Reversed-field pinch studies in the Madison Symmetric Torus

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01079671· OSTI ID:5090350

Hokin, S; Almagri, A; Cekic, M; Chapman, B; Crocker, N; Hartog, D J.D.; Fiksel, G; Henry, J; Ji, H; Prager, S; Sarff, J; Scime, E; Shen, W; Stoneking, M; Watts, C ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Studies of large-size (R = 1.5 m, a = 0.5 m), moderate current (I < 750 kA) reversed-field pinch (RFP) plasmas are carried out in the Madison Symmetric Torus in order to evaluate and improve RFP confinement, study general toroidal plasma MHD issues, determine the mechanism of the RFP dynamo, and measure fluctuation-induced transport and anomalous ion heating. MST confinement scaling falls short of the RFP scaling trends observed in smaller RFPs, although the plasma resistance is classical. MHD tearing modes with poloidal mode numbers m = 1 and toroidal mode numbers n = 5-7 are prevalent and nonlinearly couple to produce sudden relaxations akin to tokamak sawteeth. Edge fluctuation-induced transport has been measured with a variety of insertable probes. Ions exhibit anomalous heating, with increases of ion temperature occurring during strong MHD relaxation. The anomalous heating fraction decreases with increasing density, such that ion temperatures approach the lower limit given by electron-ion friction. The RFP dynamo has been studied with attention to various possible mechanisms, including motion-EMF drive, the Hall effect, and superthermal electrons. The toroidal field capacity of MST will be upgraded during Summer 1993 to allow low-current tokamak operation as well as improved RFP operation.

• OSTI ID: 5090350
• Journal Information: Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Fusion Energy; (United States) Vol. 12:3; ISSN JFENDS; ISSN 0164-0313
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700310* -- Plasma Confinement-- (1992-)
700330 -- Plasma Kinetics
Transport
&amp; Impurities-- (1992-)
700340 -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
&amp; Instabilities-- (1992-)
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
CONFINEMENT
EQUILIBRIUM
MHD EQUILIBRIUM
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH