2025 – QH-mode development and impurity transport studies Exploration of EDA H-mode operational space towards ITER relevant conditions

QH-mode development and impurity transport studies

2025 Research Campaign, Thrust: Shape Rise Divertor

Purpose of Experiment

A fusion reactor requires and is predicted to operate at high high density and high temperature, with low-collisionality, and good plasma energy confinement. This must be achieved without Edge Localized Mode (ELM) transients, which occur when edge stability limits are exceeded, and can damage the reactor walls by exceeding erosion and thermal stress limits. The goal of this experiment is to (1) leverage the new DIII-D Shape and Volume Rise (SVR) divertor to develop high density, ELM-free Quiescent H-Mode (QH) operating regimes, and (2) exploit the reduced boundary temperature at high density to detach the plasma completely from the wall for the first time in these regimes, while screening impurities from the plasma, especially metals. Detachment radiates exhaust power before it can reach surfaces, keeping them cool. The SVR with strong shaping opens a path to access higher density at low collisionality, without wall damage, which is relevant to future burning plasma operation.

Experimental Approach

The experiment will optimize the fueling, shaping, and input power trajectories to access higher pressures by navigating through maps of stability space generated from models. The stability limit on edge pressure is determined by large scale kink/peeling modes at high edge current density, and by smaller scale ballooning modes at high pressures. When the plasma cross-section is elongated and made more triangular at the top and bottom, a stable path between peeling and ballooning modes opens, which has been accessed by so-called “Super H-modes”. The SVR shape is more extreme and widens this stable path, allowing stable access to even higher pressures. The first Super H-Modes were achieved using a Standard QH-Mode scenario. They operate at low collisionality characteristic of next generation machines, which has generally resulted in lower density and higher boundary temperatures, so detachment has not yet been achieved. Higher edge densities are needed to increase the power radiated from the edge, which cools the plasma exhaust before it hits the wall. Higher densities and lower edge temperatures have already been achieved in our previous experiments by using the SVR shape, which should make detachment possible in QH-Modes for the first time — if the plasma is “seeded” with a radiative gas like nitrogen or neon. When adding impurities, it’s important to keep them out of the plasma core so the fuel is not diluted significantly, which would reduce fusion power. Impurities are drawn into the plasma by the steep falloff of the density in outer edge. By making this density falloff more gradual, the inward flow of impurities has been reduced so far by a factor of 5, and it may even be able to reverse it so that impurities flow out of the plasma, which is called “impurity screening”. The flow of impurities near the plasma edge will be measured to compare with simulations. This is especially relevant to the DIII-D wall material change decision and to compatibility with the metal walls that fusion reactors are expected to use.

Interested in a behind-the-scenes look at DIII-D? Join us for a virtual OR in-person tour during Fusion Energy Week (May 5-9)! Sign up for a tour here.

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