Status of global energy confinement studies

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5072770· OSTI ID:5072770

Kaye, S M; Bell, M G ^[1]; Barnes, C W ^[2]; DeBoo, J C; Waltz, R ^[3]; Greenwald, M; Sigmar, D ^[4]; Riedel, K ^[5]; Uckan, N ^[6]

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1. Princeton Univ., NJ (USA). Plasma Physics Lab.
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
3. General Atomics Co., San Diego, CA (USA)
4. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (USA). Plasma Fusion Center
5. New York Univ., NY (USA). Courant Inst. of Mathematical Sciences
6. Oak Ridge National L

Empirical scaling expressions, reflecting the parametric dependence of the L-mode energy confinement time, have been used not only as benchmarks for tokamak operation and theories of energy transport, but for predicting the performance of proposed tokamak devices. Several scaling expressions based on data from small-and medium-sized devices have done well in predicting performance in larger devices, although great uncertainty exists in extrapolating yet farther, into the ignition regime. Several approaches exist for developing higher confidence scaling expressions. These include reducing the statistical uncertainty by identifying and filling in gaps in the present database, making use of more sophisticated statistical techniques, and developing scalings for confinement regimes within which future devices will operate. Confidence in the scaling expressions will be increased still if the expressions can be more directly tied to transport physics theory. This can be done through the use of dimensionless parameters, better describing the edge and core confinement regimes separately, and by incorporating transport models directly into the scaling expressions. 50 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 5072770
• Report Number(s): PPPL-2670; ON: DE90006390; TRN: 90-004638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
TOKAMAK DEVICES
CONFINEMENT TIME
ASPECT RATIO
DATA BASE MANAGEMENT
ENERGY TRANSPORT
PERFORMANCE
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SCALING LAWS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
MANAGEMENT
MATHEMATICS
STATISTICS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700101* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Confinement
Heating
& Production