X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas

TCV team; Eurofusion Tokamak Exploitation Team; K. Lee; K. Verhaegh

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102

X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas

TCV team
, Eurofusion Tokamak Exploitation Team
, K. Lee (Corresponding author)
, K. Verhaegh

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Fusion plasma regimes with a strongly radiating magnetic 𝑋 point are promising candidates to tackle the outstanding power exhaust challenge in reactor-scale devices. In this Letter, we report on a new type of 𝑋-point radiator, the XPTR (𝑋-point target radiator), produced by a secondary 𝑋 point placed well away from the confined plasma. This XPTR features strongly facilitated detachment access and significantly reduced sensitivity of the radiative front position near the secondary 𝑋 point. Consistent with a reduced analytical model, the physical origin of 𝑋-point radiation is rooted in its magnetic geometry, irrespective of whether the field lines are closed or open. The results presented open up a class of novel power exhaust concepts where radiative edge cooling can be robustly avoided during divertor detachment.

Original language	English
Article number	185102
Number of pages	6
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	134
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102
Publication status	Published - 7 May 2025
Externally published	Yes

Funding

We thank M. Bernert and U. Stroth for insightful discussions. The careful reading of the manuscript by I. Furno, R. Karimov, and H. Sun is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported in part by the Swiss National Science Foundation. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, partially funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101052200\u2014EUROfusion). The Swiss contribution to this work has been funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI). TCV Team and EUROfusion Tokamak Exploitation Team authors [56]. We thank M. Bernert and U. Stroth for insightful discussions. The careful reading of the manuscript by I. Furno, R. Karimov, and H. Sun is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported in part by the Swiss National Science Foundation. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, partially funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101052200\u2014EUROfusion). The Swiss contribution to this work has been funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI).

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10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102

Cite this

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title = "X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas",

abstract = "Fusion plasma regimes with a strongly radiating magnetic 𝑋 point are promising candidates to tackle the outstanding power exhaust challenge in reactor-scale devices. In this Letter, we report on a new type of 𝑋-point radiator, the XPTR (𝑋-point target radiator), produced by a secondary 𝑋 point placed well away from the confined plasma. This XPTR features strongly facilitated detachment access and significantly reduced sensitivity of the radiative front position near the secondary 𝑋 point. Consistent with a reduced analytical model, the physical origin of 𝑋-point radiation is rooted in its magnetic geometry, irrespective of whether the field lines are closed or open. The results presented open up a class of novel power exhaust concepts where radiative edge cooling can be robustly avoided during divertor detachment.",

author = "\{TCV team\} and \{Eurofusion Tokamak Exploitation Team\} and K. Lee and C. Theiler and M. Carpita and O. F{\'e}vrier and A. Perek and M. Zurita and D. Brida and R. Ducker and G. Durr-Legoupil-Nicoud and Duval, \{B. P.\} and S. Gorno and D. Hamm and Oliveira, \{D. S.\} and F. Pastore and M. Pedrini and H. Reimerdes and L. Simons and E. Tonello and K. Verhaegh and Y. Wang and C. W{\"u}thrich",

year = "2025",

month = may,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102",

language = "English",

volume = "134",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

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T1 - X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas

AU - TCV team

AU - Eurofusion Tokamak Exploitation Team

AU - Lee, K.

AU - Theiler, C.

AU - Carpita, M.

AU - Février, O.

AU - Perek, A.

AU - Zurita, M.

AU - Brida, D.

AU - Ducker, R.

AU - Durr-Legoupil-Nicoud, G.

AU - Duval, B. P.

AU - Gorno, S.

AU - Hamm, D.

AU - Oliveira, D. S.

AU - Pastore, F.

AU - Pedrini, M.

AU - Reimerdes, H.

AU - Simons, L.

AU - Tonello, E.

AU - Verhaegh, K.

AU - Wang, Y.

AU - Wüthrich, C.

PY - 2025/5/7

Y1 - 2025/5/7

N2 - Fusion plasma regimes with a strongly radiating magnetic 𝑋 point are promising candidates to tackle the outstanding power exhaust challenge in reactor-scale devices. In this Letter, we report on a new type of 𝑋-point radiator, the XPTR (𝑋-point target radiator), produced by a secondary 𝑋 point placed well away from the confined plasma. This XPTR features strongly facilitated detachment access and significantly reduced sensitivity of the radiative front position near the secondary 𝑋 point. Consistent with a reduced analytical model, the physical origin of 𝑋-point radiation is rooted in its magnetic geometry, irrespective of whether the field lines are closed or open. The results presented open up a class of novel power exhaust concepts where radiative edge cooling can be robustly avoided during divertor detachment.

AB - Fusion plasma regimes with a strongly radiating magnetic 𝑋 point are promising candidates to tackle the outstanding power exhaust challenge in reactor-scale devices. In this Letter, we report on a new type of 𝑋-point radiator, the XPTR (𝑋-point target radiator), produced by a secondary 𝑋 point placed well away from the confined plasma. This XPTR features strongly facilitated detachment access and significantly reduced sensitivity of the radiative front position near the secondary 𝑋 point. Consistent with a reduced analytical model, the physical origin of 𝑋-point radiation is rooted in its magnetic geometry, irrespective of whether the field lines are closed or open. The results presented open up a class of novel power exhaust concepts where radiative edge cooling can be robustly avoided during divertor detachment.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105004416928

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.185102

M3 - Article

C2 - 40408673

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 134

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

M1 - 185102

ER -

X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas

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Preventing a Tokamak from Overheating

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X-Point Target Radiator Regime in Tokamak Divertor Plasmas

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Preventing a Tokamak from Overheating

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