Production of field-reversed plasma with a magnetized coaxial plasma gun

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.328470· OSTI ID:6898900

Turner, W C; Granneman, E H.A.; Hartman, C W; Prono, D S; Taska, J; Smith, Jr, A C

Experimental data are presented on the production of field-reversed deuterium plasma by a modified coaxial plasma gun. The coaxial gun is constructed with solenoid coils along the inner and outer electrodes that, together with an external guide field solenoid, form a magnetic cusp at the gun muzzle. The net flux inside the inner electrode is arranged to be opposite the external guide field and is the source of field-reversed flux trapped by the plasma. The electrode length is 145 cm, the diameter of the inner (outer) electrode is 15 cm (32 cm). The gun discharge is driven with a 232-..mu..F 40-kV capacitor bank. Acceleration of plasma through the magnetic cusp at the gun muzzle results in entrainment of field-reversed flux that is detected by magnetic probes 75 cm from the gun muzzle. Field-reversed plasma has been produced for a variety of experimental conditions. In one typical case, the guide magnetic field was B/sub 0/=4.8 kG and the change in axial magnetic field ..delta..B/sub z/ normalized to B/sub 0/ was ..delta..B/sub z/ /B/sub 0/=-3.1. Total field-reversed flux (poloidal flux) obtained by integrating ..delta..B/sub z/ profiles is in the range 2 x 10/sup 3/ kG cm/sup 2/. Measurement of the orthogonal field component indicates a sizable toroidal field peaked off axis at rapprox. =10 cm with a magnitude of roughly one-half the poloidal field component that is measured on magnetic axis. Reconnection of the poloidal field lines has not been established for the data reported in the paper and will be addressed in future experiments which attempt to trap and confine the field-reversed plasma in a magnetic mirror.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550
• OSTI ID: 6898900
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 52:1; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700106* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Production-- (-1987)
CAPACITORS
DATA
DEUTERIUM
ELECTRIC COILS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRODES
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
INFORMATION
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIZATION
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLASMA
PLASMA GUNS
PROBES
SOLENOIDS
STABLE ISOTOPES