A coupled systems code-CFD MHD solver for fusion blanket design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolfendale, Michael J., E-mail: m.wolfendale11@imperial.ac.uk; Bluck, Michael J.

2015-10-15

Highlights: • A coupled systems code-CFD MHD solver for fusion blanket applications is proposed. • Development of a thermal hydraulic systems code with MHD capabilities is detailed. • A code coupling methodology based on the use of TCP socket communications is detailed. • Validation cases are briefly discussed for the systems code and coupled solver. - Abstract: The network of flow channels in a fusion blanket can be modelled using a 1D thermal hydraulic systems code. For more complex components such as junctions and manifolds, the simplifications employed in such codes can become invalid, requiring more detailed analyses. For magnetic confinement reactor blanket designs using a conducting fluid as coolant/breeder, the difficulties in flow modelling are particularly severe due to MHD effects. Blanket analysis is an ideal candidate for the application of a code coupling methodology, with a thermal hydraulic systems code modelling portions of the blanket amenable to 1D analysis, and CFD providing detail where necessary. A systems code, MHD-SYS, has been developed and validated against existing analyses. The code shows good agreement in the prediction of MHD pressure loss and the temperature profile in the fluid and wall regions of the blanket breeding zone. MHD-SYS has been coupled to an MHD solver developed in OpenFOAM and the coupled solver validated for test geometries in preparation for modelling blanket systems.

3D simulation studies of tokamak plasmas using MHD and extended-MHD models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, W.; Chang, Z.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G.Y.; Pomphrey, N.; Sugiyama, L.E.

1997-01-01

The M3D (Multi-level 3D) tokamak simulation project aims at the simulation of tokamak plasmas using a multi-level tokamak code package. Several current applications using MHD and Extended-MHD models are presented; high-β disruption studies in reversed shear plasmas using the MHD level MH3D code, ω *i stabilization and nonlinear island rotation studies using the two-fluid level MH3D-T code, studies of nonlinear saturation of TAE modes using the hybrid particle/MHD level MH3D-K code, and unstructured mesh MH3D ++ code studies. In particular, three internal mode disruption mechanisms are identified from simulation results which agree well with experimental data

An approach to verification and validation of MHD codes for fusion applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smolentsev, S., E-mail: sergey@fusion.ucla.edu [University of California, Los Angeles (United States); Badia, S. [Centre Internacional de Mètodes Numèrics en Enginyeria, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech (Spain); Bhattacharyay, R. [Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (India); Bühler, L. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Chen, L. [University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Huang, Q. [Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Jin, H.-G. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Krasnov, D. [Technische Universität Ilmenau (Germany); Lee, D.-W. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Mas de les Valls, E. [Centre Internacional de Mètodes Numèrics en Enginyeria, Barcelona (Spain); Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech (Spain); Mistrangelo, C. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Munipalli, R. [HyPerComp, Westlake Village (United States); Ni, M.-J. [University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Pashkevich, D. [St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University (Russian Federation); Patel, A. [Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech (Spain); Pulugundla, G. [University of California, Los Angeles (United States); Satyamurthy, P. [Bhabha Atomic Research Center (India); Snegirev, A. [St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University (Russian Federation); Sviridov, V. [Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Russian Federation); Swain, P. [Bhabha Atomic Research Center (India); and others

2015-11-15

Highlights: • Review of status of MHD codes for fusion applications. • Selection of five benchmark problems. • Guidance for verification and validation of MHD codes for fusion applications. - Abstract: We propose a new activity on verification and validation (V&V) of MHD codes presently employed by the fusion community as a predictive capability tool for liquid metal cooling applications, such as liquid metal blankets. The important steps in the development of MHD codes starting from the 1970s are outlined first and then basic MHD codes, which are currently in use by designers of liquid breeder blankets, are reviewed. A benchmark database of five problems has been proposed to cover a wide range of MHD flows from laminar fully developed to turbulent flows, which are of interest for fusion applications: (A) 2D fully developed laminar steady MHD flow, (B) 3D laminar, steady developing MHD flow in a non-uniform magnetic field, (C) quasi-two-dimensional MHD turbulent flow, (D) 3D turbulent MHD flow, and (E) MHD flow with heat transfer (buoyant convection). Finally, we introduce important details of the proposed activities, such as basic V&V rules and schedule. The main goal of the present paper is to help in establishing an efficient V&V framework and to initiate benchmarking among interested parties. The comparison results computed by the codes against analytical solutions and trusted experimental and numerical data as well as code-to-code comparisons will be presented and analyzed in companion paper/papers.

MHD stability, operational limits and disruptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The present physics understandings of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of tokamak plasmas, the threshold conditions for onset of MHD instability, and the resulting operational limits on attainable plasma pressure (beta limit) and density (density limit), and the consequences of plasma disruption and disruption related effects are reviewed and assessed in the context of their application to a future DT burning reactor prototype tokamak experiment such as ITER. The principal considerations covered within the MHD stability and beta limit assessments are (i) magnetostatic equilibrium, ideal MHD stability and the resulting ideal MHD beta limit; (ii) sawtooth oscillations and the coupling of sawtooth activity to other types of MHD instability; (iii) neoclassical island resistive tearing modes and the corresponding limits on beta and energy confinement; (iv) wall stabilization of ideal MHD instabilities and resistive wall instabilities; (v) mode locking effects of non-axisymmetric error fields; (vi) edge localized MHD instabilities (ELMs, etc.); and (vii) MHD instabilities and beta/pressure gradient limits in plasmas with actively modified current and magnetic shear profiles. The principal considerations covered within the density limit assessments are (i) empirical density limits; (ii) edge power balance/radiative density limits in ohmic and L-mode plasmas; and (iii) edge parameter related density limits in H-mode plasmas. The principal considerations covered in the disruption assessments are (i) disruption causes, frequency and MHD instability onset; (ii) disruption thermal and current quench characteristics; (iii) vertical instabilities (VDEs), both before and after disruption, and plasma and in-vessel halo currents; (iv) after disruption runaway electron formation, confinement and loss; (v) fast plasma shutdown (rapid externally initiated dissipation of plasma thermal and magnetic energies); (vi) means for disruption avoidance and disruption effect mitigation; and

Sensitivity of ITER MHD global stability to edge pressure gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hogan, J.T.; Martynov, A.

1994-01-01

In view of the preliminary nature of boundary models for reactor tokamaks, the sensitivity to edge gradients of the global mode MHD stability of the ITER EDA configuration has been examined. The POLAR-2D equilibrium and TORUS stability codes developed by the Keldysh Institute have been used. Transport-related profiles from the PRETOR transport code (developed by the ITER Joint Central Team) and axisymmetric equilibria for these profiles from the TEQ code (L.D. Pearlstein, LLNL) were taken as a starting point for the study. These baseline profiles are found to have quite high global stability limits, in the range g(Troyon) = 4-5. The major focus of this study is to examine global mode stability assuming small variations about the baseline profiles, changing the pressure gradients near the boundary. Such changes can be expected with an improved boundary model. Reduced stability limits are found in such cases, and unstable cases with g = 2-3 are found. Thus, the assumption of ITER stability limits higher than g = 2 must be treated with caution

MHD code using multi graphical processing units: SMAUG+

Science.gov (United States)

Gyenge, N.; Griffiths, M. K.; Erdélyi, R.

2018-01-01

This paper introduces the Sheffield Magnetohydrodynamics Algorithm Using GPUs (SMAUG+), an advanced numerical code for solving magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problems, using multi-GPU systems. Multi-GPU systems facilitate the development of accelerated codes and enable us to investigate larger model sizes and/or more detailed computational domain resolutions. This is a significant advancement over the parent single-GPU MHD code, SMAUG (Griffiths et al., 2015). Here, we demonstrate the validity of the SMAUG + code, describe the parallelisation techniques and investigate performance benchmarks. The initial configuration of the Orszag-Tang vortex simulations are distributed among 4, 16, 64 and 100 GPUs. Furthermore, different simulation box resolutions are applied: 1000 × 1000, 2044 × 2044, 4000 × 4000 and 8000 × 8000 . We also tested the code with the Brio-Wu shock tube simulations with model size of 800 employing up to 10 GPUs. Based on the test results, we observed speed ups and slow downs, depending on the granularity and the communication overhead of certain parallel tasks. The main aim of the code development is to provide massively parallel code without the memory limitation of a single GPU. By using our code, the applied model size could be significantly increased. We demonstrate that we are able to successfully compute numerically valid and large 2D MHD problems.

Nonlinear Diamagnetic Stabilization of Double Tearing Modes in Cylindrical MHD Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Stephen; Germaschewski, Kai

2014-10-01

Double tearing modes (DTMs) may occur in reversed-shear tokamak configurations if two nearby rational surfaces couple and begin reconnecting. During the DTM's nonlinear evolution it can enter an ``explosive'' growth phase leading to complete reconnection, making it a possible driver for off-axis sawtooth crashes. Motivated by similarities between this behavior and that of the m = 1 kink-tearing mode in conventional tokamaks we investigate diamagnetic drifts as a possible DTM stabilization mechanism. We extend our previous linear studies of an m = 2 , n = 1 DTM in cylindrical geometry to the fully nonlinear regime using the MHD code MRC-3D. A pressure gradient similar to observed ITB profiles is used, together with Hall physics, to introduce ω* effects. We find the diamagnetic drifts can have a stabilizing effect on the nonlinear DTM through a combination of large scale differential rotation and mechanisms local to the reconnection layer. MRC-3D is an extended MHD code based on the libMRC computational framework. It supports nonuniform grids in curvilinear coordinates with parallel implicit and explicit time integration.

MHD instabilities in heliotron/torsatron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakatani, Masahiro; Nakamura, Yuji; Ichiguchi, Katsuji

1992-01-01

Recent theoretical results on MHD instabilities in heliotron/torsatron are reviewed. By comparing the results with experimental data in Heliotron E, Heliotron DR and ATF, it is pointed out that resistive interchange modes are the most crucial instabilities, since the magnetic hill occupies a substantial region of the plasma column. Development of three-dimensional MHD equilibrium codes has made significant progress. By applying the local stability criteria shown by D 1 (ideal MHD mode) and D R (resistive MHD mode) to the equilibria given by the three-dimensional codes such as BETA and VMEC, stability thresholds for the low n ideal modes or the low n resistive modes may be estimated with resonable accuracy, where n is a toroidal mode number. (orig.)

Resistive MHD Stability Analysis in Near Real-time

Science.gov (United States)

Glasser, Alexander; Kolemen, Egemen

2017-10-01

We discuss the feasibility of a near real-time calculation of the tokamak Δ' matrix, which summarizes MHD stability to resistive modes, such as tearing and interchange modes. As the operational phase of ITER approaches, solutions for active feedback tokamak stability control are needed. It has been previously demonstrated that an ideal MHD stability analysis is achievable on a sub- O (1 s) timescale, as is required to control phenomena comparable with the MHD-evolution timescale of ITER. In the present work, we broaden this result to incorporate the effects of resistive MHD modes. Such modes satisfy ideal MHD equations in regions outside narrow resistive layers that form at singular surfaces. We demonstrate that the use of asymptotic expansions at the singular surfaces, as well as the application of state transition matrices, enable a fast, parallelized solution to the singular outer layer boundary value problem, and thereby rapidly compute Δ'. Sponsored by US DOE under DE-SC0015878 and DE-FC02-04ER54698.

User's manual for the FLORA equilibrium and stability code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freis, R.P.; Cohen, B.I.

1985-01-01

This document provides a user's guide to the content and use of the two-dimensional axisymmetric equilibrium and stability code FLORA. FLORA addresses the low-frequency MHD stability of long-thin axisymmetric tandem mirror systems with finite pressure and finite-larmor-radius effects. FLORA solves an initial-value problem for interchange, rotational, and ballooning stability

MHD stability analysis of helical system plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Yuji

2000-01-01

Several topics of the MHD stability studies in helical system plasmas are reviewed with respect to the linear and ideal modes mainly. Difference of the method of the MHD stability analysis in helical system plasmas from that in tokamak plasmas is emphasized. Lack of the cyclic (symmetric) coordinate makes an analysis more difficult. Recent topic about TAE modes in a helical system is also described briefly. (author)

MHD stability of JET high performance discharges. Comparison of MHD calculations with experimental observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huysmans, G.

1998-03-01

One of the aims of the JET, the Joint European Torus, project is to optimise the maximum fusion performance as measured by the neutron rate. At present, two different scenarios are developed at JET to achieve the high performance the so-called Hot-Ion H-mode scenario and the more recent development of the Optimised Shear scenario. Both scenarios have reached similar values of the neutron rate in Deuterium plasmas, up to 5 10 17 neutrons/second. Both scenarios are characterised by a transport barrier, i.e., a region in the plasma where the confinement is improved. The Hot-Ion H-mode has a transport barrier at the plasma boundary just inside the separatrix, an Optimised Shear plasma exhibits a transport barrier at about mid radius. Associated with the improved confinement of the transport barriers are locally large pressure gradients. It is these pressure gradients which, either directly or indirectly, can drive MHD instabilities. The instabilities limit the maximum performance. In the optimised shear scenario a global MHD instability leads to a disruptive end of the discharge. In the Hot-Ion H-mode plasmas, so-called Outer Modes can occur which are localised at the plasma boundary and lead to a saturation of the plasma performance. In this paper, two examples of the MHD instabilities are discussed and identified by comparing the experimentally observed modes with theoretical calculations from the ideal MHD code MISHKA-1. Also, the MHD stability boundaries of the two scenarios are presented. Section 3 contains a discussion of the mode observed just before the disruption

Global and kinetic MHD simulation by the Gpic-MHD code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitou, Hiroshi; Yamada, Yusuke; Kajiwara, Kenji; Lee, Wei-li; Tokuda, Shinji; Yagi, Masatoshi

2011-01-01

In order to implement large-scale and high-beta tokamak simulation, a new algorithm of the electromagnetic gyrokinetic PIC (particle-in-cell) code was proposed and installed on the Gpic-MHD code [Gyrokinetic PIC code for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation]. In the new algorithm, the vortex equation and the generalized ohm's law along the magnetic field are derived from the basic equations of the gyrokinetic Vlasov, Poisson, and Ampere system and are used to describe the spatio-temporal evolution of the field quantities of the electrostatic potential φ and the longitudinal component of the vector potential A z . Particle information is mainly used to estimate second order moments in the generalized ohm's law. Because the lower order moments of the charge density and the longitudinal current density are not used explicitly to determine φ and A z , the numerical noise induced by the discreteness of particle quantities reduces drastically. Another advantage of the algorithm is that the longitudinal induced electric field, E Tz =-∂A z /∂t, is explicitly estimated by the generalized ohm's law and used in the equations of motion. The particle velocities along the magnetic field are used (v z -formulation) instead of generalized momentums (p z -formulation), hence there is no problem of 'cancellation', which appear when estimating A z from the Ampere's law in the p z -formulation. The successful simulation of the collisionless internal kink mode by new Gpic-MHD with the realistic values of the large-scale and high-beta, revealed the usefulness of the new algorithm. (author)

Linear stability of resistive MHD modes: axisymmetric toroidal computation of the outer region matching data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pletzer, A.; Bondeson, A.; Dewar, R.L.

1993-11-01

The quest to determine accurately the stability of tearing and resistive interchange modes in two-dimensional toroidal geometry led to the development of the PEST-3 code, which is based on solving the singular, zero-frequency ideal MHD equation in the plasma bulk and determining the outer data Δ', Γ' and A' needed to match the outer region solutions to those arising in the inner layers. No assumption regarding the aspect ratio, the number of rational surfaces or the pressure are made a priori. This approach is numerically less demanding than solving the full set of resistive equations, and has the major advantage of non-MHD theories of the non-ideal layers. Good convergence is ensured by the variational Galerkin scheme used to compute the outer matching data. To validate the code, we focus on the growth rate calculations of resistive kink modes which are reproduced in good agreement with those obtained by the full resistive MHD code MARS. (author) 11 figs., 27 refs

2-D skin-current toroidal-MHD-equilibrium code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feinberg, B.; Niland, R.A.; Coonrod, J.; Levine, M.A.

1982-09-01

A two-dimensional, toroidal, ideal MHD skin-current equilibrium computer code is described. The code is suitable for interactive implementation on a minicomptuer. Some examples of the use of the code for design and interpretation of toroidal cusp experiments are presented

Calculation code NIRVANA for free boundary MHD equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Suzuki, Yasuo; Kameari, Akihisa

1975-03-01

The calculation method and code of solving the free boundary problem for MHD equilibrium has been developed. Usage of the code ''NIRVANA'' is described. The toroidal plasma current density determined as a function of the flux function PSI is substituted by a group of the ring currents, whereby the equation of MHD equilibrium is transformed into an integral equation. Either of the two iterative methods is chosen to solve the integral equation, depending on the assumptions made of the plasma surface points. Calculation of the magnetic field configurations is possible when the plasma surface coincides self-consistently with the magnetic flux including the separatrix points. The code is usable in calculation of the circular or non-circular shell-less Tokamak equilibrium. (auth.)

CosmosDG: An hp-adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Code for Hyper-resolved Relativistic MHD

Science.gov (United States)

Anninos, Peter; Bryant, Colton; Fragile, P. Chris; Holgado, A. Miguel; Lau, Cheuk; Nemergut, Daniel

2017-08-01

We have extended Cosmos++, a multidimensional unstructured adaptive mesh code for solving the covariant Newtonian and general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, to accommodate both discrete finite volume and arbitrarily high-order finite element structures. The new finite element implementation, called CosmosDG, is based on a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) formulation, using both entropy-based artificial viscosity and slope limiting procedures for the regularization of shocks. High-order multistage forward Euler and strong-stability preserving Runge-Kutta time integration options complement high-order spatial discretization. We have also added flexibility in the code infrastructure allowing for both adaptive mesh and adaptive basis order refinement to be performed separately or simultaneously in a local (cell-by-cell) manner. We discuss in this report the DG formulation and present tests demonstrating the robustness, accuracy, and convergence of our numerical methods applied to special and general relativistic MHD, although we note that an equivalent capability currently also exists in CosmosDG for Newtonian systems.

CosmosDG: An hp -adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Code for Hyper-resolved Relativistic MHD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anninos, Peter; Lau, Cheuk [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Bryant, Colton [Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois, 60208 (United States); Fragile, P. Chris [Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424 (United States); Holgado, A. Miguel [Department of Astronomy and National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801 (United States); Nemergut, Daniel [Operations and Engineering Division, Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

2017-08-01

We have extended Cosmos++, a multidimensional unstructured adaptive mesh code for solving the covariant Newtonian and general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, to accommodate both discrete finite volume and arbitrarily high-order finite element structures. The new finite element implementation, called CosmosDG, is based on a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) formulation, using both entropy-based artificial viscosity and slope limiting procedures for the regularization of shocks. High-order multistage forward Euler and strong-stability preserving Runge–Kutta time integration options complement high-order spatial discretization. We have also added flexibility in the code infrastructure allowing for both adaptive mesh and adaptive basis order refinement to be performed separately or simultaneously in a local (cell-by-cell) manner. We discuss in this report the DG formulation and present tests demonstrating the robustness, accuracy, and convergence of our numerical methods applied to special and general relativistic MHD, although we note that an equivalent capability currently also exists in CosmosDG for Newtonian systems.

CosmosDG: An hp -adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Code for Hyper-resolved Relativistic MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anninos, Peter; Lau, Cheuk; Bryant, Colton; Fragile, P. Chris; Holgado, A. Miguel; Nemergut, Daniel

2017-01-01

We have extended Cosmos++, a multidimensional unstructured adaptive mesh code for solving the covariant Newtonian and general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, to accommodate both discrete finite volume and arbitrarily high-order finite element structures. The new finite element implementation, called CosmosDG, is based on a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) formulation, using both entropy-based artificial viscosity and slope limiting procedures for the regularization of shocks. High-order multistage forward Euler and strong-stability preserving Runge–Kutta time integration options complement high-order spatial discretization. We have also added flexibility in the code infrastructure allowing for both adaptive mesh and adaptive basis order refinement to be performed separately or simultaneously in a local (cell-by-cell) manner. We discuss in this report the DG formulation and present tests demonstrating the robustness, accuracy, and convergence of our numerical methods applied to special and general relativistic MHD, although we note that an equivalent capability currently also exists in CosmosDG for Newtonian systems.

Stabilities of MHD rotational discontinuities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.

1984-11-01

In this paper, the stabilities of MHD rotational discontinuities are analyzed. The results show that the rotational discontinuities in an incompressible magnetofluid are not always stable with respect to infinitesimal perturbation. The instability condition in a special case is obtained. (author)

MHD stability of tandem mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poulsen, P.; Molvik, A.; Shearer, J.

1982-01-01

The TMX-Upgrade experiment was described, and the manner in which various plasma parameters could be affected was discussed. The initial analysis of the MHD stability of the tandem mirror was also discussed, with emphasis on the negative tandem configuration

Formation, structure, and stability of MHD intermediate shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, C.C.

1990-01-01

Contrary to the usual belief that MHD intermediate shocks are extraneous, the author has recently shown by numerical solutions of dissipative MHD equations that intermediate shocks are admissible and can be formed through nonlinear wave steepening from continuous waves. In this paper, the formation, structure and stability of intermediate shocks in dissipative MHD are considered in detail. The differences between the conventional theory and his are pointed out and clarified. He shows that all four types of intermediate shocks can be formed from smooth waves. He also shows that there are free parameters in the structure of the intermediate shocks, and that these parameters are related to the shock stability. In addition, he shows that a rotational discontinuity can not exist with finite width, indicate how this is related to the existence of time-dependent intermediate shocks, and show why the conventional theory is not a good approximation to dissipative MHD solutions whenever there is rotation in magnetic field

MHD stability calculations of high-β quasi-axisymmetric stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Ku, L.P.; Pomphrey, N.; Redi, M.; Kessel, C.; Monticello, D.; Reiman, A.; Hughes, M.; Cooper, W.A.; Nuehrenberg, C.

2001-01-01

The MHD stability of quasi-axisymmetric compact stellarators is investigated. It is shown that bootstrap current driven external kink modes can be stabilized by a combination of edge magnetic shear and appropriate 3D plasma boundary shaping while maintaining good quasi-axisymmetry. The results demonstrate that there exists a new class of stellarators with quasi-axisymmetry, large bootstrap current, high MHD beta limit, and compact size. (author)

MHD stability calculations of high-β quasi-axisymmetric stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Ku, L.P.; Pomphrey, N.; Redi, M.H.; Kessel, C.; Monticello, D.A.; Reiman, A.; Hughes, M.; Cooper, W.A.; Nuehrenberg, C.

1999-01-01

The MHD stability of quasi-axisymmetric compact stellarators is investigated. It is shown that bootstrap current driven external kink modes can be stabilized by a combination of edge magnetic shear and appropriate 3D plasma boundary shaping while maintaining good quasi-axisymmetry. The results demonstrate that there exists a new class of stellarators with quasi-axisymmetry, large bootstrap current, high MHD beta limit, and compact size. (author)

MHD Stability Calculations of High-Beta Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessel, C.; Fu, G.Y.; Ku, L.P.; Redi, M.H.; Pomphrey, N.

1999-01-01

The MHD stability of quasi-axisymmetric compact stellarators is investigated. It is shown that bootstrap current driven external kink modes can be stabilized by a combination of edge magnetic shear and appropriate 3D plasma boundary shaping while maintaining good quasi-axisymmetry. The results demonstrate that there exists a new class of stellarators with quasi-axisymmetry, large bootstrap current, high MHD beta limit, and compact size

Compact torus theory: MHD equilibrium and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, D.C.; Seyler, C.E.; Anderson, D.V.

