Stability and Transport in Magnetic Confinement Systems
Stability and Transport in Magnetic Confinement Systems

Author: Jan Weiland

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-06-27

Total Pages: 235

ISBN-13: 1461437431

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Stability and Transport in Magnetic Confinement Systems provides an advanced introduction to the fields of stability and transport in tokamaks. It serves as a reference for researchers with its highly-detailed theoretical background, and contains new results in the areas of analytical nonlinear theory of transport using kinetic theory and fluid closure. The use of fluid descriptions for advanced stability and transport problems provide the reader with a better understanding of this topic. In addition, the areas of nonlinear kinetic theory and fluid closure gives the researcher the basic knowledge of a highly relevant area to the present development of transport physics.

Issues in Tokamak/stellarator Transport and Confinement Enhancement Mechanisms
Issues in Tokamak/stellarator Transport and Confinement Enhancement Mechanisms

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13:

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At present, the mechanism for anomalous energy transport in low-[beta] toroidal plasmas -- tokamaks and stellarators -- remains unclear, although transport by turbulent E × B velocities associated with nonlinear, fine-scale microinstabilities is a leading candidate. This article discusses basic theoretical concepts of various transport and confinement enhancement mechanisms as well as experimental ramifications which would enable one to distinguish among them and hence identify a dominant transport mechanism. While many of the predictions of fine-scale turbulence are born out by experiment, notable contradictions exist. Projections of ignition margin rest both on the scaling properties of the confinement mechanism and on the criteria for entering enhanced confinement regimes. At present, the greatest uncertainties lie with the basis for scaling confinement enhancement criteria. A series of questions, to be answered by new experimental/theoretical work, is posed to resolve these outstanding contradictions (or refute the fine-scale turbulence model) and to establish confinement enhancement criteria. 73 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.

New Ideas in Tokamak Confinement
New Ideas in Tokamak Confinement

Author: Marshall N. Rosenbluth

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 1997-05-08

Total Pages: 514

ISBN-13: 9781563961311

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Market: Scientists and students involved in thermonuclear fusion research. Thermonuclear fusion research using the confinement device tokamak represents one of the most prominent science projects in the second half of the 20th century. International Tokamak Community is now committing significant effort and funds to experiments with burning plasma, hot and dense enough to produce significant nuclear fusion reactions. The methods used to enhance tokamak performance have a profound and immediate effect on machine design. This book provides an up-to-date account of research in tokamak fusion and puts forward innovative ideas in confinement physics.

Enhancement of Confinement in Tokamaks
Enhancement of Confinement in Tokamaks

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1986

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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A plausible interpretation of the experimental evidence is that energy confinement in tokamaks is governed by two separate considerations: (1) the need for resistive MHD kink-stability, which limits the permissible range of current profiles - and therefore normally also the range of temperature profiles; and (2) the presence of strongly anomalous microscopic energy transport near the plasma edge, which calibrates the amplitude of the global temperature profile, thus determining the energy confinement time tau/sub E/. Correspondingly, there are two main paths towards the enhancement of tokamak confinement: (1) Configurational optimization, to increase the MHD-stable energy content of the plasma core, can evidently be pursued by varying the cross-sectional shape of the plasma and/or finding stable radial profiles with central q-values substantially below unity - but crossing from ''first'' to ''second'' stability within the peak-pressure region would have the greatest ultimate potential. (2) Suppression of edge turbulence, so as to improve the heat insulation in the outer plasma shell, can be pursued by various local stabilizing techniques, such as use of a poloidal divertor. The present confinement model and initial TFTR pellet-injection results suggest that the introduction of a super-high-density region within the plasma core should be particularly valuable for enhancing ntau/subE/. In D-T operation, a centrally peaked plasma pressure profile could possibly lend itself to alpha-particle-driven entry into the second-stability regime.

Identification of New Turbulence Contributions to Plasma Transport and Confinement in Spherical Tokamak Regime
Identification of New Turbulence Contributions to Plasma Transport and Confinement in Spherical Tokamak Regime

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Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Highly distinct features of spherical tokamaks (ST), such as National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) and NSTX-U, result in a different fusion plasma regime with unique physics properties compared to conventional tokamaks. Nonlinear global gyrokinetic simulations critical for addressing turbulence and transport physics in the ST regime have led to new insights. The drift wave Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability characterized by intrinsic mode asymmetry is identified in strongly rotating NSTX L-mode plasmas. While the strong E x B shear associated with the rotation leads to a reduction in KH/ion temperature gradient turbulence, the remaining fluctuations can produce a significant ion thermal transport that is comparable to the experimental level in the outer core region (with no "transport shortfall"). The other new, important turbulence source identified in NSTX is the dissipative trapped electron mode (DTEM), which is believed to play little role in conventional tokamak regime. Due to the high fraction of trapped electrons, long wavelength DTEMs peaking around k(theta)rho(s) similar to 0.1 are destabilized in NSTX collisionality regime by electron density and temperature gradients achieved there. Surprisingly, the E x B shear stabilization effect on DTEM is remarkably weak, which makes it a major turbulence source in the ST regime dominant over collisionless TEM (CTEM). The latter, on the other hand, is subject to strong collisional and E x B shear suppression in NSTX. DTEM is shown to produce significant particle, energy and toroidal momentum transport, in agreement with experimental levels in NSTX H-modes. Moreover, DTEM-driven transport in NSTX parametric regime is found to increase with electron collision frequency, providing one possible source for the scaling of confinement time observed in NSTX H-modes. Most interestingly, the existence of a turbulence-free regime in the collision-induced CTEM to DTEM transition, corresponding to a minimum plasma transport in advanced ST collisionality regime, is predicted. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

The Texas Experimental Tokamak
The Texas Experimental Tokamak

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13:

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The Fusion Research Center (FRC) at the University Texas will operate the tokamak TEXT-U and its associated systems for experimental research in basic plasma physics. While the tokamak is not innovative, the research program, diagnostics and planned experiments are. The fusion community will reap the benefits of the success in completing the upgrades (auxiliary heating, divertor, diagnostics, wall conditioning), developing diverted discharges in both double and single null configurations, exploring improved confinement regimes including a limiter H-mode, and developing unique, critical turbulence diagnostics. With these new regimes, the authors are poised to perform the sort of turbulence and transport studies for which the TEXT group has distinguished itself and for which the upgrade was intended. TEXT-U is also a facility for collaborators to perform innovative experiments and develop diagnostics before transferring them to larger machines. The general philosophy is that the understanding of plasma physics must be part of any intelligent fusion program, and that basic experimental research is the most important part of any such program. The emphasis of the proposed research is to provide well-documented plasmas which will be used to suggest and evaluate theories, to explore control techniques, to develop advanced diagnostics and analysis techniques, and to extend current drive techniques. Up to 1 MW of electron cyclotron heating (ECH) will be used not only for heating but as a localized, perturbative tool. Areas of proposed research are: (1) core turbulence and transport; (2) edge turbulence and transport; (3) turbulence analysis; (4) improved confinement; (5) ECH physics; (6) Alfven wave current drive; and (7) diagnostic development.