Publications related to SPC - TCV Tokamak Physics

Global fluid simulations of plasma turbulence in stellarators

In order to cope with the decarbonization challenge faced by many countries, fusion is one of the few alternatives to fossil fuels for the production of electricity. Two devices invented in the middle of the previous century have emerged as the most promis ...

EPFL2024

Re-design of EU DEMO with a low aspect ratio

Hartmut Zohm

The design point that had been chosen for EU DEMO in 2016 is reviewed here and a modification is proposed with a lower aspect ratio. Previously the same aspect ratio, A, was chosen for EU DEMO as in major tokamak experiments including ITER (A = 3.1), and, ...

2024

Nonlinear simulation of plasma turbulence using a gyrokinetic moment-based approach

Antoine Cyril David Hoffmann

Plasma turbulence plays a fundamental role in determining the performances of magnetic confinement fusion devices, such as tokamaks. Advances in computer science, combined with the development of efficient physical models, have significantly improved our u ...

EPFL2024

Experimental study and interpretative modelling of the Power Exhaust in Configurations with Multiple X-Points in TCV

Sophie Danielle Angelica Gorno

Nuclear fusion presents a promising clean energy source to mitigate future energy crises, with magnetic confinement fusion well-positioned to provide a baseload scenario to power future reactors. The unmitigated power exhaust of such reactors threatens its ...

EPFL2024

Global fluid simulation of plasma turbulence in stellarators with the GBS code

Paolo Ricci, Joaquim Loizu Cisquella, António João Caeiro Heitor Coelho

The implementation of three-dimensional magnetic fields, such as the ones of stellarators, in the GBS code (Ricci et al 2012 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion54 124047; Giacomin et al 2022 J. Comput. Phys.464 111294) is presented, and simulation results are dis ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2024

Gyrokinetic simulations of turbulence in magnetic fusion plasmas using a delta-f PIC scheme with evolving background

Moahan Murugappan

Using the GKEngine code which simulates an electrostatic plasma with adiabatic electron response under a sheared-slab geometry, an attempt at developing a hybrid approach between the delta-f and full-f schemes to describe plasma profiles exhibiting high fl ...

EPFL2024

Benign termination of runaway electron beams on ASDEX Upgrade and TCV

Basil Duval, Stefano Coda, Joan Decker, Umar Sheikh, Luke Simons, Claudia Colandrea, Jean Arthur Cazabonne, Bernhard Sieglin, Gergely Papp

This paper discusses the development of a benign termination scenario for runaway electron (RE) beams on ASDEX Upgrade and TCV. A systematic study revealed that a low electron density (n e) companion plasma was required to achieve a large MHD instability, ...

Iop Publishing Ltd2024

Overview of fast particle experiments in the first MAST Upgrade experimental campaigns

Matteo Vallar

MAST-U is equipped with on-axis and off-axis neutral beam injectors (NBI), and these external sources of super-Alfv & eacute;nic deuterium fast-ions provide opportunities for studying a wide range of phenomena relevant to the physics of alpha-particles in ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2024

Divertor turbulence characterisation using Gas Puff Imaging in the TCV tokamak

Curdin Tobias Wüthrich

The performance of magnetic confinement fusion devices, such as tokamaks, is strongly correlated to the phenomena that occur in the boundary region of the plasma core that faces the wall of the device. The dominant cross-field transport mechanisms from the ...

EPFL2024

Multi-machine benchmark of the self-consistent 1D scrape-off layer model DIV1D from stagnation point to target with SOLPS-ITER

Holger Reimerdes

This paper extends a 1D dynamic physics-based model of the scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma, DIV1D, to include the core SOL and possibly a second target. The extended model is benchmarked on 1D mapped SOLPS-ITER simulations to find input settings for DIV1D th ...

Iop Publishing Ltd2024

Gyrokinetic turbulence modeling of a high performance scenario in JT-60SA

Stefano Coda, Stephan Brunner, Aylwin Iantchenko

Local gyrokinetic simulations are used to model turbulent transport for the first time in a representative high-performance plasma discharge projected for the new JT-60SA tokamak. The discharge features a double-null separatrix, 41 MW of combined neutral b ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2024

Scenario optimization for the tokamak ramp-down phase in RAPTOR. Part B: safe termination of DEMO plasmas

Olivier Sauter, Federico Alberto Alfredo Felici, Simon Van Mulders, Cassandre Ekta Contré, Emiliano Fable, Anna Teplukhina

An optimized plasma current ramp-down strategy is critical for safe and fast termination of plasma discharges in a tokamak demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO), both in planned and emergency scenarios, avoiding plasma disruptions and excessive heat loads to ...

Iop Publishing Ltd2024

NBI optimization on SMART and implications for scenario development

Mario Ludovico Podesta, Francesca Maria Poli

The SMall Aspect Ratio Tokamak (SMART) under commissioning at the University of Seville, Spain, aims to explore confinement properties and possible advantages in confinement for compact/spherical tokamaks operating at negative vs. positive triangularity. T ...

Iop Publishing Ltd2024

Inter-discharge optimization for fast, reliable access to ASDEX Upgrade advanced tokamak scenario

Olivier Sauter, Federico Alberto Alfredo Felici, Simon Van Mulders, Cassandre Ekta Contré, Hartmut Zohm

Rapid inter-discharge simulation and optimization using the RAPTOR code have allowed the development of a reliable and reproducible early heating strategy for an advanced tokamak (AT) scenario on ASDEX Upgrade. Solving for electron heat and current diffusi ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2024

Long plasma duration operation analyses with an international multi-machine (tokamaks and stellarators) database

Stefano Coda, Jeffrey Huang

Combined high-fusion performance and long-pulse operation is one of the key integration challenges for fusion energy development in magnetic devices. Addressing these challenges requires an integrated vision of physics and engineering aspects with the purp ...

IOP Publishing Ltd2024

Full-F turbulent simulation in a linear plasma device using a gyro-moment approach

Paolo Ricci, Baptiste Jimmy Frei

Simulations of plasma turbulence in a linear plasma device configuration are presented. These simulations are based on a simplified version of the gyrokinetic (GK) model proposed by Frei et al. [J. Plasma Phys. 86, 905860205 (2020)], where the full-F distr ...

Aip Publishing2024

Magnetism of Single Surface Adsorbed Atoms Studied with Radio-Frequency STM

Clément Marie Soulard

This thesis investigates the magnetic properties of single atoms and molecules adsorbed on thin magnesium oxide decoupling layers, grown on a silver single crystal. To address these systems experimentally, we use a low temperature scanning tunneling micros ...

EPFL2024

Modeling and optimization of PCB coils for inductive power transfer systems

Xiaotong Du

The auxiliary power supply for medium voltage converters requires high insulation capability between the source and the load. Inductive power transfer technology, with an air gap between the primary and secondary coil, offers such high insulation capabilit ...

EPFL2024

Models implemented in the methodological approach to design the initial STEP first wall contour

Davide Galassi, Kevin Henricus Annemarie Verhaegh, Filippo Bagnato, Dario Vaccaro

The official Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production mission aims to demonstrate the ability to generate net electricity from fusion with the STEP Prototype Power plant. One of the key technological and engineering challenges in fusion power plants is mana ...

Elsevier Science Sa2024

Towards practical reinforcement learning for tokamak magnetic control

Federico Alberto Alfredo Felici, Cristian Galperti, Jonas Buchli, Brendan Tracey

Reinforcement learning (RL) has shown promising results for real-time control systems, including the domain of plasma magnetic control. However, there are still significant drawbacks compared to traditional feedback control approaches for magnetic confinem ...

Elsevier Science Sa2024