Status and Plans for the National Spherical Torus Experimental Research Facility

Columbia University ; Oak Ridge National Laboratory ; Massachusetts Institute of Technology ; University of California, San Diego ; General Atomic Company ; Nova Photonics ; Compx ; University of California, Irvine ; University of Washington ; University of California, Los Angeles ; University of California, Davis ; Princeton Scientific Instruments ; University of Colorado Boulder ; Hiroshima University ; Euratom-UKAEA Fusion Association ; CEA ; New York University ; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology ; Los Alamos National Laboratory ; University of Rochester ; Korea Basic Science Institute ; Kyushu Tokai University ; Himeji Institute of Technology ; ENEA ; Kurcahtov Institute ; University of Wisconsin ; JAERI ; Sandia National Laboratories

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory.

关键词: Nstx;    70 Plasma Physics And Fusion Technology;    Start-Up;    Stability;    Confinement;   

DOI  :  10.2172/842078
RP-ID  :  PPPL-4091
RP-ID  :  AC02-76CH03073
RP-ID  :  842078

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

An overview of the research capabilities and the future plans on the MA-class National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) at Princeton is presented. NSTX research is exploring the scientific benefits of modifying the field line structure from that in more conventional aspect ratio devices, such as the tokamak. The relevant scientific issues pursued on NSTX include energy confinement, MHD stability at high beta, non-inductive sustainment, solenoid-free start-up, and power and particle handling. In support of the NSTX research goal, research tools are being developed by the NSTX team. In the context of the fusion energy development path being formulated in the US, an ST-based Component Test Facility (CTF) and, ultimately a high beta Demo device based on the ST, are being considered. For these, it is essential to develop high performance (high beta and high confinement), steady-state (non-inductively driven) ST operational scenarios and an efficient solenoid-free start-up concept. We will also briefly describe the Next-Step-ST (NSST) device being designed to address these issues in fusion-relevant plasma conditions.