7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Plasma Physics, 12-17 Nov, 2023 at Port Messe Nagoya

Integrated modeling of ITER scenarios using the ITER High-Fidelity PlasmaSimulator

G. Suárez López1, F. Koechl1, S. H. Kim1, F. J. Casson2, M. Dubrov1, F. Eriksson2, P. Knight2, A.
Loarte1, S. Pinches1, M. Schneider1
1
ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, 13067 Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France
2
CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB, United Kingdome-mail (speaker): guillermo.suarezlopez@iter.org
Reliable prediction of ITER plasma scenarios’
performance, such as the the ramp-up, L-mode, L-H
transition, H-mode flat-top and ramp-down, requires
accurate integrated modeling simulations. These need toinclude a wide variety of high-fidelity physics models forcore turbulence, impurity and neutral transport, radiation,
MHD instabilities, pedestal behavior, the scrape-off layer
the divertor, etc. The ITER High-Fidelity Plasma
Simulator (HFPS) is the tool being developed to address
this need using existing physics models. Due to theextensive range of physics required, compromises on themodels’ descriptions are often made in order to speed up
computations, such as assuming empirical orscaling-based transport coefficients for the core region orsimplified boundary conditions at the separatrix. TheJINTRAC suite (JETTO + Edge2D/Eirene) [1], thatcomprises the plasma model of the HFPS, has been
recently optimized to use MPI with high-fidelity
quasi-linear transport models such as TGLF andQuaLiKiz, removing the need for such simplified
assumptions. Heating and current-drive actuators aremodeled synergistically using an additional Heating andCurrent Drive workflow [2], which includes various
codes for ICRH, ECRH, NBI and fusion alphas, oralternatively, using stand-alone modules within
JINTRAC. The adaptation of these codes to use theInterface Data Structures (IDSs) defined within theIntegrated Modelling and Analysis Suite (IMAS) data
dictionary facilitates modeling flexibility and results in astandardized output enabling easy comparison andbenchmarking with other models. Using these improved
capabilities, we have modeled key plasma operation
phases in ITER, such as the L-mode, L-H transition andH-mode flat-top. We analyzed the effect of the impurity
influx and transport to reveal the implications of atungsten wall, and studied the feasibility of achieving therequired plasma performance in these phases withdominant electron auxiliary heating. These results
contribute to the optimization of the heating mix andplasma operational space, and provide guidance on
preparing foreseen experiments of the ITER ResearchPlan.
As part of the HFPS development, a close coupling ofJINTRAC to the DINA code [3] is currently being
performed.
The
coupledsimulator
computes
free-boundary MHD equilibria consistent with theevolution of the plasma kinetic profiles, while also

applying sophisticated magnetic and kinetic controls. In
this presentation, the results obtained during an L-Htransition and H-mode flat-top for the fixed-boundaryJINTRAC code and the free-boundary JINTRAC-DINA
workflow are compared. In particular, during theconfinement mode transition involving notable plasmapressure variation and boundary displacement. The
impact of the free-boundary equilibrium evolution on theplasma confinement, mode transition, magnetic controls,
auxiliary heating, diveror heat-loads and impurity influx
is analyzed to improve the predictive capability of theintegrated discharge modelling.

Figure 1: H-mode flat-top JINTRAC-TGLF kineticprofiles. Results for PNBI = 33 MW, PECRH = 20 MW,
considering Ne and W impurities.
References[1] M. Romanelli et al 2014, Plasma and Fusion
Research 9 3403023[2] M. Schneider et al 2021 Nucl. Fusion 61 126058[3] R. R. Khayrutdinov et al 2001, Plasma Phys. Control.
Fusion 43 321