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Light Element Atom, Molecule and Radical Behaviour in the Divertor and Edge Plasma Regions
Closed for proposals
Project Type
Project Code
F43018CRP
1584Approved Date
Status
Start Date
Expected End Date
Completed Date
16 January 2015Description
Light elements are the dominant impurity species in fusion research devices. Although a large amount of data exist for a number of processes in several ion stages of elements of interest, significant gaps remain. The CRP will generate new data on processes including excitation, ionization, recombination and heavy particle collisions for ions of hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen and molecules of these atoms. Hydrogen isotopes constitute the fuel of fusion reactors, helium is the product of the fusion reaction, lithium is used as a beam diagnostic material, beryllium is a wall material of fusion vessels, boron is used as a coating material in fusion vessels, carbon is used in several fusion divertor plates and nitrogen is under investigation as a buffer gas in fusion devices. Data for many of these processes are either poorly known or non-existent. The proposed CRP will produce an electronically accessible assessed database for light element impurities in fusion devices and the publication of results in scientific journals, thus contributing to the development of controlled fusion devices.
Objectives
To increase capabilities of Member States to undertake fusion plasma modelling and quantify plasma-material interaction through improved atomic and molecular databases, and thus contributing to the development of fusion energy generation.
Specific objectives
To generate data for a number of radiative and collisional processes in ions of atoms and molecules of hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen at temperatures and densities typical of fusion reactors.Processes include electron impact excitation and ionization, radiative excitation, ionization, emission and recombination, autoionization and di-electronic recombination as well as charge exchange and heavy particle excitation and ionization.
Impact
Light elements are the dominant impurity species in fusion research devices and this CRP has filled significant gaps in the existing data sets concerning a number of processes in several ion stages of elements of interest. As interest in magnetic-confinement fusion energy research continues to increase, both on a commercial level and through national and international, government-funded projects such as ITER, these data will be of increasing importance. The data contributed to the research community through this CRP constitute a significant resource in support of these projects.
Relevance
Since there is more data required for modelling fusion plasmas than can feasibly be measured experimentally, it falls to theoretical calculations to fill the gaps; in bringing together researchers engaged in such calculations, this CRP has ensured that high-quality, relevant data is available to plasma modellers as they work towards a functioning fusion energy power plant; this goal cannot be achieved without such modelling and without the reliable data that it relies on.