Confinement time and energy balance in the CTX spheromak

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6844590

Barnes, C W; Henins, I; Hoida, H W; Jarboe, T R

The multipoint Thomson scattering diagnostic on CTX allows measurement of electron plasma pressure. The pressure correlates well with the poloidal flux function. Analysis using equilibrium models allows the (..beta..)/sub vol/ to be calculated from over 100 Thomson scattering profiles taken under standard conditions of spheromak operation where the plasma parameters vary widely within the discharge. The calculated tau/sub E/ increases with central core temperature and with density. The global magnetic energy decay time tau/sub B/2 is consistent with Spitzer-Harm resistivity, but with an anomaly factor of 2 to 4 which may decrease at small ratios of B/n. The n tau/sub E/ product reaches 4 x 10/sup 9/ s cm/sup -3/ during the hottest part of the discharge. A zero-dimensional energy balance code, which accurately includes all the major atomic physics processes and whose parameters have been constrained by comparision to experimental data, is used to identify the causes of energy loss that contribute to the observed confinement time. The most important power loss is that needed to replace the particles being lost and to maintain the constant density of the plateau.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6844590
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-84-620; CONF-840255-8; ON: DE84007492
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFINEMENT TIME
CTX SPHEROMAK
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ENERGY BALANCE
INELASTIC SCATTERING
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA PRESSURE
SCATTERING
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THOMSON SCATTERING
TOKAMAK DEVICES