SOLPS-ITER numerical simulation for argon seeding in KSTAR plasmas

Abstract

For the sustainable operation of future fusion devices such as ITER and DEMO, control of the heat flux entering the divertor target is essential. One of the proposed methodologies for this is the achievement of a diverter-plasma detachment state, defined as a significant reduction in the energy and momentum of the plasma in the divertor region. Among the various methodologies proposed for divertor-plasma detachment, the injection of a control gas to lead to energy and momentum dispersion through radiation power in the divertor region has been studied as the important option.In this paper, among the various control gas injection experiments conducted at KSTAR, the experiment in which the divertor-plasma detachment was achieved by injecting argon control gas was reproduced using SOLPS-ITER code and the characteristics of the divertorplasma detachment were analyzed. This confirms that the argon control gas injection plays a crucial role in the diverter plasma separation process and that the change in radiation distribution is due to the change in electron temperature, not the distribution of argon. It was also found that the change in argon distribution occurred with the increase in argon injection amount and fuel gas injection amount