Energy confinement studies in the tandem mirror experiment (TMX): Power flow

• Published in: The Physics of fluids (1958) 1983-07, Vol.26 (7), p.1987-2002
• Main Authors: Grubb, D. P., Allen, S. L., Casper, T. A., Clauser, J. F., Coensgen, F. H., Cohen, R. H., Correll, D. L., Cummins, W. C., Davis, J. C., Drake, R. P., Foote, J. H., Futch, A. H., Goodman, R. K., Gryczkowski, G. E., Hooper, E. B., Hornady, R. S., Hunt, A. L., Karmendy, C. V., Nexsen, W. E., Pickles, W. L., Porter, G. D., Poulsen, P., Rognlien, T. D., Simonen, T. C., Slaughter, D. R., Coakley, P., Hallock, G. A., Strand, O. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic confinement and equilibrium; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges
• ISSN: 0031-9171; 2163-4998
• DOI: 10.1063/1.864346

Using the measured plasma densities and energies, the flow of power between the different particle species and regions of the tandem mirror experiment (TMX) is analyzed. The power flow is described by a simple classical model modified to include: (1) a halo of cool plasma that reduces end‐cell ion losses due to charge exchange on background gas, (2) instability heating of the central‐cell ions both in the central cell and as they escape through the plugs, (3) electron energy transport along the field lines which is less than predicted, and (4) radial transport of the central‐cell ions. Our global power balance, including all particles and regions, accounts for 87±27% of the trapped neutral‐beam power.