Analysis of alpha-particle behavior in EBT reactors

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6014181

Fenstermacher, M E; Uckan, N A

A formalism has been developed in terms of a drift kinetic equation with a Fokker-Planck collision operator to calculate alpha-particle loss and energy-deposition-rate coefficients for one position in space and for steady-state operating conditions in an ELMO Bumpy Torus (EBT) reactor. Pitch-angle and energy-scattering terms were retained in the collision term so that the analysis provides information on alpha-particle behavior due to pitch-angle scattering into loss regions in velocity space and information on alpha energy deposition during slowing down in the device. A square-well magnetic-field shape is assumed and the resulting particle loss rates and energy-deposition rates are calculated. For typical EBT reactor parameters, results show that while 80 to 90% of the alpha particles are scattered into a pitch-angle loss region and lost from the device, more than 70% of the alpha-particle energy is deposited in the core plasma and about 1 to 2% goes to alphas retained in the plasma as ash. Parametric studies are performed, and the sensitivity to plasma potential, the pitch angle, the width of loss regions, and computational procedures are analyzed.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA); Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6014181
• Report Number(s): CONF-830406-87; ON: DE83014224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
ALPHA PARTICLES
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELMO BUMPY TORUS
ELMO DEVICES
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUATIONS
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
LOSSES
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
SCATTERING
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES