A numerical survey of parameters to reach ignition condition for axial compression of a large-sized field reversed configuration

Field reversed configuration(FRC)is widely considered as an ideal target plasma for magnetoinertial fusion.However,its confinement and stability,both proportional to the radius,will deteriorate inevitably during radial compression.Hence,we propose a new fusion approach based on axial compression of a large-sized FRC.The axial compression can be made by plasma jets or plasmoids converging onto the axial ends of the FRC.The parameter space that can reach the ignition condition while preserving the FRC's overall quality is studied using a numerical model based on different FRC confinement scalings.It is found that ignition is possible for a large FRC that can be achieved with the current FRC formation techniques if compression ratio is greater than 50.A more realistic compression is to combine axial with moderate radial compression,which is also presented and calculated in this work.

Quasi-static magnetic compression of field-reversed configuration plasma:amended scalings and limits from two-dimensional MHD equilibrium

In this work,several key scaling laws of the quasi-static magnetic compression of field reversed configuration(FRC)plasma(Spencer et al 1983 Phys.Fluids 261564)are amended from a series of two-dimensional FRC MHD equilibriums numerically obtained using the Grad–Shafranov equation solver NIMEQ.Based on the new scaling for the elongation and the magnetic fields at the separatrix and the wall,the empirically stable limits for the compression ratio,the fusion gain,and the neutron yield are evaluated,which may serve as a more accurate estimate for the upper ceiling of performance from the magnetic compression of FRC plasma as a potential fusion energy as well as neutron source devices.

Formation of Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) on the Yingguang-I device

As a hybrid approach to realizing fusion energy,Magnetized Target Fusion(MTF)based on the Field Reversed Configuration(FRC),which has the plasma density and confinement time in the range between magnetic and inertial confinement fusion,has been recently widely pursued around the world.To investigate the formation and confinement of the FRC plasma injector for MTF,the Yingguang-I,which is an FRC test device and contains a multi-bank program-discharged pulsed power sub-system,was constructed at the Institute of Fluid Physics(IFP),China.This paper presents the pulsed power components and their parameters of the device in detail,then gives a brief description of progress in experiments of FRC formation.Experimental results of the pulsed power sub-system show that the peak current/magnetic field of 110 kA/0.3 T,10 kA/1.2 Tand 1.7 MA/3.4 Twere achieved in the bias,mirror and q-pinch circuits with quarter cycle of 80 ms,700 ms and 3.8 ms respectively.The induced electric field in the neutral gas was greater than 0.25 kV/cm when the ionization bank was charged to 70 kV.With H_(2) gas of 8 Pa,the plasma target of density 10^(16) cm^(-3),separatrix radius 4 cm,half-length 17 cm,equilibrium temperature 200 eV and lifetime 3 ms(approximately the half pulse width of the reversed field)have been obtained through the q-pinch method when the bias,mirror,ionization and θ-pinch banks were charged to 5 kV,5 kV,55 kV and ±45 kV respectively.The images from the high-speed end-on framing camera demonstrate the formation processes of FRC and some features agree well with the results with the two-dimension magneto hydrodynamics code(2D-MHD).

Recent Results on Field Reversed Configurations from the Translation, Confinement and Sustainment Experiment

The field-reversed configuration (FRC) offers an attractive alternative approach to magnetically confined fusion because of its extremely high β, simple linear geometry, and natural divertor for helium ash removal. Multi-hundred eV and high density FRCs have been produced using the standard Field Reversed Theta Pinch (RFTP) method, with a confinement scaling that leads to fusion conditions. These FRCs are, however, limited to only tens of mWb fluxes and sub-msec lifetime. Recent progress has been made in building up the flux and sustaining the FRC current using Rotating Magnetic Fields (RMF) in the Translation, Sustainment, and Confinement (TCS) facility at the University of Washington. TCS has demonstrated formation and steady-state sustainment of standard, flux-confined, prolate FRCs. The RMF also provides stability for the n = 2 rotational mode, which is the dominant global instability observed experimentally. Simple calculations show that a strong radially inward force imposed by the RMF increases proportionally to any local outward deformation of the plasma cross section. Evidence of this has been experimentally demonstrated, and the effects of various RMF antenna geometries studied. High temperature FRCs could also be produced in TCS by translating high energy plasmoids formed in the normal theta pinch manner into the confinement chamber containing the RMF antennas. Extremely interesting results were obtained for this translation and capture process. The plasmoids can survive the violent dynamics of supersonic reflections off magnetic mirror structures, producing a stable high-β, near-FRC state with substantial flux conversion from toroidal to poloidal. This is a tribute not only to the robustness of FRCs, but also to the tendency of an FRC to assume a preferred state for a magnetized plasma. The magnetic helicity, as inferred by a simple interpretive model, is approximately preserved, possibly conforming to a high-β relaxation principle.

Compact magnetic confinement fusion:Spherical torus and compact torus

The spherical torus(ST)and compact torus(CT)are two kinds of alternative magnetic confinement fusion concepts with compact geometry.The ST is actually a sub-category of tokamak with a low aspect ratio;while the CT is a toroidal magnetic configuration with a simply-connected geometry including spheromak and field reversed pinch.The ST and CT have potential advantages for ultimate fusion reactor;while at present they can also provide unique fusion science and technology contributions for mainstream fusion research.However,some critical scientific and technology issues should be extensively investigated.