Extending helium partial pressure measurement technology to JET DTE2 and ITER

The detection limit for helium (He) partial pressure monitoring via thePenning discharge optical emissiondiagnostic, mainly used fortokamakdivertor effluent gasanalysis, is shown here to be possible for He concentrations down to 0.1% in predominantly deuterium effluents. This result from a dedicated laboratory study means that the technique can now be extended to intrinsically (non-injected) He produced as fusion reaction ash in deuterium-tritium experiments. The paper also examines thresholdionization mass spectroscopy as a potential backup to the optical technique, but finds that further development is needed to attain withplasma pulse-relevant response times. Both these studies are presented in the context of continuing development ofplasma pulse-resolving, residual gasanalysis for the upcomingJET deuterium-tritium campaign (DTE2) and for ITER.

Source: Review of Scientific Instruments - October 4, 2016 Category: Physics Authors: C. C. Klepper, T. M. Biewer, U. Kruezi, S. Vartanian, D. Douai, D. L. Hillis, C. Marcus and JET Contributors Source Type: research