Review of the potential of tandem mirror reactors as fusion engineering research facilities
Tandem mirrors offer a unique capability among fusion devices for carrying out nuclear experiment/test programs and for demonstrating the operation of nuclear technologies at low fusion power levels. This capability derives from an ability to produce high fusion power densities by injecting high energy D-T neutral beams into a magnetic mirror test cell which is inserted within the central cell of a tandem mirror. The volume of plasma can be kept arbitrarily small by selecting the length of the cell. The physics of ion confinement in the test cell is essentially the physics of single cell mirrors, for which there is a long experimental history. That history shows that well understood classical predictions of ionion scattering (confinement times proportional to T /sub i/ /sup 3/2/ /n) and ion-electron drag (confinement times proportional to T /sub e/ /sup 3/2/ /n) account for losses from the cell and that ''reactor grade confinement'' is not required for this application.
- Research Organization:
- TRW Energy Division, Redondo Beach, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 5795827
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-850310-
- Journal Information:
- Fusion Technol.; (United States), Vol. 8:1; Conference: 6. topical meeting on the technology of fusion energy, San Francisco, CA, USA, 3 Mar 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TESTING
TMR REACTORS
CONFINEMENT TIME
NEUTRAL ATOM BEAM INJECTION
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
POWER DENSITY
REVIEWS
BEAM INJECTION
CONFINEMENT
DOCUMENT TYPES
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
REACTORS
700101* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700209 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Component Development & Materials Testing