Prospects for an axisymmetric advanced fuel tandem mirror

Abstract

Abstract. We describe a new axisymmetric tandem mirror concept which incorporates advances in physics understanding, recent experimental results and developing technologies. The tandem mirror concept consists of two small high magnetic field axisymmetric mirrors at the ends a solenoidal central cell which axially confines a high beta fusion plasma. High energy neutral beam Injection and high frequency electron cyclotron heating power are applied to the end cells which operate at higher density and temperature to provide both magnetic mirror as well as electrostatic axial plasma confinement of the ignited central cell plasma. Designs fueled with DT and, cat-DD are considered indicating a wide design space warranting further analysis as well as experimental investigations.

Experimental studies of cusp stabilization in Keda Mirror with AXisymmetricity (KMAX)

“…However, experimental and theoretical studies on mirrors have never stopped, though in a limited scope and capability. Recently, a new axisymmetric tandem mirror concept, namely Kinetic Stabilized Tandem Mirror (KSTM), was proposed by Post [3,9,10] and Fowler [11]. It greatly reduced the complexity of mirror configuration by returning to the simply and fully axisymmetric magnetic configuration to avoid neoclassical turbulence which may occur in the minimum-B region [12][13][14], while the stabilization relied on the good magnetic curvature in the so-called expander chamber which required the thermal pressure on these good-curvature field lines to be high enough to overpower the curvature-induced instability from the bad curvature region along a flux tube.…”