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Optimization of ECR assisted pre-ionization in GLAST-III via Multiphysics simulation

  • Sehrish Shakir ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Riaz Khan , Ahmad Ali , Shahab Uddin Khan , Zia Ur Rehman , Abdul Qayyum , Muhammad Abdullah , Shahzaib Zahid and Muhammad Kamran
Published/Copyright: July 30, 2024
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Abstract

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) is a common pre-ionization technique to assist ohmic startup in tokamaks. In this research, ECR assisted pre-ionization in GLAST-III tokamak is comprehensively investigated via Multiphysics 3D COMSOL simulations. Optimal conditions for ECR microwave absorption at fundamental mode are determined to achieve reliable plasma startup. The effect of filled gas pressure on the ECR plasma parameters such as plasma density and plasma temperature is thoroughly investigated in the range of 0.08–1 Pa. The results reveal that the ECR absorption of the incident microwaves is significantly enhanced at low enough filled argon pressure. The behavior of absorbed microwave power is significantly changed for different filled gas pressures. In case of high gas pressure, the microwave power is deposited locally in front of the waveguide, whereas in case of low pressure (0.08 Pa), the microwave power is uniformly deposited along the resonance layer. Moreover, the experimental investigation extends to nearly identical operating conditions, confirming the ECR absorption. The experimental data aligns with the simulation results, collectively affirming the efficacy of optimized pre-ionization in the low gas pressure scenario (0.08 Pa) within the GLAST-III tokamak.


Corresponding author: Sehrish Shakir, Pakistan Tokamak Plasma Research Institute, P.O. Box 3329, Islamabad, Pakistan, E-mail:

Funding source: Grant-in-Aid from Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan and IAEA Co-Ordinated Research Project

Award Identifier / Grant number: CRP-F13018

Acknowledgment

The research team show their gratitude and sincere appreciation to Pakistan Tokamak Plasma Research Institute (PTPRI) initiative for funding and support of this research.

  1. Research ethics: The local Institutional Review Board deemed the study exempt from review.

  2. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  3. Competing interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

  4. Research funding: This project was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid from Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan and IAEA Co-Ordinated Research Project (CRP-F13018).

  5. Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.

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Received: 2024-01-16
Accepted: 2024-06-11
Published Online: 2024-07-30
Published in Print: 2024-08-27

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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