Kinetic modeling of fast electron dynamics and self-consistent magnetic fields in a reversed field pinch

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physics of Plasmas; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.870921· OSTI ID:6641464

Giruzzi, G ^[1]; Martines, E ^[2]

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1. Association Euratom-CEA sur la Fusion, Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee, Centre d'Etudes de Cadarache, 13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France)
2. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica, Universita di Padova, Via Gradenigo 6/a, 35131 Padova (Italy)

The dynamics of fast electrons in a reversed field pinch configuration is investigated by numerically solving the appropriate kinetic equation in three dimensions (two dimensions in velocity space and one dimension in real space). To this end, a Fokker--Planck code has been developed, including Coulomb collisions, direct current (dc) electric field, radial diffusion due to magnetic turbulence, ambipolar electric fields, and the self-consistent evaluation of the magnetic fields generated by the plasma itself. This has allowed the theoretical validation of the kinetic dynamo model in a realistic geometry. In contrast to fluid-turbulent theories, such a model predicts that the radial diffusion of fast electrons associated with stochastic magnetic fields might be able to sustain the reversed field configuration. Quantitatively, it is found that the level of magnetic turbulence necessary to obtain the toroidal field reversal at the plasma edge is compatible with levels typically measured in reversed field pinch devices. In particular, the main parameters of standard discharges in the largest existing facility of this type, RFX (reversed field experiment) [[ital Proceedings] [ital of] [ital the] 14[ital th] [ital Conference] [ital on] [ital Plasma] [ital Physics] [ital and] [ital Controlled] [ital Nuclear] [ital Fusion] [ital Research], Wuerzburg, 1992 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1993), Vol. 2, p. 583], have been successfully simulated.

• OSTI ID: 6641464
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas; (United States), Vol. 1:8; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
KINETIC EQUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PINCH DEVICES
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA SIMULATION
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PINCH EFFECT
SIMULATION
SPACE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700330* - Plasma Kinetics
Transport
& Impurities- (1992-)