Study of beamlets extracted from a multi-aperture and five-stage acceleration system.

A beam optics study using the ITER-relevant high intense negative ion beams, such as 1 MeV, 200 A/m2, has been performed experimentally and analytically using a multi-aperture and five-stage accelerator. Initially, multi-beamlets generated from this accelerator were deflected in various directions due to the magnetic field and space charge repulsion between beams and showed various divergences. These had limited the pulse length and the beam energy. Compensation methods of the beamlet deflections have worked effectively and contributed to achieving the ITER requirement, the divergence angle of <7 mrad, and the deflection angle of <1 mrad for 1 MeV beam. The beam pulse has been gradually extended from 1 to 100 s and is now going to a longer pulse based on these results. One of the remaining issues is to understand and suppress peripheral components of the beam, namely, the halo, and to reduce the local heat loads observed around the aperture edge. This halo component has been successfully distinguished from the beam core by using a newly developed beam emittance measurement system for high intense beams. By combining this measured beam emittance and the beam simulation, it was clarified for the first time that the halo components are generated in an area of 1 mm width from the aperture edge.

Achievement of high power and long pulse negative ion beam acceleration for JT-60SA NBI.

Long pulse acceleration of hydrogen negative ion beams with the power density over 70 MW/m2 and the pulse length over 100 s has been demonstrated for the first time by using a multi-aperture 3-stage accelerator. Such long pulse acceleration was achieved by integrating the design of beam optics and voltage holding capability to meet the requirements of JT-60SA. By using the newly designed accelerator for JT-60SA, voltage holding at 500 kV with beam acceleration was stably sustained even after 5 g of cesium was seeded, and heat load on each acceleration grid was reduced below the allowable level for long pulse, less than 5% of total acceleration power. As a result, 500 keV, 154 A/m2 for 118 s beam acceleration was achieved, which satisfies the requirement of the negative ion source for JT-60SA. This pulse length of such high-power density beams is longest in the world. In addition, the result contributes to the long pulse acceleration of multi-stage electrostatic accelerators, such as 1 MeV negative ion accelerator for ITER.

Development of design technique for vacuum insulation in large size multi-aperture multi-grid accelerator for nuclear fusion.

Design techniques for the vacuum insulation have been developed in order to realize a reliable voltage holding capability of multi-aperture multi-grid (MAMuG) accelerators for fusion application. In this method, the nested multi-stage configuration of the MAMuG accelerator can be uniquely designed to satisfy the target voltage within given boundary conditions. The evaluation of the voltage holding capabilities of each acceleration stages was based on the previous experimental results about the area effect and the multi-aperture effect. Since the multi-grid effect was found to be the extension of the area effect by the total facing area this time, the total voltage holding capability of the multi-stage can be estimated from that per single stage by assuming the stage with the highest electric field, the total facing area, and the total apertures. By applying these consideration, the analysis on the 3-stage MAMuG accelerator for JT-60SA agreed well with the past gap-scan experiments with an accuracy of less than 10% variation, which demonstrated the high reliability to design MAMuG accelerators and also multi-stage high voltage bushings.

Final design of the beam source for the MITICA injector.

The megavolt ITER injector and concept advancement experiment is the prototype and the test bed of the ITER heating and current drive neutral beam injectors, currently in the final design phase, in view of the installation in Padova Research on Injector Megavolt Accelerated facility in Padova, Italy. The beam source is the key component of the system, as its goal is the generation of the 1 MeV accelerated beam of deuterium or hydrogen negative ions. This paper presents the highlights of the latest developments for the finalization of the MITICA beam source design, together with a description of the most recent analyses and R&D activities carried out in support of the design.

Development of the negative ion beams relevant to ITER and JT-60SA at Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

In order to realize negative ion sources and accelerators to be applicable to International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and JT-60 Super Advanced, a large cesium (Cs)-seeded negative ion source and a multi-aperture and multi-stage electric acceleration have been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Long pulse production and acceleration of the negative ion beams have been independently carried out. The long pulse production of the high current beams has achieved 100 s at the beam current of 15 A by modifying the JT-60 negative ion source. The pulse duration time is increased three times longer than that before the modification. As for the acceleration, a pulse duration time has been also extended two orders of magnitudes from 0.4 s to 60 s. The developments of the negative ion source and acceleration at JAEA are well in progress towards the realization of the negative ion sources and accelerators for fusion applications.

Long-pulse beam acceleration of MeV-class H(-) ion beams for ITER NB accelerator.

