Abstract Details

files Add files

Control of magnetohydrodynamic modes in RFPs with a resistive wall above the wall stabilization limit

Author: John M. Finn
Requested Type: Poster Only
Submitted: 2006-12-13 12:51:34

Co-authors: Gian Luca Delzanno

Contact Info:
Los Alamos National Laboratory
PO Box: 1663
Los Alamos, NM   87545
USA

Abstract Text:
Studies are shown of control of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes in a cylindrical model for an RFP, in the presence of a resistive wall, below and above the regime for which stabilization is possible with a perfectly conducting wall, i.e. below and above the ideal wall limit. The results show that resistive plasma (tearing-like) modes can be feedback stabilized for current profiles which are unstable below and above the ideal wall limit, for reversed field pinch (RFP)-like profiles (q(r)
decreasing) in a simple model with step function current and pressure profiles. Similar results were found for tokamak-like (increasing q(r)) profiles. However, above the limit for wall stabilization of ideal plasma modes, resonant or non-resonant, the feedback scheme cannot provide stabilization. The control scheme senses both normal and tangential components of the perturbed magnetic field, and the feedback is proportional to a linear combination of the two. Neither plasma rotation
nor complex gain is included. More recent results with realistic RFP profiles also show that ideal and resistive (tearing) modes can both be stabilized below their wall stabilization limits. Tearing modes, but not ideal plasma modes, can be stabilized above their wall limits. A physical interpretation of these results is
presented.

Characterization: E3

Comments:

University of Maryland

Innovative Confinement Concepts Workshop
February 12-14, 2007
College Park, Maryland

ICC 2007 UM logo