Spectroscopic investigation on confinement properties of spheromak
The spheromak concept offers advantages over other magnetic confinement fusion devices due to is simple geometry. Unlike the tokamak there need be no material structure linking the plasma. Coupled with the possibility of Ohmic heating to ignition temperatures, the spheromak provides an attractive alternative. The most stable spheromak equilibrium is that of the force free or Taylor state. Deviations in the current density profile from this idealized condition are often observed and, in many instances, a relaxation back to the Taylor state has been seen. Finite pressure gradients may also provide a source of free energy to drive instabilities. Since classical plasma confinement tends to produce such gradients, there may exist means by which to suppress the natural peaking of n{sub e}, T{sub e}, and j. The purpose of this work is to investigate these phenomena by conducting experiments which reveal some of the transport characteristics of the S - 1 spheromak at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. By learning the effects of these phenomena, a description of physical mechanisms may be developed which will not only increase our understanding of transport phenomena in magnetic confinement devices but will possibly allow us to suggest means to suppress or control the features associated with poor confinement in spheromaks. Of particular interest are the anomalously small values of particle and energy confinement times observed in the experiment over those predicted by classical theory. In addition, ion temperatures well in excess of the classically predicted values due to electron-ion coupling are observed.
- Research Organization:
- Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6091268
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFINEMENT
CONFINEMENT TIME
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ION TEMPERATURE
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
NEUTRAL PARTICLES
PARTICLES
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TRANSPORT THEORY