Impact of Magnetic Field Configuration on Heat Transport in Stellarators and Heliotrons

• Published in: Physical review letters 2021-11, Vol.127 (22), p.225001-225001, Article 225001
• Main Authors: Warmer, Felix, Tanaka, K, Xanthopoulos, P, Nunami, M, Nakata, M, Beidler, C D, Bozhenkov, S A, Beurskens, M N A, Brunner, K J, Ford, O P, Fuchert, G, Funaba, H, Geiger, J, Gradic, D, Ida, K, Igami, H, Kubo, S, Langenberg, A, Laqua, H P, Lazerson, S, Morisaki, T, Osakabe, M, Pablant, N, Pasch, E, Peterson, B, Satake, S, Seki, R, Shimozuma, T, Smith, H M, Stange, T, Stechow, A V, Sugama, H, Suzuki, Y, Takahashi, H, Tokuzawa, T, Tsujimura, T, Turkin, Y, Wolf, R C, Yamada, I, Yanai, R, Yasuhara, R, Yokoyama, M, Yoshimura, Y, Yoshinuma, M, Zhang, D, W-X Team, Lhd Experimental Group
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; gyrofluid; gyrokinetics; magnetic confinement fusion; plasma turbulence; stellarators; toroidal confinement devices
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.225001

We assess the magnetic field configuration in modern fusion devices by comparing experiments with the same heating power, between a stellarator and a heliotron. The key role of turbulence is evident in the optimized stellarator, while neoclassical processes largely determine the transport in the heliotron device. Gyrokinetic simulations elucidate the underlying mechanisms promoting stronger ion scale turbulence in the stellarator. Similar plasma performances in these experiments suggests that neoclassical and turbulent transport should both be optimized in next step reactor designs.