RF H&CD Systems for DEMO - Challenges and Opportunities.

The aim of driving a sufficient amount of plasma current with an appropriate radial current density profile is considered as one of the key challenges for a tokamak fusion power plant in steady state operation. Furthermore, efficient heating to enable transition to regime of enhanced confinement and to achieve breakeven plasma temperatures as well as MHD control and plasma breakdown assistance are required. In the framework of the EFDA Power Plant Physics and Technology (PPPT) activities, the ability of the Electron cyclotron (EC), Ion Cyclotron (IC) and Lower Hybrid (LH) systems to fulfil these requirements, was studied for a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO). As boundary condition, a 1D description of the plasma for a pulsed DEMO based on system code studies combined with transport analysis was developed. The predicted 1D plasma parameters were used to calculate the current drive (CD) efficiency of each system and eventually optimised it. As an example, the EC current drive efficiency could be increased strongly by top launch compared to equatorial launch at least by a factor of two. For the IC system, two possible windows of operation for standard and higher frequencies were highlighted, whereby again top launch leads to higher CDefficiencies. The efficiencies predicted for DEMO for the RF current drive systems will be presented. Finally, gaps in the feasibility of RF systems under DEMO relevant conditions will be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]