ELM pacing and the ITER operating window: mutual constraints

On ITER, one of the methods foreseen to reduce the energy loading due to edge localized modes (ELMs) on the divertor targets is the use of pellet injection to control the ELM frequency and amplitude of the energy losses at each ELM. However, the use of such pellet pacing introduces additional fuel throughput. This may constrict the burning plasma operating window through its influence on divertor plasma detachment, thus reducing the attainable alpha power. Consistent modelling of core, scrape-off layer, and divertor is used to document this effect. The result is a determination of the maximum attainable alpha power at the nominal pumping speed as a function of pacing pellet size and the maximum allowable pellet size as a function of ELM loss power fraction for which the reference operating window is not reduced.