Method and apparatus for steady-state magnetic measurement of poloidal magnetic field near a tokamak plasma

Patent · 01 January 1998

OSTI ID:871828

Woolley, Robert D ^[1]

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1. Hillsborough, NJ

A method and apparatus for the steady-state measurement of poloidal magnetic field near a tokamak plasma, where the tokamak is configured with respect to a cylindrical coordinate system having z, phi (toroidal), and r axes. The method is based on combining the two magnetic field principles of induction and torque. The apparatus includes a rotor assembly having a pair of inductive magnetic field pickup coils which are concentrically mounted, orthogonally oriented in the r and z directions, and coupled to remotely located electronics which include electronic integrators for determining magnetic field changes. The rotor assembly includes an axle oriented in the toroidal direction, with the axle mounted on pivot support brackets which in turn are mounted on a baseplate. First and second springs are located between the baseplate and the rotor assembly restricting rotation of the rotor assembly about its axle, the second spring providing a constant tensile preload in the first spring. A strain gauge is mounted on the first spring, and electronic means to continually monitor strain gauge resistance variations is provided. Electronic means for providing a known current pulse waveform to be periodically injected into each coil to create a time-varying torque on the rotor assembly in the toroidal direction causes mechanical strain variations proportional to the torque in the mounting means and springs so that strain gauge measurement of the variation provides periodic magnetic field measurements independent of the magnetic field measured by the electronic integrators.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5804965
• OSTI ID: 871828
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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