From:
IRBY@PSFC.MIT.EDU
Reply-To: IRBY@PSFC.MIT.EDU
Subject: Alcator C-Mod Weekly Highlights
Newsgroups:
sci.physics.plasma
Organization: MIT
Alcator C-Mod Weekly
Highlights
July 13,
1999
Maintenance continued on Alcator C-Mod last
week. Cooldown and
other
preparations for plasma operations began midweek.
Engineering
-----------
In
preparation for operation this week, cooldown of the magnets began
last
week. The Heat system was also brought
back online to maintain
the vacuum vessel near room temperature. An extensive checkout of
the power
systems was begun late last week that included all power supplies,
the bus
system, and the alternator. Gas lines
have been pumped down and
baked, and overnight ECDC will begin tonight to
prepare the vessel walls for
operation.
We continued to work on
the RF systems last week. Transmitters
#2, #3, and
#4 are now operational.
Transmitter #1 is currently being tuned into
a dummy load. A corona discharge along the actuator rod
for the
phaseshifter for the #3 transmitter has delayed conditioning of
the J-port
antenna somewhat. We expect to have the phaseshifter back
online by midweek
with improved insulation and a corona shield at the
location where the damage
occurred.
We suspect that some damage to the phaseshifter was already
present
previous to the change over to SF6 as the buffer gas (instead of
N2) as
mentioned in last week's report.
We can now expect reliable operation of
this component once it has
been cleaned up and the modifications made.
Vacuum conditioning of the
E-port antenna using transmitter #2 will begin
today, and conditioning of
the D-port antenna will begin as soon as
transmitter #1 has been
tuned.
The assembly of the last control boards needed for the DNB
MOD/REG is nearing
completion.
Travel and Visitors
-------------------
Gerd
Schilling from PPPL visited last week to help with the RF systems.
Gary
Hallock (UT at Austin) visited the PSFC on 7/7/99-7/9/99 to help
with the
PCI upgrade and data analysis.
A large fraction of the Alcator
Physics staff is attending
the Snowmass, CO meeting this week and
next.