1979-01-01

Field reversed theta pinches have demonstrated the production and confinement of compact toroidal configurations with surprisingly good MHD stability. In these observations, the plasma is either lost by diffusion or by the loss of the applied field or is disrupted by an n = 2 (where n is the toroidal mode number) rotating instability only after 30 to 100 MHD times, when the configuration begins to rotate rigidly above a critical speed. These experiments have led one to investigate the equilibrium, stability, and rotation of a very elongated, toroidally axisymmetric configuration with no toroidal field. Many of the above observations are explained by recent results of these investigations which are summarized

MHD equilibrium and stability in heliotron plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ichiguchi, Katsuji [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

1999-09-01

Recent topics in the theoretical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) analysis in the heliotron configuration are overviewed. Particularly, properties of three-dimensional equilibria, stability boundary of the interchange mode, effects of the net toroidal current including the bootstrap current and the ballooning mode stability are focused. (author)

EDITORIAL: 15th Workshop on MHD Stability Control: 3D Magnetic Field Effects in MHD Control 15th Workshop on MHD Stability Control: 3D Magnetic Field Effects in MHD Control

Science.gov (United States)

Buttery, Richard

2011-08-01

This annual workshop on MHD Stability Control has been held since 1996 with a focus on understanding and developing control of MHD instabilities for future fusion reactors. The workshop generally covers a wide range of stability topics: from disruptions, to tearing modes, error fields, ELMs, resistive wall modes (RWMs) and ideal MHD. It spans many device types, particularly tokamaks, stellarators and reversed field pinches, to pull out commonalities in the physics and improve understanding. In 2010 the workshop was held on 15-17 November at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and was combined with the annual US-Japan MHD Workshop. The theme was `3D Magnetic Field Effects in MHD Control', with a focus on multidisciplinary sessions exploring issues of plasma response to 3D fields, the manifestation of such fields in the plasma, and how they influence stability. This has been a topic of renewed interest, with utilisation of 3D fields for ELM control now planned in ITER, and a focus on the application of such fields for error field correction, disruption avoidance, and RWM control. Key issues included the physics of the interaction, types of coils and harmonic spectra needed to control instabilities, and subsidiary effects such as braking (or rotating) the plasma. More generally, a wider range of issues were discussed including RWM physics, tearing mode physics, disruption mitigation, ballooning stability, the snowflake divertor concept, and the line tied pinch! A novel innovation to the meeting was a panel discussion session, this year on Neoclassical Toroidal Viscosity, which ran well; more will be tried next year. In this special section of Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion we present several of the invited and contributed papers from the 2010 workshop, which have been subject to the normal refereeing procedures of the journal. These papers give a sense of the exceptional quality of the presentations at this workshop, all of which may be found at http://fusion.gat.com/conferences/mhd

On nonlinear MHD-stability of toroidal magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilgisonis, V.I.; Pastukhov, V.P.

1994-01-01

The variational approach to analyze the nonlinear MHD stability of ideal plasma in toroidal magnetic field is proposed. The potential energy functional to be used is expressed in terms of complete set of independent Lagrangian invariants, that allows to take strictly into account all the restrictions inherent in the varied functions due to MHD dynamic equations. (author). 3 refs

On the stability of dissipative MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teichmann, J.

1979-04-01

The global stability of stationary equilibria of dissipative MHD is studied uisng the direct Liapunov method. Sufficient and necessary conditions for stability of the linearized Euler-Lagrangian system with the full dissipative operators are given. The case of the two-fluid isentropic flow is discussed. (orig.)

Generalized MHD for numerical stability analysis of high-performance plasmas in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhailovskii, A.B.

1998-01-01

A set of generalized magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations is formulated to accommodate the effects associated with high ion and electron temperatures in high-performance plasmas in tokamaks. The effects of neoclassical bootstrap current, neoclassical ion viscosity, the ion finite Larmor radius effect and electron and ion drift effects are taken into account in two-fluid MHD equations together with gyroviscosity, parallel viscosity, electron parallel inertia and collisionless ion heat flux. The ion velocity is identified as the plasma velocity, while the electron velocity is expressed in terms of the plasma velocity and electric current. Ion and electron momentum equations are combined to give the plasma momentum equation. The perpendicular (with respect to the equilibrium magnetic field) ion momentum equation is used as perpendicular Ohm's law and the parallel electron momentum equation - as parallel Ohm's law. Perpendicular Ohm's law allows for the Hall and ion drift effects. Parallel Ohm's law includes the electron drift effect, collisionless skin effect and bootstrap current. In addition, both perpendicular and parallel Ohm's laws contain the resistivity. Due to the quasineutrality condition, the ions and electrons are characterized by the same number density which is described by the ion continuity equation. On the other hand, the ion and electron temperatures are allowed to be different. The ion temperature is described by the ion energy equation allowing for the oblique heat flux, in addition to the perpendicular ion heat flux. The electron temperature is determined by the condition of high parallel electron heat conductivity. The ion and electron parallel viscosities are represented in a form valid for all the collisionality regimes (Pfirsch-Schluter, plateau, and banana). An optimized form of the generalized MHD equations is then represented in terms of the toroidal coordinate system used in the JET equilibrium and stability codes. The derived equations

Goya - an MHD equilibrium code for toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheffel, J.

1984-09-01

A description of the GOYA free-boundary equilibrium code is given. The non-linear Grad-Shafranov equation of ideal MHD is solved in a toroidal geometry for plasmas with purely poloidal magnetic fields. The code is based on a field line-tracing procedure, making storage of a large amount of information on a grid unnecessary. Usage of the code is demonstrated by computations of equi/libria for the EXTRAP-T1 device. (Author)

Stability of a two-volume MRxMHD model in slab geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Tuen, Li Huey

Ideal MHD models are known to be inadequate to describe various physical attributes of a toroidal field with non-continuous symmetry, such as magnetic islands and stochastic regions. Motivated by this omission, a new variational principle MRXMHD was developed; rather than include an infinity of magnetic flux surfaces, MRxMHD has a finite number of flux surfaces, and thus supports partial plasma relaxation. The model comprises of relaxed plasma regions which are separated by nested ideal MHD interfaces (flux surfaces), and can be encased in a perfectly conducting wall. In each region the pressure is constant, but can jump across interfaces. The field and field pitch, or rotational transform, can also jump across the interfaces. Unlike ideal MHD, MRxMHD plasmas can support toroidally non-axisymmetric confined magnetic fields, magnetic islands and stochastic regions. In toroidally non-axisymmetric plasma, the existence of interfaces in MRxMHD is contingent on the irrationality of the rotational transform of flux surfaces. That is, the KAM theorem shows that invariant tori (flux surfaces) continue to exist for sufficiently small perturbations to an integrable system (which describes flux surfaces), provided that the rotational transform is sufficiently irrational. Building upon the MRxMHD stability model, we study the effects of irrationality of the rotational transform at interfaces in MRxMHD on plasma stability. We present an MRxMHD equilibrium model to investigate the effects of magnetic field pitch within the plasma and across the aforementioned flux surfaces within a chosen geometry. In this model, it is found that the 2D system stability conditions are dependent on the interface and resonant surface magnetic field pitch at minimised energy states, and the stability of a system as a function of magnetic field pitch destabilises at particular values of magnetic field pitch. We benchmark the treatment of a two-volume system, along with the calculations for

Free-boundary perturbed MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nührenberg, C

2012-01-01

The concept of perturbed ideal MHD equilibria [Boozer A H and Nuhrenberg C 2006 Phys. Plasmas 13 102501] is employed to study the influence of external error-fields and of small plasma-pressure changes on toroidal plasma equilibria. In tokamak and stellarator free-boundary calculations, benchmarks were successful of the perturbed-equilibrium version of the CAS3D stability code [Nührenberg C et al. 2009 Phys. Rev. Lett. 102 235001] with the ideal MHD equilibrium code NEMEC [Hirshman S P et al. 1986 Comput. Phys. Commun. 43 143].

Modified NASA-Lewis chemical equilibrium code for MHD applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sacks, R. A.; Geyer, H. K.; Grammel, S. J.; Doss, E. D.

1979-01-01

A substantially modified version of the NASA-Lewis Chemical Equilibrium Code was recently developed. The modifications were designed to extend the power and convenience of the Code as a tool for performing combustor analysis for MHD systems studies. The effect of the programming details is described from a user point of view.

Comparison of two-dimensional and three-dimensional MHD equilibrium and stability codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrnegger, F.; Merkel, P.; Johnson, J.L.

1986-02-01

Stability results obtained with the fully three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic code BETA, the helically invariant code HERA, and the asymptotic stellarator expansion code STEP agree well for a straight l = 2, M = 5 stellarator model. This good agreement between the BETA and STEP codes persists as toroidal curvature is introduced. This validation provides justification for confidence in work with these models. 20 refs., 11 figs

Further validation of liquid metal MHD code for unstructured grid based on OpenFOAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Jingchao; Chen, Hongli, E-mail: hlchen1@ustc.edu.cn; He, Qingyun; Ye, Minyou

2015-11-15

Highlights: • Specific correction scheme has been adopted to revise the calculating result for non-orthogonal meshes. • The developed MHD code based on OpenFOAM platform has been validated by benchmark cases under uniform and non-uniform magnetic field in round and rectangular ducts. • ALEX experimental results have been used to validate the MHD code based on OpenFOAM. - Abstract: In fusion liquid metal blankets, complex geometries involving contractions, expansions, bends, manifolds are very common. The characteristics of liquid metal flow in these geometries are significant. In order to extend the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solver developed on OpenFOAM platform to be applied in the complex geometry, the MHD solver based on unstructured meshes has been implemented. The adoption of non-orthogonal correction techniques in the solver makes it possible to process the non-orthogonal meshes in complex geometries. The present paper focused on the validation of the code under critical conditions. An analytical solution benchmark case and two experimental benchmark cases were conducted to validate the code. Benchmark case I is MHD flow in a circular pipe with arbitrary electric conductivity of the walls in a uniform magnetic field. Benchmark cases II and III are experimental cases of 3D laminar steady MHD flow under fringing magnetic field. In all these cases, the numerical results match well with the benchmark cases.

Further validation of liquid metal MHD code for unstructured grid based on OpenFOAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Jingchao; Chen, Hongli; He, Qingyun; Ye, Minyou

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Specific correction scheme has been adopted to revise the calculating result for non-orthogonal meshes. • The developed MHD code based on OpenFOAM platform has been validated by benchmark cases under uniform and non-uniform magnetic field in round and rectangular ducts. • ALEX experimental results have been used to validate the MHD code based on OpenFOAM. - Abstract: In fusion liquid metal blankets, complex geometries involving contractions, expansions, bends, manifolds are very common. The characteristics of liquid metal flow in these geometries are significant. In order to extend the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solver developed on OpenFOAM platform to be applied in the complex geometry, the MHD solver based on unstructured meshes has been implemented. The adoption of non-orthogonal correction techniques in the solver makes it possible to process the non-orthogonal meshes in complex geometries. The present paper focused on the validation of the code under critical conditions. An analytical solution benchmark case and two experimental benchmark cases were conducted to validate the code. Benchmark case I is MHD flow in a circular pipe with arbitrary electric conductivity of the walls in a uniform magnetic field. Benchmark cases II and III are experimental cases of 3D laminar steady MHD flow under fringing magnetic field. In all these cases, the numerical results match well with the benchmark cases.

THEORETICAL MODELING OF THE FEEDBACK STABILIZATION OF EXTERNAL MHD MODES IN TOROIDAL GEOMETRY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CHANCE, M.S.; CHU, M.S.; OKABAYASHI, M.; TURNBULL, A.D.

2001-02-01

OAK-B135 A theoretical framework for understanding the feedback mechanism against external MHD modes has been formulated. Efficient computational tools--the GATO stability code coupled with a substantially modified VACUUM code--have been developed to effectively design viable feedback systems against these modes. The analysis assumed a thin resistive shell and a feedback coil structure accurately modeled in θ, with only a single harmonic variation in φ. Time constants and induced currents in the enclosing resistive shell are calculated. An optimized configuration based on an idealized model have been computed for the DIII-D device. Up to 90% of the effectiveness of an ideal wall can be achieved

A Riccati solution for the ideal MHD plasma response with applications to real-time stability control

Science.gov (United States)

Glasser, Alexander; Kolemen, Egemen; Glasser, A. H.

2018-03-01

Active feedback control of ideal MHD stability in a tokamak requires rapid plasma stability analysis. Toward this end, we reformulate the δW stability method with a Hamilton-Jacobi theory, elucidating analytical and numerical features of the generic tokamak ideal MHD stability problem. The plasma response matrix is demonstrated to be the solution of an ideal MHD matrix Riccati differential equation. Since Riccati equations are prevalent in the control theory literature, such a shift in perspective brings to bear a range of numerical methods that are well-suited to the robust, fast solution of control problems. We discuss the usefulness of Riccati techniques in solving the stiff ordinary differential equations often encountered in ideal MHD stability analyses—for example, in tokamak edge and stellarator physics. We demonstrate the applicability of such methods to an existing 2D ideal MHD stability code—DCON [A. H. Glasser, Phys. Plasmas 23, 072505 (2016)]—enabling its parallel operation in near real-time, with wall-clock time ≪1 s . Such speed may help enable active feedback ideal MHD stability control, especially in tokamak plasmas whose ideal MHD equilibria evolve with inductive timescale τ≳ 1s—as in ITER.

Solving free-plasma-boundary problems with the SIESTA MHD code

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, R.; Peraza-Rodriguez, H.; Reynolds-Barredo, J. M.; Tribaldos, V.; Geiger, J.; Hirshman, S. P.; Cianciosa, M.

2017-10-01

SIESTA is a recently developed MHD equilibrium code designed to perform fast and accurate calculations of ideal MHD equilibria for 3D magnetic configurations. It is an iterative code that uses the solution obtained by the VMEC code to provide a background coordinate system and an initial guess of the solution. The final solution that SIESTA finds can exhibit magnetic islands and stochastic regions. In its original implementation, SIESTA addressed only fixed-boundary problems. This fixed boundary condition somewhat restricts its possible applications. In this contribution we describe a recent extension of SIESTA that enables it to address free-plasma-boundary situations, opening up the possibility of investigating problems with SIESTA in which the plasma boundary is perturbed either externally or internally. As an illustration, the extended version of SIESTA is applied to a configuration of the W7-X stellarator.

Recent Progress in MHD Stability Calculations of Compact Stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Ku, L.P.; Redi, M.H.; Kessel, C.; Monticello, D.A.; Reiman, A.; Cooper, W.A.; Nuehrenberg, C.; Sanchez, R.; Ware, A.; Hirshman, S.P.; Spong, D.A.

2000-01-01

A key issue for compact stellarators is the stability of beta-limiting MHD modes, such as external kink modes driven by bootstrap current and pressure gradient. We report here recent progress in MHD stability studies for low-aspect-ratio Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarators (QAS) and Quasi-Omnigeneous Stellarators (QOS). We find that the N = 0 periodicity-preserving vertical mode is significantly more stable in stellarators than in tokamaks because of the externally generated rotational transform. It is shown that both low-n external kink modes and high-n ballooning modes can be stabilized at high beta by appropriate 3D shaping without a conducting wall. The stabilization mechanism for external kink modes in QAS appears to be an enhancement of local magnetic shear due to 3D shaping. The stabilization of ballooning mode in QOS is related to a shortening of the normal curvature connection length

Axisymmetric MHD stability of sharp-boundary Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebhan, E.; Salat, A.

1976-09-01

For a sharp-boundary, constant pressure plasma model of axisymmetric equilibria the MHD stability problem of axisymmetric perturbations is solved by analytic reduction to a one-dimensional problem on the boundary and subsequent numerical treatment, using the energy principle. The stability boundaries are determined for arbitrary aspect ratio, arbitrary βsub(p) and elliptical, triangular and rectangular plasma cross-sections, wall stabilization not being taken into account. It is found that the axisymmetric stability strongly depends on the plasma shape and is almost independent of the safety factor q. (orig.) [de

Theoretical modeling of the feedback stabilization of external MHD modes of toroidal geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chance, M.S.; Chu, M.S.; Okabayashi, M.

2001-01-01

A theoretical framework for understanding the feedback mechanism against external MHD modes has been formulated. Efficient computational tools - the GATO stability code coupled with a substantially modified VACUUM code - have been developed to effectively design viable feedback systems against these modes. The analysis assumed a thin resistive shell and a feedback coil structure accurately modeled in θ, with only a single harmonic variation in φ. An optimized configuration and placement of the feedback and sensor coils as well as the time constants and induced currents in the enclosing resistive shell have been computed for the DIII-D device. Up to 90% of the effectiveness of an ideal wall can be achieved. (author)

An innovative method for ideal and resistive MHD stability analysis of tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, S.

2001-01-01

An advanced asymptotic matching method of ideal and resistive MHD stability analysis in tokamak is reported. The report explains a solution method of two-dimensional Newcomb equation, dispersion relation for an unstable ideal MHD mode in tokamak, and a new scheme for solving resistive MHD inner layer equations as an initial-value problem. (author)

An innovative method for ideal and resistive MHD stability analysis of tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, S.

2001-01-01

An advanced asymptotic matching method of ideal and resistive MHD stability analysis in tokamaks is reported. A solution method for the two dimensional Newcomb equation, a dispersion relation for an unstable ideal MHD mode in tokamaks and a new scheme for solving resistive MHD inner layer equations as an initial value problem are reported. (author)

Inclusion of pressure and flow in the KITES MHD equilibrium code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raburn, Daniel; Fukuyama, Atsushi

2013-01-01

One of the simplest self-consistent models of a plasma is single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium with no bulk fluid flow under axisymmetry. However, both fluid flow and non-axisymmetric effects can significantly impact plasma equilibrium and confinement properties: in particular, fluid flow can produce profile pedestals, and non-axisymmetric effects can produce islands and stochastic regions. There exist a number of computational codes which are capable of calculating equilibria with arbitrary flow or with non-axisymmetric effects. Previously, a concept for a code to calculate MHD equilibria with flow in non-axisymmetric systems was presented, called the KITES (Kyoto ITerative Equilibrium Solver) code. Since then, many of the computational modules for the KITES code have been completed, and the work-in-progress KITES code has been used to calculate non-axisymmetric force-free equilibria. Additional computational modules are required to allow the KITES code to calculate equilibria with pressure and flow. Here, the authors report on the approaches used in developing these modules and provide a sample calculation with pressure. (author)

Survey of linear MHD stability in tokamak configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakatani, M.

1977-01-01

The results found by MHD stability studies for both low-beta and high-beta tokamaks are reviewed. The stability against kink-ballooning modes in equilibria surrounded by vacuum or a layer of force free currents is considered. Internal kink modes and the relation to interchange modes, which should be considered after external kink modes are suppressed, are surveyed

Magnus: A New Resistive MHD Code with Heat Flow Terms

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Anamaría; Lora-Clavijo, F. D.; González, Guillermo A.

2017-07-01

We present a new magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code for the simulation of wave propagation in the solar atmosphere, under the effects of electrical resistivity—but not dominant—and heat transference in a uniform 3D grid. The code is based on the finite-volume method combined with the HLLE and HLLC approximate Riemann solvers, which use different slope limiters like MINMOD, MC, and WENO5. In order to control the growth of the divergence of the magnetic field, due to numerical errors, we apply the Flux Constrained Transport method, which is described in detail to understand how the resistive terms are included in the algorithm. In our results, it is verified that this method preserves the divergence of the magnetic fields within the machine round-off error (˜ 1× {10}-12). For the validation of the accuracy and efficiency of the schemes implemented in the code, we present some numerical tests in 1D and 2D for the ideal MHD. Later, we show one test for the resistivity in a magnetic reconnection process and one for the thermal conduction, where the temperature is advected by the magnetic field lines. Moreover, we display two numerical problems associated with the MHD wave propagation. The first one corresponds to a 3D evolution of a vertical velocity pulse at the photosphere-transition-corona region, while the second one consists of a 2D simulation of a transverse velocity pulse in a coronal loop.

Newtonian CAFE: a new ideal MHD code to study the solar atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

González-Avilés, J. J.; Cruz-Osorio, A.; Lora-Clavijo, F. D.; Guzmán, F. S.

2015-12-01

We present a new code designed to solve the equations of classical ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in three dimensions, submitted to a constant gravitational field. The purpose of the code centres on the analysis of solar phenomena within the photosphere-corona region. We present 1D and 2D standard tests to demonstrate the quality of the numerical results obtained with our code. As solar tests we present the transverse oscillations of Alfvénic pulses in coronal loops using a 2.5D model, and as 3D tests we present the propagation of impulsively generated MHD-gravity waves and vortices in the solar atmosphere. The code is based on high-resolution shock-capturing methods, uses the Harten-Lax-van Leer-Einfeldt (HLLE) flux formula combined with Minmod, MC, and WENO5 reconstructors. The divergence free magnetic field constraint is controlled using the Flux Constrained Transport method.

ORMEC: a three-dimensional MHD spectral inverse equilibrium code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirshman, S.P.; Hogan, J.T.

1986-02-01

The Oak Ridge Moments Equilibrium Code (ORMEC) is an efficient computer code that has been developed to calculate three-dimensional MHD equilibria using the inverse spectral method. The fixed boundary formulation, which is based on a variational principle for the spectral coefficients (moments) of the cylindrical coordinates R and Z, is described and compared with the finite difference code BETA developed by Bauer, Betancourt, and Garabedian. Calculations for the Heliotron, Wendelstein VIIA, and Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF) configurations are performed to establish the accuracy and mesh convergence properties for the spectral method. 16 refs., 13 figs

MHD stability of vertically asymmetric tokamak equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalhed, H.E.; Grimm, R.C.; Johnson, J.L.

1981-03-01

The ideal MHD stability properties of a special class of vertically asymmetric tokamak equilibria are examined. The calculations confirm that no major new physical effects are introduced and the modifications can be understood by conventional arguments. The results indicate that significant departures from up-down symmetry can be tolerated before the reduction in β becomes important for reactor operation

INCORPORATING AMBIPOLAR AND OHMIC DIFFUSION IN THE AMR MHD CODE RAMSES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masson, J.; Mulet-Marquis, C.; Chabrier, G.; Teyssier, R.; Hennebelle, P.

2012-01-01

We have implemented non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) effects in the adaptive mesh refinement code RAMSES, namely, ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic dissipation, as additional source terms in the ideal MHD equations. We describe in details how we have discretized these terms using the adaptive Cartesian mesh, and how the time step is diminished with respect to the ideal case, in order to perform a stable time integration. We have performed a large suite of test runs, featuring the Barenblatt diffusion test, the Ohmic diffusion test, the C-shock test, and the Alfvén wave test. For the latter, we have performed a careful truncation error analysis to estimate the magnitude of the numerical diffusion induced by our Godunov scheme, allowing us to estimate the spatial resolution that is required to address non-ideal MHD effects reliably. We show that our scheme is second-order accurate, and is therefore ideally suited to study non-ideal MHD effects in the context of star formation and molecular cloud dynamics.

Initial assessment of the MHD stability of TMX-U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nexsen, W.E.

1983-01-01

In its operation to date TMX-U has reached values of beta which, for all except the hot electron beta, are close to the proposal values and has not encountered MHD stability problems. The hot electron beta values are presently limited by gyrotron output power and pulse length as well as ion confinement time. Further exploration of stability awaits full thermal barrier operation

Two-dimensional simulation of the MHD stability, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurita, Gen-ichi; Amano, Tsuneo.

1977-09-01

Growth rate and eigen-function of the MHD instability of a toroidal plasma were calculated numerically as an initial-boundary value problem. When a conducting shell is away from the plasma, toroidicity hardly influences growth rate of the external kink modes in a slender tokamak, but it stabilizes the modes in a fat tokamak. On the other hand, when the shell is near to the plasma, the unstable external modes are stabilized by both toroidicity and shell effect. (auth.)

Development of a potential based code for MHD analysis of LLCB TBM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuyan, P.J.; Goswami, K.S.

2010-01-01

A two dimensional solver is developed for MHD flows with low magnetic Reynolds' number based on the electrostatic potential formulation for the Lorentz forces and current densities which will be used to calculate the MHD pressure drop inside the channels of liquid breeder based Test Blanket Modules (TBMs). The flow geometry is assumed to be rectangular and perpendicular to the flow direction, with flow and electrostatic potential variations along the flow direction neglected. A structured, non-uniform, collocated grid is used in the calculation, where the velocity (u), pressure (p) and electrostatic potential (φ) are calculated at the cell centers, whereas the current densities are calculated at the cell faces. Special relaxation techniques are employed in calculating the electrostatic potential for ensuring the divergence-free condition for current density. The code is benchmarked over a square channel for various Hartmann numbers up to 25,000 with and without insulation coatings by (i) comparing the pressure drop with the approximate analytical results found in literature and (ii) comparing the pressure drop with the ones obtained in our previous calculations based on the induction formulation for the electromagnetic part. Finally the code is used to determine the MHD pressure drop in case of LLCB TBM. The code gives similar results as obtained by us in our previous calculations based on the induction formulation. However, the convergence is much faster in case of potential based code.

Resistive MHD studies of TFTR discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillips, M.W.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Budny, R.V.

1991-01-01

MHD instabilities, thought to be resistive in character, are frequently observed in the supershot operating regime of TFTR (var-epsilon β p ≤ 0.7). These instabilities are always accompanied by substantial degradation of the confinement. Similarly of interest are recent experiments at much larger β p (var-epsilon β p ≤ 1.6), achieved through ramping the current during the beam heating phase of the discharge. In this latter regime the confinement can exceed three times the corresponding L-mode value and the β value normalized to I/aB can be as large as 4.7. Representative discharges from each of these operating regimes have been analyzed using a linear resistive MHD stability code with equilibrium pressure and q profiles obtained initially from the TRANSP analysis code. The main difference between the two types of discharge, as far as stability is concerned is shown to be the shape of the current density profile. The sensitivity to the assumed parameters is discussed. 1 ref

Towards a Scalable Fully-Implicit Fully-coupled Resistive MHD Formulation with Stabilized FE Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shadid, J N; Pawlowski, R P; Banks, J W; Chacon, L; Lin, P T; Tuminaro, R S

2009-06-03

This paper presents an initial study that is intended to explore the development of a scalable fully-implicit stabilized unstructured finite element (FE) capability for low-Mach-number resistive MHD. The discussion considers the development of the stabilized FE formulation and the underlying fully-coupled preconditioned Newton-Krylov nonlinear iterative solver. To enable robust, scalable and efficient solution of the large-scale sparse linear systems generated by the Newton linearization, fully-coupled algebraic multilevel preconditioners are employed. Verification results demonstrate the expected order-of-acuracy for the stabilized FE discretization of a 2D vector potential form for the steady and transient solution of the resistive MHD system. In addition, this study puts forth a set of challenging prototype problems that include the solution of an MHD Faraday conduction pump, a hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Bernard linear stability calculation, and a magnetic island coalescence problem. Initial results that explore the scaling of the solution methods are presented on up to 4096 processors for problems with up to 64M unknowns on a CrayXT3/4. Additionally, a large-scale proof-of-capability calculation for 1 billion unknowns for the MHD Faraday pump problem on 24,000 cores is presented.

