A Simple Apparatus for the Injection of Lithium Aerosol into the Scrape-Off Layer of Fusion Research Devices

[摘要] A simple device has been developed to deposit elemental lithium onto plasma facing components in the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Deposition is accomplished by dropping lithium powder into the plasma column. Once introduced, lithium particles quickly become entrained in scrape-off layer flow as an evaporating aerosol. Particles are delivered through a small central aperture in a computer-controlled resonating piezoelectric disk on which the powder is supported. The device has been used to deposit lithium both during discharges as well as prior to plasma breakdown. Clear improvements to plasma performance have been demonstrated. The use of this apparatus provides flexibility in the amount and timing of lithium deposition and, therefore, may benefit future fusion research devices.

[发布日期] 2010-10-11

[学科分类] 原子、分子光学和等离子物理

[关键词] AEROSOLS;APERTURES;BREAKDOWN;DEPOSITION;FLEXIBILITY;LITHIUM;PERFORMANCE;PLASMA;PLASMA SCRAPE-OFF LAYER Lithium;Plasma wall interaction;Scrape-off Layer (SOL)