Development of a magnetized coaxial plasma gun for compact toroid injection into the C-2 field-reversed configuration device

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4952581· OSTI ID:22597944

Sekiguchi, J.; Asai, T. ^[1]; Gota, H.; Garate, E.; Allfrey, I.; Valentine, T.; Morehouse, M.; Roche, T.; Kinley, J.; Aefsky, S.; Cordero, M.; Waggoner, W.; Binderbauer, M. ^[2]; Tajima, T. ^[2]

---

1. College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, 1-8-14 Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1018308 (Japan)
2. Tri Alpha Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 7010 Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688 (United States)

A compact toroid (CT) injector was developed for the C-2 device, primarily for refueling of field-reversed configurations. The CTs are formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG), which consists of coaxial cylindrical electrodes and a bias coil for creating a magnetic field. First, a plasma ring is generated by a discharge between the electrodes and is accelerated by Lorenz self-force. Then, the plasma ring is captured by an interlinkage flux (poloidal flux). Finally, the fully formed CT is ejected from the MCPG. The MCPG described herein has two gas injection ports that are arranged tangentially on the outer electrode. A tungsten-coated inner electrode has a head which can be replaced with a longer one to extend the length of the acceleration region for the CT. The developed MCPG has achieved supersonic CT velocities of ∼100 km/s. Plasma parameters for electron density, electron temperature, and the number of particles are ∼5 × 10{sup 21} m{sup −3}, ∼40 eV, and 0.5–1.0 × 10{sup 19}, respectively.

• OSTI ID: 22597944
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 87; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
COMPACTS
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
EQUIPMENT
FIELD-REVERSED THETA PINCH DEVICES
GAS INJECTION
INJECTION
LENGTH
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PARTICLES
PLASMA GUNS
PLASMA RINGS
TUNGSTEN