The first experimental result of high power (14 kV, 23 A) neutral beam (NB) injection into a high-beta field-reversed configuration (FRC) is demonstrated. The result makes it clear that the NB injection improves the plasma performance, increasing the configuration lifetime more than 200% in comparison with the ordinary FRC under similar conditions. A novel NB injection system is presented for application to FRC plasmas. A set of three concave electrodes for beam extraction is used to focus the beam enabling to pass through a narrow port. The target of beam injection is a large bore FRC plasma contained in a mirror field with a mirror ratio of 2–9.
Experiments on additional heating by neutral beam injection and application of a low frequency wave to a plasma with an extremely high averaged beta value of about 90% -a field reversed configuration (FRC) plasma -are carried out using the FRC Injection Experiment (FIX) apparatus. These experiments are made possible by translating the FRC plasma produced in a formation region of a theta pinch to a confinement region in order to secure better accessibility to heating facilities and to control plasma density. By determining the appropriate injection geometry and the mirror ratio of the confinement region, it became possible to inject a neutral beam with an energy of 14 keV and a current of 23 A into the FRC in a solenoidal confining field of only 0.04-0.05 T. Plasma confinement is improved in this experiment. Ion heating is observed to result from the application of a low frequency (80 kHz, about 1/4 of the ion gyrofrequency) compressional wave. A shear wave, probably mode converted from the compressional wave, is observed to propagate axially.
Low frequency f = 1 5 − 1 3 f ci , (f ci : ion gyro frequency in the external field B w ) waves are excited with an antenna which is compatible with a reactor in a plasma with field reversed configuration (FRC). Near and outside the separatrix r s of the FRC plasma, though the applied wave is mainly in compressional mode, azimuthal and radial components are observed in the magnetic field disturbance of the excited wave, which propagate with the dispersion relation consistent with the shear Alfvén wave. These disturbances penetrate deep into the FRC plasma across the surface where the wave frequency exceeds local ion gyro frequency and propagate along magnetic lines of force with sound velocity, which behaviour is consistent with the shear Alfvén wave with finite temperature correction. Axial magnetic disturbance propagates axially and radially from the antenna across the plasma column.
A new concept for plasma heating using axial magnetic compression of a field reversed configuration (FRC) plasma is proposed. In this concept, the FRC plasma is compressed only axially, keeping the magnetic flux between the separatrix and the confining chamber (flux conserver) wall unchanged, while allowing the plasma to expand radially. A simple model based on an empirical scaling law of FRC confinement and on the assumption that the compression is done adiabatically predicts that, in addition to heating the plasma, improved confinement will also be accomplished with this concept. This compression is done by energizing segmented mirror coils successively in such a way as to decrease the length of the confinement region between the coils. The apparatus for this axial compression was developed and an experiment was carried out. In this experiment the plasma was compressed by about 30% and the plasma lifetime of about 500 µs was increased by about 50 µs.
Plasma parameters, particle end loss flux, flow velocity, and pressure are measured using a radial array of magnetic probes and directional electrostatic probes, in order to investigate particle loss processes in the edge layer of a field-reversed configuration (FRC). A plasma flow toward the end region is detected outside the separatrix between the axial midplane and the end region. The exhaust flow is also found in the end region. These results imply that particles are lost radially across the separatrix and then axially to the end. Measured flow velocity in the end region agrees within an error of 20% with the fluid-theory prediction, in which isentropy and axial momentum balance along magnetic flux tubes are assumed. The existence of the sonic condition in the end region is also suggested, analogous to ordinary fluid flow in a nozzle. The magnetic flux embedded in the edge layer of the confinement region and in the end region agrees within an error of 30%. These results indicate the applicability of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) theory for particle end loss. The end loss time along the open field agrees with the MHD prediction within an error of 20%. The measured particle loss flux from the end region is explained by the MHD theory within an error of 20%. The plasma outside the separatrix is considered to behave as hydrodynamic flow through the magnetic loss channel, contrary to the previous work [L. C. Steinhaur, Phys. Fluids 29, 3379 (1986)]. It seems that the magnetic mirror field improves the particle confinement in the edge plasma of the FRC and thus assist the FRC confinement as previously predicted [Slough et al., Nucl. Fusion 24, 1537 (1984)].
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