Efficiency and scaling of current drive and refuelling by spheromak injection into a tokamak

Brown, M. R.; Bellan, Paul M.

doi:10.1088/0029-5515/32/7/i04

Cited by 36 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Among them, CT fuelling is considered to be the most promising method for core fuelling because the injection speed via this method is far higher than those of the other methods. Although extensive worldwide efforts have been devoted to studying CT fuelling theoretically [1,3,4], numerically [5][6][7][8] and experimentally [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27], the dynamics of core CT fuelling of large devices such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) [28] is not well understood. CT injection has the potential to deposit fuel in a controlled manner at any point in the machine, from the edge to the core.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of low beta compact toroid injection into a hot strongly magnetized plasma

Liu

Hsu

2009

Nucl. Fusion

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Abstract. We present results from three-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of low β compact toroid (CT) injection into a hot strongly magnetized plasma, with the aim of providing insight into CT fueling of a tokamak with parameters relevant for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). A regime is identified in terms of CT injection speed and CT-to-background magnetic field ratio that appears promising for precise core fueling. Shock-dominated regimes, which are probably unfavorable for tokamak fueling, are also identified. The CT penetration depth is proportional to the CT injection speed and density. The entire CT evolution can be divided into three stages: (1) initial penetration, (2) compression in the direction of propagation, and reconnection with the background magnetic field, and (3) coming to rest and spreading in the direction perpendicular to injection. Tilting of the CT is not observed due to the fast transit time of the CT across the background plasma.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of low beta compact toroid injection into a hot strongly magnetized plasma

Liu

Hsu

2009

Nucl. Fusion

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“…Magnetized coaxial plasma guns are often used to produce plasmas in spheromak formation experiments [1, chapter 7], [2]. The plasma guns have also been used extensively in basic MHD plasma dynamics research [3,4], injection of plasma into magnetic confinement devices (tokamaks [5][6][7], mirror machines [8,9]) simulation of astrophysical phenomena [10] and as thrusters for space propulsion [11]. Because of this wide applicability, there is great interest in measuring and understanding the plasma characteristics (density, temperature, flow velocity, etc) of magnetized coaxial plasma guns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large density amplification measured on jets ejected from a magnetized plasma gun

Yun¹,

You²,

Bellan³

2007

Nucl. Fusion

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Observation of a large density amplification in the collimating plasma jet ejected from a coplanar coaxial plasma gun is reported. The jet velocity is ∼30 km s −1 and the electron density increases from ∼10 20 to 10 22-23 m −3 . In previous spheromak experiments, electron density of the order 10 19-21 m −3 had been measured in the flux conserver region, but no density measurement had been reported for the source gun region. The coplanar geometry of our electrodes permits direct observation of the entire plasma dynamics including the source region. Analysis of Stark broadened spectral lines shows that the electron density increases by a factor of 100 as the jet collimates, with a peak density of up to 10 22-23 m −3 . The observed density amplification is interpreted according to an MHD theory that explains collimation of current-carrying plasma-filled magnetic flux tubes. Issues affecting interpretation of Stark broadened line profiles and the possibility of using the high-density plasma jet for tokamak fuel injection are discussed.

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“…In recent years, compact toroid ͑CT͒ plasmoid injection has been considered as one of the advanced fueling methods for a fusion reactor, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] since the injection velocity of fuel by this method is much faster than that by any of the other methods. Since 1997, in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute ͑JAERI͒, the CT injection experiment into JAERI Fusion Torus-2M ͑JFT-2M͒ has been carried out in cooperation with the Himeji Institute of Technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deceleration mechanism of spheromak-like compact toroid penetrating into magnetized plasmas

Suzuki¹,

Hayashi

Kishimoto³

2000

Physics of Plasmas

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To understand the fueling process in a fusion device by a spheromak-like compact toroid (SCT) injection method, magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations, where a SCT is injected into magnetized target plasmas, have been carried out so far. As a result, it has been found that the SCT penetration into magnetized target plasmas is accompanied by complex physical dynamics, which is not adequately described by the conventional simple theoretical model. In this study, based on the previous simulation results, a new theoretical model to determine the penetration depth of the SCT is represented. Here, the SCT is considered to be decelerated not only by the magnetic pressure force but also by the magnetic tension force, which is generated by the bending of the target magnetic field as a result of the SCT penetration. Furthermore, by comparing the penetration depth of the SCT estimated from the theoretical model with that in the simulation, the accuracy of the model is examined. Finally, the effect of magnetic reconnection on the SCT penetration is discussed.

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Efficiency and scaling of current drive and refuelling by spheromak injection into a tokamak

Cited by 36 publications

References 28 publications

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of low beta compact toroid injection into a hot strongly magnetized plasma

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of low beta compact toroid injection into a hot strongly magnetized plasma

Large density amplification measured on jets ejected from a magnetized plasma gun

Deceleration mechanism of spheromak-like compact toroid penetrating into magnetized plasmas

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