In order to realize neutral beam systems in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor whose target is to produce a 1 MeV, 200 A/m(2) during 3600 s D(-) ion beam, the electrostatic five-stages negative ion accelerator so-called "MeV accelerator" has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To extend pulse length, heat load of the acceleration grids was reduced by controlling the ion beam trajectory. Namely, the beam deflection due to the residual magnetic field of filter magnet was suppressed with the newly developed extractor with a 0.5 mm off-set aperture displacement. The new extractor improved the deflection angle from 6 mrad to 1 mrad, resulting in the reduction of direct interception of negative ions from 23% to 15% of the total acceleration power, respectively. As a result, the pulse length of 130 A/m(2), 881 keV H(-) ion beam has been successfully extended from a previous value of 0.4 s to 8.7 s. This is the first long pulse negative ion beam acceleration over 100 MW/m(2).

100 s extraction of negative ion beams by using actively temperature-controlled plasma grid.

Long pulse beam extraction with a current density of 120 A/m(2) for 100 s has been achieved with a newly developed plasma grid (PG) for the JT-60SA negative ion source which is designed to produce high power and long pulse beams with a negative ion current of 130 A/m(2) (22 A) and a pulse length of 100 s. The PG temperature is regulated by fluorinated fluids in order to keep the high PG temperature for the cesium-seeded negative ion production. The time constant for temperature controllability of the PG was measured to be below 10 s, which was mainly determined by the heat transfer coefficient of the fluorinated fluid. The measured decay time of the negative ion current extracted from the actively temperature-controlled PG was 430 s which was sufficient for the JT-60SA requirement, and much longer than that by inertial-cooling PG of 60 s. Obtained results of the long pulse capability are utilized to design the full size PG for the JT-60SA negative ion source.

Development of negative ion extractor in the high-power and long-pulse negative ion source for fusion application.

High power and long-pulse negative ion extractor, which is composed of the plasma grid (PG) and the extraction grid (EXG), is newly developed toward the neutral beam injector for heating and current drive of future fusion machines such as ITER, JT-60 Super Advanced and DEMO reactor. The PG is designed to enhance surface production of negative ions efficiently by applying the chamfered aperture. The efficiency of the negative ion production for the discharge power increased by a factor of 1.3 against that of the conventional PG. The EXG is also designed with the thermal analysis to upgrade the cooling capability for the long pulse operation of >1000 s required in ITER. Though the magnetic field for electron suppression is reduced to 0.75 of that in the conventional EXG due to this upgrade, it was experimentally confirmed that the extracted electron current can be suppressed to the allowable level for the long pulse operation. These results show that newly developed extractor has the high potential for the long pulse extraction of the negative ions.

Effect of non-uniform electron energy distribution function on plasma production in large arc driven negative ion source.

Spatially non-uniform electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in an arc driven negative ion source (JAEA 10A negative ion source: 10 A NIS) is calculated numerically by a three-dimensional Monte Carlo kinetic model for electrons to understand spatial distribution of plasma production (such as atomic and ionic hydrogen (H(0)∕H(+)) production) in source chamber. The local EEDFs were directly calculated from electron orbits including electromagnetic effects and elastic∕inelastic collision forces. From the EEDF, spatial distributions of H(0)∕H(+) production rate were obtained. The results suggest that spatial non-uniformity of H(0)∕H(+) productions is enhanced by high energy component of EEDF.

First neutral beam injection experiments on KSTAR tokamak.

The first neutral beam (NB) injection system of the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) tokamak was partially completed in 2010 with only 1∕3 of its full design capability, and NB heating experiments were carried out during the 2010 KSTAR operation campaign. The ion source is composed of a JAEA bucket plasma generator and a KAERI large multi-aperture accelerator assembly, which is designed to deliver a 1.5 MW, NB power of deuterium at 95 keV. Before the beam injection experiments, discharge, and beam extraction characteristics of the ion source were investigated. The ion source has good beam optics in a broad range of beam perveance. The optimum perveance is 1.1-1.3 µP, and the minimum beam divergence angle measured by the Doppler shift spectroscopy is 0.8°. The ion species ratio is D(+):D(2)(+):D(3)(+) = 75:20:5 at beam current density of 85 mA/cm(2). The arc efficiency is more than 1.0 A∕kW. In the 2010 KSTAR campaign, a deuterium NB power of 0.7-1.5 MW was successfully injected into the KSTAR plasma with a beam energy of 70-90 keV. L-H transitions were observed within a wide range of beam powers relative to a threshold value. The edge pedestal formation in the T(i) and T(e) profiles was verified through CES and electron cyclotron emission diagnostics. In every deuterium NB injection, a burst of D-D neutrons was recorded, and increases in the ion temperature and plasma stored energy were found.

