Tilt stability and compression heating studies of field-reversed configurations

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6921061

Rej, D J; Tuszewski, M; Barnes, D C; Barnes, G A; Chrien, R E; Siemon, R E; Taggart, D P; Webster, R B; Wright, B L ^[1]; Milroy, R D; Crawford, E A; Slough, J T; Steinhauer, L C ^[2]; Bailey, A D ^[3]; Baron, M H ^[4]; Cobb, J W ^[5]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
2. Spectra Technology, Inc., Bellevue, WA (USA)
3. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA (USA)
4. Auburn Univ., AL (USA)
5. Texas Univ., Austin, TX (U

The first observations of internal tilt instabilities in field-reversed configurations (FRCs) are reported. Detailed comparisons with theory establish that data from an array of external magnetic probes are signatures of these destructive plasma instabilities. This work reconciles theory and experiments and suggests that grossly stable FRCs are restricted to very kinetic and elongated plasmas. Self-consistent three-dimensional numerical simulations demonstrate tilt stabilization by the addition of a beam ion component. High-power compression heating experiments with stable equilibrium FRCs are also reported. Plasmas formed in a tapered theta-pinch coil have been translated along a guide magnetic field into a new single-turn compression coil where the external field is increased up to 7 times the initial value in 55 {mu}s. Substantial heating is observed accompanied by a decrease in confinement time. 17 refs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6921061
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-90-2864; CONF-901025--2; ON: DE90016443
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700107 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BEAMS
COMPRESSION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
FIELD-REVERSED MIRROR REACTORS
HEATING
INSTABILITY
ION BEAMS
ION TEMPERATURE
MAGNETIC COMPRESSION
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TILTING INSTABILITY