Fivefold confinement time increase in the Madison Symmetric Torus using inductive poloidal current drive

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/434481· OSTI ID:434481

Stoneking, M R; Lanier, N E; Prager, S C; Sarff, J S; Sinitsyn, D

Current profile control is employed in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch to reduce the magnetic fluctuations responsible for anomalous transport. An inductive poloidal electric field pulse is applied in the sense to flatten the parallel current profile, reducing the dynamo fluctuation amplitude required to sustain the equilibrium. This technique demonstrates a substantial reduction in fluctuation amplitude (as much as 50%), and improvement in energy confinement (from 1 ms to 5 ms); a record low fluctuation (0.8%) and record high temperature (615 eV) for this device were observed simultaneously during current drive experiments. Plasma beta increases by 50% and the Ohmic input power is three times lower. Particle confinement improves and plasma impurity contamination is reduced. The results of the transient current drive experiments provide motivation for continuing development of steady-state current profile control strategies for the reversed field pinch.

• Research Organization: Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Physics
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-96ER54345
• OSTI ID: 434481
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/54345--285; ON: DE97002714
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CONFINEMENT TIME
CURRENT-DRIVE HEATING
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
TIME DEPENDENCE