Principal physics of rotating magnetic-field current drive of field reversed configurations

被引:30
作者
Hoffman, AL [1 ]
Guo, HY [1 ]
Miller, KE [1 ]
Milroy, RD [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Washington, Redmond Plasma Phys Lab, Seattle, WA 98052 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1063/1.2162052
中图分类号
O35 [流体力学]; O53 [等离子体物理学];
学科分类号
070204 ; 080103 ; 080704 ;
摘要
After extensive experimentation on the Translation, Confinement, and Sustainment rotating magnetic-field (RMF)-driven field reversed configuration (FRC) device [A. L. Hoffman , Fusion Sci. Technol. 41, 92 (2002)], the principal physics of RMF formation and sustainment of standard prolate FRCs inside a flux conserver is reasonably well understood. If the RMF magnitude B-omega at a given frequency omega is high enough compared to other experimental parameters, it will drive the outer electrons of a plasma column into near synchronous rotation, allowing the RMF to penetrate into the plasma. If the resultant azimuthal current is strong enough to reverse an initial axial bias field B-o a FRC will be formed. A balance between the RMF applied torque and electron-ion friction will determine the peak plasma density n(m)proportional to B-omega/eta(1/2)omega(1/2)r(s), where r(s) is the FRC separatrix radius and eta is an effective weighted plasma resistivity. The plasma total temperature T-t is free to be any value allowed by power balance as long as the ratio of FRC diamagnetic current, I'(dia)approximate to 2B(e)/mu(o), is less than the maximum possible synchronous current, I'(sync)=< n(e)> e omega r(s)(2)/2. The RMF will self-consistently penetrate a distance delta* governed by the ratio zeta=I'(dia)/I'(sync). Since the FRC is a diamagnetic entity, its peak pressure p(m)=n(m)kT(t) determines its external magnetic field B-e approximate to(2 mu(o)p(m))(1/2). Higher FRC currents, magnetic fields, and poloidal fluxes can thus be obtained, with the same RMF parameters, simply by raising the plasma temperature. Higher temperatures have also been noted to reduce the effective plasma resistivity, so that these higher currents can be supported with surprisingly little increase in absorbed RMF power. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.
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页码:1 / 16
页数:16
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