Developments in the Gyrofluid approach to tokamak turbulence simulations

Technical Report · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10171255· OSTI ID:10171255

Hammett, G W; Beer, M A; Dorland, W; Smith, S A ^[1]; Cowley, S C ^[2]

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1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.
2. California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics

A status report is given on recent developments in the gyrofluid approach to simulating tokamak turbulence. ``Gyrofluid`` (or ``gyro-Landau fluid``) equations attempt to extend the range of validity of fluid equations to a more collisionless regime typical of tokamaks, by developing fluid models of important kinetic effects such as Landau-damping and gyro-orbit averaging. The fluid moments approach should converge if enough moments are kept, though this may require a large number of moments for some processes. Toroidal gyrofluid equations have been extended from 4 to 6 moments, and to include the {mu} {gradient}B magnetic mirroring force. An efficient field-line coordinate system for toroidal turbulence simulations (useful for both particle and fluid simulations) is presented. Nonlinear 3-D simulations of toroidal ITG-driven turbulence indicate that turbulence-generated sheared flows play. an important role in the development and saturation of the turbulence. There is a strong enhancement of the flows when the electrons are assumed adiabatic on each flux surface, which is partially offset by toroidal drift effects which reduce the flows.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 10171255
• Report Number(s): PPPL--2918; ON: DE93016720
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700330
700370
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
DESIGN
LANDAU DAMPING
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA FLUID AND MHD PROPERTIES
PLASMA KINETICS, TRANSPORT, AND IMPURITIES
PLASMA SIMULATION
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TURBULENT FLOW