Ideal MHD stability of high poloidal beta equilibria in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabbagh, S.A.; Mauel, M.E.; Navratil, G.A.; Bell, M.G.; Budny, R.V.; Chance, M.S.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Jardin, S.C.; Manickam, J.; McCune, D.C.; McGuire, K.M.; Wieland, R.M.; Zarnstorff, M.C.; Phillips, M.W.; Hughes, M.H.; Kesner, J.

1991-01-01

Recent experiments in TFTR have expanded the operating space of the device to include plasmas with values of var-epsilon β p dia ≡ 2μ 0 var-epsilon perpendicular >/ p >> 2 as large as 1.6, and Troyon normalized diamagnetic beta β N dia ≡ β t perpendicular aB t /10 -8 I p as large as 4.7. At values of var-epsilon β p dia ≥ 1.3, a separatrix was observed to enter the vacuum vessel, producing a naturally diverted discharge. Plasmas with large values of var-epsilon β p dia were created with both the plasma current, I p , held constant and with I p decreased, or ramped down, before the start of neutral beam injection. A convenient characterization of the change in I p using experimental parameters can be defined by the ratio of I p before the ramp down, to I p during the neutral beam heating phase, F I p . The ideal MHD stability of these equilibria is investigated to determine their location in stability space, and to study the role of plasma current and pressure profile modification in the creation of these high var-epsilon β p and β N plasmas. The evolution of these plasmas is modelled from experimental data using the TRANSP code. Two-dimensional equilibria are computed from the TRANSP results and used as input to both high and low-n stability codes including PEST. The high var-epsilon β p equilibria, which generally have an oblate cross-sectional shape, are in the first stability region to high-n ballooning modes. At constant I p , these equilibria generally have maximum pressure gradients near the magnetic axis and are stable to n=1 modes without a stabilizing conducting wall. The effect of the current profile shape on the stability of low-n kink/ballooning modes and the requirements for these plasmas to access the second stability region are examined. 6 refs

MARG2D code. 1. Eigenvalue problem for two dimensional Newcomb equation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tokuda, Shinji [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment; Watanabe, Tomoko

1997-10-01

A new method and a code MARG2D have been developed to solve the 2-dimensional Newcomb equation which plays an important role in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability analysis in an axisymmetric toroidal plasma such as a tokamak. In the present formulation, an eigenvalue problem is posed for the 2-D Newcomb equation, where the weight function (the kinetic energy integral) and the boundary conditions at rational surfaces are chosen so that an eigenfunction correctly behaves as the linear combination of the small solution and the analytical solutions around each of the rational surfaces. Thus, the difficulty on solving the 2-D Newcomb equation has been resolved. By using the MARG2D code, the ideal MHD marginally stable state can be identified for a 2-D toroidal plasma. The code is indispensable on computing the outer-region matching data necessary for the resistive MHD stability analysis. Benchmark with ERATOJ, an ideal MHD stability code, has been carried out and the MARG2D code demonstrates that it indeed identifies both stable and marginally stable states against ideal MHD motion. (author)

Homological stabilizer codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Jonas T., E-mail: jonastyleranderson@gmail.com

2013-03-15

In this paper we define homological stabilizer codes on qubits which encompass codes such as Kitaev's toric code and the topological color codes. These codes are defined solely by the graphs they reside on. This feature allows us to use properties of topological graph theory to determine the graphs which are suitable as homological stabilizer codes. We then show that all toric codes are equivalent to homological stabilizer codes on 4-valent graphs. We show that the topological color codes and toric codes correspond to two distinct classes of graphs. We define the notion of label set equivalencies and show that under a small set of constraints the only homological stabilizer codes without local logical operators are equivalent to Kitaev's toric code or to the topological color codes. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show that Kitaev's toric codes are equivalent to homological stabilizer codes on 4-valent graphs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show that toric codes and color codes correspond to homological stabilizer codes on distinct graphs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We find and classify all 2D homological stabilizer codes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We find optimal codes among the homological stabilizer codes.

Energetic particle effects on global MHD modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1990-01-01

The effects of energetic particles on MHD type modes are studied by analytical theories and the nonvariational kinetic-MHD stability code (NOVA-K). In particular we address the problems of (1) the stabilization of ideal MHD internal kink modes and the excitation of resonant ''fishbone'' internal modes and (2) the alpha particle destabilization of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) via transit resonances. Analytical theories are presented to help explain the NOVA-K results. For energetic trapped particles generated by neutral-beam injection (NBI) or ion cyclotron resonant heating (ICRH), a stability window for the n=1 internal kink mode in the hot particle beat space exists even in the absence of core ion finite Larmor radius effect (finite ω *i ). On the other hand, the trapped alpha particles are found to resonantly excite instability of the n=1 internal mode and can lower the critical beta threshold. The circulating alpha particles can strongly destabilize TAE modes via inverse Landau damping associated with the spatial gradient of the alpha particle pressure. 23 refs., 5 figs

A nonlinear resistive MHD-code in cylindrical geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakoby, A.

1987-11-01

A computer code has been developed which solves the full compressible resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations in cylindrical geometry. The variables are expanded in Fourier series in the poloidal and axial directions while finite differences are used in the radial direction. The time advance is accomplished by using a semi-implicit predictor-corrector-scheme. Applications to the ideal m=1 ideal kink saturation in the nonlinear regime and the subsequent decay of the singular current layer due to resistivity are presented. (orig.)

MHD equilibrium and pressure driven instability in L=1 heliotron plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Y.; Suzuki, Y.; Yamagishi, O.; Kondo, K.; Nakajima, N.; Hayashi, T.; Monticello, D.A.; Reiman, A.H.

2003-01-01

Free boundary MHD equilibrium properties of Heliotron J are investigated by VMEC, HINT and PIES codes, and ideal MHD stability properties are studied by the Mercier criterion, the ballooning mode equation and the CAS3D global stability code. It is shown by the equilibrium calculations that the change of the plasma boundary shape is substantial in a low shear helical system even if the beta is relatively low. Preliminary comparison between PIES results and HINT results shows that the beta value at which the magnetic island begin to be perceptible is almost the same in both codes, but the island width seems to be different. From the stability analysis, good correlation is found between local and global analyses for the three dimensional(3D) or helical ballooning mode whose mode structure shows strong poloidal and toroidal mode (helical mode) coupling. In the helical ballooning mode, the Eigenmode is localized within a flux tube. It is also found that the positive shear of the rotational transform is favorable for the 3D ballooning mode stability in a low shear helical system. (author)

A simulation of driven reconnection by a high precision MHD code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusano, Kanya; Ouchi, Yasuo; Hayashi, Takaya; Horiuchi, Ritoku; Watanabe, Kunihiko; Sato, Tetsuya.

1988-01-01

A high precision MHD code, which has the fourth-order accuracy for both the spatial and time steps, is developed, and is applied to the simulation studies of two dimensional driven reconnection. It is confirm that the numerical dissipation of this new scheme is much less than that of two-step Lax-Wendroff scheme. The effect of the plasma compressibility on the reconnection dynamics is investigated by means of this high precision code. (author)

PIXIE3D: An efficient, fully implicit, parallel, 3D extended MHD code for fusion plasma modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chacon, L.

2007-01-01

PIXIE3D is a modern, parallel, state-of-the-art extended MHD code that employs fully implicit methods for efficiency and accuracy. It features a general geometry formulation, and is therefore suitable for the study of many magnetic fusion configurations of interest. PIXIE3D advances the state of the art in extended MHD modeling in two fundamental ways. Firstly, it employs a novel conservative finite volume scheme which is remarkably robust and stable, and demands very small physical and/or numerical dissipation. This is a fundamental requirement when one wants to study fusion plasmas with realistic conductivities. Secondly, PIXIE3D features fully-implicit time stepping, employing Newton-Krylov methods for inverting the associated nonlinear systems. These methods have been shown to be scalable and efficient when preconditioned properly. Novel preconditioned ideas (so-called physics based), which were prototypes in the context of reduced MHD, have been adapted for 3D primitive-variable resistive MHD in PIXIE3D, and are currently being extended to Hall MHD. PIXIE3D is fully parallel, employing PETSc for parallelism. PIXIE3D has been thoroughly benchmarked against linear theory and against other available extended MHD codes on nonlinear test problems (such as the GEM reconnection challenge). We are currently in the process of extending such comparisons to fusion-relevant problems in realistic geometries. In this talk, we will describe both the spatial discretization approach and the preconditioning strategy employed for extended MHD in PIXIE3D. We will report on recent benchmarking studies between PIXIE3D and other 3D extended MHD codes, and will demonstrate its usefulness in a variety of fusion-relevant configurations such as Tokamaks and Reversed Field Pinches. (Author)

MHD stability properties of bean-shaped tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimm, R.C.; Chance, M.S.; Todd, A.M.M.

1984-03-01

A study of the MHD stability properties of bean-shaped tokamak plasmas is presented. For ballooning modes, while increased indentation gives larger β stable configurations, the existence and accessibility of the second stable region is sensitive to the pressure and safety factor profiles. The second stable region appears at lower β values for large aspect ratio and moderately high q-values. Finite-Larmor-radius (FLR) kinetic effects can significantly improve the stability properties. For low q (< 1) operation, long wavelength (n approx. 2,3) internal pressure driven modes occur at modest β/sub p/ values and accessibility to higher β operation is unlikely. Indentation modifies the nature of the usually vertical axisymmetric instability, but the mode can be passively stabilized by placing highly conducting plates near to the tips of the plasma bean. At constant q, indentation has a stabilizing effect on tearing modes

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This document describes ideal and resistive MHD studies of high-beta plasmas and of the second stability region. Significant progress is reported on the resistive stability properties of high beta poloidal ''supershot'' discharges. For these studies initial profiles were taken from the TRANSP code which is used extensively to analyze experimental data. When an ad hoc method of removing the finite pressure stabilization of tearing modes is implemented it is shown that there is substantial agreement between MHD stability computation and experiment. In particular, the mode structures observed experimentally are consistent with the predictions of the resistive MHD model. We also report on resistive stability near the transition to the second region in TFTR. Tearing modes associated with a nearby infernal mode may explain the increase in MHD activity seen in high beta supershots and which impede the realization of Q∼1. We also report on a collaborative study with PPPL involving sawtooth stabilization with ICRF

A Fast MHD Code for Gravitationally Stratified Media using Graphical Processing Units: SMAUG

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, M. K.; Fedun, V.; Erdélyi, R.

2015-03-01

Parallelization techniques have been exploited most successfully by the gaming/graphics industry with the adoption of graphical processing units (GPUs), possessing hundreds of processor cores. The opportunity has been recognized by the computational sciences and engineering communities, who have recently harnessed successfully the numerical performance of GPUs. For example, parallel magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) algorithms are important for numerical modelling of highly inhomogeneous solar, astrophysical and geophysical plasmas. Here, we describe the implementation of SMAUG, the Sheffield Magnetohydrodynamics Algorithm Using GPUs. SMAUG is a 1-3D MHD code capable of modelling magnetized and gravitationally stratified plasma. The objective of this paper is to present the numerical methods and techniques used for porting the code to this novel and highly parallel compute architecture. The methods employed are justified by the performance benchmarks and validation results demonstrating that the code successfully simulates the physics for a range of test scenarios including a full 3D realistic model of wave propagation in the solar atmosphere.

Stability analysis of resistive MHD modes via a new numerical matching technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukawa, M.; Tokuda, S.; Zheng, L.-J.

2009-01-01

Full text: Asymptotic matching technique is one of the principal methods for calculating linear stability of resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) modes such as tearing modes. In applying the asymptotic method, the plasma region is divided into two regions: a thin inner layer around the mode-resonant surface and ideal MHD regions except for the layer. If we try to solve this asymptotic matching problem numerically, we meet practical difficulties. Firstly, the inertia-less ideal MHD equation or the Newcomb equation has a regular singular point at the mode-resonant surface, leading to the so-called big and small solutions. Since the big solution is not square-integrable, it needs sophisticated treatment. Even if such a treatment is applied, the matching data or the ratio of small solution to the big one, has been revealed to be sensitive to local MHD equilibrium accuracy and grid structure at the mode-resonant surface by numerical experiments. Secondly, one of the independent solutions in the inner layer, which should be matched onto the ideal MHD solution, is not square-integrable. The response formalism has been adopted to resolve this problem. In the present paper, we propose a new method for computing the linear stability of resistive MHD modes via matching technique, where the plasma region is divided into ideal MHD regions and an inner region with finite width. The matching technique using an inner region with finite width was recently developed for ideal MHD modes in cylindrical geometry, and good performance was shown. Our method extends this idea to resistive MHD modes. In the inner region, the low-beta reduced MHD equations are solved, and the solution is matched onto the solution of the Newcomb equation by using boundary conditions such that the parallel electric field vanishes properly as approaching the computational boundaries. If we use the inner region with finite width, the practical difficulties raised above can be avoided from the beginning. Figure

MHD stability studies in the Proto S-1 A/B device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munson, C.; Janos, A.; Newhouse, M.; Salberta, E.; Wysocki, F.; Yamada, M.

1982-01-01

An experimental study of the gross MHD stability properties of Spheromak plasmas in the Proto S-1 A/B device is presented. Utilizing the previously demonstrated S-1 slow formation technique, plasmas have been produced which exhibit the predicted tilting instability in a regime of slightly negative field index. A relatively simple passive coil system suggested by numerical stability studies has proven to be effective in stabilizing the observed tilting mode

Numerical study of the axisymmetric ideal MHD stability of Extrap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benda, M.

1993-04-01

A numerical study of the free-boundary axisymmetric (n=0) ideal magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) motions of the Extrap device is presented. The dependence of stability on current profiles in the plasma and currents in the external conductors is investigated. Results are shown for linear growth-rates and nonlinear saturation amplitudes and their dependence on plasma radius as well as on the conducting shell radius. A method combined of two different algorithms has been developed and tested. The interior region of the plasma is simulated by means of a Lagrangian Finite Element Method (FEM) for ideal magnetohydrodynamics, The method is based on a nonlinear radiation principle for the Lagrangian description of ideal MHD. The Boundary Element Method (BEM) is used together with the Lagrangian FEM to simulate nonlinear motion of an ideal MHD plasma behaviour in a vacuum region under the influence of external magnetic fields. 31 refs

Energy principles for linear dissipative systems with application to resistive MHD stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pletzer, A.

1997-04-01

A formalism for the construction of energy principles for dissipative systems is presented. It is shown that dissipative systems satisfy a conservation law for the bilinear Hamiltonian provided the Lagrangian is time invariant. The energy on the other hand, differs from the Hamiltonian by being quadratic and by having a negative definite time derivative (positive power dissipation). The energy is a Lyapunov functional whose definiteness yields necessary and sufficient stability criteria. The stability problem of resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) is addressed: the energy principle for ideal MHD is generalized and the stability criterion by Tasso is shown to be necessary in addition to sufficient for real growth rates. An energy principle is found for the inner layer equations that yields the resistive stability criterion D R <0 in the incompressible limit, whereas the tearing mode criterion Δ'<0 is shown to result from the conservation law of the bilinear concomitant in the resistive layer. (author) 1 fig., 25 refs

Ideal and resistive MHD stability of internal kink modes in circular and shaped tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondeson, A.; Luetjens, H.; Vlad, G.

1992-01-01

Recent results for the MHD stability of internal kink modes in tokamaks are reviewed. In general, ideal stability is more restrictive than the conventionally cited limit β p p is the poloidal beta at the q = 1 surface). This holds, in particular, for shaped equilibria, where low shear in combination with elliptic shaping can drastically reduce the pressure limit. Also in resistive MHD, interchange effects are frequently destabilizing, and resistive stability at β p ≥0.05 is achieved, for circular section, only with a very restricted class of current profiles, and not at all for JET-shaped cross section. (author) 9 figs., 24 refs

A toroidal plasma MHD equilibrium code 'EQUCIR version 1'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Shinya, Kichiro; Kameari, Akihisa.

1980-10-01

A new free-boundary toroidal MHD equilibrium code ''EQUCIR version 1'' has been developed. The central problems approached by this code is as follows: 1) The magnetic flux distribution of a plasma at equilibrium is determined in the given external field. 2) A set of circuit equations between the plasma and the external conductors are constructed. These circuit equations and the Grad-Shafranov equation are solved self-consistently and the time evolutions of plasma equilibria and currents in external conductors are determined at the same time. 3) The currents in the external conductors are determined so that the plasma cross-section and plasma parameters are to be maintained with desired ones. It is shown that this code is very useful for study of the tokamak plasma equilibria, for design of the poloidal coil system and for investigation of experimental results. (author)

On the Measurements of Numerical Viscosity and Resistivity in Eulerian MHD Codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rembiasz, Tomasz; Obergaulinger, Martin; Cerdá-Durán, Pablo; Aloy, Miguel-Ángel [Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad de Valencia, C/Dr. Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot (Spain); Müller, Ewald, E-mail: tomasz.rembiasz@uv.es [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2017-06-01

We propose a simple ansatz for estimating the value of the numerical resistivity and the numerical viscosity of any Eulerian MHD code. We test this ansatz with the help of simulations of the propagation of (magneto)sonic waves, Alfvén waves, and the tearing mode (TM) instability using the MHD code Aenus. By comparing the simulation results with analytical solutions of the resistive-viscous MHD equations and an empirical ansatz for the growth rate of TMs, we measure the numerical viscosity and resistivity of Aenus. The comparison shows that the fast magnetosonic speed and wavelength are the characteristic velocity and length, respectively, of the aforementioned (relatively simple) systems. We also determine the dependence of the numerical viscosity and resistivity on the time integration method, the spatial reconstruction scheme and (to a lesser extent) the Riemann solver employed in the simulations. From the measured results, we infer the numerical resolution (as a function of the spatial reconstruction method) required to properly resolve the growth and saturation level of the magnetic field amplified by the magnetorotational instability in the post-collapsed core of massive stars. Our results show that it is most advantageous to resort to ultra-high-order methods (e.g., the ninth-order monotonicity-preserving method) to tackle this problem properly, in particular, in three-dimensional simulations.

GRADSPMHD: A parallel MHD code based on the SPH formalism

Science.gov (United States)

Vanaverbeke, S.; Keppens, R.; Poedts, S.

2014-03-01

We present GRADSPMHD, a completely Lagrangian parallel magnetohydrodynamics code based on the SPH formalism. The implementation of the equations of SPMHD in the “GRAD-h” formalism assembles known results, including the derivation of the discretized MHD equations from a variational principle, the inclusion of time-dependent artificial viscosity, resistivity and conductivity terms, as well as the inclusion of a mixed hyperbolic/parabolic correction scheme for satisfying the ∇ṡB→ constraint on the magnetic field. The code uses a tree-based formalism for neighbor finding and can optionally use the tree code for computing the self-gravity of the plasma. The structure of the code closely follows the framework of our parallel GRADSPH FORTRAN 90 code which we added previously to the CPC program library. We demonstrate the capabilities of GRADSPMHD by running 1, 2, and 3 dimensional standard benchmark tests and we find good agreement with previous work done by other researchers. The code is also applied to the problem of simulating the magnetorotational instability in 2.5D shearing box tests as well as in global simulations of magnetized accretion disks. We find good agreement with available results on this subject in the literature. Finally, we discuss the performance of the code on a parallel supercomputer with distributed memory architecture. Catalogue identifier: AERP_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AERP_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 620503 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 19837671 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: FORTRAN 90/MPI. Computer: HPC cluster. Operating system: Unix. Has the code been vectorized or parallelized?: Yes, parallelized using MPI. RAM: ˜30 MB for a

MHD stability limits in the TCV Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reimerdes, H.

2001-07-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities can limit the performance and degrade the confinement of tokamak plasmas. The Tokamak a Configuration Variable (TCV), unique for its capability to produce a variety of poloidal plasma shapes, has been used to analyse various instabilities and compare their behaviour with theoretical predictions. These instabilities are perturbations of the magnetic field, which usually extend to the plasma edge where they can be detected with magnetic pick-up coils as magnetic fluctuations. A spatially dense set of magnetic probes, installed inside the TCV vacuum vessel, allows for a fast observation of these fluctuations. The structure and temporal evolution of coherent modes is extracted using several numerical methods. In addition to the setup of the magnetic diagnostic and the implementation of analysis methods, the subject matter of this thesis focuses on four instabilities, which impose local and global stability limits. All of these instabilities are relevant for the operation of a fusion reactor and a profound understanding of their behaviour is required in order to optimise the performance of such a reactor. Sawteeth, which are central relaxation oscillations common to most standard tokamak scenarios, have a significant effect on central plasma parameters. In TCV, systematic scans of the plasma shape have revealed a strong dependence of their behaviour on elongation κ and triangularity δ, with high κ, and low δ leading to shorter sawteeth with smaller crashes. This shape dependence is increased by applying central electron cyclotron heating. The response to additional heating power is determined by the role of ideal or resistive MHD in triggering the sawtooth crash. For plasma shapes where additional heating and consequently, a faster increase of the central pressure shortens the sawteeth, the low experimental limit of the pressure gradient within the q = 1 surface is consistent with ideal MHD predictions. The observed decrease

Conducting grids to stabilize MHD generator plasmas against ionization instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veefkind, A.

1972-09-01

Ionization instabilities in MHD generators may be suppressed by the use of grids that short circuit the AC electric field component corresponding to the direction of maximum growth. An analysis of the influence of the corresponding boundary conditions has been performed in order to obtain more quantitative information about the stabilizing effect of this system

Particle orbits and non-ideal MHD stability of Z-pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faghihi, M.

1987-01-01

Particle orbits in a linear EXTRAP vacuum magnetic field configuration are computed. The results indicate that, with an applied electric field along the axis, the particles starting near the magnetic stagnation line would gain substantial energy in the 'free fall', and are the most efficient ones to participate in the ionization process. The acquired energy depends on the electric field strength; the required value of the field is determined. The influence of the pressure anisotropy on the small wavelength internal kink (m=1) mode instability in a Z-pinch, using a generalization of Freidbergs perpendicular MHD model, is investigated. It is found that the stability criterion can not be fulfilled without violation of the fire hose stability condition. This investigation is also performed using the double-adiabatic theory. A finite Larmor radius treatment of the small wavelength kink instabilities for a Z-pinch geometry is presented. It is shown that, when the gyroviscosity is included in the perpendicular MHD model, exponentially growing Alfven waves are predicted even in a homogeneous static equilibrium with isotropic plasma pressure. The Hall effect in the incompressible Hall fluid model is considered. It is found that the Hall parameter reduces the growth rates of the kink modes, but it does not yield complete stabilization (author)

Particle orbits and non-ideal MHD stability of Z-pinches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faghihi, M.

1987-01-01

Particle orbits in a linear EXTRAP vacuum magnetic field configuration are computed. The results indicate that, with an applied electric field along the axis, the particles starting near the magnetic stagnation line would gain substantial energy in the 'free fall', and are the most efficient ones to participate in the ionization process. The acquired energy depends on the electric field strength; the required value of the field is determined. The influence of the pressure anisotropy on the small wavelength internal kink (m=1) mode instability in a Z-pinch, using a generalization of Freidbergs perpendicular MHD model, is investigated. It is found that the stability criterion can not be fulfilled without violation of the fire hose stability condition. This investigation is also performed using the double-adiabatic theory. A finite Larmor radius treatment of the small wavelength kink instabilities for a Z-pinch geometry is presented. It is shown that, when the gyroviscosity is included in the perpendicular MHD model, exponentially growing Alfven waves are predicted even in a homogeneous static equilibrium with isotropic plasma pressure. The Hall effect in the incompressible Hall fluid model is considered. It is found that the Hall parameter reduces the growth rates of the kink modes, but it does not yield complete stabilization

Linear and nonlinear stability criteria for compressible MHD flows in a gravitational field

Science.gov (United States)

Moawad, S. M.; Moawad

2013-10-01

The equilibrium and stability properties of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of compressible flow in a gravitational field with a translational symmetry are investigated. Variational principles for the steady-state equations are formulated. The MHD equilibrium equations are obtained as critical points of a conserved Lyapunov functional. This functional consists of the sum of the total energy, the mass, the circulation along field lines (cross helicity), the momentum, and the magnetic helicity. In the unperturbed case, the equilibrium states satisfy a nonlinear second-order partial differential equation (PDE) associated with hydrodynamic Bernoulli law. The PDE can be an elliptic or a parabolic equation depending on increasing the poloidal flow speed. Linear and nonlinear Lyapunov stability conditions under translational symmetric perturbations are established for the equilibrium states.

Characteristics of MHD stability of high beta plasmas in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, M.; Nakajima, N.; Watanabe, K.Y.; Todo, Y.; Suzuki, Y.

2012-11-01

In order to understand characteristics of the MHD stability of high beta plasmas obtained in the LHD experiments, full MHD simulations have been performed for the first time. Since there is a magnetic hill in a plasma peripheral region, the ballooning modes extending into the plasma peripheral region with a chaotic magnetic field are destabilized. However, in the nonlinear phase, the core region comes under the in influence of the instabilities and the central pressure decreases. There is a tendency that modes are suppressed as the beta value and/or magnetic Reynolds number increase, which is consistent with a result that high beta plasmas enter the second stable region of the ideal ballooning modes as beta increases and remaining destabilized ballooning modes are considered to be resistive type. (author)

MHD stability of the ITER pedestal and SOL plasma and its influence on the heat flux width

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loarte, A.; Liu, F.; Huijsmans, G.T.A.; Kukushkin, A.S.; Pitts, R.A.

2015-01-01

Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Plasma-Surface Interactions in Controlled Fusion Devices Kanazawa, Japan May 26-30, 2014 MHD stability of ITER plasmas has been analyzed for QDT = 10 edge and SOL plasma conditions, showing that the SOL plasma is MHD stable down to pressure

MHD stability limits in the TCV Tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reimerdes, H. [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas (CRPP), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2001-07-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities can limit the performance and degrade the confinement of tokamak plasmas. The Tokamak a Configuration Variable (TCV), unique for its capability to produce a variety of poloidal plasma shapes, has been used to analyse various instabilities and compare their behaviour with theoretical predictions. These instabilities are perturbations of the magnetic field, which usually extend to the plasma edge where they can be detected with magnetic pick-up coils as magnetic fluctuations. A spatially dense set of magnetic probes, installed inside the TCV vacuum vessel, allows for a fast observation of these fluctuations. The structure and temporal evolution of coherent modes is extracted using several numerical methods. In addition to the setup of the magnetic diagnostic and the implementation of analysis methods, the subject matter of this thesis focuses on four instabilities, which impose local and global stability limits. All of these instabilities are relevant for the operation of a fusion reactor and a profound understanding of their behaviour is required in order to optimise the performance of such a reactor. Sawteeth, which are central relaxation oscillations common to most standard tokamak scenarios, have a significant effect on central plasma parameters. In TCV, systematic scans of the plasma shape have revealed a strong dependence of their behaviour on elongation {kappa} and triangularity {delta}, with high {kappa}, and low {delta} leading to shorter sawteeth with smaller crashes. This shape dependence is increased by applying central electron cyclotron heating. The response to additional heating power is determined by the role of ideal or resistive MHD in triggering the sawtooth crash. For plasma shapes where additional heating and consequently, a faster increase of the central pressure shortens the sawteeth, the low experimental limit of the pressure gradient within the q = 1 surface is consistent with ideal MHD predictions. The

Laser-Plasma Modeling Using PERSEUS Extended-MHD Simulation Code for HED Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Hamlin, Nathaniel; Seyler, Charles

2017-10-01

We discuss the use of the PERSEUS extended-MHD simulation code for high-energy-density (HED) plasmas in modeling the influence of Hall and electron inertial physics on laser-plasma interactions. By formulating the extended-MHD equations as a relaxation system in which the current is semi-implicitly time-advanced using the Generalized Ohm's Law, PERSEUS enables modeling of extended-MHD phenomena (Hall and electron inertial physics) without the need to resolve the smallest electron time scales, which would otherwise be computationally prohibitive in HED plasma simulations. We first consider a laser-produced plasma plume pinched by an applied magnetic field parallel to the laser axis in axisymmetric cylindrical geometry, forming a conical shock structure and a jet above the flow convergence. The Hall term produces low-density outer plasma, a helical field structure, flow rotation, and field-aligned current, rendering the shock structure dispersive. We then model a laser-foil interaction by explicitly driving the oscillating laser fields, and examine the essential physics governing the interaction. This work is supported by the National Nuclear Security Administration stewardship sciences academic program under Department of Energy cooperative agreements DE-FOA-0001153 and DE-NA0001836.

Calculations of axisymmetric stability of tokamak plasmas with active and passive feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, D.J.; Jardin, S.C.; Cheng, C.Z.

1991-07-01

A new linear MHD stability code, NOVA-W, has been developed in order to study feedback stabilization of the axisymmetric mode in deformable tokamak plasmas. The NOVA-W code is a modification of the non-variational MHD stability code NOVA that includes the effects of resistive passive conductors and active feedback circuits. The vacuum calculation has been reformulated in terms of the perturbed poloidal flux to allow the inclusion of perturbed toroidal currents outside the plasma. The boundary condition at the plasma-vacuum interface relates the instability displacement to the perturbed poloidal flux. This allows a solution of the linear MHD stability equations with the feedback effects included. The passive stability predictions of the code have been tested both against a simplified analytic model and against a different numerical calculation for a realistic tokamak configuration. The comparisons demonstrate the accuracy of the NOVA-W results. Active feedback calculations are performed for the CIT tokamak design demonstrating the effect of varying the position of the flux loops that provide the measurements of vertical displacement. The results compare well with those computed earlier using a less efficient nonlinear code. 37 refs., 13 figs

MHD stability regimes for steady state and pulsed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardin, S.C.; Kessel, C.E.; Pomphrey, N.

1994-02-01

A tokamak reactor will operate at the maximum value of β≡2μ 0 /B 2 that is compatible with MHD stability. This value depends upon the plasma current and pressure profiles, the plasma shape and aspect ratio, and the location of nearby conducting structures. In addition, a steady state reactor will minimize its external current drive requirements and thus achieve its maximum economic benefit with a bootstrap fraction near one, I bs /I p ∼ 1, which constrains the product of the inverse aspect ratio and the plasma poloidal beta to be near unity, ε β p ∼ 1. An inductively driven pulsed reactor has different constraints set by the steady-state Ohm's law which relates the plasma temperature and density profiles to the parallel current density. We present the results obtained during the ARIES I, II/IV, and III and the PULSAR reactor studies where these quantities were optimized subject to different design philosophies. The ARIES-II/IV and ARIES-III designs are both in the second stability regime, but differ in requirements on the form of the profiles at the plasma edge, and in the location of the conducting wall. The relation between these, as well as new attractive MHD regimes not utilized in the ARIES or PULSAR studies is also discussed

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis: Technical progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillips, M.W.

1995-03-01

This report summarizes MHD equilibrium and stability studies carried out at Northrop Grumman's Advanced Technology and Development Center during the 12 month period starting March 1, 1994. Progress is reported in both ideal and resistive MHD modeling of TFTR plasmas. The development of codes to calculate the significant effects of highly anisotropic pressure distributions is discussed along with results from this model

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis. Technical progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillips, M.W.

1994-09-01

This report summarizes MHD equilibrium and stability studies carried out at Grumman's Corporate Research Center during the 6 month period starting March 1, 1994. Progress is reported in both ideal and resistive MHD modeling of TFTR plasmas. The development of codes to calculate the significant effects of highly anisotropic pressure distributions is discussed along with initial results from this model

Hybrid parallelization of the XTOR-2F code for the simulation of two-fluid MHD instabilities in tokamaks

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, Alain; Lütjens, Hinrich

2017-03-01

A hybrid MPI/OpenMP parallel version of the XTOR-2F code [Lütjens and Luciani, J. Comput. Phys. 229 (2010) 8130] solving the two-fluid MHD equations in full tokamak geometry by means of an iterative Newton-Krylov matrix-free method has been developed. The present work shows that the code has been parallelized significantly despite the numerical profile of the problem solved by XTOR-2F, i.e. a discretization with pseudo-spectral representations in all angular directions, the stiffness of the two-fluid stability problem in tokamaks, and the use of a direct LU decomposition to invert the physical pre-conditioner at every Krylov iteration of the solver. The execution time of the parallelized version is an order of magnitude smaller than the sequential one for low resolution cases, with an increasing speedup when the discretization mesh is refined. Moreover, it allows to perform simulations with higher resolutions, previously forbidden because of memory limitations.

Development of a 3D non-linear implicit MHD code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicolas, T.; Ichiguchi, K.

2016-06-01

This paper details the on-going development of a 3D non-linear implicit MHD code, which aims at making possible large scale simulations of the non-linear phase of the interchange mode. The goal of the paper is to explain the rationale behind the choices made along the development, and the technical difficulties encountered. At the present stage, the development of the code has not been completed yet. Most of the discussion is concerned with the first approach, which utilizes cartesian coordinates in the poloidal plane. This approach shows serious difficulties in writing the preconditioner, closely related to the choice of coordinates. A second approach, based on curvilinear coordinates, also faced significant difficulties, which are detailed. The third and last approach explored involves unstructured tetrahedral grids, and indicates the possibility to solve the problem. The issue to domain meshing is addressed. (author)

3-D MHD modeling and stability analysis of jet and spheromak plasmas launched into a magnetized plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Dustin; Zhang, Yue; Wallace, Ben; Gilmore, Mark; Manchester, Ward; Arge, C. Nick

2016-10-01

The Plasma Bubble Expansion Experiment (PBEX) at the University of New Mexico uses a coaxial plasma gun to launch jet and spheromak magnetic plasma configurations into the Helicon-Cathode (HelCat) plasma device. Plasma structures launched from the gun drag frozen-in magnetic flux into the background magnetic field of the chamber providing a rich set of dynamics to study magnetic turbulence, force-free magnetic spheromaks, and shocks. Preliminary modeling is presented using the highly-developed 3-D, MHD, BATS-R-US code developed at the University of Michigan. BATS-R-US employs an adaptive mesh refinement grid that enables the capture and resolution of shock structures and current sheets, and is particularly suited to model the parameter regime under investigation. CCD images and magnetic field data from the experiment suggest the stabilization of an m =1 kink mode trailing a plasma jet launched into a background magnetic field. Results from a linear stability code investigating the effect of shear-flow as a cause of this stabilization from magnetic tension forces on the jet will be presented. Initial analyses of a possible magnetic Rayleigh Taylor instability seen at the interface between launched spheromaks and their entraining background magnetic field will also be presented. Work supported by the Army Research Office Award No. W911NF1510480.

Relativistic modeling capabilities in PERSEUS extended MHD simulation code for HED plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamlin, Nathaniel D., E-mail: nh322@cornell.edu [438 Rhodes Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853 (United States); Seyler, Charles E., E-mail: ces7@cornell.edu [Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853 (United States)

2014-12-15

We discuss the incorporation of relativistic modeling capabilities into the PERSEUS extended MHD simulation code for high-energy-density (HED) plasmas, and present the latest hybrid X-pinch simulation results. The use of fully relativistic equations enables the model to remain self-consistent in simulations of such relativistic phenomena as X-pinches and laser-plasma interactions. By suitable formulation of the relativistic generalized Ohm’s law as an evolution equation, we have reduced the recovery of primitive variables, a major technical challenge in relativistic codes, to a straightforward algebraic computation. Our code recovers expected results in the non-relativistic limit, and reveals new physics in the modeling of electron beam acceleration following an X-pinch. Through the use of a relaxation scheme, relativistic PERSEUS is able to handle nine orders of magnitude in density variation, making it the first fluid code, to our knowledge, that can simulate relativistic HED plasmas.

Pedestal characteristics and MHD stability of H-mode plasmas in TCV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitzschke, A.

2011-01-01

temperature profile during the ELM cycle, the low repetition rate of the lasers used for Thomson scattering is a limiting. Although the system on TCV comprises 3 laser units that may be triggered in sequence with time separations down to 1 ms, time evolution over longer periods can only be reconstructed from repetitive events. In this context, an adjustment of the laser trigger to improve the synchronization with the ELM event is an advantage. A method was developed and implemented to generate a synchronizing trigger sequence, by a real-time monitoring of the D-alpha emission, which provides a marker for the ELM event. Recently, a ‘snowflake’ (SF) divertor configuration, proposed as a possible solution to reduce the plasma-wall interaction by changing the divertor’s poloidal magnetic field topology, was generated, for the first time, in TCV. A numerical code (KINX), based on a magnetohydrodynamic model (ideal MHD), was used to investigate the stability limits of this configuration under H-mode conditions and compare them with a similar standard single-null equilibrium. In a series of experiments, improved energy confinement was found and explained by improved stability of the edge region in the SF configuration. The influence of the pedestal structure in ELMy H-mode plasmas on the energy confinement and on ELM energy losses was investigated. The different ELM regimes found in TCV were analyzed, in particular the transition between type-III to type-I ELMs. The operational boundary of each ELM regime was characterized and verified by ideal MHD stability simulations for the ETB region. Recent studies on the scaling of the pedestal width with normalized poloidal pressure were confirmed. Using the capabilities of TCV, the influence of plasma shaping on pedestal parameters and MHD stability limits was investigated. In the past, models were developed to describe the onset of type-I ELMs, which are associated with modes in the ETB region arising from a coupling of pressure- and

MAIA, Eigenvalues for MHD Equation of Tokamak Plasma Stability Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Y.; Azumi, M.; Kurita, G.; Tsunematsu, T.; Takeda, T.

1986-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: This program solves an eigenvalue problem zBx=Ax where A and B are real block tri-diagonal matrices. This eigenvalue problem is derived from a reduced set of linear resistive MHD equations which is often employed to study tokamak plasma stability problem. 2 - Method of solution: Both the determinant and inverse iteration methods are employed. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: The eigenvalue z must be real

Reminimization of energy integral and stability limit for non-ideal MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondoh, Y.

1988-03-01

The stability condition of relaxed states is derived from the energy principle for the non-ideal MHD plasma. An Euler equation for the reminimization of energy integral is derived and shown to give the marginal stable, non-singular perturbations for the stability condition. An extended stability limit for the β = 0 relaxed states is derived from the stability condition, with use of the eigenvalue analysis for the Euler equation. By using the perturbation method, the extended stability limit is solved in the 1st order approximation to explain the deviation of the experimental stability limit from the idealized stability limit by Taylor. A procedure to get overall stability limit against both the non-singular and the singular perturbations is discussed. 25 refs

MARG1D: One dimensional outer region matching data code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, Shinji; Watanabe, Tomoko.

1995-08-01

A code MARG1D has been developed which computes outer region matching data of the one dimensional Newcomb equation. Matching data play an important role in the resistive (and non ideal) Magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) stability analysis in a tokamak plasma. The MARG1D code computes matching data by using the boundary value method or by the eigenvalue method. Variational principles are derived for the problems to be solved and a finite element method is applied. Except for the case of marginal stability, the eigenvalue method is equivalent to the boundary value method. However, the eigenvalue method has the several advantages: it is a new method of ideal MHD stability analysis for which the marginally stable state can be identified, and it guarantees numerical stability in computing matching data close to marginal stability. We perform detailed numerical experiments for a model equation with analytical solutions and for the Newcomb equation in the m=1 mode theory. Numerical experiments show that MARG1D code gives the matching data with numerical stability and high accuracy. (author)

Kinetic stability of field-reversed configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staudenmeier, J.L.; Hsiao, M.-Y.

1991-01-01

The internal tilt mode is considered to be the biggest threat to Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) global stability. The tilt stability of the FRC is studied using the MHD, Hall MHD, and the Vlasov-fluid (Vlasov ions, cold massless fluid electrons) models. Nonlinear Hall MHD calculations showed that the FRC was stable to the tilt mode when the s value of the FRC was below a critical value that was dependent on plasma length. The critical s value is larger for longer plasma equilibria. The stability of FRC's with toroidal field was studied with a linear initial value MHD code. The calculations showed an axial perturbation wavelength of the most unstable eigenfunction that was consistent with internal probe measurements made on translated FRC's. Linear Vlasov-fluid eigenvalue calculations showed that kinetic ion effects can change both the growth rate and the structure of the eigenfunctions when compared to the corresponding MHD modes. Calculations on short FRC equilibria indicate that MHD is not the appropriate small gyroradius limit of the Vlasov-fluid model because the axial transit time of a thermal ion is approximately equal to an MHD growth time for the tilt mode. Calculations were done using a small number of unstable MHD eigenfunctions as basis functions in order to reduce the dimensionality of the stability problem. The results indicated that this basis set can produce inaccurate growth rates at large value for s for some equilibria

Theory-based model for the pedestal, edge stability and ELMs in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pankin, A.Y.; Bateman, G.; Brennan, D.P.; Schnack, D.D.; Snyder, P.B.; Voitsekhovitch, I.; Kritz, A.H.; Janeschitz, G.; Kruger, S.; Onjun, T.; Pacher, G.W.; Pacher, H.D.

2006-01-01

An improved model for triggering edge localized mode (ELM) crashes is developed for use within integrated modelling simulations of the pedestal and ELM cycles at the edge of H-mode tokamak plasmas. The new model is developed by using the BALOO, DCON and ELITE ideal MHD stability codes to derive parametric expressions for the ELM triggering threshold. The whole toroidal mode number spectrum is studied with these codes. The DCON code applies to low mode numbers, while the BALOO code applies to only high mode numbers and the ELITE code applies to intermediate and high mode numbers. The variables used in the parametric stability expressions are the normalized pressure gradient and the parallel current density, which drive ballooning and peeling modes. Two equilibria motivated by DIII-D geometry with different plasma triangularities are studied. It is found that the stable region in the high triangularity discharge covers a much larger region of parameter space than the corresponding stability region in the low triangularity discharge. The new ELM trigger model is used together with a previously developed model for pedestal formation and ELM crashes in the ASTRA integrated modelling code to follow the time evolution of the temperature profiles during ELM cycles. The ELM frequencies obtained in the simulations of low and high triangularity discharges are observed to increase with increasing heating power. There is a transition from second stability to first ballooning mode stability as the heating power is increased in the high triangularity simulations. The results from the ideal MHD stability codes are compared with results from the resistive MHD stability code NIMROD

Robustness and flexibility in compact quasiaxial stellarators: Global ideal MHD stability and energetic particle transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redi, M.H.; Diallo, A.; Cooper, W.A.; Fu, G.Y.

2000-01-01

Concerns about the flexibility and robustness of a compact quasiaxial stellarator design are addressed by studying the effects of varied pressure and rotational transform profiles on expected performance. For thirty, related, fully three-dimensional configurations the global, ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability is evaluated as well as energetic particle transport. It is found that tokamak intuition is relevant to understanding the magnetohydrodynamic stability, with pressure gradient driving terms and shear stabilization controlling both the periodicity preserving, N=0, and the non-periodicity preserving, N=1, unstable kink modes. Global kink modes are generated by steeply peaked pressure profiles near the half radius and edge localized kink modes are found for plasmas with steep pressure profiles at the edge as well as with edge rotational transform above 0.5. Energetic particle transport is not strongly dependent on these changes of pressure and current (or rotational transform) profiles, although a weak inverse dependence on pressure peaking through the corresponding Shafranov shift is found. While good transport and MHD stability are not anticorrelated in these equilibria, stability only results from a delicate balance of the pressure and shear stabilization forces. A range of interesting MHD behaviors is found for this large set of equilibria, exhibiting similar particle transport properties

Ideal Magnetohydrodynamic Stability of the NCSX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Guo Yong; Isaev, Maxim Yu; Ku, Long-Poe; Mikhailov, M.; Redi, M.H; Sanchez, Raul; Subbotin, A; Hirshman, Steven Paul; Cooper, W. Anthony; Monticello, D.; Reiman, A.H.; Zarnstorff, M.C.

2007-01-01

The ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) is extensively analyzed using the most advanced three-dimensional MHD codes. It is shown that the NCSX is stable to finite-n MHD modes, including the vertical mode, external kink modes and ballooning modes. However, high-n external kink modes that peak near the plasma edge are found to be weakly unstable. A global calculation shows that finite-n ballooning modes are significantly more stable than the local infinite-n modes

Density profile effects on confinement and MHD stability of currentless NBI plasmas in Heliotron E

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudo, Shigeru; Zushi, Hideki; Kondo, Katsumi

1993-01-01

Density profile effects on confinement and MHD stability of currentless NBI plasmas in Heliotron E are studied. The peaked density profile produced by pellet injection increases the stored energy by 20-30% compared to the gas puffed plasmas which obey the empirical stellarator/heliotron scaling in a moderate density range. In contrast to confinement, the peaked pressure profile tends to destabilize the plasma. By limiter insertion, MHD instability occurs (seems to locate near ι/2π=1) even in case of low β (β 0 ≤1%, where β 0 is the central β value) plasmas. On the other hand, the mode of m/n=3/2 at ι/2π=2/3, seems to be a key parameter to the major MHD instability in case of high β (β 0 ≥2%) plasmas. (author)

Preliminary results of MHD stability in HL-1 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Yongzhen; Ma Tengcai; Xiao Zhenggui Cai Renfang

1987-01-01

In this paper, MHD activities of HL-1 tokamak plasma are studied with Fourier transform and correlatio analysis. The poloidal modes m = 1, 2, 3,4 and toroidal modes n of MHD magnetic fluctuation signals are detected. Methods for suppressing MHD instabilities are suggested and tested, after MHD instabilities are studied in HL-1. The effects of MHD characteristics in the beginning stage of discharge on the whole process of discharge are analyzed. The disruption, in HL-1 device could be divided into three kinds: internal disruption, minor disruption and major disruption. The result shows that HL-1 will have a better operation condition if internal disruption appears. In is end, the stable operation region of HL-1 tokamak is also given

Convective plasma stability consistent with MHD equilibrium in magnetic confinement systems with a decreasing field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsventoukh, M. M.

2010-01-01

A study is made of the convective (interchange, or flute) plasma stability consistent with equilibrium in magnetic confinement systems with a magnetic field decreasing outward and large curvature of magnetic field lines. Algorithms are developed which calculate convective plasma stability from the Kruskal-Oberman kinetic criterion and in which the convective stability is iteratively consistent with MHD equilibrium for a given pressure and a given type of anisotropy in actual magnetic geometry. Vacuum and equilibrium convectively stable configurations in systems with a decreasing, highly curved magnetic field are calculated. It is shown that, in convectively stable equilibrium, the possibility of achieving high plasma pressures in the central region is restricted either by the expansion of the separatrix (when there are large regions of a weak magnetic field) or by the filamentation of the gradient plasma current (when there are small regions of a weak magnetic field, in which case the pressure drops mainly near the separatrix). It is found that, from the standpoint of equilibrium and of the onset of nonpotential ballooning modes, a kinetic description of convective stability yields better plasma confinement parameters in systems with a decreasing, highly curved magnetic field than a simpler MHD model and makes it possible to substantially improve the confinement parameters for a given type of anisotropy. For the Magnetor experimental compact device, the maximum central pressure consistent with equilibrium and stability is calculated to be as high as β ∼ 30%. It is shown that, for the anisotropy of the distribution function that is typical of a background ECR plasma, the limiting pressure gradient is about two times steeper than that for an isotropic plasma. From a practical point of view, the possibility is demonstrated of achieving better confinement parameters of a hot collisionless plasma in systems with a decreasing, highly curved magnetic field than those

Ideal MHD stability and performance of ITER steady-state scenarios with ITBs

Science.gov (United States)

Poli, F. M.; Kessel, C. E.; Chance, M. S.; Jardin, S. C.; Manickam, J.

2012-06-01

Non-inductive steady-state scenarios on ITER will need to operate with internal transport barriers (ITBs) in order to reach adequate fusion gain at typical currents of 9 MA. The large pressure gradients at the location of the internal barrier are conducive to the development of ideal MHD instabilities that may limit the plasma performance and may lead to plasma disruptions. Fully non-inductive scenario simulations with five combinations of heating and current drive sources are presented in this work, with plasma currents in the range 7-10 MA. For each configuration the linear, ideal MHD stability is analysed for variations of the Greenwald fraction and of the pressure peaking factor around the operating point, aiming at defining an operational space for stable, steady-state operations at optimized performance. It is shown that plasmas with lower hybrid heating and current drive maintain the minimum safety factor above 1.5, which is desirable in steady-state operations to avoid neoclassical tearing modes. Operating with moderate ITBs at 2/3 of the minor radius, these plasmas have a minimum safety factor above 2, are ideal MHD stable and reach Q ≳ 5 operating above the ideal no-wall limit.

Ideal MHD Stability Characteristics of Advanced Operating Regimes in Spherical Torus Plasmas and the Role of High Harmonic Fast Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessel, C.E.; Manickam, J.; Menard, J.E.; Jardin, S.C.; Kaye, S.M.