Vacuum insulation of the high energy negative ion source for fusion application.

Vacuum insulation on a large size negative ion accelerator with multiple extraction apertures and acceleration grids for fusion application was experimentally examined and designed. In the experiment, vacuum insulation characteristics were investigated in the JT-60 negative ion source with >1000 apertures on the grid with the surface area of ∼2 m(2). The sustainable voltages varied with a square root of the gap lengths between the grids, and decreased with number of the apertures and with the surface area of the grids. Based on the obtained results, the JT-60SA (super advanced) negative ion source is designed to produce 22 A, 500 keV D(-) ion beams for 100 s.

Beam optics in a MeV-class multi-aperture multi-grid accelerator for the ITER neutral beam injector.

In a multi-aperture multi-grid accelerator of the ITER neutral beam injector, the beamlets are deflected due to space charge repulsion between beamlets and beam groups, and also due to magnetic field. Moreover, the beamlet deflection is influenced by electric field distortion generated by grid support structure. Such complicated beamlet deflections and the compensations have been examined utilizing a three-dimensional beam analysis. The space charge repulsion and the influence by the grid support structure were studied in a 1∕4 model of the accelerator including 320 beamlets. Beamlet deflection due to the magnetic field was studied by a single beamlet model. As the results, compensation methods of the beamlet deflection were designed, so as to utilize a metal bar (so-called field shaping plate) of 1 mm thick beneath the electron suppression grid (ESG), and an aperture offset of 1 mm in the ESG.

Voltage holding study of 1 MeV accelerator for ITER neutral beam injector.

Voltage holding test on MeV accelerator indicated that sustainable voltage was a half of that of ideal quasi-Rogowski electrode. It was suggested that the emission of the clumps is enhanced by a local electric field concentration, which leads to discharge initiation at lower voltage. To reduce the electric field concentration in the MeV accelerator, gaps between the grid supports were expanded and curvature radii at the support corners were increased. After the modifications, the accelerator succeeded in sustaining -1 MV in vacuum without beam acceleration. However, the beam energy was still limited at a level of 900 keV with a beam current density of 150 A∕m(2) (346 mA) where the 3 × 5 apertures were used. Measurement of the beam profile revealed that deflection of the H(-) ions was large and a part of the H(-) ions was intercepted at the acceleration grid. This causes high heat load on the grids and the breakdowns during beam acceleration. To suppress the direct interception, new grid system was designed with proper aperture displacement based on a 3D beam trajectory analysis. As the result, the beam deflection was compensated and the voltage holding during the beam acceleration was improved. Beam parameter of the MeV accelerator was increased to 980 keV, 185 A∕m(2) (427 mA), which is close to the requirement of ITER accelerator (1 MeV, 200 A∕m(2)).

Development of a plasma generator for a long pulse ion source for neutral beam injectors.

A plasma generator for a long pulse H(+)/D(+) ion source has been developed. The plasma generator was designed to produce 65 A H(+)/D(+) beams at an energy of 120 keV from an ion extraction area of 12 cm in width and 45 cm in length. Configuration of the plasma generator is a multi-cusp bucket type with SmCo permanent magnets. Dimension of a plasma chamber is 25 cm in width, 59 cm in length, and 32.5 cm in depth. The plasma generator was designed and fabricated at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Source plasma generation and beam extraction tests for hydrogen coupling with an accelerator of the KSTAR ion source have been performed at the KSTAR neutral beam test stand under the agreement of Japan-Korea collaborative experiment. Spatial uniformity of the source plasma at the extraction region was measured using Langmuir probes and ±7% of the deviation from an averaged ion saturation current density was obtained. A long pulse test of the plasma generation up to 200 s with an arc discharge power of 70 kW has been successfully demonstrated. The arc discharge power satisfies the requirement of the beam production for the KSTAR NBI. A 70 keV, 41 A, 5 s hydrogen ion beam has been extracted with a high arc efficiency of 0.9 -1.1 A/kW at a beam extraction experiment. A deuteron yield of 77% was measured even at a low beam current density of 73 mA/cm(2).

Improvement of voltage holding capability in the 500 keV negative ion source for JT-60SA.

