No abstract

A fixed ion model has been developed to study the use of a Rotating Magnetic Field (RMF) as a current drive mechanism in a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC). This model is used to investigate the physics of RMF current drive in a parameter range of interest to two experiments at the University of Washington. Empirical expressions are found to characterize the critical RMF magnitude required for full penetration and the rate of RMF penetration. It is shown that in the presence of a strong anisotropic plasma resistivity, the direction and magnitude of the axial bias field can have a strong influence on the penetration of an RMF. Calculations that include the effects of realistic RMF antennae at finite radius are used to find the effects of coil spacing and positioning.

In the FRX-C/T experiment [Proceedings of the 9th Symposium for Engineering Problems of Fusion Research (IEEE, New York, 1981), p. 1751], field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas have been formed in, and launched from, a field-reversed theta-pinch source and subsequently trapped in an adjacent confinement region. No destructive instabilities or enhanced losses of poloidal flux, particles, or thermal energy are observed for FRC total trajectories of up to 16 m. The observed translation dynamics agree with two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. When translated into reduced external magnetic fields, FRC’s are observed to accelerate, expand, and cool in partial agreement with adiabatic theory. The plasmas reflect from an external mirror and after each reflection, the axial kinetic energy is reduced by approximately 50%. Because of this reduction, FRC’s are readily trapped without the need of pulsed gate magnet coils.

Developing a stable plasma state with high-beta (ratio of plasma to magnetic pressures) is of critical importance for an economic magnetic fusion reactor. At the forefront of this endeavour is the field-reversed configuration. Here we demonstrate the kinetic stabilizing effect of fast ions on a disruptive magneto-hydrodynamic instability, known as a tilt mode, which poses a central obstacle to further field-reversed configuration development, by energetic beam injection. This technique, combined with the synergistic effect of active plasma boundary control, enables a fully stable ultra-high-beta (approaching 100%) plasma with a long lifetime.