Active particle control in the CPD compact spherical tokamak by a lithium-gettered rotating drum limiter

Abstract Active particle control capabilities of a lithium-gettered rotating drum poloidal limiter have been demonstrated during 50 kW RF-current drive discharges in a compact spherical tokamak with the major and minor radii of 30 and 20 cm, respectively. The pulse length is typically ∼300 ms with a flat-top of ∼250 ms. The rotating limiter is in the shape of cylinder with the diameter and axial length of 15 and 12 cm, respectively. It has reproducibly been observed that, as soon as the rotating drum is gettered with lithium, hydrogen recycling measured with Hα spectroscopy decreases by a factor of ∼3 not only near the limiter but also in the center stack region. Also, the oxygen impurity level measured with O-II spectroscopy is reduced by a factor of ∼3. Meanwhile, the core electron temperature increases from around 7 eV to 20 eV along which the flat-top toroidal plasma current is found to nearly double even at the same vertical magnetic field. Comprehensive surface analysis has been conducted to investigate hydrogen and lithium distributions over the rotating drum after plasma exposure.