Acceleration of compact torus plasma rings in a coaxial rail-gun

Conference · Thu May 16 00:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5293142

Hartman, C W; Hammer, J H; Eddleman, J

We discuss here theoretical studies of magnetic acceleration of Compact Torus plasma rings in a coaxial, rail-gun accelerator. The rings are formed using a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and are accelerated by injection of B/sub theta/ flux from an accelerator bank. After acceleration, the rings enter a focusing cone where the ring is decelerated and reduced in radius. As the ring radius decreases, the ring magnetic energy increases until it equals the entering kinetic energy and the ring stagnates. Scaling laws and numerical calculations of acceleration using a O-D numerical code are presented. 2-D, MHD simulations are shown which demonstrate ring formation, acceleration, and focusing. Finally, 3-D calculations are discussed which determine the ideal MHD stability of the accelerated ring.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5293142
• Report Number(s): UCRL-92689; CONF-8505100-18; ON: DE85016069
• Resource Relation: Conference: 7. US symposium on compact toroid research, Santa Fe, NM, USA, 21 May 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
RAILGUN ACCELERATORS
COMPACT TORUS
PLASMA RINGS
ACCELERATION
INJECTION
MAGNETIC FLUX
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SCALING LAWS
ACCELERATORS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
INTAKE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TORI
700105* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Plasma Kinetics-Theoretical- (-1987)