Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
From IRBY@CMOD2.PFC.MIT.EDU Tue Jul 2 20:02:30 1996
From: IRBY@CMOD2.PFC.MIT.EDU
Organization: MIT
Subject: Alcator C-MOD Weekly Highlights

Alcator C-MOD Weekly Highlights
July 2, 1996

Our up-to-air period is now coming to a close, and most
engineering effort is focused on finishing invessel work and pumping
down the machine. Installation of all divertor modules and the
divertor cryopump prototype have been primary concerns during the last
week. All divertor tiles and modules are now invessel, as is the divertor
cryopump prototype. The 300K shield for the cryopump feedlines and the
tube for the divertor pressure measurement are undergoing final invessel
fitups.
We are now finishing assembly and installation of a variety of new
or upgraded systems including the glow discharge electrodes, divertor fast
gas puff system, fast divertor thermocouples, and optics for the tangential
interferometer. A full system test of the glow discharge electrodes and
coax was carried out successfully in the vacuum test chamber. This test
confirmed proper operation of the coax feed system, insulators, and electrodes.
The diborane feed manifold, which will supply gas for the glow discharge
during boronization is now installed invessel.
Work on diagnostic systems continues. The CO2 laser for the
two-color interferometer was returned from refurbishing last week and is back
in operation. All invessel work on the the edge Thomson scattering system
is complete. A beam focus test in which the YAG laser beam was run from the
laser lab into the vessel was carried out successfully by the PPPL/MIT team.
A calibration of the collection optics and a final check of the polychromator
alignment was done. The fast alignment tracking system that will keep the
beam aligned during a shot is now operational. Alignment and calibration
of the visible light periscopes and visible bremsstralung array is nearing
completion. The divertor fast scanning probe has been installed.
The second shipment of RF components from PPPL was completed
last week. Of major importance was the delivery of a final power amplifier
assembly and input and output cavities for one driver. With these components
in house, we have most components needed to complete transmitter #3.
Additional components delivered included 9" coax elbows, filament power
supply controllers, and phase shifters. The final shipment from PPPL is
now scheduled for September.
Earl Marmar was at the second FESAC Inertial Fusion Energy review
last week at LLNL. Ian Hutchinson was at the EPS meeting in Kiev and
talked on particle drift effects in the Alcator C-MOD divertor. Vinny
Bertolino and Joe Bosco are at the University of Texas helping with
preparations for the transfer of the diagnostic neutral beam to MIT.
This transfer is part of the Texas/MIT collaboration that also includes
the development of important beam related diagnostics for Alcator C-MOD.