1. Physics Considerations in the Design of NCSX
- Author
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null G.H. Neilson, null M.C. Zarnstorff, null L.P. Ku, null E.A. Lazarus, null P.K. Mioduszewski, null M. Fenstermacher, null E. Fredrickson, null G.Y. Fu, null A. Grossman, null P.J. Heitzenroeder, null R.H. Hatcher, null S.P. Hirshman, null S.R. Hudson, null D.W. Johnson, null H.W. Kugel, null J.F. Lyon, null R. Majeski, null D.R. Mikkelsen, null D.A. Monticello, null B.E. Nelson, null N. Pomphrey, null W.T. Reiersen, null A.H. Reiman, null P.H. Rutherford, null J.A. Schmidt, null D.A. Spong, and null D.J. Strickler
- Subjects
Physics ,business.industry ,Nuclear engineering ,Divertor ,Ripple ,Electrical engineering ,National Compact Stellarator Experiment ,Plasma ,Collisionality ,law.invention ,law ,Beta (plasma physics) ,Orbit (dynamics) ,business ,Stellarator - Abstract
Compact stellarators have the potential to make steady-state, disruption-free magnetic fusion systems with beta approximately 5% and relatively low aspect ratio (R/ < 4.5) compared to most drift-optimized stellarators. Magnetic quasi-symmetry can be used to reduce orbit losses. The National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) is designed to test compact stellarator physics in a high-beta quasi-axisymmetric configuration and to determine the conditions for high-beta disruption-free operation. It is designed around a reference plasma with low ripple, good magnetic surfaces, and stability to the important ideal instabilities at beta approximately 4%. The device size, available heating power, and pulse lengths provide access to a high-beta target plasma state. The NCSX has magnetic flexibility to explore a wide range of equilibrium conditions and has operational flexibility to achieve a wide range of beta and collisionality values. The design provides space to accommodate plasma-facing components for divertor operation and ports for an extensive array of diagnostics.
- Published
- 2002
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