Confinement analyses of the high-density field-reversed configuration plasma in the field-reversed configuration experiment with a liner

• Published in: Physics of plasmas 2005-05, Vol.12 (5), p.052513-052513-8
• Main Authors: Zhang, Shouyin, Intrator, T. P., Wurden, G. A., Waganaar, W. J., Taccetti, J. M., Renneke, R., Grabowski, C., Ruden, E. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ELECTRON TEMPERATURE; ION TEMPERATURE; PLASMA CONFINEMENT; PLASMA DENSITY; PLASMA HEATING; PLASMA PRODUCTION; REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1899648

The focus of the field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiment with a liner (FRX-L) is the formation of a target FRC plasma for magnetized target fusion experiments. An FRC plasma with density of 10 23 m − 3 , total temperature in the range of 150–300 eV, and a lifetime of ≈ 20 μ s is desired. Field-reversed θ -pinch technology is used with programed cusp fields at θ -coil ends to achieve non-tearing field line reconnections during FRC formation. Well-formed FRCs with density between ( 2 – 4 ) × 10 22 m − 3 , lifetime in the range of 15 – 20 μ s , and total temperature between 300–500 eV are reproducibly created. Key FRC parameters have standard deviation in the mean of 10% during consecutive shots. The FRCs are formed at 50 mTorr deuterium static fill using 2 kG net reversed bias field inside the θ -coil confinement region, with external main field unexpectedly ranging between 15–30 kG. The high-density FRCs confinement properties are approximately in agreement with empirical scaling laws obtained from previous experiments with fill pressure mostly less than 20 mTorr. Analyses in this paper reveal that reducing the external main field modulation and∕or extending the θ -coil length in the FRX-L device are critical in achieving higher FRC parameters for application in magnetized target fusion.