1999-01-01

The ARIES reactor study group has found an economically attractive ST-based reactor configuration with: A = 1.6, κ = 3.4, delta = 0.65, β = 50%, β N = 7.3, f BS = 0.95, R 0 = 3.2 meters, B t0 = 2.08 Tesla, and I P = 28.5 MA which yields a cost of electricity of approximately 80mils/kWh. MHD stability analysis finds that a broad pressure profile is optimal for wall-stabilizing the pressure driven kink modes typical of such configurations, and that wall stabilization is crucial to achieving the high β needed for an economical power plant. The 6MW high-harmonic fast wave system presently being installed on NSTX should allow real-time control of the plasma β, and in combination with NBI may permit experimental investigations of the effect of pressure profile peaking on MHD stability in the near-term. In the longer term, ejection of ions through resonant interaction with HHFW might be used to induce a controllable edge radial electric field with potentially interesting effects on edge MHD and confinement

17th Workshop on MHD Stability Control: addressing the disruption challenge for ITER

Science.gov (United States)

Buttery, Richard

2013-08-01

This annual workshop on magnetohydrodynamic stability control was held on 5-7 November 2012 at Columbia University in the city of New York, in the aftermath of a violent hydrodynamic instability event termed 'Hurricane Sandy'. Despite these challenging circumstances, Columbia University managed an excellent meeting, enabling the full participation of the community. This Workshop has been held since 1996 to help in the development of understanding and control of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities for future fusion reactors. It covers a wide range of stability topics—from disruptions, to tearing modes, error fields, edge-localized modes (ELMs), resistive wall modes (RWMs) and ideal MHD—spanning many device types (tokamaks, stellarators and reversed field pinches) to identify commonalities in the physics and a means of control. The theme for 2012 was 'addressing the disruption challenge for ITER', and thus the first day had a heavy focus on both the avoidance and mitigation of disruptions in ITER. Key elements included understanding how to apply 3D fields to maintain stability, as well as managing the disruption process itself through mitigating loads in the thermal quench and handling so called 'runaway electrons'. This culminated in a panel discussion on the disruption mitigation strategy for ITER, which noted that heat load asymmetries during the thermal quench appear to be an artifact of MHD processes, and that runaway electron generation may be inevitable, suggesting research should focus on control and dissipation of the runaway beam. The workshop was combined this year with the annual US-Japan MHD Workshop, with a special section looking more deeply at 'Fundamentals of 3D Perturbed Equilibrium Control', with interesting sessions on 3D equilibrium reconstruction, RWM physics, novel control concepts such as non-magnetic sensing, adaptive control, q operation, and the effects of flow. The final day turned to tearing mode interactions, exploring the state

United States Superconducting MHD Magnet Technology Development Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawson, A.M.; Marston, P.G.; Thome, R.J.; Iwasa, Y.; Tarrh, J.M.

1981-01-01

A three-faceted program supported by the U.S. Dep of Energy is described. These facets include basic technology development, technology transfer and construction by industry of magnets for the national MHD program. The program includes the maintenance of a large component test facility; investigation of superconductor stability and structural behavior; measurements of materials' properties at low temperatures; structural design optimization; analytical code development; cryogenic systems and power supply design. The technology transfer program is designed to bring results of technology development and design and construction effort to the entire superconducting magnet community. The magnet procurement program is responsible for developing conceptual designs of magnets needed for the national MHD program, for issuing requests for quotation, selecting vendors and supervising design, construction, installation and test of these systems. 9 refs

Problems in nonlinear resistive MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Strait, E.J.; La Haye, R.J.; Chu, M.S.; Miller, R.L.

1998-01-01

Two experimentally relevant problems can relatively easily be tackled by nonlinear MHD codes. Both problems require plasma rotation in addition to the nonlinear mode coupling and full geometry already incorporated into the codes, but no additional physics seems to be crucial. These problems discussed here are: (1) nonlinear coupling and interaction of multiple MHD modes near the B limit and (2) nonlinear coupling of the m/n = 1/1 sawtooth mode with higher n gongs and development of seed islands outside q = 1

Studies of feedback stabilization of axisymmetric modes in deformable tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, D.J.

1991-01-01

A new linear MHD stability code, NOVA-W, is described and applied to the study of the feedback stabilization of the axisymmetric mode in deformable tokamak plasma. The NOVA-W code is a modification of the non-variational MHD stability code NOVA that includes the effects of resistive passive conductors and active feedback circuits. The vacuum calculation has been reformulated in terms of the perturbed poloidal flux to allow the inclusion of perturbed toroidal currents outside the plasma. The boundary condition at the plasma-vacuum interface relates the instability displacement to the perturbed poloidal flux. This allows a solution of the linear MHD stability equations with the feedback effects included. The code has been tested for the case of passive stabilization against a simplified analytic model and against a different numerical calculation for a realistic tokamak configuration. The comparisons demonstrate the accuracy of the NOVA-W results. The NOVA-W code is used to examine the effects of plasma deformability on feedback stabilization. It is seen that plasmas with shaped cross sections have unstable motion different from a rigid shift. Plasma equilibria with large triangularity show particularly significant deviations from a uniform rigid shift. Furthermore, the placement of passive conductors is shown to modify the non-rigid components of the motion in a way that reduces the stabilizing effects of these conductors. The eigenfunction is also modified under the effects of active feedback. This deformation is seen to depend strongly on the position of the flux loops. These non-rigid components of the eigenfunction always serve to reduce the stabilizing effect of the active feedback system by reducing the measurable poloidal flux at the flux-loop locations

TMRBAR power balance code for tandem mirror reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackkfield, D.T.; Campbell, R.; Fenstermacher, M.; Bulmer, R.; Perkins, L.; Peng, Y.K.M.; Reid, R.L.; Wu, K.F.

1984-01-01

A revised version of the tandem mirror multi-point code TMRBAR developed at LLNL has been used to examine various reactor designs using MARS-like ''c'' coils. We solve 14 to 16 non-linear equations to obtain the densities, temperatures, plasma potential and magnetic field on axis at the cardinal points. Since ICRH, ECRH, and neutral beams may be used to stabilize the central cell, various combinations of rf and neutral beam powers may satisfy the physics. To select a desired set of physics parameters, we use nonlinear optimization techniques. Whit these routines, we minimize or maximize a physics variable subject to the physics constraints being satisfied. For example, for a given fusion power we may find the minimum length needed to have an ignited central cell or the maximum fusion Q. Finally, we have coupled this physics model to the LLNL magnetics-MHD code. This code runs the EFFI magnetic field generator and uses TEBASCO to calculate 1-D MHD equilibria and stability

Large Scale Earth's Bow Shock with Northern IMF as Simulated by PIC Code in Parallel with MHD Model

Science.gov (United States)

Baraka, Suleiman

2016-06-01

In this paper, we propose a 3D kinetic model (particle-in-cell, PIC) for the description of the large scale Earth's bow shock. The proposed version is stable and does not require huge or extensive computer resources. Because PIC simulations work with scaled plasma and field parameters, we also propose to validate our code by comparing its results with the available MHD simulations under same scaled solar wind (SW) and (IMF) conditions. We report new results from the two models. In both codes the Earth's bow shock position is found to be ≈14.8 R E along the Sun-Earth line, and ≈29 R E on the dusk side. Those findings are consistent with past in situ observations. Both simulations reproduce the theoretical jump conditions at the shock. However, the PIC code density and temperature distributions are inflated and slightly shifted sunward when compared to the MHD results. Kinetic electron motions and reflected ions upstream may cause this sunward shift. Species distributions in the foreshock region are depicted within the transition of the shock (measured ≈2 c/ ω pi for Θ Bn = 90° and M MS = 4.7) and in the downstream. The size of the foot jump in the magnetic field at the shock is measured to be (1.7 c/ ω pi ). In the foreshocked region, the thermal velocity is found equal to 213 km s-1 at 15 R E and is equal to 63 km s -1 at 12 R E (magnetosheath region). Despite the large cell size of the current version of the PIC code, it is powerful to retain macrostructure of planets magnetospheres in very short time, thus it can be used for pedagogical test purposes. It is also likely complementary with MHD to deepen our understanding of the large scale magnetosphere.

Comments on the asymptotic treatment of tokamak MHD-stability at large aspect ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebhan, E.

1980-01-01

In the asymptotic treatment of tokamak MHD stability at small inverse aspect ratio epsilon, the special case of poloidal wave number m=0 has been treated improperly in the literature for both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric modes. In axisymmetric stability, a contribution to the perturbational vacuum field is either omitted or cancelled. In a variational stability analysis this field contribution provides σ 2 W with a correction term proportional to (1nepsilon) -1 , which may change the asymptotic range of stability and improve agreement with numerical finite-aspect-ratio results. In non-axisymmetric stability, for the perturbational vacuum field of the m=0 modes, usually the wrong of two possible solutions is chosen. It is shown why in many cases this wrong choice has no consequences on the correctness of the stability results, and circumstances are pointed out under which consequences may arise. (author)

Numerical solutions of magnetohydrodynamic stability of axisymmetric toroidal plasmas using cubic B-spline finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1988-12-01

A nonvariational ideal MHD stability code (NOVA) has been developed. In a general flux coordinate (/psi/, θ, /zeta/) system with an arbitrary Jacobian, the NOVA code employs Fourier expansions in the generalized poloidal angle θ and generalized toroidal angle /zeta/ directions, and cubic-B spline finite elements in the radial /psi/ direction. Extensive comparisons with these variational ideal MHD codes show that the NOVA code converges faster and gives more accurate results. An extended version of NOVA is developed to integrate non-Hermitian eigenmode equations due to energetic particles. The set of non-Hermitian integro-differential eigenmode equations is numerically solved by the NOVA-K code. We have studied the problems of the stabilization of ideal MHD internal kink modes by hot particle pressure and the excitation of ''fishbone'' internal kink modes by resonating with the energetic particle magnetic drift frequency. Comparisons with analytical solutions show that the values of the critical β/sub h/ from the analytical theory can be an order of magnitude different from those computed by the NOVA-K code. 24 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab

Numerical computation of MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanasiu, C.V.

1982-10-01

A numerical code for a two-dimensional MHD equilibrium computation has been carried out. The code solves the Grad-Shafranov equation in its integral form, for both formulations: the free-boundary problem and the fixed boundary one. Examples of the application of the code to tokamak design are given. (author)

Measurement of Resistive Wall Mode stability in rotating high beta plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reimerdes, H.; Bialek, J.; Garofalo, A.M.; Navratil, G.A.; Chance, M.S.; Menard, J.E.; Okabayashi, M.; Takahashi, H.; Chu, M.S.; Gohil, P.; Jackson, G.L.; Jensen, T.H.; La Haye, R.J.; Scoville, J.T.; Strait, E.J.; Jayakumar, R.J.; Liu, Y.Q.

2005-01-01

Toroidal plasma rotation in the order of a few percent of the Alfven velocity can stabilize the resistive wall mode and extend the operating regime of tokamaks from the conventional, ideal MHD no-wall limit up to the ideal MHD ideal wall limit. The stabilizing effect has been measured passively by measuring the critical plasma rotation required for stability and actively by probing the plasma with externally applied resonant magnetic fields. These measurements are compared to predictions of rotational stabilization of the sound wave damping and of the kinetic damping model using the MARS code. (author)

The MHD stability analysis of type I ELMS in ASDEX Upgrade Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saarelma, S.

2000-01-01

The ELMs or edge localized modes are plasma instabilities localized in the edge region of a tokamak plasma. They cause periodic expulsions of particles and energy. The ELMs play a significant role in the confinement of the plasma, helium exhaust and diverter erosion. These are crucial issues in tokamak operation and, thus, understanding the underlying physical mechanism behind the ELM phenomenon is very important. The ELMs are classified into three different types based on the plasma conditions, where they are observed, and, on the ELM frequency response to the heating power. In this thesis, type I ELMs which are the most intense and the most damaging to the diverters, are studied. A model for the ELMs presented by Connor et al. is tested in experimental ASDEX Upgrade plasmas. In the Connor model, the ELMs are explained as a result of two instabilities, ballooning and peeling modes. Also a phenomenon called the bootstrap current plays a significant role by being the destabilising trigger to the peeling modes. The method used to study the model is MHD or magnetohydrodynamics. The theory of the ideal MHD equilibrium and the linear stability analysis is described. Inclusion of the bootstrap current to the equilibrium construction is introduced. The equilibria are created using experimental data from plasma shots that display type I ELMs. The stability analysis indicates that the investigated ELM model is a feasible explanation for type I ELMs. The pressure gradient near the plasma edge was found to be close to the ballooning stability boundary as predicted by the model. The peeling mode stability analysis confirms the prediction of the model that as the bootstrap current increases, the plasma becomes unstable for peeling modes with low to intermediate toroidal mode numbers. The mode numbers agree with the experimental results. In the experiments with high triangularity, low ELM frequency and ELM-free periods were observed. This indicates better stability of the plasma

Analysis of ELM stability with extended MHD models in JET, JT-60U and future JT-60SA tokamak plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Aiba, N.; Pamela, S.; Honda, M.; Urano, H.; Giroud, C.; Delabie, E.; Frassinetti, L.; Lupelli, I.; Hayashi, N.; Huijsmans, G.; JET Contributors, the; Research Unit, JT-60SA

2018-01-01

The stability with respect to a peeling-ballooning mode (PBM) was investigated numerically with extended MHD simulation codes in JET, JT-60U and future JT-60SA plasmas. The MINERVA-DI code was used to analyze the linear stability, including the effects of rotation and ion diamagnetic drift ({ω }* {{i}}), in JET-ILW and JT-60SA plasmas, and the JOREK code was used to simulate nonlinear dynamics with rotation, viscosity and resistivity in JT-60U plasmas. It was validated quantitatively that the ELM trigger condition in JET-ILW plasmas can be reasonably explained by taking into account both the rotation and {ω }* {{i}} effects in the numerical analysis. When deuterium poloidal rotation is evaluated based on neoclassical theory, an increase in the effective charge of plasma destabilizes the PBM because of an acceleration of rotation and a decrease in {ω }* {{i}}. The difference in the amount of ELM energy loss in JT-60U plasmas rotating in opposite directions was reproduced qualitatively with JOREK. By comparing the ELM affected areas with linear eigenfunctions, it was confirmed that the difference in the linear stability property, due not to the rotation direction but to the plasma density profile, is thought to be responsible for changing the ELM energy loss just after the ELM crash. A predictive study to determine the pedestal profiles in JT-60SA was performed by updating the EPED1 model to include the rotation and {ω }* {{i}} effects in the PBM stability analysis. It was shown that the plasma rotation predicted with the neoclassical toroidal viscosity degrades the pedestal performance by about 10% by destabilizing the PBM, but the pressure pedestal height will be high enough to achieve the target parameters required for the ITER-like shape inductive scenario in JT-60SA.

MHD equilibrium of heliotron J plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Nakamura, Yuji; Kondo, Katsumi; Nakajima, Noriyoshi; Hayashi, Takaya

2004-01-01

MHD equilibria of Heliotron J plasma are investigated by using HINT code. By assuming some profiles of the current density, effects of the net toroidal currents on the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equilibrium are investigated. If the rotational transform can be controlled by the currents, the generation of good flux surfaces is expected. In order to study equilibria with self-consistent bootstrap current, the boozer coordinates are constructed by converged HINT equilibrium as a preliminary study. Obtained spectra are compared with ones of VMEC code and both results are consistent. (author)

Experimental study on dynamic stabilization of the MHD instability in pinch plasmas surrounded by a conducting shell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Shunji; Ishii, Shozo; Kawamoto, Shigeshi; Hayashi, Izumi

1981-01-01

Experimental study on the dynamic stabilization of MHD instability with a pinch plasma generator was done, and the results were compared with the theoretical works. The previous results of theoretical analysis showed that a conducting shell worked effectively for the dynamic stabilization of MHD instability. The present experiment was carried out with a linear plasma generator which consisted of a discharge tube, a coil and a conducting shell. The macroscopic behavior of plasma was observed with an image converter camera, and the phenomena due to the instability was measured by a magnetic probe. A sine-cosine coil was employed for the observation of the growth of instability. The following results were obtained. When the frequency of RF current for dynamic stabilization was larger than the growth rate of instability, the experimental results were in agreement with the theoretical ones. The effect of a conducting shell was clearly seen. For the helical instability of short wave length, the dynamic stabilization was easily obtained even without a conducting shell. The self-reversal phenomena due to the helical instability of short wave length was suppressed by the RF current along the axis of a discharge tube. (Kato, T.)

Edge localized linear ideal magnetohydrodynamic instability studies in an extended-magnetohydrodynamic code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, B. J.; Kruger, S. E.; Hegna, C. C.; Zhu, P.; Snyder, P. B.; Sovinec, C. R.; Howell, E. C.

2010-01-01

A linear benchmark between the linear ideal MHD stability codes ELITE [H. R. Wilson et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 1277 (2002)], GATO [L. Bernard et al., Comput. Phys. Commun. 24, 377 (1981)], and the extended nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, NIMROD [C. R. Sovinec et al.., J. Comput. Phys. 195, 355 (2004)] is undertaken for edge-localized (MHD) instabilities. Two ballooning-unstable, shifted-circle tokamak equilibria are compared where the stability characteristics are varied by changing the equilibrium plasma profiles. The equilibria model an H-mode plasma with a pedestal pressure profile and parallel edge currents. For both equilibria, NIMROD accurately reproduces the transition to instability (the marginally unstable mode), as well as the ideal growth spectrum for a large range of toroidal modes (n=1-20). The results use the compressible MHD model and depend on a precise representation of 'ideal-like' and 'vacuumlike' or 'halo' regions within the code. The halo region is modeled by the introduction of a Lundquist-value profile that transitions from a large to a small value at a flux surface location outside of the pedestal region. To model an ideal-like MHD response in the core and a vacuumlike response outside the transition, separate criteria on the plasma and halo Lundquist values are required. For the benchmarked equilibria the critical Lundquist values are 10 8 and 10 3 for the ideal-like and halo regions, respectively. Notably, this gives a ratio on the order of 10 5 , which is much larger than experimentally measured values using T e values associated with the top of the pedestal and separatrix. Excellent agreement with ELITE and GATO calculations are made when sharp boundary transitions in the resistivity are used and a small amount of physical dissipation is added for conditions very near and below marginal ideal stability.

Feedback stabilization of MHD instabilities. Report on the Workshop held at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab., Princeton Univ., Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America, 11-13 December 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGuire, K.M.; Kugel, H.W.; La Haye, R.J.; Mauel, M.E.; Nevins, W.M.; Prager, S.C.

1997-01-01

The transient operating performance of magnetic confinement devices is often limited by one or two unstable MHD modes. The feedback stabilization of MHD instabilities is an area of research that is critical for improving the steady state performance and economic attractiveness of magnetic confinement devices. This growing realization motivated a Workshop dedicated to feedback stabilization of MHD instabilities, which was held from 11 to 13 December 1996 at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The resulting presentations, conclusions and recommendations are summarized. (author)

GATO: an MHD stability code for axisymmetric plasmas with internal separatrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, L.C.; Helton, F.J.; Moore, R.W.

1981-07-01

The GATO code computes the growth rate of ideal magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in axisymmetric geometries with internal separatrices such as doublet and expanded spheromak. The basic method, which uses a variational principle and a Galerkin procedure to obtain a matrix eigenvalue problem, is common to the ERATO and PEST codes. A new coordinate system has been developed to handle the internal separatrix. Efficient algorithms have been developed to solve the matrix eigenvalue problem for matrices of rank as large as 40,000. Further improvement is expected using graph theoretical techniques to reorder the matrices. Using judicious mesh repartition, the marginal point can be determined with great precision. The code has been extensively used to optimize doublet and general tokamak plasmas

New method for computing ideal MHD normal modes in axisymmetric toroidal geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wysocki, F.; Grimm, R.C.

1984-11-01

Analytic elimination of the two magnetic surface components of the displacement vector permits the normal mode ideal MHD equations to be reduced to a scalar form. A Galerkin procedure, similar to that used in the PEST codes, is implemented to determine the normal modes computationally. The method retains the efficient stability capabilities of the PEST 2 energy principle code, while allowing computation of the normal mode frequencies and eigenfunctions, if desired. The procedure is illustrated by comparison with earlier various of PEST and by application to tilting modes in spheromaks, and to stable discrete Alfven waves in tokamak geometry

GATO: An MHD stability code for axisymmetric plasmas with internal separatrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, L.C.; Helton, F.J.; Moore, R.W.

1981-01-01

The GATO code computes the growth rate of ideal magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in axisymmetric geometries with internal separatrices such as doublet and expanded spheromak. The basic method, which uses a variational principle and a Galerkin procedure to obtain a matrix eigenvalue problem, is common to the ERATO and PEST codes. A new coordinate system has been developed to handle the internal separatrix. Efficient algorithms have been developed to solve the matrix eigenvalue problem for matrices of rank as large as 40 000. Further improvement is expected using graph theoretical techniques to reorder the matrices. Using judicious mesh repartition, the marginal point can be determined with great precision. The code has been extensively used to optimize doublet and general tokamak plasmas. (orig.)

Numerical solutions of magnetohydrodynamic stability of axisymmetric toroidal plasmas using cubic B-spline finite element method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, C.Z.

1988-12-01

A nonvariational ideal MHD stability code (NOVA) has been developed. In a general flux coordinate (/psi/, theta, /zeta/) system with an arbitrary Jacobian, the NOVA code employs Fourier expansions in the generalized poloidal angle theta and generalized toroidal angle /zeta/ directions, and cubic-B spline finite elements in the radial /psi/ direction. Extensive comparisons with these variational ideal MHD codes show that the NOVA code converges faster and gives more accurate results. An extended version of NOVA is developed to integrate non-Hermitian eigenmode equations due to energetic particles. The set of non-Hermitian integro-differential eigenmode equations is numerically solved by the NOVA-K code. We have studied the problems of the stabilization of ideal MHD internal kink modes by hot particle pressure and the excitation of ''fishbone'' internal kink modes by resonating with the energetic particle magnetic drift frequency. Comparisons with analytical solutions show that the values of the critical ..beta../sub h/ from the analytical theory can be an order of magnitude different from those computed by the NOVA-K code. 24 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

Incompressible LFR MHD. A fluid model for stability analysis of a fusion plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheffel, J.; Faghihi, M.

1986-10-01

A fluid model including FLR effects, named Incompressible Finite Larmor Radius MagnetoHydroDynamics, is presented and derived in this paper. It is an extension of ordinary, incompressible MHD to include the Larmor radius effects due to ion gyroviscosity, Hall current and electron diamagnetism. It is intended to use the model for stability analysis, on the Alfven wave time scale, of a fusion plasma and it is consequently based on transport coefficients in the collisionless limit. It will be demonstrated that for a fairly dense and cool plasma, such as for the EXTRAP z-pinch, all three Larmor radius effects may become important, that for a JET-type plasma no FLR effect is pronounced, and that in a reactor plasma the Hall and electron diamagnetism term may play a role. For scaling lengths signigicantly smaller than the plasma radius the effect of the FLR terms becomes enhanced. To study the importance of the choice of equations of state for the model the m=1 and k 2 r 2 towards infinity instability in cylindrical geometry is given special attention for zero Larmor radius. The full stability criterion of the double adiabatic model, including pressure anisotropy, is presented for what we believe to be the first time. It is found that when perpendicular p > parallel p stability can be reached for very high plasma perpendicular β-values. We demonstrate that no less complicated energy conserving fluid model, which takes into account pressure anisotropy, other than the double adiabativ model can be obtained. Since pressure anisotropy generally only weakly affects stability, we can assume isotropy in the Incompressible FLR MHD model. Also, the energy equation is replaced by the incompressibility condition, making FLR terms appearing in the energy equation irrelevant. (authors)

Studies of MHD stability using data mining technique in helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Satoshi; Pretty, David; Blackwell, Boyd

2010-01-01

Data mining techniques, which automatically extract useful knowledge from large datasets, are applied to multichannel magnetic probe signals of several helical plasmas in order to identify and classify MHD instabilities in helical plasmas. This method is useful to find new MHD instabilities as well as previously identified ones. Moreover, registering the results obtained from data mining in a database allows us to investigate the characteristics of MHD instabilities with parameter studies. We introduce the data mining technique consisted of pre-processing, clustering and visualizations using results from helical plasmas in H-1 and Heliotron J. We were successfully able to classify the MHD instabilities using the criterion of phase differences of each magnetic probe and identify them as energetic-ion-driven MHD instabilities using parameter study in Heliotron J plasmas. (author)

Axisymmetric MHD stable sloshing ion distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Dominguez, N.; Roslyakov, G.V.

