress on the experiments after engineering experiments, the boundary identification becomes an important issue for HL-2A. In order to satisfy the requirements of preciseness, simplified measurements and quickness, the filament current method instead of solving the equilibrium equations is used to identify plasma boundary on HL-2A. The involved principle, mathematics and the progresses, which have been made with this method, are given.     

HL-2M Divertor Geometry Exploration with SOLPS5.0

One of the critical issues to be solved for HL-2M is the power and particle exhaust. Divertor target plate geometry strongly influences the plasma profiles by controlling the neutral recycling pattern, which has in turn a strong effect on the symmetry and stability of the divertor plasma and finally on the whole edge region. The numerical simulation software SOLPS5.0 Pack- age is used to design and explore the divertor target plates for HL-2M. We choose two divertor geometries, and assess the heat flux on the target plates and first wall, then further discuss the di- vertor plasma parameters, and how private flux baffling affects both neutral recirculation pattern and pumping efficiency.     

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Identification of Divertor Configuration in the HL-2A Tokamak

Single- and double-null divertor configurations in HL-2A are simulated by SWEQU equilibrium code. Lower divertor discharges in the first physics campaign have been achieved by two kinds of power supply method of multipole-field coils. Single-null divertor configuration has been identified by visible photography, target probe arrays and the reconstructed magnetic surface. Magnetic separatrix and minor radius of plasma column are obtained by a reconstructed code of multiple current filaments using 18 Mirnov signals.     

Upgrade of an integrated Langmuir probe system on the closed divertor target plates in the HL-2A tokamak

A newly designed divertor Langmuir probe diagnostic system has been installed in a rare closed divertor of the HL-2A tokamak and steadily operated for the study of divertor physics involved edge-localized mode mitigation, detachment and redistribution of heat flux, etc. Two sets of probe arrays including 274 probe tips were placed at two ports (approximately 180° separated toroidally), and the spatial and temporal resolutions of this measurement system could reach 6 mm and 1 μs, respectively. A novel design of the ceramic isolation ring can ensure reliable electrical insulation property between the graphite tip and the copper substrate plate where plasma impurities and the dust are deposited into the gaps for a long experimental time. Meanwhile, the condition monitoring and mode conversion between single and triple probe of the probe system could be conveniently implemented via a remote-control station. The preliminary experimental result shows that the divertor Langmuir probe system is capable of measuring the high spatiotemporal parameters involved the plasma density, electron temperature, particle flux as well as heat flux during the ELMy H-mode discharges.     

Impurity Measurement and Study on HL-2A Divertor Tokamak

HL-2A tokamak with two close divertors has been operated since 2003. In the experimental campaign of 2004 the divertor configuration has been successfully formed and the sillconization as a wall conditioning has been firstly done in this device. The divertor configuration can be reconstructed by the CFc code. Impurity behavior has been investigated during the experiment with divertor configuration and wall conditioning. The reduction of impurity is clear under both conditions of divertor configuration and siliconization.     

Analysis of Divertor Heat Flux with Infrared Thermography During Gas Fuelling in the HL-2A Tokamak

In HL-2A tokamaks, the behavior of heat flux deposited on the divertor targets has been studied during deuterium gas fuelling. The heat flux is reduced significantly after supersonic molecular beam injection （SMBI） fuelling during Ohmic and electron cyclotron resonance heating （ECRH） divertor discharges. The SMBI fuelling causes an increase in the plasma density and this change results in the experienced change of the edge properties. Most of this reduction in divertor target heat flux occurs together with a high plasma radiation region located at near the X-point. The largest reduction in heat flux profiles is observed at the outboard divertor separatrix strike point, while the heat flux far from the strike point remains almost unchanged. In particular, with SMBI multi-pulses gas fuelling, a partially detached divertor regime is observed with a highly radiating region at the X-point. With the onset of the partially detached divertor regime, a sudden drop in both heat flux and power flow on the divertor target is observed. The reduction in power load on the divertor targets is roughly equal to the increase in plasma radiation loss.     

Impurity Measured by VUV Spectrometer and OMA on HL-2A Tokamak

Impurity is one of the key issues on a great impact to the quality of tokamak plasma.HL-2A is the first divertor tokamak in China. In this paper the experimental results are presented on impurity through the line emission measurement in the campaign in 2003 under the limiter and divertor configurations. The low-Z impurities such as carbon and oxygen are the most important components in the plasma, but their content are not so high to affect the discharge quality. The high-Z impurities such as copper and ferrum are not essential. The emission intensity of impurity is clearly decreased during the divertor configuration formed.     

