Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection

Ebrahimi, F.

doi:10.1063/1.5098482

Three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated reconnection and the effect of toroidal guide field in simulations of coaxial helicity injection

Journal Article · Tue Sep 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5098482· OSTI ID:1577594

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Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Physics of three-dimensional plasmoid-mediated magnetic reconnection during transient Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) plasma start-up is explored using nonlinear MHD simulations in a spherical tokamak. We numerically examine (i) the role of three-dimensional magnetic fluctuations arising from current-sheet instabilities on the formation of plasmoid-mediated closed flux surfaces, and (ii) the effect of toroidal guide field on the MHD stability during transient CHI. Here, we find that even in the presence of nonaxisymmetric edge magnetic fluctuations, current-carrying axisymmetric (n = 0) plasmoids are rapidly formed while twisted open field lines are being injected and are merged to form a large current-carrying magnetic bubble for plasma startup in a tokamak. Additionally, it is discovered that the 3-D physics response is drastically different for simulations at a higher toroidal field, and complete stabilization of nonaxisymmetric fluctuations was achieved at a higher toroidal flux.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC); Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466; SC0010565

OSTI ID:: 1577594

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1560254
OSTI ID: 1777871
OSTI ID: 1595780

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 26; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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