Avoiding Tokamak Disruptions by Applying Static Magnetic Fields That Align Locked Modes with Stabilizing Wave-Driven Currents [Avoiding Tokamak Disruptions by Magnetically Aligning Locked Modes with Stabilizing Wave-Driven Currents]
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
The international ITER tokamak has the objective of demonstrating the scientific feasibility of magnetic confinement fusion as a source of energy. A concern towards the achievement of this goal is represented by major disruptions: complete losses of confinement often initiated by a non-rotating ('locked') magnetic island created by magnetic reconnection. During disruptions, energy and particles accumulated in the plasma volume over many seconds are lost in a few milliseconds and released on the plasma-facing materials. In addition, multi-MA level currents flowing in the tokamak plasma for its sustainment and confinement are lost, also in milliseconds, thus terminating the plasma discharge and causing electromagnetic stresses that, if unmitigated, could lead to excessive device wear. Moreover it is shown that magnetic perturbations can be used to avoid disruptions by "guiding" the magnetic island to lock in a position where it is accessible to millimetre wave beams that fully stabilize it.
- Research Organization:
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FC02-04ER54698
- OSTI ID:
- 1376858
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 115, Issue 17; ISSN 0031-9007
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Similar Records
A fresh look at electron cyclotron current drive power requirements for stabilization of tearing modes in ITER
Study of MHD Stability, Active Mode Control, and Disruption Avoidance in NSTX-U