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| icc_2007_poster_v3.pdf | 2007-04-09 08:00:21 | Theodore Grabowski |
FRC FORMATION AND TRANSLATION EXPERIMENT AT AFRL
Author: Theodore C. Grabowski
Requested Type: Poster Only
Submitted: 2006-12-28 08:25:05
Co-authors: J. H. Degnan, J. F. Camacho, S. K. Coffey, G. Coulter, M. Domonkos, D. Gale, B. Martinez, J. Parker, D. Ralph, E. L. Ruden, and W. Sommars -- AFRL; S. C. Hsu, T. P. Intrator, R. M. Renneke, P. Sieck, W. J. Waganaar, and G. A. Wurden -- LANL
Contact Info:
Air Force Research Laboratory, DE Directorate
3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117
USA
Abstract Text:
Over the past six years, the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM has been working in close collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory on their field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiment, FRX-L. Through these joint efforts a second experiment has been designed and is now being assembled and tested at the AFRL. This new experiment has the goal of not only forming a plasma in a field-reversed configuration but also of translating it into an aluminum flux conserving shell (solid liner), where it will be subsequently heated through rapid compression of the liner. The FRC formation portion of this experiment has been designed to closely match the electrical properties of FRX-L so that FRCs of similar parameters will be formed. Likewise, though the translation portion of FRX-L is still currently under development, the AFRL translation section will be similarly designed to match that of FRX-L, as well. The design approach being taken to compressively heat the FRC relies on the experimental setup used during two earlier “deformable-contact” vacuum liner experiments [1] that were performed with the Shiva Star Capacitor Bank in which the liner electrodes had 8-cm-diameter holes on their axes. Both tests were successful, allowing the ends of the 10-cm diameter, 30-cm long aluminum liner to stretch and maintain contact with the electrodes while the body of the liner glided radially inward to implode uniformly.
As might be inferred from the three portions of the experiment (i.e., processes to be performed) that were described above – FRC formation, FRC translation from the formation region up to the liner, and adiabatic compression of the FRC in the liner – there are also three constituent systems in this experiment to carry out these tasks. This presentation focuses on the design and integration of the first two of these constituent systems. The status of each, with regard to assembly and recent test results, is discussed, along with the array of magnetic and plasma diagnostics that are being implemented in each area. Remaining tasks to be accomplished before a complete FRC formation, translation, and compression experiment can be performed are also outlined. This work is supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Studies.
[1] J. H. Degnan, et. al., “Liner Implosion Performed with 8 cm Diameter Electrode Apertures Using Deformable Liner – Electrode Contact with Full Axial Coverage Radiography,” presented at the 2006 ICC Workshop, February 13-16, Austin, TX.
Characterization: C
Comments:
