Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas

Both experiments and simulations with SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE show that the onset of detachment for the low-field side (LFS) divertor – defined here as the line-averaged upstream density (〈ne〉edge) at which the plasma flux to the LFS target (ILFS−plate) starts to decrease with increasing 〈ne〉ed...

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Main Authors: N. Horsten, M. Groth, V.-P. Rikala, B. Lomanowski, A.G. Meigs, S. Aleiferis, X. Bonnin, G. Corrigan, W. Dekeyser, R. Futtersack, D. Harting, D. Reiter, V. Solokha, B. Thomas, S. Van den Kerkhof, N. Vervloesem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Nuclear Materials and Energy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002655
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author N. Horsten
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
A.G. Meigs
S. Aleiferis
X. Bonnin
G. Corrigan
W. Dekeyser
R. Futtersack
D. Harting
D. Reiter
V. Solokha
B. Thomas
S. Van den Kerkhof
N. Vervloesem
author_facet N. Horsten
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
A.G. Meigs
S. Aleiferis
X. Bonnin
G. Corrigan
W. Dekeyser
R. Futtersack
D. Harting
D. Reiter
V. Solokha
B. Thomas
S. Van den Kerkhof
N. Vervloesem
author_sort N. Horsten
collection DOAJ
description Both experiments and simulations with SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE show that the onset of detachment for the low-field side (LFS) divertor – defined here as the line-averaged upstream density (〈ne〉edge) at which the plasma flux to the LFS target (ILFS−plate) starts to decrease with increasing 〈ne〉edge – is independent of the isotope mass. However, there are three major simulation-experiment discrepancies: (i) the absolute values of ILFS−plate and the electron density (ne) in the LFS divertor at the onset of detachment are significantly lower in simulations, i.e., approximately a factor of 2 for ILFS−plate and a factor of 3-4 for ne; (ii) the degree of detachment – defined here as the difference between ILFS−plate at the onset of detachment and at an 〈ne〉edge value close to the density limit – is smaller in simulations compared to experiments; and (iii) the experimentally observed larger degree of detachment for D and T plasmas compared to H plasmas cannot be clearly distinguished from the simulation results. There are strong indications that discrepancy (i) is to a large extent caused by neglecting Lyman-opacity effects in our simulations. The simulations predict a similar net volumetric recombination source for all isotopes due to the fact that molecule-activated recombination (MAR) compensates for the reduced electron–ion recombination (EIR) for H, whereas MAR is negligible for D and T. This similar net volumetric recombination source for all isotopes leads to an isotope-independent degree of detachment in simulations. An analysis of the Balmer-α and Balmer-γ emission confirms the underestimate of MAR in simulations (especially for D and T) for the JET metallic wall, which was previously observed for devices with a carbon wall. The underestimate of MAR is an important cause for discrepancy (ii) and the fact that there is a stronger underestimate of MAR for D and T than for H explains discrepancy (iii). Extending the plasma grid to the vessel wall increases ILFS−plate and ne at the onset of detachment by 25%, and the EIR source increases by 80% in detached conditions. Hence, while the extended grid results are closer to the experimental observations, the previously described qualitative discrepancies still persist.
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spelling doaj-art-3006a2cabd064463a240c8f751d75ab52025-08-20T02:04:33ZengElsevierNuclear Materials and Energy2352-17912025-03-014210184210.1016/j.nme.2024.101842Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmasN. Horsten0M. Groth1V.-P. Rikala2B. Lomanowski3A.G. Meigs4S. Aleiferis5X. Bonnin6G. Corrigan7W. Dekeyser8R. Futtersack9D. Harting10D. Reiter11V. Solokha12B. Thomas13S. Van den Kerkhof14N. Vervloesem15KU Leuven, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 300A, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Corresponding author.Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Espoo, FinlandDepartment of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Espoo, FinlandOak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USAUKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UKUKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UKITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, CS 90 046, F-13067, St-Paul-lez-Durance Cedex, FranceUKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UKKU Leuven, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 300A, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumUKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UKForschungszentrum Jülich, Institut für Energie- und Klimaforschung - Plasmaphysik, D-52425 Jülich, GermanyInstitut für Laser- und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, GermanyDepartment of Applied Physics, Aalto University, Espoo, FinlandUKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UKKU Leuven, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 300A, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumKU Leuven, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 300A, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumBoth experiments and simulations with SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE show that the onset of detachment for the low-field side (LFS) divertor – defined here as the line-averaged upstream density (〈ne〉edge) at which the plasma flux to the LFS target (ILFS−plate) starts to decrease with increasing 〈ne〉edge – is independent of the isotope mass. However, there are three major simulation-experiment discrepancies: (i) the absolute values of ILFS−plate and the electron density (ne) in the LFS divertor at the onset of detachment are significantly lower in simulations, i.e., approximately a factor of 2 for ILFS−plate and a factor of 3-4 for ne; (ii) the degree of detachment – defined here as the difference between ILFS−plate at the onset of detachment and at an 〈ne〉edge value close to the density limit – is smaller in simulations compared to experiments; and (iii) the experimentally observed larger degree of detachment for D and T plasmas compared to H plasmas cannot be clearly distinguished from the simulation results. There are strong indications that discrepancy (i) is to a large extent caused by neglecting Lyman-opacity effects in our simulations. The simulations predict a similar net volumetric recombination source for all isotopes due to the fact that molecule-activated recombination (MAR) compensates for the reduced electron–ion recombination (EIR) for H, whereas MAR is negligible for D and T. This similar net volumetric recombination source for all isotopes leads to an isotope-independent degree of detachment in simulations. An analysis of the Balmer-α and Balmer-γ emission confirms the underestimate of MAR in simulations (especially for D and T) for the JET metallic wall, which was previously observed for devices with a carbon wall. The underestimate of MAR is an important cause for discrepancy (ii) and the fact that there is a stronger underestimate of MAR for D and T than for H explains discrepancy (iii). Extending the plasma grid to the vessel wall increases ILFS−plate and ne at the onset of detachment by 25%, and the EIR source increases by 80% in detached conditions. Hence, while the extended grid results are closer to the experimental observations, the previously described qualitative discrepancies still persist.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002655Plasma edge code validationDivertor detachmentLyman opacityBalmer emission
spellingShingle N. Horsten
M. Groth
V.-P. Rikala
B. Lomanowski
A.G. Meigs
S. Aleiferis
X. Bonnin
G. Corrigan
W. Dekeyser
R. Futtersack
D. Harting
D. Reiter
V. Solokha
B. Thomas
S. Van den Kerkhof
N. Vervloesem
Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
Nuclear Materials and Energy
Plasma edge code validation
Divertor detachment
Lyman opacity
Balmer emission
title Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
title_full Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
title_fullStr Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
title_full_unstemmed Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
title_short Validation of SOLPS-ITER and EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations for H, D, and T JET ITER-like wall low-confinement mode plasmas
title_sort validation of solps iter and edge2d eirene simulations for h d and t jet iter like wall low confinement mode plasmas
topic Plasma edge code validation
Divertor detachment
Lyman opacity
Balmer emission
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002655
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