Numerical study of tilt stability of prolate field-reversed configurations

Technical Report · Wed Jun 21 04:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/756892· OSTI ID:756892

Belova, E V ^[1]; Jardin, S C; H Ji, M Yamada; Kulsrud, R

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1. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Global stability of the Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) has been investigated numerically using both 3D MHD and hybrid (fluid electron and delta f particle ion) simulations. The stabilizing effects of velocity shear and large ion orbits on the n = 1 internal tilt mode in the prolate FRCs have been studied. Sheared rotation is found to reduce the growth rate, however a large rotation rate with Mach number of M greater than or approximately equal to 1 is required in order for significant reduction in the instability growth rate to occur. Kinetic effects associated with large thermal ion orbits have been studied for different kinetic equilibria. These simulations show that there is a reduction in the tilt mode growth rate due to finite ion Larmor radius (FLR) effects, but complete linear stability has not been found, even when the thermal ion gyroradius is comparable to the distance between the field null and the separatrix. The instability existing beyond the FLR theory threshold could be due to the resonant interaction of the wave with ions whose Doppler shifted frequency matches the betatron frequency.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab., NJ (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• OSTI ID: 756892
• Report Number(s): PPPL-3456
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
MAGNETIC FIELD REVERSAL
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
STABILIZATION
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TILTING INSTABILITY