Effects of limiters on reversed-field pinch confinement

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Physics of Fluids B; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859689· OSTI ID:5674042

Weber, P G; Ingraham, J C; Ellis, R F; Wurden, G A; Munson, C P; Downing, J N ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (US)

This paper documents the effects on confinement of introducing discrete limiters into the edge plasma of the ZT-40M reversed-field pinch (RFP) (Fusion Technol. {bold 8}, 1571 (1985)). RFP confinement is not significantly degraded by appropriately designed single limiters inserted to a sufficient depth for effective local vacuum vessel wall protection. Inserting limiters too deeply into the plasma results in excess limiter heating, and a consequent increase in the impurity content of the plasma. Under these conditions the plasma loop voltage increases. The heating of the limiters is observed to be asymmetric, with the majority of the heat flux in ZT-40M being attributable to suprathermal electrons ({ital T}{sub supra}{similar to}2--3{times}{ital T}{sub {ital e}}(0)) reaching the edge moving almost unidirectionally along magnetic-field lines.

• OSTI ID: 5674042
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (USA) Vol. 3:7; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700209 -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
ASYMMETRY
CONFINEMENT
DESIGN
HEAT FLUX
HEATING
IMPURITIES
LIMITERS
MAGNETIC FLUX
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
WALLS