Abstract:
In the plasma discharge of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) for magnetic confinement nuclear fusion, real-time wall treatment via the injection of low-Z powder material can effectively suppress impurity sources from the first wall and fuel particle recycling, facilitating the achievement and stable operation of high-confinement mode (H-mode) plasma discharges. The powder injection system controls the powder flow rates through the use of a specific piezoelectric ceramic plate driven by sinusoidal voltage at specific frequencies. The vibrational characteristics of these piezoelectric ceramic plates directly influence powder flow rates and flow stability. This paper focuses on the study of these plates’ vibration modes, resonant frequencies, and their relationship with powder flow rate calibration. First, based on the vibration mode analysis of a single piezoelectric ceramic plate, the first-order mode exhibits the most effective vibration, which promotes powder flow. Second, the results of four-order modal analysis of the entire piezoelectric feeder demonstrated that the first-order mode (resonant frequency 195 Hz) is most conducive for powder flowing. Subsequently, powder flow rate calibration experiments confirmed that the maximum flow rate occurs at a sinusoidal driving voltage frequency of 195 Hz, aligning with the FEA simulation result. Finally, real-time powder injection experiments during >300 s long-pulse H-mode plasma discharges in EAST were achieved with stable lithium powder injection for 290 seconds, effectively suppressing fuel particle recycling and impurity levels. This study provides useful data to ensure the efficient and stable operation of low-Z material powder systems in EAST, supporting active boundary particle control in long-pulse plasma discharges.