Helium exhaust studies in the DIII-D tokamak

Significant exhaust of thermal helium in a diverted, H-mode deuterium plasma has been demonstrated for the first time on the DIII-D tokamak using an in-vessel cryopump conditioned with an argon frost. The helium, introduced via gas puffing, is observed to reach the plasma core and then is readily removed from the plasma with a time constant of ∼8–15 energy confinement times. Detailed analysis of the helium profile evolution indicates that the exhaust rate is limited by the exhaust efficiency of the pump (∼5%) and not by the intrinsic helium transport properties of the plasma. Additional studies focusing on the recycling properties of helium relative to deuterium in the divertor region indicate some dependence of the helium concentration in the divertor pumping plenum on the divertor outer strike-point (OSP) position in Ohmic discharges. However, the helium concentration in the plenum appears to have little dependence on OSP position in beam-heated, ELMing H-mode discharges.