Vacuum System for HL-2A Tokamak

The vacuum system for HL-2A was built in 2003. The test results indicated that this system is feasible. It consists of three main parts: a pumping system, a pumping divertor and a glow discharge cleaning (GDC) system. For the pumping system, there are three main functions: (1) evacuating the vacuum vessel thus to produce an ultra high vacuum, (2) removal of impurities released during baking and (3) pumping during GDC. The pumping divertor controls the particles at the plasma edge and the GDC system provides a clean wall conditioning. During the first campaign of physical trial experiment on HL-2A, the ultimate pressure reached 4.6 × 10-6 Pa, and the total leakage and outgassing rate in 12 hours was 1.8 × 10-5 Pa·m3/s, which is close to that of ASDEX.     

Characterization of plasma current quench during disruptions at HL-2A

The most essential assumptions of physics for the evaluation of electromagnetic forces on the plasma-facing components due to a disruption-induced eddy current are characteristics of plasma current quenches including the current quench rate or its waveforms.The characteristics of plasma current quenches at HL-2A have been analyzed during spontaneous disruptions.Both linear decay and exponential decay are found in the disruptions with the fastest current quenches.However,there are two stages of current quench in the slow current quench case.The first stage with an exponential decay and the second stage followed by a rapid linear decay.The faster current quench rate corresponds to the faster movement of plasma displacement.The parameter regimes on the current quench time and the current quench rates have been obtained from disruption statistics at HL-2A.There exists no remarkable difference for distributions obtained between the limiter and the divertor configuration.This data from HL-2A provides basic data of the derivation of design criteria for a large-sized machine during the current decay phase of the disruptions.     

MHD Equilibrium Configuration Reconstructions for HL-2A Tokamak

The EFIT （Equilibrium Fitting） code is modified for the equilibrium configuration reconstruction in HL-2A. Signals from Langmuir probe （LP） at the divertor targ...     

Structural Modification and Thermal and Structural Analysis of the Divertor in HL-2A

The re-design of the adoptable structure and the cooling manner of the divertor in the HL-2A tokamak is based on the parameters confirmed by the optimum divertor configuration and the primary modification scheme. The characteristics of the new divertor system include the double shear joint design on the domes and the outer target plates as well as the poloidal flow with toroidal manifolds. The results of the thermal and structural analysis of the outer target plates show that the design of the poloidal flow with toroidal manifolds can improve the capability of the target plates to withstand the heat loads, and the double shear joint design is compatible with the stress intensity requirements by the electromagnetic loads due to halo currents.     

Research on the real-time signal conditioning method for dispersion interferometer in HL-2M

A new CO₂ laser dispersion interferometer has been developed in the HL-2M tokamak to measure the electron density. In order to meet the needs of high-precision measurement, a data acquisition system with real-time signal conditioning (RSC) method is proposed. It can eliminate part of the impacts of environmental factors, such as mechanical vibration, light path changes, and plasma refraction effect during experiments. In harsh environments, the system can measure the line-integrated density with a high precision of 2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻² with the RSC method. The system has been tested in a recent HL-2A experimental campaign, and the results show that the RSC method plays an important role in the plasma electron density measurement.     

Comparing simulated and experimental spectral line splitting in visible spectroscopy diagnostics in the HL-2A tokamak

We established the passive-visible spectroscopy diagnostics(P-VSD) and active-VSD(A-VSD)spectral splitting models for the HL-2A tokamak. Spectral splitting due to the influence of electromagnetic fields on the spectra in VSD is studied. Zeeman splitting induced by the magnetic field(B) is used to distinguish reflected light overlap in the divertor for P-VSD. Stark splitting caused by the Lorentz electric field(E_Lorentz) from the neutral beam injection particle’s interaction with the m...     

Flow Field and Thermal Analysis of the Divertor Target Plate for HL-2A Tokamak

In the initial phase of the physics experiment, the double-null divertor plates used consist of graphite armor tiles, Mo-alloy intermediate layers and Cu-alloy coolant tubes. In the later operating phase, tungsten will be used as armor tiles. A multi-physical field numerical analysis method is used in this paper. Its analysis model reflects more realistically the real divertor structure than other models. Two-dimensional （2D） and three-dimensional （3D） fluid flow field, temperature distribution and thermal stress analyses of the divertor plates are carried out by the ANSYS code. During the physics experimental phase with a heat flux of 1 MW/m2, a coolant velocity of 5.48 m/s, and a thermal stress of 750 kg/cm2, the graphite armor tiles successfully meet the requirements of temperature, thermal stress and sputtering erosion. The tungsten armor will be considered as a second candidate. The result of simulation can be used for upgrading the design parameters of the HL-2A poloidal divertor.