Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been developing pellet injectors for plasma fueling experiments on magnetic confinement devices for more than 15 years. Recent major applications of the ORNL development program include (1) a tritium-compatible four-shot pneumatic injector for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, (2) a centrifuge pellet injector for the Tore Supra tokamak, and most recently (3) a three-barrel repeating pneumatic injector for the DIII-D tokamak. In addition to applications, ORNL is developing advanced technologies, including high-speed pellet injectors, tritium injectors, and long-pulse pellet feed systems. The high-speed research involves a collaboration between ORNL and ENEA-Frascati in the development of a repeating two-stage light gas gun based on an extrusion-type pellet feed system. Construction of a new tritium-compatible, extruder-based repeating pneumatic injector (8-mm-diam) is complete and will replace the pipe gun in the original tritium proof-of-principle experiment. The development of a steady-state feed system in which three standard extruders operate in tandem is under way. These research and development activities are relevant to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and are briefly described in this paper.

Density fluctuations in low-collisionality, low-beta (beta similar to 0.1%), currentless plasmas produced with electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATE) torsatron have been studied using a 2-mm microwave scattering diagnostic. Pulsed gas puffing is used to produce transient steepening of the density profile from its typically flat shape; this leads to growth in the density fluctuations when the temperature and density gradients both point in the same direction in the confinement region. The wave number spectra of the fluctuations that appear during this perturbation have a maximum at higher k(p)erpendicular to rho(s) (similar to 1) than is typically seen in tokamaks. The in-out asymmetry of the fluctuations along the major radius correlates with the distribution of confined trapped particles expected for the ATF magnetic field geometry. During the perturbation, the relative level of the density fluctuations in the confinement region (integrated over normalized minor radii rho from 0,5 to 0.85) increases from (n) over tilde/n similar to 1% when the density profile is net to (n) over tilde/n similar to 3% when the density profile is steepened. These observations are in qualitative agreement with theoretical expectations for helical dissipative trapped-electron modes (DTEMs), which are drift-wave instabilities associated with particle trapping in the helical stellarator field.

Density fluctuations in low-collisionality, low-beta (β∼0.1%), currentless plasmas produced with electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) torsatron [Fusion Technol. 10, 179 (1986)] have been studied using a 2 mm microwave scattering diagnostic. Pulsed gas puffing is used to produce transient steepening of the density profile from its typically flat shape; this leads to growth in the density fluctuations when the temperature and density gradients both point in the same direction in the confinement region. The wave number spectra of the fluctuations that appear during this perturbation have a maximum at higher k⊥ρs (∼1) than is typically seen in tokamaks. The in–out asymmetry of the fluctuations along the major radius correlates with the distribution of confined trapped particles expected for the ATF magnetic field geometry. During the perturbation, the relative level of the density fluctuations in the confinement region (integrated over normalized minor radii ρ from 0.5 to 0.85) increases from ñ/n∼1% when the density profile is flat to ñ/n∼3% when the density profile is steepened. These observations are in qualitative agreement with theoretical expectations for helical dissipative trapped-electron modes (DTEMs), which are drift-wave instabilities associated with particle trapping in the helical stellarator field; they suggest that trapped-electron instabilities may play a role in constraining the shape of the density profile in ATF, but have little effect on global energy confinement.

The Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) [Fusion Technol. 10, 179 (1986)] is the world’s largest stellarator. It was designed and built to demonstrate high beta, steady-state operation in a toroidal confinement system. During its final operating period ATF achieved pulse lengths of over one hour (4667 s). The objectives of these experiments were (1) investigation of plasma performance at times that are long compared to the plasma/wall equilibrium time; (2) determination of plasma control and wall conditioning techniques; and (3) adaptation of plasma diagnostic and data acquisition systems to long-pulse operation. Other experiments have also extended earlier studies of dimensionless-parameter plasma confinement scaling. By employing two discrete electron cyclotron heating (ECH) frequencies (28 and 35 GHz), and by simultaneously modulating the ECH power, magnetic field, and plasma density, it has been possible to maintain fixed plasma beta and collisionality while modulating the normalized gyroradius.

The Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) torsatron [Fusion Technol. 10, 179 (1986)] has completed experiments focusing on microwave scattering measurements of density fluctuations and transport studies utilizing the modulation of dimensionless parameters. Microwave scattering measurements of electron density fluctuations in the core of low-collisionality electron cyclotron heated (ECH) plasmas show features that might be evidence of trapped electron instabilities. Starting from gyro-Bohm scaling, the additional dependence of confinement on the dimensionless parameters nu* and beta (collisionality and beta) has been investigated by modulating each of these parameters separately, revealing the additional favorable dependence, tau(E) is-proportional-to tau(gB)nu*-0.18beta+0.3.

Plasma fueling systems for magnetic confinement experiments are under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL has recently provided a four-shot tritium pellet injector with up to 4-mm-diam capability for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). This injector, which is based on the in situ condensation technique for pellet formation, features three single-stage gas guns that have been qualified in deuterium at up to 1.7 km/s and a two-stage light gas gun driver that has been operated at 2.8-km/s pellet speeds for deep penetration in the high-temperature TFTR supershot regime. Performance improvements to the centrifugal pellet injector for the Tore Supra tokamak are being made by modifying the storage-type pellet feed system, which has been redesigned to improve the reliability of delivery of pellets and to extend operation to longer pulse durations (up to 400 pellets). Two-stage light gas guns and electron-beam (e-beam) rocket accelerators for speeds in the range from 2 to 10 km/s are also under development. A repeating, two-stage light gas gun that has been developed can accelerate low-density plastic pellets at a 1-Hz repetition rate to speeds of 3 km/s. In a collaboration with ENEA-Frascati, a test facility has been prepared to study repetitive operation of a two-stage gas gun driver equipped with an extrusion-type deuterium pellet source. Extensive testing of the e-beam accelerator has demonstrated a parametric dependence of propellant burn velocity and pellet speed, in accordance with a model derived from the neutral gas shielding theory for pellet ablation in a magnetized plasma.

Electron cyclotron heating (ECH) experiments in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) torsatron exploit unique capabilities for external control of the magnetic configuration and long‐pulse operation. The ECH power deposition profile is determined from the change of the electron temperature profiles during ECH power turn‐off and from power modulation. The measured dependence of absorbed power on the magnetic field agrees well with that obtained from ray tracing calculations for first‐pass and multiple‐bounce absorption. In ATF, parameters of basic physics interest (magnetic shear, magnetic well/hill, and contained trapped particle fraction) have been varied dynamically during a single long‐pulse (up to 20‐s) discharge (dynamic configuration control). Varying a single physics parameter while keeping others fixed elucidates the parameter’s influence on plasma behavior. Modulation of the magnetic well significantly affects the plasma stored energy. This may be related to the observed electron density fluctuations, which are consistent with theoretical predictions of pressure‐gradient‐driven resistive interchange turbulence. Measurements of the electric potential with a heavy ion beam probe show positive potential in the core of typical ECH discharges and the presence of a velocity shear layer near the edge.

Recent experiments in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) [Fusion Technol. 10, 179 (1986)] have been directed toward investigations of the basic physics mechanisms that control confinement in this device. Measurements of the density fluctuations throughout the plasma volume have provided indications for the existence of theoretically predicted dissipative trapped electron and resistive interchange instabilities. These identifications are supported by results of dynamic configuration scans of the magnetic fields during which the magnetic well volume, shear, and fraction of confined trapped particles are changed continuously. The influence of magnetic islands on the global confinement has been studied by deliberately applying error fields which strongly perturb the nested flux-surface geometry, and the effects of electric fields have been investigated by means of biased limiter experiments.

