Engineering topics
Breslau, J. A.
Publications and source records attributed to Breslau, J. A..
Hybrid simulation of toroidal Alfvén eigenmode on the National Spherical Torus Experiment
Energetic particle modes and Alfvén eigenmodes driven by super-Alfvénic fast ions are routinely observed in neutral beam heated plasmas on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX). These modes can significantly impact fast ion transport and thus cause fast ion redistribution or loss. Self-consistent linear simulations of Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmodes (TAEs) in NSTX plasmas have been carried out with the kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic hybrid code M3D-K using experimental plasma parameters and profiles including plasma toroidal rotation. The simulations show that unstable TAEs with n=3,4, or 5 can be excited by the fast ions from neutral beam injection. The simulated mode frequency, mode radial structure, and phase shift are consistent with measurements from a multi-channel microwave reflectometer diagnostic. A sensitivity study on plasma toroidal rotation, safety factor q profile, and initial fast ion distribution is performed. The simulations show that rotation can have a significant destabilizing effect when the rotation is comparable or larger than the experimental level. The mode growth rate is sensitive to q profile and fast ion distribution. Although mode structure and peak position depend somewhat on q profile and plasma rotation, the variation of synthetic reflectometer response is within experimental uncertainty and it is not sensitive enough to see the difference clearly.
M3D-K simulations of sawteeth and energetic particle transport in tokamak plasmas
Nonlinear simulations of sawteeth and related energetic particle transport are carried out using the kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) hybrid code M3D-K. MHD simulations show repeated sawtooth cycles for a model tokamak equilibrium. Furthermore, test particle simulations are carried out to study the energetic particle transport due to a sawtooth crash. The results show that energetic particles are redistributed radially in the plasma core, depending on pitch angle and energy. For trapped particles, the redistribution occurs for particle energy below a critical value in agreement with existing theories. For co-passing particles, the redistribution is strong with little dependence on particle energy. In contrast, the redistribution level of counter-passing particles decreases with increasing particle energy.
Linear stability and nonlinear dynamics of the fishbone mode in spherical tokamaks
Extensive linear and nonlinear simulations have been carried out to investigate the energetic particle-driven fishbone instability in spherical tokamak plasmas with weakly reversed q profile and the q{sub min} slightly above unity. The global kinetic-MHD hybrid code M3D-K is used. Numerical results show that a fishbone instability is excited by energetic beam ions preferentially at higher q{sub min} values, consistent with the observed appearance of the fishbone before the “long-lived mode” in MAST and NSTX experiments. In contrast, at lower q{sub min} values, the fishbone tends to be stable. In this case, the beam ion effects are strongly stabilizing for the non-resonant kink mode. Nonlinear simulations show that the fishbone saturates with strong downward frequency chirping as well as radial flattening of the beam ion distribution. An (m, n) = (2, 1) magnetic island is found to be driven nonlinearly by the fishbone instability, which could provide a trigger for the (2, 1) neoclassical tearing mode sometimes observed after the fishbone instability in NSTX.
Simulation of non-resonant internal kink mode with toroidal rotation in the National Spherical Torus Experiment
Plasmas in spherical and conventional tokamaks, with weakly reversed shear q profile and minimum q above but close to unity, are susceptible to an non-resonant (m,n) = (1,1) internal kink mode. This mode can saturate and persist and can induce a (2,1) seed island for Neoclassical Tearing Mode. [Breslau et al. Nucl. Fusion 51, 063027 (2011)]. The mode can also lead to large energetic particle transport and significant broadening of beam-driven current. Motivated by these important effects, we have carried out extensive nonlinear simulations of the mode with finite toroidal rotation using parameters and profiles of an NTSX plasma with a weakly reversed shear profile. The numerical results show that, at the experimental level, plasma rotation has little effect on either equilibrium or linear stability. However, rotation can significantly influence the nonlinear dynamics of the (1,1) mode and the induced (2,1) magnetic island. The simulation results show that a rotating helical equilibrium is formed and maintained in the nonlinear phase at finite plasma rotation. In contrast, for non-rotating cases, the nonlinear evolution exhibits dynamic oscillations between a quasi-2D state and a helical state. Furthermore, the effects of rotation are found to greatly suppress the (2,1) magnetic island even at a low level.