1986-07-01

The MHD stability of a sloshing ion distribution is investigated in a symmetric mirror cell. Fokker-Planck calculations show that stable configurations are possible for ion injection energies that are at least 150 times greater than the electron temperture. Special axial magnetic field profiles are suggested to optimize the favorable MHD properties

MHD stabilization of high β mirror plasma partially enclosed by conducting wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.Z.; Kesner, J.; Lane, B.

1985-04-01

An MHD formulation is used to study a wall stabilized high β mirror plasma with isotropic pressure. The stabilizing wall extends axially only a part of the distance between the mirror midplane and throat. We model this arrangement using a wall that approaches the plasma surface in the bad curvature region and is distant from the plasma in the good curvature region. A variational method is used to solve the equation in the distant wall region and an iterative method is used to solve the equation when the wall is close to the plasma. A jump condition is used to connect the regions of close and distant plasma-wall proximity. A simple trial function is used to perform the variational calculation (the choice of trial function is substantiated by an exact numerical solution). The results show that for a low mirror ratio case more conducting wall surface is needed for stability than in the high mirror ratio case. This agrees with the physical mechanism of the wall stabilization

EDITORIAL: Selected papers from the 16th Workshop on MHD Stability Control: Optimizing and Understanding the Role of Coils for Mode Control Selected papers from the 16th Workshop on MHD Stability Control: Optimizing and Understanding the Role of Coils for Mode Control

Science.gov (United States)

La Haye, Rob

2012-09-01

The Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Control Workshop with the theme 'Optimizing and Understanding the Role of Coils for Mode Control' was held at General Atomics (20-22 November 2011) following the 2011 APS-DPP Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah (14-18 November). This was the 16th in the annual series and was organized jointly by Columbia University, General Atomics, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Program committee participation included representatives from the EU and Japan along with other US laboratory and university institutions. This workshop highlighted the role of applied non-axisymmetric magnetic fields from both internal and external coils for control of MHD stability to achieve high performance fusion plasmas. The application of 3D magnetic field offers control of important elements of equilibrium, stability, and transport. The use of active 3D fields to stabilize global instabilities and to correct magnetic field errors is an established tool for achieving high beta configurations. 3D fields also affect transport and plasma momentum, and are shown to be important for the control of edge localized modes (ELMs), resistive wall modes, and optimized stellarator configurations. The format was similar to previous workshops, including 13 invited talks, 21 contributed talks, and this year there were 2 panel discussions ('Error Field Correction' led by Andrew Cole of Columbia University and 'Application of Coils in General' led by Richard Buttery of General Atomics). Ted Strait of General Atomics also gave a summary of the International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) MHD meeting in Padua, a group for which he is now the leader. In this special section of Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (PPCF) is a sample of the presentations at the workshop, which have been subject to the normal refereeing procedures of the journal. They include a review (A Boozer) and an invited talk (R Fitzpatrick) on error fields, an invited

MHD-Stabilization of Axisymmetric Mirror Systems Using Pulsed ECRH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, R.F.

2010-01-01

This paper, part of a continuing study of means for the stabilization of MHD interchange modes in axisymmertric mirror-based plasma confinement systems, is aimed at a preliminary look at a technique that would employ a train of plasma pressure pulses produced by ECRH to accomplish the stabilization. The purpose of using sequentially pulsed ECRH rather than continuous-wave ECRH is to facilitate the localization of the heated-electron plasma pulses in regions of the magnetic field with a strong positive field-line curvature, e. g. in the 'expander' region of the mirror magnetic field, outside the outermost mirror, or in other regions of the field with positive field-line curvature. The technique proposed, of the class known as 'dynamic stabilization,' relies on the time-averaged effect of plasma pressure pulses generated in regions of positive field-line curvature to overcome the destabilizing effect of plasma pressure in regions of negative field-line curvature within the confinement region. As will also be discussed in the paper, the plasma pulses, when produced in regions of the confining having a negative gradient, create transient electric potentials of ambipolar origin, an effect that was studied in 1964 in The PLEIDE experiment in France. These electric fields preserve the localization of the hot-electron plasma pulses for a time determined by ion inertia. It is suggested that it may be possible to use this result of pulsed ECRH not only to help to stabilize the plasma but also to help plug mirror losses in a manner similar to that employed in the Tandem Mirror.

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

This document summarizes progress made on the research of high beta and second region transport and stability. In the area second stability region studies we report on an investigation of the possibility of second region access in the center of TFTR ''supershots.'' The instabilities found may coincide with experimental observation. Significant progress has been made on the resistive stability properties of high beta poloidal ''supershot'' discharges. For these studies profiles were taken from the TRANSP transport analysis code which analyzes experimental data. Invoking flattening of the pressure profile on mode rational surfaces causes tearing modes to persist into the experimental range of interest. Further, the experimental observation of the modes seems to be consistent with the predictions of the MHD model. In addition, code development in several areas has proceeded

Divergence-free MHD Simulations with the HERACLES Code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vides J.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Numerical simulations of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD equations have played a significant role in plasma research over the years. The need of obtaining physical and stable solutions to these equations has led to the development of several schemes, all requiring to satisfy and preserve the divergence constraint of the magnetic field numerically. In this paper, we aim to show the importance of maintaining this constraint numerically. We investigate in particular the hyperbolic divergence cleaning technique applied to the ideal MHD equations on a collocated grid and compare it to the constrained transport technique that uses a staggered grid to maintain the property. The methods are implemented in the software HERACLES and several numerical tests are presented, where the robustness and accuracy of the different schemes can be directly compared.

Closed cycle MHD specialist meeting. Progress report, 1971--1972

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rietjens, L.H.

1972-04-01

Abstracts of the conference papers on closed cycle MHD research are presented. The general areas of discussion are the following: results on closed cycle experiments; plasma properties, and instabilities and stabilization in nonequilibrium plasmas; loss mechanisms, current distributions, electrode effects, boundary layers, and gas dynamic effects; and design concepts of large MHD generators, and nuclear MHD power plants. (GRA)

GASCON and MHDGAS: FORTRAN IV computer codes for calculating gas and condensed-phase compositions in the coal-fired open-cycle MHD system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blackburn, P E

1977-12-01

Fortran IV computer codes have been written to calculate the equilibrium partial pressures of the gaseous phase and the quantity and composition of the condensed phases in the open-cycle MHD system. The codes are based on temperature-dependent equilibrium constants, mass conservation, the mass action law, and assumed ideal solution of compounds in each of two condensed phases. It is assumed that the phases are an oxide-silicate phase and a sulfate-carbonate-hydroxide phase. Calculations are iterated for gas and condensate concentrations while increasing or decreasing the total moles of elements, but keeping mole ratios constant, to achieve the desired total pressure. During iteration the oxygen partial pressure is incrementally changed. The decision to increase or decrease the oxygen pressure in this process depends on comparison of the oxygen content calculated in the gas and condensate phases with the initial amount of oxygen in the ash, coal, seed, and air. This process, together with a normalization step, allows the elements to converge to their initial quantities. Two versions of the computer code have been written. GASCON calculates the equilibrium gas partial pressures and the quantity and composition of the condensed phases in steps of thirteen temperature and pressure combinations in which the condensate is removed after each step, simulating continuous slag removal from the MHD system. MHDGAS retains the condensate for each step, simulating flow of condensate (and gas) through the MHD system.

Effect of the X-point on the stability of the edge-current-driven MHD mode in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Ohjin

2010-01-01

Quasi-periodic bursts of edge magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activities, called edge localized modes (ELMs), have been observed in many tokamaks during the H-mode. The high level of heat and particle transport associated with ELMs may cause serious damage to divertors or plasma facing components. It is therefore important to understand the underlying physics of ELMs. We have numerically investigated the effect of the X-point on the stability of the peeling mode, which is thought to be one of the MHD instabilities responsible for small ELMs. Equilibria with pressure and current profiles, which are unstable to the pure peeling mode for moderately elongated plasma, have been used. The X-point in a diverted plasma has been simulated by introducing of a hump in the plasma boundary. The position, depth and width of the X-point have been varied, and their effect on the stability of the peeling mode has been investigated. We have shown that the peeling mode growth rate decreases as the depth increases. This effect is greater for smaller widths for all positions of the X-point considered. Therefore, a sharper X-point is more efficient in stabilizing the peeling mode. Increasing the depth acts to increase the magnetic shear, the stabilizing effect of which has been shown to have very little dependence on the position or the width of the X-point.

Non-binary Entanglement-assisted Stabilizer Quantum Codes

OpenAIRE

Riguang, Leng; Zhi, Ma

2011-01-01

In this paper, we show how to construct non-binary entanglement-assisted stabilizer quantum codes by using pre-shared entanglement between the sender and receiver. We also give an algorithm to determine the circuit for non-binary entanglement-assisted stabilizer quantum codes and some illustrated examples. The codes we constructed do not require the dual-containing constraint, and many non-binary classical codes, like non-binary LDPC codes, which do not satisfy the condition, can be used to c...

Engineering design and development of lead lithium loop for thermo-fluid MHD studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, M.; Patel, Anita; Jaiswal, A.; Ranjan, A.; Mohanta, D.; Sahu, S.; Saraswat, A.; Rao, T.S.; Mehta, V.; Bhattacharyay, R.; Rajendra Kumar, E.

2017-01-01

In the frame of the design and development of LLCB TBM, number of R and D activities is in progress in the area of Pb-Li technology development. Molten Pb-Li is used as a tritium breeder and also as a coolant for the internals of the TBM structure. In presence of strong plasma confining toroidal magnetic field, motion of electrically conducting Pb-Li leads to Magneto Hydro Dynamic (MHD) phenomena, as a consequence of which the flow profile of Pb-Li is significantly modified inside the Pb-Li channels of TBM. This causes additional pressure drop inside TBM and affects the heat transfer from internal structure. The detail studies of these MHD effects are of prime importance for successful design of LLCB TBM and its performance evaluation. Although, various numerical MHD codes have been developed, validated in simple flow configuration and are being used to study MHD phenomena in LLCB TBM, experimental validation of these codes in TBM relevant complex flow geometry is yet to be performed. A Pb-Li MHD experimental loop is, therefore, being developed at IPR to perform thermo-fluid MHD experiments in various LLCB TBM relevant flow configuration. MHD experiments are planned with different test sections instrumented with potential pins, thermo couples, etc. under a uniform magnetic field of ∼1.4 T. The obtained experimental data will be analyzed to understand the MHD phenomena in TBM like flow configuration and also for validation of MHD codes. This paper describes the detailed process as well as engineering design of the Pb-Li MHD loop and its major components along with the plan of MHD experiments in various test mock ups. (author)

Electrode materials for an open-cycle MHD generator channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telegin, G.P.; Romanov, A.I.; Akopov, F.A.; Gokhshtejn, Ya.P.; Rekov, A.I.

1983-01-01

The results of investigations, technological developments and tests of high temperature materials for MHD electrodes on the base of zirconium dioxide, stabilized with oxides of calcium, yttrium, neodymium, and dioxide of cerium, chromites, tamping masses from stabilized dioxide of zirconium, cermets are considered. It is established that binary and ternary solutions on the base of zirconium dioxide and alloyed chromites are the perspective materials for the MHD electrodes on pure fuel

Comparison of MHD-induced rotation damping with NTV predictions on MAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua, M-D; Chapman, I T; Field, A R; Hastie, R J; Pinches, S D

2010-01-01

Plasma rotation in tokamaks is of special interest for its potential stabilizing effect on micro- and macro-instabilities, leading to increased confinement. In MAST, the torque from neutral beam injection can spin the plasma to a core velocity ∼300 km s -1 (Alfven Mach number ∼0.3). Low density plasmas often exhibit a weakly non-monotonic safety factor profile just above unity. Theory predicts that such equilibria are prone to magneto-hydro-dynamic (MHD) instabilities, which was confirmed by recent observations. The appearance of the mode is accompanied by strong damping of core rotation on a timescale much faster than the momentum confinement time. The mode's saturated structure is estimated using the CASTOR code together with soft x-ray measurements, enabling the calculation of the plasma braking by the MHD mode according to neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) theory. The latter exhibits strong similarities with the torque measured experimentally.

Ideal MHD stability properties of pressure-driven modes in low shear tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manickam, J.; Pomphrey, N.; Todd, A.M.M.

1987-03-01

The role of shear in determining the ideal MHD stability properties of tokamaks is discussed. In particular, we assess the effects of low shear within the plasma upon pressure-driven modes. The standard ballooning theory is shown to break down, as the shear is reduced and the growth rate is shown to be an oscillatory function of n, the toroidal mode number, treated as a continuous parameter. The oscillations are shown to depend on both the pressure and safety-factor profiles. When the shear is sufficiently weak, the oscillations can result in bands of unstable n values which are present even when the standard ballooning theory predicts complete stability. These instabilities are named ''infernal modes.'' The occurrence of these instabilities at integer n is shown to be a sensitive function of q-axis, raising the possibility of a sharp onset as plasma parameters evolve. 20 refs., 31 figs

Outline of fast analyzer for MHD equilibrium 'FAME'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakata, Shinya; Haginoya, Hirofumi; Tsuruoka, Takuya; Aoyagi, Tetsuo; Saito, Naoyuki; Harada, Hiroo; Tani, Keiji; Watanabe, Hideto.

1994-03-01

The FAME (Fast Analyzer for Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Equilibrium) system has been developed in order to provide more than 100 MHD equilibria in time series which are enough for the non-stationary analysis of the experimental data of JT-60 within about 20 minutes shot interval. The FAME is an MIMD type small scale parallel computer with 20 microprocessors which are connected by a multi-stage switching system. The maximum theoretical speed is 250 MFLOPS. For the software system of FAME, MHD equilibrium analysis code SELENE and its input data production code FBI are tuned up taking the parallel processing into consideration. Consequently, the computational performance of the FAME system becomes more than 7 times faster than the existing general purpose computer FACOM M780-10s. This report summarizes the outline of the FAME system including hardware, soft-ware and peripheral equipments. (author)

COLLAPSE AND FRAGMENTATION OF MAGNETIC MOLECULAR CLOUD CORES WITH THE ENZO AMR MHD CODE. I. UNIFORM DENSITY SPHERES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boss, Alan P.; Keiser, Sandra A.

2013-01-01

Magnetic fields are important contributors to the dynamics of collapsing molecular cloud cores, and can have a major effect on whether collapse results in a single protostar or fragmentation into a binary or multiple protostar system. New models are presented of the collapse of magnetic cloud cores using the adaptive mesh refinement code Enzo2.0. The code was used to calculate the ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of initially spherical, uniform density, and rotation clouds with density perturbations, i.e., the Boss and Bodenheimer standard isothermal test case for three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics codes. After first verifying that Enzo reproduces the binary fragmentation expected for the non-magnetic test case, a large set of models was computed with varied initial magnetic field strengths and directions with respect to the cloud core axis of rotation (parallel or perpendicular), density perturbation amplitudes, and equations of state. Three significantly different outcomes resulted: (1) contraction without sustained collapse, forming a denser cloud core; (2) collapse to form a single protostar with significant spiral arms; and (3) collapse and fragmentation into binary or multiple protostar systems, with multiple spiral arms. Comparisons are also made with previous MHD calculations of similar clouds with a barotropic equations of state. These results for the collapse of initially uniform density spheres illustrate the central importance of both magnetic field direction and field strength for determining the outcome of dynamic protostellar collapse.

3D equilibrium codes for mirror machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, T.B.

1983-01-01

The codes developed for cumputing three-dimensional guiding center equilibria for quadrupole tandem mirrors are discussed. TEBASCO (Tandem equilibrium and ballooning stability code) is a code developed at LLNL that uses a further expansion of the paraxial equilibrium equation in powers of β (plasma pressure/magnetic pressure). It has been used to guide the design of the TMX-U and MFTF-B experiments at Livermore. Its principal weakness is its perturbative nature, which renders its validity for high-β calculation open to question. In order to compute high-β equilibria, the reduced MHD technique that has been proven useful for determining toroidal equilibria was adapted to the tandem mirror geometry. In this approach, the paraxial expansion of the MHD equations yields a set of coupled nonlinear equations of motion valid for arbitrary β, that are solved as an initial-value problem. Two particular formulations have been implemented in computer codes developed at NYU/Kyoto U and LLNL. They differ primarily in the type of grid, the location of the lateral boundary and the damping techniques employed, and in the method of calculating pressure-balance equilibrium. Discussions on these codes are presented in this paper. (Kato, T.)

MHD Ballooning Instability in the Plasma Sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Zaharia, S.

2003-01-01

Based on the ideal-MHD model the stability of ballooning modes is investigated by employing realistic 3D magnetospheric equilibria, in particular for the substorm growth phase. Previous MHD ballooning stability calculations making use of approximations on the plasma compressibility can give rise to erroneous conclusions. Our results show that without making approximations on the plasma compressibility the MHD ballooning modes are unstable for the entire plasma sheet where beta (sub)eq is greater than or equal to 1, and the most unstable modes are located in the strong cross-tail current sheet region in the near-Earth plasma sheet, which maps to the initial brightening location of the breakup arc in the ionosphere. However, the MHD beq threshold is too low in comparison with observations by AMPTE/CCE at X = -(8 - 9)R(sub)E, which show that a low-frequency instability is excited only when beq increases over 50. The difficulty is mitigated by considering the kinetic effects of ion gyrorad ii and trapped electron dynamics, which can greatly increase the stabilizing effects of field line tension and thus enhance the beta(sub)eq threshold [Cheng and Lui, 1998]. The consequence is to reduce the equatorial region of the unstable ballooning modes to the strong cross-tail current sheet region where the free energy associated with the plasma pressure gradient and magnetic field curvature is maximum

Linear MHD stability analysis of post-disruption plasmas in ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aleynikova, K., E-mail: ksenia.aleynikova@gmail.com [EURATOM Association, Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (Germany); Huijsmans, G. T. A. [ITER Organization (France); Aleynikov, P. [EURATOM Association, Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (Germany)

2016-05-15

Most of the plasma current can be replaced by a runaway electron (RE) current during plasma disruptions in ITER. In this case the post-disruption plasma current profile is likely to be more peaked than the pre-disruption profile. The MHD activity of such plasma will affect the runaway electron generation and confinement and the dynamics of the plasma position evolution (Vertical Displacement Event), limiting the timeframe for runaway electrons and disruption mitigation. In the present paper, we evaluate the influence of the possible RE seed current parameters on the onset of the MHD instabilities. By varying the RE seed current profile, we search for subsequent plasma evolutions with the highest and the lowest MHD activity. This information can be applied to a development of desirable ITER disruption scenario.

Numerical study of the unstable MHD spectrum of a small aspect ratio, flat current, non-circular tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, D.; Bernard, L.C.; Gruber, R.; Troyon, F.

1980-01-01

The Lausanne ideal MHD stability code ERATO is used to investigate spectral properties of Solovev's equilibrium at small aspect ratios. Two different elongations are considered. Both free and rigid boundary models are computed and compared. Modes characterized by a large radial extension have been found which appear to be due to coupling of m=1 and m=2 modes due to toricity. The internal modes spectrum is compared with the predictions of the full Mercier criterion, taking into account its spatial dependence, and with the ballooning modes stability criterion. (Auth.)

Trellises for stabilizer codes: Definition and uses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ollivier, Harold; Tillich, Jean-Pierre

2006-01-01

Trellises play an important theoretical and practical role for classical codes. Their main utility is to devise complexity-efficient error estimation algorithms. Here, we describe trellis representations for quantum stabilizer codes. We show that they share the same properties as their classical analogs. In particular, for any stabilizer code it is possible to find a minimal trellis representation. Our construction is illustrated by two fundamental error estimation algorithms

Trapped particle stability for the kinetic stabilizer

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, H. L.; Pratt, J.

2011-08-01

A kinetically stabilized axially symmetric tandem mirror (KSTM) uses the momentum flux of low-energy, unconfined particles that sample only the outer end-regions of the mirror plugs, where large favourable field-line curvature exists. The window of operation is determined for achieving magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability with tolerable energy drain from the kinetic stabilizer. Then MHD stable systems are analysed for stability of the trapped particle mode. This mode is characterized by the detachment of the central-cell plasma from the kinetic-stabilizer region without inducing field-line bending. Stability of the trapped particle mode is sensitive to the electron connection between the stabilizer and the end plug. It is found that the stability condition for the trapped particle mode is more constraining than the stability condition for the MHD mode, and it is challenging to satisfy the required power constraint. Furthermore, a severe power drain may arise from the necessary connection of low-energy electrons in the kinetic stabilizer to the central region.

Development of the PARVMEC Code for Rapid Analysis of 3D MHD Equilibrium

Science.gov (United States)

Seal, Sudip; Hirshman, Steven; Cianciosa, Mark; Wingen, Andreas; Unterberg, Ezekiel; Wilcox, Robert; ORNL Collaboration

2015-11-01

The VMEC three-dimensional (3D) MHD equilibrium has been used extensively for designing stellarator experiments and analyzing experimental data in such strongly 3D systems. Recent applications of VMEC include 2D systems such as tokamaks (in particular, the D3D experiment), where application of very small (delB/B ~ 10-3) 3D resonant magnetic field perturbations render the underlying assumption of axisymmetry invalid. In order to facilitate the rapid analysis of such equilibria (for example, for reconstruction purposes), we have undertaken the task of parallelizing the VMEC code (PARVMEC) to produce a scalable and temporally rapidly convergent equilibrium code for use on parallel distributed memory platforms. The parallelization task naturally splits into three distinct parts 1) radial surfaces in the fixed-boundary part of the calculation; 2) two 2D angular meshes needed to compute the Green's function integrals over the plasma boundary for the free-boundary part of the code; and 3) block tridiagonal matrix needed to compute the full (3D) pre-conditioner near the final equilibrium state. Preliminary results show that scalability is achieved for tasks 1 and 3, with task 2 still nearing completion. The impact of this work on the rapid reconstruction of D3D plasmas using PARVMEC in the V3FIT code will be discussed. Work supported by U.S. DOE under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.

Generalized reduced MHD equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruger, S.E.; Hegna, C.C.; Callen, J.D.

1998-07-01

A new derivation of reduced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations is presented. A multiple-time-scale expansion is employed. It has the advantage of clearly separating the three time scales of the problem associated with (1) MHD equilibrium, (2) fluctuations whose wave vector is aligned perpendicular to the magnetic field, and (3) those aligned parallel to the magnetic field. The derivation is carried out without relying on a large aspect ratio assumption; therefore this model can be applied to any general toroidal configuration. By accounting for the MHD equilibrium and constraints to eliminate the fast perpendicular waves, equations are derived to evolve scalar potential quantities on a time scale associated with the parallel wave vector (shear-alfven wave time scale), which is the time scale of interest for MHD instability studies. Careful attention is given in the derivation to satisfy energy conservation and to have manifestly divergence-free magnetic fields to all orders in the expansion parameter. Additionally, neoclassical closures and equilibrium shear flow effects are easily accounted for in this model. Equations for the inner resistive layer are derived which reproduce the linear ideal and resistive stability criterion of Glasser, Greene, and Johnson

An MHD Dynamo Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, R.; Forest, C. B.; Plard, F.; Kendrick, R.; Lovell, T.; Thomas, M.; Bonazza, R.; Jensen, T.; Politzer, P.; Gerritsen, W.; McDowell, M.

1997-11-01

A MHD experiment is being constructed which will have the possibility of showing dynamo action: the self--generation of currents from fluid motion. The design allows sufficient experimental flexibility and diagnostic access to study a variety of issues central to dynamo theory, including mean--field electrodynamics and saturation (backreaction physics). Initially, helical flows required for dynamo action will be driven by propellers embedded in liquid sodium. The flow fields will first be measured using laser doppler velocimetry in a water experiment with an identical fluid Reynolds number. The magnetic field evolution will then be predicted using a MHD code, replacing the water with sodium; if growing magnetic fields are found, the experiment will be repeated with sodium.

MHD stability analysis of axisymmetric surface current model tokamaks close to the spheromak regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honma, Toshihisa; Kaji, Ikuo; Fukai, Ichiro; Kito, Masafumi.

1984-01-01

In the toroidal coordinates, a stability analysis is presented for very low-aspect-ratio tokamaks with circular cross section which is described by a surface current model (SCM) of axisymmetric equilibria. The energy principle determining the stability of plasma is treated without any expansion of aspect ratio. Numerical results show that, owing to the occurrence of the non-axisymmetric (n=1) unstable modes, there exists no MHD-stable ideal SCM spheromak characterized by zero external toroidal vacuum field. Instead, a stable spheromak-type plasma which comes to the ideal SCM spheromak is provided by the configuration with a very weak external toroidal field. Close to the spheromak regime (1.0 1 aspect ratio< = 1.1), the minimum safety factor and the critical β-values increase mo notonically with aspect ratio decreasing from a large value, and curves of βsub(p) versus β in the marginal stability approach to an ideal SCM spheromak line βsub(p)=β. (author)

A Fast MHD Code for Gravitationally Stratified Media using ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

namic (MHD) algorithms are important for numerical modelling of highly .... include OpenMP-style pragma-based programming, e.g., developed by PGI, HMPP, .... Thus, the formula (10) returns the one-dimensional index for a field point. A.

