Zero-{beta} modeling of coaxial helicity injection in the HIT-II spherical torus

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3626563· OSTI ID:22043533

Bayliss, R A; Sovinec, C R; Redd, A J ^[1]

---

1. Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Engineering Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

Coaxial helicity injection in the HIT-II [A. J. Redd et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 2006 (2002)] spherical torus is modeled with time-dependent resistive magnetohydrodynamics computations run to steady state for conditions without strong relaxation. Laboratory and computed results on injector current and plasma current agree reasonably well as toroidal magnetic field and injector flux are scaled. The scalings are consistent with a dimensional estimate from the Grad-Shafranov equation that provides a new perspective on a previously published model based on a current-sheet equilibrium and the magnetic pressure required for the ''bubble-burst'' criterion. Numerical solutions of the Grad-Shafranov equation with an assumed current profile also indicate large qualitative changes as the predicted criterion is crossed.

• OSTI ID: 22043533
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 9; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CONFINEMENT
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
EQUILIBRIUM
GRAD-SHAFRANOV EQUATION
HELICITY
INJECTION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA
RELAXATION
SIMULATION
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE
TOKAMAK DEVICES