The tritium pellet injector (TPI) for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will provide a tritium pellet fueling capability with pellet speeds in the 1- to 3- km/s range for the TFTR deuterium-tritium (D-T) phase. The existing TFTR deuterium pellet injector (DPI) has been modified at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide a four-shot, tritium-compatible, pipe-gun configuration with three upgraded single-stage pneumatic guns and a two-stage light gas gun driver. The TPI was designed to provide pellets ranging from 3.3 to 4.5 mm in diameter in arbitrarily programmable firing sequences at speeds up to approximately 1.5 km/s for the three single-stage drivers and 2.5 to 3 km/s for the two-stage driver. Injector operation is controlled by a programmable logic controller. The new pipe-gun injector assembly was installed in the modified DPI guard vacuum box, and modifications were made to the internals of the DPI vacuum injection line, including a new pellet diagnostics package. Assembly of these modified parts with existing DPI components was then completed, and the TPI was tested at ORNL with deuterium pellets. Results of the limited testing program at ORNL are described. The TPI is being installed on TFTR to support the D-D run period in 1992. In 1993, the tritium pellet injector will be retrofitted with a D-T fuel manifold and secondary tritium containment systems and integrated into TFTR tritium processing systems to provide full tritium pellet capability.

Recent experiments in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) torsatron [Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1990 (IAEA, Vienna, in press)] have emphasized the role of magnetic configuration control in transport studies. Long-pulse plasma operation up to 20 sec has been achieved with electron cyclotron heating (ECH). With neutral beam injection (NBI) power of greater-than-or-equal-to 1 MW, global energy confinement times of 30 msec have been obtained with line-average densities up to 1.3 x 10(20) m-3. The energy confinement and the operational space in ATF are roughly the same as those in tokamaks of similar size and field. The empirical scaling observed is similar to gyro-reduced Bohm scaling with favorable dependences on density and field offsetting an unfavorable power dependence. The toroidal current measured during ECH is identified as the bootstrap current. The observed currents agree well with predictions of neoclassical theory in magnitude and in parametric dependence. Variations of the magnetic configuration in discharges heated by ECH alone and by NBI change plasma transport and plasma profiles. Magnetic fluctuations respond to the concomitant pressure profile variations. Comparative studies of edge fluctuations in the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT) [Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1990 (IAEA, Vienna, in press)] and the ATF stellarator showed remarkable similarity in the levels of fluctuations and the existence of a velocity shear layer.

Electrostatic turbulence has been investigated in the edge region of the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF). A reversal in the poloidal phase velocity of the fluctuations has been observed (velocity shear) which determines a characteristic plasma radius. The location of this shear layer depends on the magnetic configuration, the limiter radius and the plasma conditions. Using the shear position as a reference point, the density fluctuation levels in ATF (currentless stellarator) are very similar to those previously reported in TEXT (ohmically heated tokamak), suggesting that the plasma current is not an important drive for the edge turbulence. The drives for the turbulence appear to be different inside and outside the shear location (a(shear)), with T(e) approximately/T(e) < n approximately/n in the scrape-off layer (r/a(shear) > 1) and possibly larger T(e) approximately/T(e) in the plasma edge (r/a(shear) < 1). There is a spatial decorrelation in the fluctuation at the shear location; this suggests that the poloidal shear flow has an important influence on the edge turbulence. The poloidal correlation length depends on local plasma parameters (e.g. velocity and temperature). When neutral beam injection is added, the high frequency components of n approximately increase.

