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Title: Centrifugal particle confinement in mirror geometry

Abstract

The use of supersonic rotation of a plasma in mirror geometry has distinct advantages for thermonuclear fusion. The device is steady state, there are no disruptions, the loss cone is almost closed, sheared rotation stabilizes magnetohydrodynamic instabilities as well as plasma turbulence, there are no runaway electrons, and the coil configuration is simple. In this work, we examine the effect of rotation on mirror confinement using a full cyclotron orbit code. The full cyclotron simulations give a much more complete description of the particle energy distribution and losses than the use of guiding center equations. Both collisionless loss as a function of rotation and the effect of collisions are investigated. Although the cross field diffusion is classical, we find that the local rotating Maxwellian is increased to higher energy, increasing the fusion rate and also enhancing the radial diffusion. We find a loss channel not envisioned with a guiding center treatment, but a design can be chosen that can satisfy the Lawson criterion for ions. Of course, the rotation has a minimal effect on the alpha particle birth distribution, so there is initially loss through the usual loss cone, just as in a mirror with no rotation. However after thismore » loss, the alphas slow down on the electrons with little pitch angle scattering until reaching low energy, so over half of the initial alpha energy is transferred to the electrons. The important problem of energy confinement, with losses primarily through the electron channel, is not addressed in this work. In conclusion, we also discuss the use of rotating mirror geometry to produce an ion thruster.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.
  2. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States). Dept. of Physics
  3. Saint Michael's College, Colchester, VT (United States). Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1464670
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1418723
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-09CH11466
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 25; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

White, Roscoe, Hassam, Adil, and Brizard, Alain. Centrifugal particle confinement in mirror geometry. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5003359.
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White, Roscoe, Hassam, Adil, & Brizard, Alain. Centrifugal particle confinement in mirror geometry. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5003359
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White, Roscoe, Hassam, Adil, and Brizard, Alain. Tue . "Centrifugal particle confinement in mirror geometry". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5003359. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1464670.
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@article{osti_1464670,
title = {Centrifugal particle confinement in mirror geometry},
author = {White, Roscoe and Hassam, Adil and Brizard, Alain},
abstractNote = {The use of supersonic rotation of a plasma in mirror geometry has distinct advantages for thermonuclear fusion. The device is steady state, there are no disruptions, the loss cone is almost closed, sheared rotation stabilizes magnetohydrodynamic instabilities as well as plasma turbulence, there are no runaway electrons, and the coil configuration is simple. In this work, we examine the effect of rotation on mirror confinement using a full cyclotron orbit code. The full cyclotron simulations give a much more complete description of the particle energy distribution and losses than the use of guiding center equations. Both collisionless loss as a function of rotation and the effect of collisions are investigated. Although the cross field diffusion is classical, we find that the local rotating Maxwellian is increased to higher energy, increasing the fusion rate and also enhancing the radial diffusion. We find a loss channel not envisioned with a guiding center treatment, but a design can be chosen that can satisfy the Lawson criterion for ions. Of course, the rotation has a minimal effect on the alpha particle birth distribution, so there is initially loss through the usual loss cone, just as in a mirror with no rotation. However after this loss, the alphas slow down on the electrons with little pitch angle scattering until reaching low energy, so over half of the initial alpha energy is transferred to the electrons. The important problem of energy confinement, with losses primarily through the electron channel, is not addressed in this work. In conclusion, we also discuss the use of rotating mirror geometry to produce an ion thruster.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5003359},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 1,
volume = 25,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {1}
}
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Journal Article:
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5003359
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: Bounding flux surface, ψ = ψw, L = 200cm, A = .75, mirror ratio of 7, showing also the vertical centrifugal force vector and its component along $\vec{B}$. Note that the $\vec{B}$ component of the centrifugal force peaks at around z = ±150cm, where dB/dz has its maximummore » value.« less
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Works referenced in this record:

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Velocity Shear Stabilization of Centrifugally Confined Plasma
text, January 2001

The Solar Corona as probed by Comet Lovejoy (C/2011 W3)
text, January 2014

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    Figures / Tables found in this record:

    Figure 1 (p. 6)figure
    Figure 2 (p. 6)figure
    Figure 3 (p. 11)figure
    Figure 4 (p. 13)figure
    Figure 5 (p. 14)figure
    Figure 6 (p. 15)figure
    Figure 7 (p. 18)figure
    Figure 8 (p. 19)figure
    Figure 9 (p. 19)figure
    Table I (p. 20)table
    Figure 10 (p. 21)figure
    Figure 11 (p. 22)figure
    Figure 12 (p. 23)figure
    Figure 13 (p. 24)figure
    Figure 14 (p. 25)figure
    Figure 15 (p. 26)figure
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