Third harmonic ICRF heating in LHD hydrogen experiments

• Published in: Nuclear fusion Vol. 58; no. 12; pp. 126004 - 126008
• Main Authors: Kamio, S., Seki, R., Seki, T., Saito, K., Kasahara, H., Sakakibara, S., Nomura, G., Mutoh, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.12.2018
• Subjects: high beta; ICRF; LHD; third harmonic
• ISSN: 0029-5515; 1741-4326
• DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/aadbb4

The ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating power injection in the hydrogen experiment in LHD was demonstrated after the upgrade of ICRF antennas. The ICRF wave couples and accelerates the energetic particles injected by perpendicular-NBIs with 40 keV. The simulation by the MORH code shows the existence of energetic particles around the ICRF third harmonic resonance layers. As the result of ICRF heating power deposition, the beta value increased by 0.2% in absolute beta mainly due to the increased energetic particle content. The increase of energetic ions particularly around 60 keV, which should be accelerated by the ICRF heating, is observed. The ICRF heating efficiency was approximately 30%-50%, estimated from the break-in-slope analysis at the turn off timing of ICRF power from the stored energy measured by diamagnetic loops. This increase of the stored energy is mostly the contribution of the increased energetic particles. The heating efficiency increases as the density increases.