Evaluation of MHD materials for use in high-temperature fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guidotti, R.

1978-06-15

The MHD and high-temperature fuel cell literature was surveyed for data pertaining to materials properties in order to identify materials used in MHD power generation which also might be suitable for component use in high-temperature fuel cells. Classes of MHD-electrode materials evaluated include carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides, composites, and oxides. Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/-stabilized ZrO/sub 2/ used as a reference point to evaluate materials for use in the solid-oxide fuel cell. Physical and chemical properties such as electrical resistivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermodynamic stability toward oxidation were used to screen candidate materials. A number of the non-oxide ceramic MHD-electrode materials appear promising for use in the solid-electrolyte and molten-carbonate fuel cell as anodes or anode constituents. The MHD-insulator materials appear suitable candidates for electrolyte-support tiles in the molten-carbonate fuel cells. The merits and possible problem areas for these applications are discussed and additional needed areas of research are delineated.

MHD thrust vectoring of a rocket engine

Science.gov (United States)

Labaune, Julien; Packan, Denis; Tholin, Fabien; Chemartin, Laurent; Stillace, Thierry; Masson, Frederic

2016-09-01

In this work, the possibility to use MagnetoHydroDynamics (MHD) to vectorize the thrust of a solid propellant rocket engine exhaust is investigated. Using a magnetic field for vectoring offers a mass gain and a reusability advantage compared to standard gimbaled, elastomer-joint systems. Analytical and numerical models were used to evaluate the flow deviation with a 1 Tesla magnetic field inside the nozzle. The fluid flow in the resistive MHD approximation is calculated using the KRONOS code from ONERA, coupling the hypersonic CFD platform CEDRE and the electrical code SATURNE from EDF. A critical parameter of these simulations is the electrical conductivity, which was evaluated using a set of equilibrium calculations with 25 species. Two models were used: local thermodynamic equilibrium and frozen flow. In both cases, chlorine captures a large fraction of free electrons, limiting the electrical conductivity to a value inadequate for thrust vectoring applications. However, when using chlorine-free propergols with 1% in mass of alkali, an MHD thrust vectoring of several degrees was obtained.

Stability of ideal MHD configurations. I. Realizing the generality of the G operator

Science.gov (United States)

Keppens, R.; Demaerel, T.

2016-12-01

A field theoretical approach, applied to the time-reversible system described by the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, exposes the full generality of MHD spectral theory. MHD spectral theory, which classified waves and instabilities of static or stationary, usually axisymmetric or translationally symmetric configurations, actually governs the stability of flowing, (self-)gravitating, single fluid descriptions of nonlinear, time-dependent idealized plasmas, and this at any time during their nonlinear evolution. At the core of this theory is a self-adjoint operator G , discovered by Frieman and Rotenberg [Rev. Mod. Phys. 32, 898 (1960)] in its application to stationary (i.e., time-independent) plasma states. This Frieman-Rotenberg operator dictates the acceleration identified by a Lagrangian displacement field ξ , which connects two ideal MHD states in four-dimensional space-time that share initial conditions for density, entropy, and magnetic field. The governing equation reads /d 2 ξ d t 2 = G [ ξ ] , as first noted by Cotsaftis and Newcomb [Nucl. Fusion, Suppl. Part 2, 447 and 451 (1962)]. The time derivatives at left are to be taken in the Lagrangian way, i.e., moving with the flow v. Physically realizable displacements must have finite energy, corresponding to being square integrable in the Hilbert space of displacements equipped with an inner product rule, for which the G operator is self-adjoint. The acceleration in the left-hand side features the Doppler-Coriolis operator v . ∇ , which is known to become an antisymmetric operator when restricting attention to stationary equilibria. Here, we present all derivations needed to get to these insights and connect results throughout the literature. A first illustration elucidates what can happen when self-gravity is incorporated and presents aspects that have been overlooked even in simple uniform media. Ideal MHD flows, as well as Euler flows, have essentially 6 + 1 wave types, where the 6 wave modes

Critical bias fields for tilting stability in the BETA-II experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalhed, H.E.

1981-01-01

The PEST equilibrium code and the GATO ideal MHD stability code have been modified to study stability properties of Spheromak configurations. Of particular interest is the effect on tilting modes of perfectly conducting walls which do not link the plasma. This paper makes use of equilibria and conducting walls specifically designed to model the BETA-II experiment at LLNL. Onset of the tilting mode is determined as a function of the bias magnetic field. Comparison with available experimental data shows promising agreement with the numerical results

Ballooning Stability of the Compact Quasiaxially Symmetric Stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redi, M.H.; Canik, J.; Dewar, R.L.; Johnson, J.L.; Klasky, S.; Cooper, W.A.; Kerbichler, W.

2001-01-01

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) ballooning stability of a compact, quasiaxially symmetric stellarator (QAS), expected to achieve good stability and particle confinement is examined with a method that can lead to estimates of global stability. Making use of fully 3D, ideal-MHD stability codes, the QAS beta is predicted to be limited above 4% by ballooning and high-n kink modes. Here MHD stability is analyzed through the calculation and examination of the ballooning mode eigenvalue isosurfaces in the 3-space [s, alpha, theta(subscript ''k'')]; s is the edge normalized toroidal flux, alpha is the field line variable, and theta(subscript ''k'') is the perpendicular wave vector or ballooning parameter. Broken symmetry, i.e., deviations from axisymmetry, in the stellarator magnetic field geometry causes localization of the ballooning mode eigenfunction, with new types of nonsymmetric, eigenvalue isosurfaces in both the stable and unstable spectrum. The isosurfaces around the most unstable points i n parameter space (well above marginal) are topologically spherical. In such cases, attempts to use ray tracing to construct global ballooning modes lead to a k-space runaway. Introduction of a reflecting cutoff in k(perpendicular) to model numerical truncation or finite Larmor radius (FLR) yields chaotic ray paths ergodically filling the allowed phase space, indicating that the global spectrum must be described using the language of quantum chaos theory. However, the isosurface for marginal stability in the cases studied are found to have a more complex topology, making estimation of FLR stabilization more difficult

Kinetic Modifications to MHD Phenomena in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Kramer, G.J.; Fredrickson, E.

2004-01-01

Particle kinetic effects involving small spatial and fast temporal scales can strongly affect MHD phenomena and the long time behavior of plasmas. In particular, kinetic effects such as finite ion gyroradii, trapped particle dynamics, and wave-particle resonances have been shown to greatly modify the stability of MHD modes. Here, the kinetic effects of trapped electron dynamics and finite ion gyroradii are shown to have a large stabilizing effect on kinetic ballooning modes in low aspect ratio toroidal plasmas such as NSTX [National Spherical Torus Experiment]. We also present the analysis of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) destabilized by fast neutral-beam injected ions in NSTX experiments and TAE stability in ITER due to alpha-particles and MeV negatively charged neutral beam injected ions

Feedback stabilization initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

Much progress has been made in attaining high confinement regimes in magnetic confinement devices. These operating modes tend to be transient, however, due to the onset of MHD instabilities, and their stabilization is critical for improved performance at steady state. This report describes the Feedback Stabilization Initiative (FSI), a broad-based, multi-institutional effort to develop and implement methods for raising the achievable plasma betas through active MHD feedback stabilization. A key element in this proposed effort is the Feedback Stabilization Experiment (FSX), a medium-sized, national facility that would be specifically dedicated to demonstrating beta improvement in reactor relevant plasmas by using a variety of MHD feedback stabilization schemes

Feedback stabilization initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

Much progress has been made in attaining high confinement regimes in magnetic confinement devices. These operating modes tend to be transient, however, due to the onset of MHD instabilities, and their stabilization is critical for improved performance at steady state. This report describes the Feedback Stabilization Initiative (FSI), a broad-based, multi-institutional effort to develop and implement methods for raising the achievable plasma betas through active MHD feedback stabilization. A key element in this proposed effort is the Feedback Stabilization Experiment (FSX), a medium-sized, national facility that would be specifically dedicated to demonstrating beta improvement in reactor relevant plasmas by using a variety of MHD feedback stabilization schemes.

Effects of centrifugal modification of magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium on resistive wall mode stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiraishi, J.; Aiba, N.; Miyato, N.; Yagi, M.

2014-01-01

Toroidal rotation effects are self-consistently taken into account not only in the linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability analysis but also in the equilibrium calculation. The MHD equilibrium computation is affected by centrifugal force due to the toroidal rotation. To study the toroidal rotation effects on resistive wall modes (RWMs), a new code has been developed. The RWMaC modules, which solve the electromagnetic dynamics in vacuum and the resistive wall, have been implemented in the MINERVA code, which solves the Frieman–Rotenberg equation that describes the linear ideal MHD dynamics in a rotating plasma. It is shown that modification of MHD equilibrium by the centrifugal force significantly reduces growth rates of RWMs with fast rotation in the order of M 2  = 0.1 where M is the Mach number. Moreover, it can open a stable window which does not exist under the assumption that the rotation affects only the linear dynamics. The rotation modifies the equilibrium pressure gradient and current density profiles, which results in the change of potential energy including rotational effects. (paper)

Module description of TOKAMAK equilibrium code MEUDAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Masaei; Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Matsumoto, Taro; Ozeki, Takahisa

2002-01-01

The analysis of an axisymmetric MHD equilibrium serves as a foundation of TOKAMAK researches, such as a design of devices and theoretical research, the analysis of experiment result. For this reason, also in JAERI, an efficient MHD analysis code has been developed from start of TOKAMAK research. The free boundary equilibrium code ''MEUDAS'' which uses both the DCR method (Double-Cyclic-Reduction Method) and a Green's function can specify the pressure and the current distribution arbitrarily, and has been applied to the analysis of a broad physical subject as a code having rapidity and high precision. Also the MHD convergence calculation technique in ''MEUDAS'' has been built into various newly developed codes. This report explains in detail each module in ''MEUDAS'' for performing convergence calculation in solving the MHD equilibrium. (author)

Pseudo-MHD ballooning modes in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.; Hegna, C.C.

1996-08-01

The MHD description of a plasma is extended to allow electrons to have both fluid-like and adiabatic-regime responses within an instability eigenmode. In the resultant open-quotes pseudo-MHDclose quotes model, magnetic field line bending is reduced in the adiabatic electron regime. This makes possible a new class of ballooning-type, long parallel extent, MHD-like instabilities in tokamak plasmas for α > s 2 (2 7/3 /9) (r p /R 0 ) or-d√Β/dr > (2 1/6 /3)(s/ R 0q ), which is well below the ideal-MHD stability boundary. The marginally stable pressure profile is similar in both magnitude and shape to that observed in ohmically heated tokamak plasmas

H-mode edge stability of Alcator C-mod plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mossessian, D.A.; Hubbard, A.; Hughes, J.W.; Greenwald, M.; LaBombard, B.; Snipes, J.A.; Wolfe, S.; Snyder, P.; Wilson, H.; Xu, X.; Nevins, W.

2003-01-01

For steady state H-mode operation, a relaxation mechanism is required to limit build-up of the edge gradient and impurity content. C-Mod sees two such mechanisms - EDA and grassy ELMs, but not large type I ELMs. In EDA the edge relaxation is provided by an edge localized quasi coherent electromagnetic mode that exists at moderate pedestal temperature T 3.5 and does not limit the build up of the edge pressure gradient. The mode is not observed in the ideal MHD stability analysis, but is recorded in the nonlinear real geometry fluctuations modeling based on fluid equations and is thus tentatively identified as a resistive ballooning mode. At high edge pressure gradients and temperatures the mode is replaced by broadband fluctuations (f< 50 kHz) and small irregular ELMs are observed. Based on ideal MHD calculations that include the effects of edge bootstrap current, these ELMs are identified as medium n (10 < n < 50) coupled peeling/ballooning modes. The stability thresholds, its dependence on the plasma shape and the modes structure are studied experimentally and with the linear MHD stability code ELITE. (author)

Local stabilizer codes in three dimensions without string logical operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haah, Jeongwan

2011-01-01

We suggest concrete models for self-correcting quantum memory by reporting examples of local stabilizer codes in 3D that have no string logical operators. Previously known local stabilizer codes in 3D all have stringlike logical operators, which make the codes non-self-correcting. We introduce a notion of ''logical string segments'' to avoid difficulties in defining one-dimensional objects in discrete lattices. We prove that every stringlike logical operator of our code can be deformed to a disjoint union of short segments, each of which is in the stabilizer group. The code has surfacelike logical operators whose partial implementation has unsatisfied stabilizers along its boundary.

Universal Fault-Tolerant Gates on Concatenated Stabilizer Codes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theodore J. Yoder

2016-09-01

Full Text Available It is an oft-cited fact that no quantum code can support a set of fault-tolerant logical gates that is both universal and transversal. This no-go theorem is generally responsible for the interest in alternative universality constructions including magic state distillation. Widely overlooked, however, is the possibility of nontransversal, yet still fault-tolerant, gates that work directly on small quantum codes. Here, we demonstrate precisely the existence of such gates. In particular, we show how the limits of nontransversality can be overcome by performing rounds of intermediate error correction to create logical gates on stabilizer codes that use no ancillas other than those required for syndrome measurement. Moreover, the logical gates we construct, the most prominent examples being Toffoli and controlled-controlled-Z, often complete universal gate sets on their codes. We detail such universal constructions for the smallest quantum codes, the 5-qubit and 7-qubit codes, and then proceed to generalize the approach. One remarkable result of this generalization is that any nondegenerate stabilizer code with a complete set of fault-tolerant single-qubit Clifford gates has a universal set of fault-tolerant gates. Another is the interaction of logical qubits across different stabilizer codes, which, for instance, implies a broadly applicable method of code switching.

MHD simulations on an unstructured mesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, H.R.; Park, W.

1996-01-01

We describe work on a full MHD code using an unstructured mesh. MH3D++ is an extension of the PPPL MH3D resistive full MHD code. MH3D++ replaces the structured mesh and finite difference / fourier discretization of MH3D with an unstructured mesh and finite element / fourier discretization. Low level routines which perform differential operations, solution of PDEs such as Poisson's equation, and graphics, are encapsulated in C++ objects to isolate the finite element operations from the higher level code. The high level code is the same, whether it is run in structured or unstructured mesh versions. This allows the unstructured mesh version to be benchmarked against the structured mesh version. As a preliminary example, disruptions in DIIID reverse shear equilibria are studied numerically with the MH3D++ code. Numerical equilibria were first produced starting with an EQDSK file containing equilibrium data of a DIII-D L-mode negative central shear discharge. Using these equilibria, the linearized equations are time advanced to get the toroidal mode number n = 1 linear growth rate and eigenmode, which is resistively unstable. The equilibrium and linear mode are used to initialize 3D nonlinear runs. An example shows poloidal slices of 3D pressure surfaces: initially, on the left, and at an intermediate time, on the right

A kinetic-MHD model for low frequency phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1991-07-01

A hybrid kinetic-MHD model for describing low-frequency phenomena in high beta anisotropic plasmas that consist of two components: a low energy core component and an energetic component with low density. The kinetic-MHD model treats the low energy core component by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) description, the energetic component by kinetic approach such as the gyrokinetic equation, and the coupling between the dynamics of these two components through plasma pressure in the momentum equation. The kinetic-MHD model optimizes both the physics contents and the theoretical efforts in studying low frequency MHD waves and transport phenomena in general magnetic field geometries, and can be easily modified to include the core plasma kinetic effects if necessary. It is applicable to any magnetized collisionless plasma system where the parallel electric field effects are negligibly small. In the linearized limit two coupled eigenmode equations for describing the coupling between the transverse Alfven type and the compressional Alfven type waves are derived. The eigenmode equations are identical to those derived from the full gyrokinetic equation in the low frequency limit and were previously analyzed both analytically nd numerically to obtain the eigenmode structure of the drift mirror instability which explains successfully the multi-satellite observation of antisymmetric field-aligned structure of the compressional magnetic field of Pc 5 waves in the magnetospheric ring current plasma. Finally, a quadratic form is derived to demonstrate the stability of the low-frequency transverse and compressional Alfven type instabilities in terms of the pressure anisotropy parameter τ and the magnetic field curvature-pressure gradient parameter. A procedure for determining the stability of a marginally stable MHD wave due to wave-particle resonances is also presented

Nonlinear evolution of MHD instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, G.; Hicks, H.R.; Wooten, J.W.; Dory, R.A.

1975-01-01

A 3-D nonlinear MHD computer code was used to study the time evolution of internal instabilities. Velocity vortex cells are observed to persist into the nonlinear evolution. Pressure and density profiles convect around these cells for a weak localized instability, or convect into the wall for a strong instability. (U.S.)

Modeling extreme (Carrington-type) space weather events using three-dimensional MHD code simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Ngwira, C. M.; Pulkkinen, A. A.; Kuznetsova, M. M.; Glocer, A.

2013-12-01

There is growing concern over possible severe societal consequences related to adverse space weather impacts on man-made technological infrastructure and systems. In the last two decades, significant progress has been made towards the modeling of space weather events. Three-dimensional (3-D) global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) models have been at the forefront of this transition, and have played a critical role in advancing our understanding of space weather. However, the modeling of extreme space weather events is still a major challenge even for existing global MHD models. In this study, we introduce a specially adapted University of Michigan 3-D global MHD model for simulating extreme space weather events that have a ground footprint comparable (or larger) to the Carrington superstorm. Results are presented for an initial simulation run with ``very extreme'' constructed/idealized solar wind boundary conditions driving the magnetosphere. In particular, we describe the reaction of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system and the associated ground induced geoelectric field to such extreme driving conditions. We also discuss the results and what they might mean for the accuracy of the simulations. The model is further tested using input data for an observed space weather event to verify the MHD model consistence and to draw guidance for future work. This extreme space weather MHD model is designed specifically for practical application to the modeling of extreme geomagnetically induced electric fields, which can drive large currents in earth conductors such as power transmission grids.

An analytical demonstration of coupling schemes between magnetohydrodynamic codes and eddy current codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yueqiang; Albanese, R.; Rubinacci, G.; Portone, A.; Villone, F.

2008-01-01

In order to model a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability that strongly couples to external conducting structures (walls and/or coils) in a fusion device, it is often necessary to combine a MHD code solving for the plasma response, with an eddy current code computing the fields and currents of conductors. We present a rigorous proof of the coupling schemes between these two types of codes. One of the coupling schemes has been introduced and implemented in the CARMA code [R. Albanese, Y. Q. Liu, A. Portone, G. Rubinacci, and F. Villone, IEEE Trans. Magn. 44, 1654 (2008); A. Portone, F. Villone, Y. Q. Liu, R. Albanese, and G. Rubinacci, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 50, 085004 (2008)] that couples the MHD code MARS-F[Y. Q. Liu, A. Bondeson, C. M. Fransson, B. Lennartson, and C. Breitholtz, Phys. Plasmas 7, 3681 (2000)] and the eddy current code CARIDDI[R. Albanese and G. Rubinacci, Adv. Imaging Electron Phys. 102, 1 (1998)]. While the coupling schemes are described for a general toroidal geometry, we give the analytical proof for a cylindrical plasma.

Effect of Trapped Energetic Ions on MHD Activity in Spherical Tori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.B.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Marchenko, V.S.

2002-01-01

It is shown that the increase of beta (the ratio of plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure) may change the character of the influence of trapped energetic ions on MHD stability in spherical tori. Namely, the energetic ions, which stabilize MHD modes (such as the ideal-kink mode, collisionless tearing mode, and semi-collisional tearing mode) at low beta, have a destabilizing influence at high beta unless the radial distribution of the energetic ions is very peaked

Ideal MHD stability of internal kinks in circular and shaped tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luetjens, H.; Bondeson, A.; Vlad, G.

1992-04-01

Stability limits for the internal kink mode in tokamaks are calculated for different current profiles and plasma cross sections using ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The maximum stable poloidal beta at the q = 1 surface (β p ) is sensitive to the current profile, but for circular cross sections, it is typically between 0.1 and 0.2. Large aspect ratio theory gives similar predictions when the appropriate boundary conditions are applied at the plasma-vacuum surface. The pressure driven internal kink is significantly destabilized by ellipticity. For JET geometry, the β p -limit is typically between 0.05 and 0.1, but arbitrarily low limits can result if the shear is reduced at the q=1 surface. A large aspect ratio expansion of the Mercier criterion retaining the effects of ellipticity and triangularity is given to illustrate the destabilizing influence of ellipticity. (author) 17 figs., 16 refs

MHD simulations on an unstructured mesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, H.R.; Park, W.; Belova, E.; Fu, G.Y.; Sugiyama, L.E.

1998-01-01

Two reasons for using an unstructured computational mesh are adaptivity, and alignment with arbitrarily shaped boundaries. Two codes which use finite element discretization on an unstructured mesh are described. FEM3D solves 2D and 3D RMHD using an adaptive grid. MH3D++, which incorporates methods of FEM3D into the MH3D generalized MHD code, can be used with shaped boundaries, which might be 3D

Numerical study of MHD supersonic flow control

Science.gov (United States)

Ryakhovskiy, A. I.; Schmidt, A. A.

2017-11-01

Supersonic MHD flow around a blunted body with a constant external magnetic field has been simulated for a number of geometries as well as a range of the flow parameters. Solvers based on Balbas-Tadmor MHD schemes and HLLC-Roe Godunov-type method have been developed within the OpenFOAM framework. The stability of the solution varies depending on the intensity of magnetic interaction The obtained solutions show the potential of MHD flow control and provide insights into for the development of the flow control system. The analysis of the results proves the applicability of numerical schemes, that are being used in the solvers. A number of ways to improve both the mathematical model of the process and the developed solvers are proposed.

MHD limits in non-inductive tokamak plasmas: simulations and comparison to experiments on Tore Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maget, P.; Huysmans, G.; Ottaviani, M.; Garbet, X.; Moreau, Ph.; Segui, J.-L.; Luetjens, H.

2008-01-01

Non-inductive tokamak discharges with a flat or hollow current profile are prone to the triggering of large tearing modes when the minimum of the safety factor is just below a low order rational. This issue is of particular importance for discussing the optimal safety factor for MHD modes avoidance in Steady-State reactor plasmas. Different non-linear regimes of such magnetic configurations in Tore Supra are studied using the full MHD code XTOR. Numerical simulations show that the non-linear stage of the Double-Tearing Mode (DTM) is governed by the full reconnection model, but a single tearing mode in a low magnetic shear configuration can have a similar impact on the confinement. The different regimes observed experimentally are recovered in the simulations: a small amplitude (2,1) DTM for close resonant surfaces as seen in Tore Supra, a sawtooth-like behaviour of the (2,1) Double-Tearing Mode as first seen in TFTR, or a large amplitude (2,1) tearing mode that severely degrades the energy confinement, as reported in Tore Supra, JET or DIII-D. Situations where q min ≅1.5 with a stable n = 1 mode, as seen in Tore Supra longest discharges, seem to put specific constraints on the MHD model that is used. Indeed, curvature stabilisation without transport terms as could explain linear stability, but such effect vanishes in presence of heat transport. Electron diamagnetic rotation effect is investigated as a possible mechanism for n = 1 mode stabilization.

Macroscopic plasma properties and stability theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakanaka, P.H.

1981-01-01

1. Two-fluid equations: (a) Boltzmann equation: complete set of equations; collision models - Vlasov, BGK, Fokker-Planck-Landau, Boltzmann. (b) Moments of the Boltzmann equation: problem of closure. (c) Two-fluid equations. 2. One-fluid equation: (a) One-fluid variables. (b) One-fluid equations: quasi-neutrality. (c) Resistive MHD equations. (d) Ideal MHD equations: one-adiabatic approximation; double-adiabatic approximation - CGL. 3. MHD stability problem - energy principle: (a) Linearized ideal MHD equations: force-operator equation. (b) Boundary conditions. (c) Self-adjointness of force operator. (d) The energy principle. 4. Stability problems: application of the energy principle; stability of sharp-boundary plasmas. 5. Thermodynamic approach for stability of plasmas: Newcomb and Rosenbluth's stability criteria. (author)

Module description of TOKAMAK equilibrium code MEUDAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, Masaei; Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Matsumoto, Taro; Ozeki, Takahisa [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment

2002-01-01

The analysis of an axisymmetric MHD equilibrium serves as a foundation of TOKAMAK researches, such as a design of devices and theoretical research, the analysis of experiment result. For this reason, also in JAERI, an efficient MHD analysis code has been developed from start of TOKAMAK research. The free boundary equilibrium code ''MEUDAS'' which uses both the DCR method (Double-Cyclic-Reduction Method) and a Green's function can specify the pressure and the current distribution arbitrarily, and has been applied to the analysis of a broad physical subject as a code having rapidity and high precision. Also the MHD convergence calculation technique in ''MEUDAS'' has been built into various newly developed codes. This report explains in detail each module in ''MEUDAS'' for performing convergence calculation in solving the MHD equilibrium. (author)

Safety and reliability in superconducting MHD magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laverick, C.; Powell, J.; Hsieh, S.; Reich, M.; Botts, T.; Prodell, A.

