Intrinsic dust transport in ASDEX upgrade studied by fast imaging

Abstract

Fast video data recorded from 2008 to 2012 in full-tungsten ASDEX Upgrade have been analyzed with the TRACE algorithm developed to automatically detect and track dust particles. The purpose of the work presented in this paper is to complete earlier study of the influence of various discharge conditions on dust rates with an investigation of dust motion under most remarkable conditions. The 3D trajectories of intrinsic dust particles have been confronted to simulations carried out with the DUCAD (Dust Characterization And Dynamics) code, based on the Orbital Motion Limited (OML) approach for dust/plasma interaction modelling. The motion of micrometric spherical dust grains is found to be largely dominated by inertia in the considered experimental conditions. The influence of Vertical Displacement Events (VDEs) and of various heating scenarios on dust areas of formation and trajectories is investigated. It is found that VDEs inject dust originating from the PFCs which are heated by contact with the plasma, upward VDEs having a stronger impact on dust rates and transport than downward VDEs. The use of Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) significantly enhances dust production and transport coming from sectors where injectors are installed. On the contrary, Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating significantly reduces dust rates and transport in the whole plasma volume. Keywords: Dust generation and transport, Vde, Plasma heating, Icrh, Fast imaging