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Title: Design and analysis of a structural system for ZTH

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5839248

A structural support system comprised largely of laminated epoxy fiberglass bulkheads has been designed for the ZTH air core machine, the initial experiment in the Confinement Physics Research Facility (CPRF) at LANL. Fiberglass was chosen to minimize magnetic field errors due to eddy currents. Magnetic fields for ZTH are produced, in part, by 18 poloidal field (PF) coils. Sixteen, equally spaced, 4 inch thick, radial G-10 bulkheads, positioned and held by a series of stainless steel ring beams, support the PF coils and the toroidal front end assembly. PF coils transfix and are supported by the bulkheads at locations dictated by magnetic field effects. The toroidal front end is mounted to the bulkheads by a spline ensuring constant alignment with the coil set while allowing differential expansion. The entire machine assembly is mounted on a central concrete cylinder with outboard stainless steel columns. Finite element analyses were performed as an integral part of the design process for the ZTH structure. Because of irregular shapes, multiple materials, different load cases and numerous geometric discontinuities conventional analyses of the structure could not be performed. Static and dynamic coil loads were applied to a model of the prototype support system to examine structural response. A discussion of the model, assumptions, load cases, boundary conditions, and results is given. Influence of the results on the design are presented. 3 refs.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5839248
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-87-3469; CONF-871007-18; ON: DE88001813
Resource Relation:
Conference: 12. symposium on fusion engineering, Monterey, CA, USA, 12 Oct 1987; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English