The effect of separatrix density and PFC material on H-mode confinement in the ITPA global H-mode database

TL;DR

This study analyzes how separatrix density and PFC material influence H-mode confinement in tokamaks, revealing that pedestal characteristics, plasma parameters, and material choices significantly affect confinement quality.

Contribution

It introduces normalized separatrix density metrics and links them to confinement, highlighting the roles of pedestal stability, gyrokinetic transport, and PFC material effects in H-mode performance.

Findings

Higher H-factors correlate with low normalized separatrix density and high Shafranov shift.

Pedestal transport reduction leads to significant confinement improvements.

PFC material, especially tungsten, influences density peaking and confinement quality.

Abstract

Recent data, added to the ITPA global H-mode database [1] for ASDEX-U [2] and JET-ILW, reveals that the separatrix density $n_{sep}$ has a correlation with the H20 factor (Confinement time relative to the ITPA20-IL scaling)[1]. These trends are analyzed in detail. They are not a result of proximity to the density limit. The normalized $n_{sepN} = n_{sep} / \bar{n}$ is introduced, motivated by theory ($\bar{n}$ is the average density). The trends in $n_{sepN}$ can be understood in terms of the two main mechanisms of pedestal characteristics -- MHD stability and recently developed theories of gyrokinetic transport. Careful analysis shows these mechanisms can be distinguished in the data. The most dramatic improvement in confinement time arises primarily from reductions in pedestal transport. A new definition of density peaking that includes core peaking is found to best explain H20 when advanced H-modes are included: $n_{sepN0} = n_{sep}/n(0)$, the inverse of the total density peaking from the separatrix to the axis. The highest H-factors are reached by the confluence of relatively low normalized $n_{sepN0}$ plus high Shafranov shift or poloidal beta. The importance of these two variables is also theoretically predicted from recent analysis of the gyrokinetic system, where a constraint can limit the access of ITG/TEM modes to free energy in equilibrium gradients. The Plasma Facing Component (PFC) material also shows a strong influence in the data. This is likely due to the importance of $n(0)/n_{sep}$ to attaining high H20, in conjunction with the known tendency for tungsten (W) to accumulate with density peaking and low transport. Preliminary results indicate that $n_{sepN0}$ might also be important with core ITBs.