Voltage holding capability of JT-60 negative ion source that has a large electrostatic negative ion accelerator with 45 cm x 1.1 m acceleration grids was experimentally examined and improved to realize 500 keV, 22 A, and 100 s D- ion beams for JT-60 Super Advanced. The gap lengths in the acceleration stages were extended to reduce electric fields in a gap between the large grids and at the corner of the support flanges from the original 4-5 to 3-4 kV/mm. As a result, the voltage holding capability without beam acceleration has been successfully improved from 400 to 500 kV. The pulse duration to hold 500 kV reached 40 s of the power supply limitation.

Achievement and improvement of the JT-60U negative ion source for JT-60 Super Advanced (invited).

Developments of the large negative ion source have been progressed in the high-energy, high-power, and long-pulse neutral beam injector for JT-60 Super Advanced. Countermeasures have been studied and tested for critical issues of grid heat load and voltage holding capability. As for the heat load of the acceleration grids, direct interception of D- ions was reduced by adjusting the beamlet steering. As a result, the heat load was reduced below an allowable level for long-pulse injections. As for the voltage holding capability, local electric field was mitigated by tuning gap lengths between large-area acceleration grids in the accelerator. As a result, the voltage holding capability was improved up to the rated value of 500 kV. To investigate the voltage holding capability during beam acceleration, the beam acceleration test is ongoing with new extended gap.

Long pulse H- ion beam acceleration in MeV accelerator.

A multiaperture multigrid accelerator called "MeV accelerator" has been developed for neutral beam injection system of international thermonuclear experimental reactor. In the present work, long pulse H(-) ion beam acceleration was performed by the MeV accelerator equipped with new water-cooled grids. At present, the pulse length was extended to 5 s for the beams of 750 keV, 221 mA, and 10 s for the beams of 600 keV, 158 mA. Energy density, defined as products of beam energy (keV), current (mA), and pulse (s) divided by aperture area (m(2)), increased more than one order of magnitude higher compared with original MeV accelerator without water cooling in its grids. At higher energy and current, the grid was melted by beam deflection. Due to this grid melting, breakdowns occurred between the grids, and hence, the pulse length was limited. Beam deflection will be compensated by aperture displacement in next experiment.

Analysis of secondary particle behavior in multiaperture, multigrid accelerator for the ITER neutral beam injector.

Heat load on acceleration grids by secondary particles such as electrons, neutrals, and positive ions, is a key issue for long pulse acceleration of negative ion beams. Complicated behaviors of the secondary particles in multiaperture, multigrid (MAMuG) accelerator have been analyzed using electrostatic accelerator Monte Carlo code. The analytical result is compared to experimental one obtained in a long pulse operation of a MeV accelerator, of which second acceleration grid (A2G) was removed for simplification of structure. The analytical results show that relatively high heat load on the third acceleration grid (A3G) since stripped electrons were deposited mainly on A3G. This heat load on the A3G can be suppressed by installing the A2G. Thus, capability of MAMuG accelerator is demonstrated for suppression of heat load due to secondary particles by the intermediate grids.

Analyses of high power negative ion accelerators for ITER neutral beam injector (invited).

In JAEA, research and developments to realize high power accelerator (1 MeV, 40 AD(-) ion beams for 3600 s) for ITER have been carried out experimentally and numerically utilizing a five stage MAMuG (Multiaperture, Multigrid) accelerator. In this paper, the extension of the gap length, which is required to improve the voltage holding capability, is examined in two dimensional beam optics analyses and also from view point of stripping loss of ions. In order to suppress excess power loadings due to the direct interception of negative ions, which is issued in long pulse tests, the beamlet deflection is analyzed in three dimensional multibeamlet analyses. The necessary modifications shown above are applied to the MAMuG accelerator for coming long pulse tests in JAEA and ITER.

Effect of energy relaxation of H(0) atoms at the wall on the production profile of H(-) ions in large negative ion sources.

Production and transport processes of the H(0) atoms are numerically simulated using a three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport code. The code is applied to the large JAEA 10 ampere negative ion source under a Cs-seeded condition to obtain a spatial distribution of surface-produced H(-) ions. In this analysis, we focus on the effect of the energy relaxation of the H(0) atoms at the wall on the H(-) ion production from the H(0) atoms. The result indicates that, by considering the energy relaxation of the H(0) atoms at the wall, the production profile of the surface-produced H(-) ion is well reflected in the production profile of the H(0) atom production.