ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 Bhat, Gandhinagar 382428 GOVERNING COUNCIL 1) Shri Sekar Basu Chairman 2) Dr. D. Bora Member 3) Dr. Amit Roy Member 4) Shri K.N. Vyas Member 5) Dr. J. N. Goswami Member 6) Dr. Siraj Hasan Member 7) Smt.Chitra Ramchandran Member 8) Shri R. A. Rajeev Member 9) Shri Pankaj Joshi Member 10) Shri Sanjay Lal Bhai Member 11) Shri P. K. Atrey Non-Member Secretary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The upgradation of Aditya tokamak from limiter configuration to divertor configuration toka- mak is being carried out presently. It includes installation of many new subsystems such as poloidal magnetic field coils for diverter operation; a bakeable ultra-high vacuum vessel with a circular cross section instead of rectangular cross-section which was available before; a new bucking cylinder and with refurbishment of all existing toroidal magnetic coils to the maximum current. Power testing has been done successfully on all the installed sub systems, while the installation of vacuum pumps and diagnostic systems is in progress In the Superconducting Steady-state Tokamak-1 (SST-1) the 1st phase of up-gradation with successful installation and integration of all its First Wall components has been completed. Repeatable ohmic discharges regimes having plasma currents in excess of 100 kA (qa~2.8, BT=1.5 T) with line averaged densities ~ 0.8 X 1019 m-3 and temperatures ~ 200 eV with copious Magneto-Hydro Dynamics (MHD) signatures have been experimentally established. The next step will be further elongation of the plasma duration up to one second with position and density feedback as well as coupling of Lower Hybrid waves. The diagnostic systems are also being improved, with the addition of new diagnostics as well increasing the numbers of channels in existing diagnostics. After the installation of a new grill antenna for Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) systems, power has been successfully launched into the machine and preliminary results have been obtained Various technologies required to realize fusion power are being indigenously developed under different heads. For the development of superconducting magnet technology, a dedicated facili- ty has been established towards fabrication of fusion relevant long length cable-in-conduit-con- ductors of NbTi & Nb3Sn with industry associates. Efforts are being continued in developing materials & fabrication technologies for Plasma Facing Components (PFCs), non-destructive evaluation/testing and high heat flux testing of PFCs and establishing/improving new test facili- ties. After successful demonstration of a prototype pellet injector in the laboratory, a single bar- rel pellet injector has been designed, fabricated and integrated with SST-1 tokamak. To deliver the Indian Lead Lithium Ceramic Breeder (LLCB) blanket and its associated ancillary systems to ITER project, many small experiments have been set up. The results from these experiments are being incorporated into the design of the deliverables. A Virtual and Augmented Reality Integrated Development lab (VARID-lab) is being set up. For human resource development through a doctoral programme and for future technological developments, many small-scale experimental systems have been setup and are being utilized to their full potential. A robust programme continues in theory & simulation to better understand the underlying science in these experiments. This closely-connected programme of theory, simulation & experiment has also helped generate ideas for future experiments. A 35 Teraflop high performance computing facility, including some GPU-based servers, is in place to facilitate computational work. The Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technology (FCIPT) continues to develop plasma technologies as well as facilitate the transfer of these technologies to industry, and for societal benefit. The projects cover various areas such as bio-medics, green power, textiles, waste management, nano-technology etc. For ITER-India, most of the procurement packages have progressed into the factory testing phase, while some components have already been delivered to the ITER site. Manufacturing and factory testing are being done following international quality assurance and control standards, as is necessary for the ITER project. Various other R&D activities necessary are also being undertaken at the ITER-India laboratory in the IPR campus, and these sub-systems/components will be transferred to the construction site after due approval. At the Centre of Plasma Physics, Guwahati, the commissioning of the CPP-IPR Magnetized Plasma Experiment for Plasma Surface Interaction (CIMPLE-PSI) has been successfully completed. The objective is to re-create ITER Divertor-like plasma with extreme hot ion flux, to be used for plasma material interaction experiments. Theory and simulation works in the centre are catering to other experimental activities at CPP-IPR. DIRECTOR, IPR. ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 Since 1986 the institute has been involved in plasma physics research with fast growing facili- ties, trained man power and many fruitful national and international collaborations. Start- ing with small tokamak experiments and basic plasma experiments, the institute has been acquiring expertise in all the relevant scientific and technological requirements for controlled thermonuclear fusion. Through the participation of the country in the ITER project, technolo- gies developed in the institute are being tested in the international arena. The activities of the Fusion Technology Development Programme under the past and current Five Year Plans are making good progress. Also the Center of Plasma Physics, Guwahati, has been well integrated with the programmes of the institute. The Facilitation Center for Industrial Plasma Technol- ogy (FCIPT) continues to make good progress with its mandate of plasma technology dissemi- nation to industry & institutions. CHAPTERS A. SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL PROGRAMME ....................................01 B. ACTIVITIES OF OTHER CAMPUSES ...................................45 C. ACADEMIC PROGRAMME ...................................................62 D. TECHNICAL SERVICES .........................................................62 E. PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS .............................62 ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 viii INSTITUTE FOR PLASMA RESEARCH CHAPTER A SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRAMMES A.1 Fusion Plasma Experiments ...................02 A.2 Fusion Technology Developments .........10 A.3 Basic Plasma Experiments .....................29 A.4 Theoretical, Modelling & Computational Plasma Physics .........39 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 A.1 Fusion Plasma Experiments There are two existing facilities in the institute to do experiments related to fusion plasma, namely Aditya tokamak and Superconducting Steadystate Tokamak-I (SST-I). In this section the status of the device, new developments and details about the experiments done are given. A.1.1 Aditya Tokamak A.1.1.1 Upgrade and Status of the Device......................................... 02 A.1.1.2 Aditya Upgrade .................................................................... 04 A.1.2 Steady-state Superconducting Tokamak(SST-1) A.1.2.1 Status of the Device & Experimental Results ..................... 05 A.1.2.2 Diagnostics Developments .............................................. 07 A.1.2.3 Heating and Current Drive Systems ............................... 08 A.1.1 Aditya Tokamak pressure ~ 10-10 Torr has been achieved in the test stands. The major steps in upgradation are described below. A.1.1.1 Upgrade and Status of the Device Dis-assembly of existing machine: The Aditya tokamak has The up-gradation of Aditya tokamak from limiter configura- been dismantled up to base level is shown in Figure. A.1.1.1. tion to diverter configuration tokamak has been carried out It involved removal of various sub-systems viz., Diagnos- this year. It includes installation of many new subsystems tic systems and pumping lines, top cooling water header and such as poloidal magnetic field coils for diverter operation, a cooling connections, toroidal field (TF) coils, central trans- bakeable ultra-high vacuum vessel with a circular cross sec- former (TR) coils and vertical field (BV) coils systems with tion, bucking cylinder along with refurbishment of existing all their bus bar connections and their support structures, toroidal magnetic coils. The scientific objectives of Aditya rectangular cross-section shaped vacuum vessel and its sup- tokamak Upgrade include low loop voltage plasma start-up ports etc. The physical positions (radial, height and angular) of all magnetic field coils were recorded with Theodolite system before they dis-assembled and height measurement Aditya is the first indigenously built toka- of all poloidal field coils (TR & BV) were transferred on a mak in the country and is operational since 1989. It has produced more than 100 internationally reputed journal publica- tions and 9 Ph.D. theses. with strong pre-ionization and having a good plasma control system. The same toroidal magnetic field coils and associ- ated structure of the existing machine were used. The circu- lar cross-section vacuum vessel enabled to accommodate the new set of poloidal magnetic field coils (diverter coils) for plasma shaping. The new vacuum vessel is made up of stain- less steel 304L which can be baked up to 150º C and a base Figure A.1.1.1. Dis-assembly of Aditya Tokamak 2 INSTITUTE FOR PLASMA RESEARCH Figure A.1.1.2. The photographs of damaged finger joints