Upgrades and application of FIT3D NBI-plasma interaction code in view of LHD deuterium campaigns

This work presents an upgrade of the FIT3D neutral beam-plasma interaction code, part of TASK3D, a transport suite of codes, and its application to LHD experiments in the framework of the preparation for the first deuterium experiments in the LHD. The neutral beam injector (NBI) system will be upgraded to D injection, and efforts have been recently made to extend LHD modelling capabilities to D operations. The implemented upgrades for FIT3D to enable D NBI modelling in D plasmas are presented, with a discussion and benchmark of the models used. In particular, the beam ionization module has been modified and a routine for neutron production estimation has been implemented. The upgraded code is then used to evaluate the NBI power deposition in experiments with different plasma compositions. In the recent LHD campaign, in fact, He experiments have been run to help the prediction of main effects which may be relevant in future LHD D plasmas. Identical H/He experiments showed similar electron density and temperature profiles, while a higher ion temperature with an He majority has been observed. From first applications of the upgraded FIT3D code it turns out that, although more NB power appears to be coupled with the He plasma, the NBI power deposition is unaffected, suggesting that heat deposition does not play a key role in the increased ion temperature with He plasma.