Optimizing Stellarators for Turbulent Transport

Journal Article · Fri Aug 27 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.105.095004· OSTI ID:21470998

Mynick, H E; Pomphrey, N ^[1]; Xanthopoulos, P ^[2]

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1. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)
2. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Teilinstitut Greifswald, 17491 Greifswald (Germany)

Up to now, the term ''transport-optimized'' stellarators has meant optimized to minimize neoclassical transport, while the task of also mitigating turbulent transport, usually the dominant transport channel in such designs, has not been addressed, due to the complexity of plasma turbulence in stellarators. Here, we demonstrate that stellarators can also be designed to mitigate their turbulent transport, by making use of two powerful numerical tools not available until recently, namely, gyrokinetic codes valid for 3D nonlinear simulations and stellarator optimization codes. Two initial proof-of-principle configurations are obtained, reducing the level of ion temperature gradient turbulent transport from the National Compact Stellarator Experiment baseline design by a factor of 2-2.5.

• OSTI ID: 21470998
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 105; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT THEORY
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DESIGN
ION TEMPERATURE
NEOCLASSICAL TRANSPORT THEORY
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OPTIMIZATION
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
SIMULATION
STELLARATORS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TRANSPORT THEORY
TURBULENCE