PSFC Seminar: J. Mailloux

Speaker: Joelle Mailloux

Title: DTE2 campaign: preparation, execution and selected highlights

Abstract: In 2021, high fusion power deuterium-tritium experiments (DTE2) were performed in JET for the first time since the 1997 D-T campaigns in TFTR and JET (DTE1). The preparation for DTE2 took place over many years, starting with the conception of the JET ITER-like wall (ILW: W divertor and Be main chamber). The preparation included several enhancements and dedicated experimental campaigns to expand the operational space in JET-ILW and prepare the plasmas required to exploit JET's currently unique tritium handling capabilities. DTE2 delivered record fusion energies and demonstrated the compatibility of sustained high performance D-T plasmas with the ILW. Unambiguous observations of alpha particles and of alpha-driven instabilities were obtained. Experiments designed to address specific physics questions provided several notable results, e.g. on plasma-wall interactions, L-H transition, energy confinement and pedestal behaviour with the ratio of T to D, where improved measurements compared to DTE1 will allow to better study the underlying physics. Efficient core heating and impurity control was observed with the Ion Cyclotron Radio Frequency schemes considered for ITER D-T operations: e.g. 3He minority heating, and a novel D-9Be-T three-ion scheme with the Be naturally present in the ILW. Plasmas with neon seeding for reducing divertor heat loads were performed for the first time in D-T. DTE2 provides a unique dataset for testing predictive capabilities and better prepare ITER fusion power operation. 

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