Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation
Abstract
Future large tokamaks, such as ITER, will require a reliable technique for rapid energy dissipation to mitigate harmful effects from disruptions. Two main methods developed for disruption mitigation are massive gas injection and shattered pellet injection (SPI). Argon and neon are favorable materials for both injection methods. When launching pellets with SPI, it has proven difficult to launch intact pellets of pure argon and/or neon owing to their high material strength at cryogenic temperatures. In this work, we compare two methods of launching relatively high-Z pellets. An electrothermal plasma source is an experimental alternative to the fast opening, high-pressure, gas valve. The electrothermal source was used to launch Lexan™ pellets with approximately the same size and mass of comparable mixed gas (D 2 and Ne) cryogenic pellets launched by gas guns. As a result, we describe comparisons of achieved pellet velocities, energy efficiencies of each system, and the implications of implementing each respective method on an operating tokamak.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1410950
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Fusion Science and Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 73; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1536-1055
- Publisher:
- American Nuclear Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Tokamak disruption mitigation; pellet injection; electrothermal plasma source
Citation Formats
Gebhart, T. E., Combs, S. K., and Baylor, Larry R. Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1080/15361055.2017.1372683.
Gebhart, T. E., Combs, S. K., & Baylor, Larry R. Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation. United States. doi:10.1080/15361055.2017.1372683.
Gebhart, T. E., Combs, S. K., and Baylor, Larry R. Thu .
"Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation". United States. doi:10.1080/15361055.2017.1372683.
@article{osti_1410950,
title = {Comparison of an Electrothermal Plasma Source to a Light Gas Gun for Launching Large Cryogenic Pellets for Tokamak Disruption Mitigation},
author = {Gebhart, T. E. and Combs, S. K. and Baylor, Larry R.},
abstractNote = {Future large tokamaks, such as ITER, will require a reliable technique for rapid energy dissipation to mitigate harmful effects from disruptions. Two main methods developed for disruption mitigation are massive gas injection and shattered pellet injection (SPI). Argon and neon are favorable materials for both injection methods. When launching pellets with SPI, it has proven difficult to launch intact pellets of pure argon and/or neon owing to their high material strength at cryogenic temperatures. In this work, we compare two methods of launching relatively high-Z pellets. An electrothermal plasma source is an experimental alternative to the fast opening, high-pressure, gas valve. The electrothermal source was used to launch Lexan™ pellets with approximately the same size and mass of comparable mixed gas (D2 and Ne) cryogenic pellets launched by gas guns. As a result, we describe comparisons of achieved pellet velocities, energy efficiencies of each system, and the implications of implementing each respective method on an operating tokamak.},
doi = {10.1080/15361055.2017.1372683},
journal = {Fusion Science and Technology},
issn = {1536-1055},
number = 1,
volume = 73,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {10}
}
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