2XIIB plasma confinement experiments
This paper reports results of 2XIIB neutral-beam injection experiments with plasma-stream stabilization. The plasma stream is provided either by a pulsed plasma generator located on the field lines outside the plasma region or by ionization of neutral gas introduced at the mirror throat. In the latter case, the gas is ionized by the normal particle flux through the magnetic mirror. A method of plasma startup and sustenance in a steady-state magnetic field is reported in which the plasma generator serves as the initial target for the neutral beams. After an energetic plasma of sufficient density is established, the plasma generator stream is replaced by the gas-fed stream. Lifetimes of the stabilized plasma increase with plasma temperature in agreement with the plasma stabilization of the drift-cyclotron loss-cone mode. The following plasma parameters are attained using the pulsed plasma generator for stabilization: n approximately equal to 5 x 10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/, W/sub i/ approximately equal to 13 keV, T/sub e/ = 85 eV, and n tau/sub p/ approximately equal to 7 x 10/sup 10/ cm/sup -3/ . s. With the gas feed, the mean deuterium ion energy is 9 keV and the peak density n approximately equal to 10/sup 14/ cm/sup -3/. In the latter case, the energy confinement parameter reaches n tau/sub E/ = 6.2 x 10/sup 10/ cm/sup -3/ . s, and the particle confinement parameter reaches n tau/sub p/ = 1.2 x 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -3/ . s.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 7138821
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-78121(Rev.1); CONF-761012-20; IAEA-CN-35/C1; TRN: 77-001802
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. international conference on plasma physics and controlled nuclear fusion research, Berchtesgaden, F.R. Germany, 6 Oct 1976
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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2X DEVICES
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
ION TEMPERATURE
IONIZATION
NEUTRAL ATOM BEAM INJECTION
STABILIZATION
BEAM INJECTION
CONFINEMENT
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
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