Advances in the numerical modeling of field-reversed configurations

Journal Article · Mon May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2179426· OSTI ID:20783140

Belova, Elena V; Davidson, Ronald C; Ji, Hantao; Yamada, Masaaki ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

The field-reversed configuration (FRC) is a compact torus with little or no toroidal magnetic field. A theoretical understanding of the observed FRC equilibrium and stability properties presents significant challenges due to the high plasma beta, plasma flows, large ion gyroradius, and the stochasticity of the particle orbits. Advanced numerical simulations are generally required to describe and understand the detailed behavior of FRC plasmas. Results of such simulations are presented in this paper. It is shown that 3D nonlinear hybrid simulations using the HYM code [E. V. Belova et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 4996 (2000)] reproduce all major experimentally observed stability properties of elongated (theta-pinch-formed) FRCs. Namely, the scaling of the growth rate of the n=1 tilt mode with the S*/E parameter (S* is the FRC kinetic parameter, E is elongation, and n is toroidal mode number), the nonlinear saturation of the tilt mode, ion toroidal spin-up, and the growth of the n=2 rotational mode have been demonstrated and studied in detail. The HYM code has also been used to study stability properties of FRCs formed by the counterhelicity spheromak merging method. A new stability regime has been found for FRCs with elongation E{approx}1, which requires a close-fitting conducting shell and energetic beam ion stabilization.

• OSTI ID: 20783140
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 13; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
ELONGATION
FIELD-REVERSED THETA PINCH DEVICES
ION BEAMS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
ORBITS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
REVERSED-FIELD PINCH DEVICES
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
STABILITY
STABILIZATION
THETA PINCH