In low-collisionality plasmas confined in tokamaks and stellarators, instabilities driven by particles trapped in inhomogeneities of the magnetic fields could be important in increasing plasma transport coefficients. In the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF), an {ell} = 2, M = 12 field-period stellarator device with major radius R = 2.1 m, average plasma minor radius a = 0.27 m, central and edge rotational transforms {chi}{sub 0} {approx} 0.3, {chi}{sub a} {approx} 1, the effects of electron trapping in the helical stellarator field are expected to be important in plasmas with {bar n}{sub e} {approx} 5 {times} 10{sup 12} cm{sup {minus}3}, T{sub e0} {approx} 1 keV. Such plasmas have already been sustained for long-pulses (20 s) using 150--400 kW of 53.2-GHz ECH power at B = 0.95 T. Transport analysis shows that for {rho} = r/a {le} 1/3, the electron anomalous transport is {le}10 times the neoclassical value, while at {rho} = 2/3 it is 10--100 times neoclassical; this is compatible with expectations for transport enhancement due to dissipative trapped-electron modes. 4 refs., 3 figs.

An overview of recent experimental results from the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) is presented. Beam-heated plasmas with {bar n}{sub e} of 10{sup 20} m{sup {minus}3} and {tau}{sub E}{asterisk} of {approx} 20 ms have been achieved. Thermal collapse of the plasmas is mitigated by wall conditioning and particle fueling. Confinement time scales positively with density and magnetic field, offsetting deterioration with power. Results fit the Large Helical Device (LHD) scaling and the drift wave turbulence scaling. Bootstrap currents observed during electron cyclotron heating agree with neoclassical theory in magnitude and parameter dependences. Fast reciprocating Langmuir probe measurements show that edge fluctuations in ATF have many similarities to those in the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT). The location of {tilde B} instabilities has shifted outward in radius, consistent with the broader pressure profiles. 14 refs., 6 figs.

The diamagnetic diagnostic on ATF consists of two systems. The first uses a single-turn diamagnetic loop in a stainless-steel reentrant tube inside the vacuum vessel. Compensation signals are derived from Rogowski coils mounted on the main helical and vertical coil buses. This arrangement provides maximum sensitivity and the fastest time response, but results in signals which are dominated by noise created by the large ATF SCR power supplies. The nonlinear nature of these supplies, and their coupling, requires the use of hybrid noise reduction processing. The analog compensation loops remove the low-frequency components and digital post-processing removes the high-frequency ones. The second diamagnetic signal is derived from a set of saddle loops which respond directly to the Pfirsch-Schlüter current in the plasma. Typical results are presented. This research was sponsored by the Office of Fusion Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, under contract DE-AC05-84OR21400 with Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.

Experiments involving plasma improvement, confinement scaling, bootstrap currents, and edge fluctuations have been carried out in the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) torsatron [Fusion Technol. 10, 179 (1986)]. Average densities ne≤9×1019 m−3 have been obtained, with global energy confinement times τ*E≤20 msec. Confinement times generally follow the stellarator/torsatron empirical scaling law, τSL =0.17×P−0.58n0.69eB0.84a2R0.75 (with τSL in seconds, power P in megawatts, density ne in 1020 m−3, and plasma radius a and major radius R in meters). Gas injection during neutral beam injection (NBI) causes increases in ne, so that τ*E does not decrease during NBI. Edge plasma fluctuations are found to exhibit a mode change near the peak of the energy confinement time. Plasma currents observed during electron cyclotron heating have been identified as bootstrap currents.

A fast ionization gauge controller that can respond to pressure changes in the range from 1×10-1 to 2×10-5 torr in less than 10 ms using a Schultz-Phelps gauge assembly has been developed. The Schultz-Phelps gauge provides full coverage of the desired pressure range and is less susceptible to magnetic-field interference than other available types of ionization gauges. As designed, the gauge controller provides simultaneous readout of three decades of pressure. Major design concerns are minimizing noise induced by the gauge tube filament drive, and noise pickup by the ionization current electrometer. By using DC filament drive, a major shortcoming of available gauge controllers (i.e. 60 Hz pickup caused by filament modulation of the electron current), has been overcome. By locating the electrometer amplifier as close as the Schultz-Phelps gauge as possible, cable-induced noise pickup has been reduced to an acceptable level. Problems encountered in the design and test of the gauge controller and future improvements are discussed