Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results
Abstract
The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current Ip was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 million amperes on December 14, 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, k = 1.6 {+-} 2.2 and d = 0.2 {+-} 0.4, were achieved in inner limited, single null and double null configurations. The CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) and HHFW (High Harmonic Fast Wave) experiments were also initiated. A CHI injected current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA of toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With an injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using twelve antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a centraldensity of 3.5 x 1013 cm-3 increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal beta, bT to 10 %. Finally, the NBI system commenced operatio n in Sept. 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (PNBI = 2.8 MW) shows good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 768657
- Report Number(s):
- PPPL-3513
TRN: US0005781
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03073
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 18th International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Fusion Energy Conference (FEC-2000), Sorrento (IT), 10/04/2000--10/10/2000; Other Information: PBD: 16 Nov 2000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; IAEA; ION SOURCES; NSTX DEVICE; NUCLEAR ENERGY; STORED ENERGY; THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
Citation Formats
Ono, M, Bell, M, Bell, R E, Bigelow, T, Bitter, M, and et al. Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Ono, M, Bell, M, Bell, R E, Bigelow, T, Bitter, M, & et al. Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results. United States.
Ono, M, Bell, M, Bell, R E, Bigelow, T, Bitter, M, and et al. 2000.
"Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/768657.
@article{osti_768657,
title = {Overview of the Initial NSTX Experimental Results},
author = {Ono, M and Bell, M and Bell, R E and Bigelow, T and Bitter, M and et al},
abstractNote = {The main aim of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is to establish the fusion physics principles of the spherical torus (ST) concept. The NSTX device began plasma operations in February 1999 and the plasma current Ip was successfully brought up to the design value of 1 million amperes on December 14, 1999. The planned plasma shaping parameters, k = 1.6 {+-} 2.2 and d = 0.2 {+-} 0.4, were achieved in inner limited, single null and double null configurations. The CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) and HHFW (High Harmonic Fast Wave) experiments were also initiated. A CHI injected current of 27 kA produced up to 260 kA of toroidal current without using an ohmic solenoid. With an injection of 2.3 MW of HHFW power, using twelve antennas connected to six transmitters, electrons were heated from a central temperature of 400 eV to 900 eV at a centraldensity of 3.5 x 1013 cm-3 increasing the plasma energy to 59 kJ and the toroidal beta, bT to 10 %. Finally, the NBI system commenced operatio n in Sept. 2000. The initial results with two ion sources (PNBI = 2.8 MW) shows good heating, producing a total plasma stored energy of 90 kJ corresponding to bT = 18 % at a plasma current of 1.1 MA},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/768657},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Thu Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}