High-power magnetic-compression heating of field-reversed configurations

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860043· OSTI ID:7105053

Rej, D J; Taggart, D P; Baron, M H; Chrien, R E; Gribble, R J; Tuszewski, M; Waganaar, W J; Wright, B L ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

Magnetic compression heating experiments at the 1 GW level on field-reversed configuration (FRC) compact toroid plasmas are reported. FRC's formed in a tapered theta-pinch coil have been translated into a single-turn compression coil, where the external magnetic field is slowly raised up to seven times its initial value. Significant electron and ion heating consistent with the expected {ital B}{sup 4/5} adiabatic scaling is observed, despite significant particle diffusion, which is enhanced during compression. The {ital n}=2 rotational instability is enhanced during compression, but has been controlled to an extent by the application of an external quadrupole field. The particle and flux confinement times, {tau}{sub {ital N}} and {tau}{sub {phi}}, remain approximately equal and decrease roughly with the square of the plasma radius {ital R} during compression, implying a constant nonclassical field-null resistivity. The observed {tau}{sub {ital N}} and {tau}{sub {phi}} magnitudes and scalings are compared with classical and anomalous transport theories, and existing empirical models. Particle diffusion dominates the energy confinement, accounting for three-fourths of the total losses. Upper bounds on the electron thermal diffusivities are estimated.

• OSTI ID: 7105053
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 4:7; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700350* -- Plasma Production
Heating
Current Drive
& Interactions-- (1992-)
ADIABATIC PROCESSES
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED CONFIGURATIONS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COMPACT TORUS
COMPRESSION
CONFIGURATION
DIFFUSION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
FIELD-REVERSED THETA PINCH DEVICES
HEATING
ION TEMPERATURE
MAGNETIC COMPRESSION
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
PINCH DEVICES
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA HEATING
SPACE
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TORI
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
TOROIDAL PINCH DEVICES
TOROIDAL THETA PINCH DEVICES