1979-07-01

This compilation adapts studies on safety and reliability in fusion magnets to similar problems in superconducting MHD magnets. MHD base load magnet requirements have been identified from recent Francis Bitter National Laboratory reports and that of other contracts. Information relevant to this subject in recent base load magnet design reports for AVCO - Everett Research Laboratories and Magnetic Corporation of America is included together with some viewpoints from a BNL workshop on structural analysis needed for superconducting coils in magnetic fusion energy. A summary of design codes used in large bubble chamber magnet design is also included

HPC parallel programming model for gyrokinetic MHD simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitou, Hiroshi; Yamada, Yusuke; Tokuda, Shinji; Ishii, Yasutomo; Yagi, Masatoshi

2011-01-01

The 3-dimensional gyrokinetic PIC (particle-in-cell) code for MHD simulation, Gpic-MHD, was installed on SR16000 (“Plasma Simulator”), which is a scalar cluster system consisting of 8,192 logical cores. The Gpic-MHD code advances particle and field quantities in time. In order to distribute calculations over large number of logical cores, the total simulation domain in cylindrical geometry was broken up into N DD-r × N DD-z (number of radial decomposition times number of axial decomposition) small domains including approximately the same number of particles. The axial direction was uniformly decomposed, while the radial direction was non-uniformly decomposed. N RP replicas (copies) of each decomposed domain were used (“particle decomposition”). The hybrid parallelization model of multi-threads and multi-processes was employed: threads were parallelized by the auto-parallelization and N DD-r × N DD-z × N RP processes were parallelized by MPI (message-passing interface). The parallelization performance of Gpic-MHD was investigated for the medium size system of N r × N θ × N z = 1025 × 128 × 128 mesh with 4.196 or 8.192 billion particles. The highest speed for the fixed number of logical cores was obtained for two threads, the maximum number of N DD-z , and optimum combination of N DD-r and N RP . The observed optimum speeds demonstrated good scaling up to 8,192 logical cores. (author)

Acceleration of the OpenFOAM-based MHD solver using graphics processing units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Qingyun; Chen, Hongli; Feng, Jingchao

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A 3D PISO-MHD was implemented on Kepler-class graphics processing units (GPUs) using CUDA technology. • A consistent and conservative scheme is used in the code which was validated by three basic benchmarks in a rectangular and round ducts. • Parallelized of CPU and GPU acceleration were compared relating to single core CPU in MHD problems and non-MHD problems. • Different preconditions for solving MHD solver were compared and the results showed that AMG method is better for calculations. - Abstract: The pressure-implicit with splitting of operators (PISO) magnetohydrodynamics MHD solver of the couple of Navier–Stokes equations and Maxwell equations was implemented on Kepler-class graphics processing units (GPUs) using the CUDA technology. The solver is developed on open source code OpenFOAM based on consistent and conservative scheme which is suitable for simulating MHD flow under strong magnetic field in fusion liquid metal blanket with structured or unstructured mesh. We verified the validity of the implementation on several standard cases including the benchmark I of Shercliff and Hunt's cases, benchmark II of fully developed circular pipe MHD flow cases and benchmark III of KIT experimental case. Computational performance of the GPU implementation was examined by comparing its double precision run times with those of essentially the same algorithms and meshes. The resulted showed that a GPU (GTX 770) can outperform a server-class 4-core, 8-thread CPU (Intel Core i7-4770k) by a factor of 2 at least.

Acceleration of the OpenFOAM-based MHD solver using graphics processing units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Qingyun; Chen, Hongli, E-mail: hlchen1@ustc.edu.cn; Feng, Jingchao

2015-12-15

Highlights: • A 3D PISO-MHD was implemented on Kepler-class graphics processing units (GPUs) using CUDA technology. • A consistent and conservative scheme is used in the code which was validated by three basic benchmarks in a rectangular and round ducts. • Parallelized of CPU and GPU acceleration were compared relating to single core CPU in MHD problems and non-MHD problems. • Different preconditions for solving MHD solver were compared and the results showed that AMG method is better for calculations. - Abstract: The pressure-implicit with splitting of operators (PISO) magnetohydrodynamics MHD solver of the couple of Navier–Stokes equations and Maxwell equations was implemented on Kepler-class graphics processing units (GPUs) using the CUDA technology. The solver is developed on open source code OpenFOAM based on consistent and conservative scheme which is suitable for simulating MHD flow under strong magnetic field in fusion liquid metal blanket with structured or unstructured mesh. We verified the validity of the implementation on several standard cases including the benchmark I of Shercliff and Hunt's cases, benchmark II of fully developed circular pipe MHD flow cases and benchmark III of KIT experimental case. Computational performance of the GPU implementation was examined by comparing its double precision run times with those of essentially the same algorithms and meshes. The resulted showed that a GPU (GTX 770) can outperform a server-class 4-core, 8-thread CPU (Intel Core i7-4770k) by a factor of 2 at least.

Numerical analysis of liquid metal MHD flows through circular pipes based on a fully developed modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiujie; Pan, Chuanjie; Xu, Zengyu

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► 2D MHD code based on a fully developed modeling is developed and validated by Samad analytical results. ► The results of MHD effect of liquid metal through circular pipes at high Hartmann numbers are given. ► M type velocity profile is observed for MHD circular pipe flow at high wall conductance ratio condition. ► Non-uniform wall electrical conductivity leads to high jet velocity in Robert layers. -- Abstract: Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) laminar flows through circular pipes are studied in this paper by numerical simulation under the conditions of Hartmann numbers from 18 to 10000. The code is developed based on a fully developed modeling and validated by Samad's analytical solution and Chang's asymptotic results. After the code validation, numerical simulation is extended to high Hartmann number for MHD circular pipe flows with conducting walls, and numerical results such as velocity distribution and MHD pressure gradient are obtained. Typical M-type velocity is observed but there is not such a big velocity jet as that of MHD rectangular duct flows even under the conditions of high Hartmann numbers and big wall conductance ratio. The over speed region in Robert layers becomes smaller when Hartmann numbers increase. When Hartmann number is fixed and wall conductance ratios change, the dimensionless velocity is through one point which is in agreement with Samad's results, the locus of maximum value of velocity jet is same and effects of wall conductance ratio only on the maximum value of velocity jet. In case of Robert walls are treated as insulating and Hartmann walls as conducting for circular pipe MHD flows, there is big velocity jet like as MHD rectangular duct flows of Hunt's case 2

SPORTS - a simple non-linear thermalhydraulic stability code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatoorgoon, V.

1986-01-01

A simple code, called SPORTS, has been developed for two-phase stability studies. A novel method of solution of the finite difference equations was deviced and incorporated, and many of the approximations that are common in other stability codes are avoided. SPORTS is believed to be accurate and efficient, as small and large time-steps are permitted, and hence suitable for micro-computers. (orig.)

The computation of multiple MHD equilibria in axisymmetric and straight geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, C.Ll.

1979-01-01

The details of the numerical methods used in codes for computing MHD equilibria in discrete conductor configurations are described with both code users and code writers in mind. Results produced by the codes have been successfully verified against analytic results and independent computations. The axisymmetric code has proved to be a valuable diagnostic aid for the TOSCA experiment. The user images of the codes are described in the appendices. (author)

Code development for analysis of MHD pressure drop reduction in a liquid metal blanket using insulation technique based on a fully developed flow model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smolentsev, Sergey; Morley, Neil; Abdou, Mohamed

2005-01-01

The paper presents details of a new numerical code for analysis of a fully developed MHD flow in a channel of a liquid metal blanket using various insulation techniques. The code has specially been designed for channels with a 'sandwich' structure of several materials with different physical properties. The code includes a finite-volume formulation, automatically generated Hartmann number sensitive meshes, and effective convergence acceleration technique. Tests performed at Ha ∼ 10 4 have showed very good accuracy. As an illustration, two blanket flows have been considered: Pb-17Li flow in a channel with a silicon carbide flow channel insert, and Li flow in a channel with insulating coating

A hybrid LLR-MHD model of kink perturbations in EXTRAP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehnert, B.

1987-07-01

In high-beta systems, such as Extrap and other Z-pinch configurations, kinetic large Larmor radius (LLR) phenomena introduce strong phase-mixing and dispersive effects and a corresponding 'kinetic damping' which cannot be treated in terms of MHD theory. In this paper a first attempt is made to include these effects by proposing a hybrid LLR-MHD model in which the kinetic phenomena enter as constraints on the possible forms of the plasma perturbations. The latter then become restricted to a limited class which can be treated in terms of MHD theory. The present model does not claim to produce stability conditions which are exact in all details, but should merely provide a picture of the general relationship between the basic plasma parameters in a state of marginal stability. For kink perturbations in Extrap stability relations have thus been obtained between the pinch and conductor currents, the pinch radius and the axial conductor distance, and the number of contained ion Larmor radii. These relations appear to be consistent with so far obtained experimental data. A short discussion on the effects of a superimposed axial magnetic field has been included. At this stage only experiments can verify whether or not the present simple model becomes relevant to Extrap stability. (author)

Bifurcation theory for toroidal MHD instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maschke, E.K.; Morros Tosas, J.; Urquijo, G.

1992-01-01

Using a general representation of magneto-hydrodynamics in terms of stream functions and potentials, proposed earlier, a set of reduced MHD equations for the case of toroidal geometry had been derived by an appropriate ordering with respect to the inverse aspect ratio. When all dissipative terms are neglected in this reduced system, it has the same linear stability limits as the full ideal MHD equations, to the order considered. When including resistivity, thermal conductivity and viscosity, we can apply bifurcation theory to investigate nonlinear stationary solution branches related to various instabilities. In particular, we show that a stationary solution of the internal kink type can be found

Bifurcated equilibria in two-dimensional MHD with diamagnetic effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ottaviani, M.; Tebaldi, C.

1998-12-01

In this work we analyzed the sequence of bifurcated equilibria in two-dimensional reduced magnetohydrodynamics. Diamagnetic effects are studied under the assumption of a constant equilibrium pressure gradient, not altered by the formation of the magnetic island. The formation of an island when the symmetric equilibrium becomes unstable is studied as a function of the tearing mode stability parameter Δ' and of the diamagnetic frequency, by employing fixed-points numerical techniques and an initial value code. At larger values of Δ' a tangent bifurcation takes place, above which no small island solutions exist. This bifurcation persists up to fairly large values of the diamagnetic frequency (of the order of one tenth of the Alfven frequency). The implications of this phenomenology for the intermittent MHD dynamics observed in tokamaks is discussed. (authors)

Characterization of open-cycle coal-fired MHD generators. Quarterly technical summary report No. 6, October 1--December 31, 1977. [PACKAGE code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolb, C.E.; Yousefian, V.; Wormhoudt, J.; Haimes, R.; Martinez-Sanchez, M.; Kerrebrock, J.L.

1978-01-30

Research has included theoretical modeling of important plasma chemical effects such as: conductivity reductions due to condensed slag/electron interactions; conductivity and generator efficiency reductions due to the formation of slag-related negative ion species; and the loss of alkali seed due to chemical combination with condensed slag. A summary of the major conclusions in each of these areas is presented. A major output of the modeling effort has been the development of an MHD plasma chemistry core flow model. This model has been formulated into a computer program designated the PACKAGE code (Plasma Analysis, Chemical Kinetics, And Generator Efficiency). The PACKAGE code is designed to calculate the effect of coal rank, ash percentage, ash composition, air preheat temperatures, equivalence ratio, and various generator channel parameters on the overall efficiency of open-cycle, coal-fired MHD generators. A complete description of the PACKAGE code and a preliminary version of the PACKAGE user's manual are included. A laboratory measurements program involving direct, mass spectrometric sampling of the positive and negative ions formed in a one atmosphere coal combustion plasma was also completed during the contract's initial phase. The relative ion concentrations formed in a plasma due to the methane augmented combustion of pulverized Montana Rosebud coal with potassium carbonate seed and preheated air are summarized. Positive ions measured include K/sup +/, KO/sup +/, Na/sup +/, Rb/sup +/, Cs/sup +/, and CsO/sup +/, while negative ions identified include PO/sub 3//sup -/, PO/sub 2//sup -/, BO/sub 2//sup -/, OH/sup -/, SH/sup -/, and probably HCrO/sub 3/, HMoO/sub 4//sup -/, and HWO/sub 3//sup -/. Comparison of the measurements with PACKAGE code predictions are presented. Preliminary design considerations for a mass spectrometric sampling probe capable of characterizing coal combustion plasmas from full scale combustors and flow trains are presented

The structure of ideal MHD Alfven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Chu, M.S.; Lao, L.L.; Greene, J.M.; Strait, E.J.; Chance, M.S.

1991-01-01

Continuum Alfven modes have undergone a resurgence in interest with the recent realization that so-called Toroidicity-Induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE modes) can be destabilized either by energetic beam ions in a strongly heated plasma or by alpha particles in a burning plasma. The GATO Ideal MHD Stability code, which minimizes the potential energy according to a variational formulation, has now been modified to isolate and calculate stable continuum eigenmodes. The existence of the TAE mode and its associated gap has been verified, using this code, for a circular cross-section, finite aspect ratio equilibrium. Moreover, the eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes obtained from this variational calculation are found to be in extremely good quantitative agreement with those obtained from the non-variational NOVA code. A systematic survey of the stable continuum has further revealed a surprising diversity in the structure of the continuum Alfven modes; the logarithmic singularity can be so broad, in some cases, as to occupy the whole cross-section. This has important implications for heating experiments which aim to locally excite the plasma by rf waves in the Alfven frequency range. The structure of several representative examples is discussed. The Alfven continuum, in general, and the TAE mode and its associated gap, in particular, are also found to be strongly modified by cross-sectional shaping. The dependence of the spectrum on various shaping factors is explored

Spectrum of resistive MHD modes in cylindrical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, C.M.; Grimm, R.C.

1983-07-01

A numerical study of the normal modes of a compressible resistive MHD fluid in cylindrical geometry is presented. Resistivity resolves the shear Alfven and slow magnetosonic continua of ideal MHD into discrete spectra and gives rise to heavily damped modes whose frequencies lie on specific lines in the complex plane. Fast magnetosonic waves are less affected but are also damped. Overstable modes arise from the shear Alfven spectrum. The stabilizing effect of favorable average curvature is shown. Eigenfunctions illustrating the nature of typical normal modes are displayed

Numerical study of spherical Torus MHD equilibrium configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Faying; Dong Jiaqi; Wang Aike

2003-01-01

Tokamak equilibrium code SWEQU has been modified so that it can be used for the MHD equilibrium study of low aspect ratio device. Evolution of plasma configuration in start-up phase and double-null divertor configuration in steady-state phase has been simulated using the modified code. Results show that the new code can be used not only to obtain the equilibrium configuration of spherical Torus in steady-state phase, but also to simulate the evolution of plasma in the start-up phase

Implementation of a 3-D nonlinear MHD [magnetohydrodynamics] calculation on the Intel hypercube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, V.E.; Carreras, B.A.; Drake, J.B.; Hicks, H.R.; Lawkins, W.F.

1987-01-01

The optimization of numerical schemes and increasing computer capabilities in the last ten years have improved the efficiency of 3-D nonlinear resistive MHD calculations by about two to three orders of magnitude. However, we are still very limited in performing these types of calculations. Hypercubes have a large number of processors with only local memory and bidirectional links among neighbors. The Intel Hypercube at Oak Ridge has 64 processors with 0.5 megabytes of memory per processor. The multiplicity of processors opens new possibilities for the treatment of such computations. The constraint on time and resources favored the approach of using the existing RSF code which solves as an initial value problem the reduced set of MHD equations for a periodic cylindrical geometry. This code includes minimal physics and geometry, but contains the basic three dimensionality and nonlinear structure of the equations. The code solves the reduced set of MHD equations by Fourier expansion in two angular coordinates and finite differences in the radial one. Due to the continuing interest in these calculations and the likelihood that future supercomputers will take greater advantage of parallelism, the present study was initiated by the ORNL Exploratory Studies Committee and funded entirely by Laboratory Discretionary Funds. The objectives of the study were: to ascertain the suitability of MHD calculation for parallel computation, to design and implement a parallel algorithm to perform the computations, and to evaluate the hypercube, and in particular, ORNL's Intel iPSC, for use in MHD computations

Real-time simulation of MHD/steam power plants by digital parallel processors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.M.; Rudberg, D.A.

1981-01-01

Attention is given to a large FORTRAN coded program which simulates the dynamic response of the MHD/steam plant on either a SEL 32/55 or VAX 11/780 computer. The code realizes a detailed first-principle model of the plant. Quite recently, in addition to the VAX 11/780, an AD-10 has been installed for usage as a real-time simulation facility. The parallel processor AD-10 is capable of simulating the MHD/steam plant at several times real-time rates. This is desirable in order to develop rapidly a large data base of varied plant operating conditions. The combined-cycle MHD/steam plant model is discussed, taking into account a number of disadvantages. The disadvantages can be overcome with the aid of an array processor used as an adjunct to the unit processor. The conversion of some computations for real-time simulation is considered

Transport and stability analyses supporting disruption prediction in high beta KSTAR plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, J.-H.; Sabbagh, S. A.; Park, Y. S.; Berkery, J. W.; Jiang, Y.; Riquezes, J.; Lee, H. H.; Terzolo, L.; Scott, S. D.; Wang, Z.; Glasser, A. H.

2017-10-01

KSTAR plasmas have reached high stability parameters in dedicated experiments, with normalized beta βN exceeding 4.3 at relatively low plasma internal inductance li (βN/li>6). Transport and stability analyses have begun on these plasmas to best understand a disruption-free path toward the design target of βN = 5 while aiming to maximize the non-inductive fraction of these plasmas. Initial analysis using the TRANSP code indicates that the non-inductive current fraction in these plasmas has exceeded 50 percent. The advent of KSTAR kinetic equilibrium reconstructions now allows more accurate computation of the MHD stability of these plasmas. Attention is placed on code validation of mode stability using the PEST-3 and resistive DCON codes. Initial evaluation of these analyses for disruption prediction is made using the disruption event characterization and forecasting (DECAF) code. The present global mode kinetic stability model in DECAF developed for low aspect ratio plasmas is evaluated to determine modifications required for successful disruption prediction of KSTAR plasmas. Work supported by U.S. DoE under contract DE-SC0016614.

Stabilizing effect of resistivity towards ELM-free H-mode discharge in lithium-conditioned NSTX

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Debabrata; Zhu, Ping; Maingi, Rajesh

2017-07-01

Linear stability analysis of the national spherical torus experiment (NSTX) Li-conditioned ELM-free H-mode equilibria is carried out in the context of the extended magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) model in NIMROD. The purpose is to investigate the physical cause behind edge localized mode (ELM) suppression in experiment after the Li-coating of the divertor and the first wall of the NSTX tokamak. Besides ideal MHD modeling, including finite-Larmor radius effect and two-fluid Hall and electron diamagnetic drift contributions, a non-ideal resistivity model is employed, taking into account the increase of Z eff after Li-conditioning in ELM-free H-mode. Unlike an earlier conclusion from an eigenvalue code analysis of these equilibria, NIMROD results find that after reduced recycling from divertor plates, profile modification is necessary but insufficient to explain the mechanism behind complete ELMs suppression in ideal two-fluid MHD. After considering the higher plasma resistivity due to higher Z eff, the complete stabilization could be explained. A thorough analysis of both pre-lithium ELMy and with-lithium ELM-free cases using ideal and non-ideal MHD models is presented, after accurately including a vacuum-like cold halo region in NIMROD to investigate ELMs.

Disjointness of Stabilizer Codes and Limitations on Fault-Tolerant Logical Gates

Science.gov (United States)

Jochym-O'Connor, Tomas; Kubica, Aleksander; Yoder, Theodore J.

2018-04-01

Stabilizer codes are among the most successful quantum error-correcting codes, yet they have important limitations on their ability to fault tolerantly compute. Here, we introduce a new quantity, the disjointness of the stabilizer code, which, roughly speaking, is the number of mostly nonoverlapping representations of any given nontrivial logical Pauli operator. The notion of disjointness proves useful in limiting transversal gates on any error-detecting stabilizer code to a finite level of the Clifford hierarchy. For code families, we can similarly restrict logical operators implemented by constant-depth circuits. For instance, we show that it is impossible, with a constant-depth but possibly geometrically nonlocal circuit, to implement a logical non-Clifford gate on the standard two-dimensional surface code.

Identification of, and transition to, the second region of ideal MHD stability in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabbagh, S.A.

1990-01-01

The second region of ideal MHD stability in tokamaks is studied by considering the behavior of the second region boundary for self- consistently calculated, marginally stable, second region equilibria and the characteristics of numerically computed transport sequences that achieve second stability. Equilibria with pressure profiles, p(ψ), that are marginally stable to the second region on each flux surface are generated numerically. This constraint eliminates p(ψ) as an independent variable, and reduces the predictor variables to the tokamak parameters and the q profile. The primary response functions considered are the plasma figures of merit, β and var-epsilon β p , and the normalized pressure gradient, α. Variations of the radial wavenumber in the ballooning equation negligibly affect the second region boundary for these equilibria. The second region boundary is sensitive to variations in the q profile at small aspect ratio, A, and will stabilize or destabilize depending on the balance of higher order var-epsilon = A -1 modifications of the normal field line curvature, κ n . These effects are a competition between the stabilizing geometric magnetic well of the toroidal field component of κ n and the destabilizing poloidal field component of κ n . The latter term becomes competitive in high var-epsilon β p plasmas with large Shafranov shifts. Simple analytic models are presented that reproduce the scaling of the marginally stable second region values of α and var-epsilon β p , and stability diagrams illustrating the behavior of the high-n unstable region for various parameters are shown

CASTOR: Normal-mode analysis of resistive MHD plasmas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerner, W.; Goedbloed, J. P.; Huysmans, G. T. A.; Poedts, S.; Schwarz, E.

1998-01-01

The CASTOR (complex Alfven spectrum of toroidal plasmas) code computes the entire spectrum of normal-modes in resistive MHD for general tokamak configurations. The applied Galerkin method, in conjunction with a Fourier finite-element discretisation, leads to a large scale eigenvalue problem A (x)

MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC EQUATIONS (MHD GENERATION CODE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Frutos Alfaro

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A program to generate codes in Fortran and C of the full magnetohydrodynamic equations is shown. The program uses the free computer algebra system software REDUCE. This software has a package called EXCALC, which is an exterior calculus program. The advantage of this program is that it can be modified to include another complex metric or spacetime. The output of this program is modified by means of a LINUX script which creates a new REDUCE program to manipulate the magnetohydrodynamic equations to obtain a code that can be used as a seed for a magnetohydrodynamic code for numerical applications. As an example, we present part of the output of our programs for Cartesian coordinates and how to do the discretization.

Direct measurements of damping rates and stability limits for low frequency MHD modes and Alfven Eigenmodes in the JET tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fasoli, A.F.; Testa, D.; Jaun, A.; Sharapov, S.; Gormezano, C.

2001-01-01

The linear stability properties of global modes that can be driven by resonant energetic particles or by the bulk plasma are studied using an external excitation method based on the JET saddle coil antennas. Low toroidal mode number, stable plasma modes are driven by the saddle coils and detected by magnetic probes to measure their structure, frequency and damping rate, both in the Alfven Eigenmode (AE) frequency range and in the low frequency Magneto-Hydro-Dynamic (MHD) range. For AEs, the dominant damping mechanisms are identified for different plasma conditions of relevance for reactors. Spectra and damping rates of low frequency MHD modes that are localized at the foot of the internal transport barrier and can affect the plasma performance in advanced tokamak scenarios have been directly measured for the first time. This gives the possibility of monitoring in real time the approach to the instability boundary. (author)

Flow aerodynamics modeling of an MHD swirl combustor - calculations and experimental verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, A.K.; Beer, J.M.; Louis, J.F.; Busnaina, A.A.; Lilley, D.G.

1981-01-01

This paper describes a computer code for calculating the flow dynamics of constant density flow in the second stage trumpet shaped nozzle section of a two stage MHD swirl combustor for application to a disk generator. The primitive pressure-velocity variable, finite difference computer code has been developed to allow the computation of inert nonreacting turbulent swirling flows in an axisymmetric MHD model swirl combustor. The method and program involve a staggered grid system for axial and radial velocities, and a line relaxation technique for efficient solution of the equations. Tue produces as output the flow field map of the non-dimensional stream function, axial and swirl velocity. 19 refs

New Developments in Modeling MHD Systems on High Performance Computing Architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Germaschewski, K.; Raeder, J.; Larson, D. J.; Bhattacharjee, A.

2009-04-01

Modeling the wide range of time and length scales present even in fluid models of plasmas like MHD and X-MHD (Extended MHD including two fluid effects like Hall term, electron inertia, electron pressure gradient) is challenging even on state-of-the-art supercomputers. In the last years, HPC capacity has continued to grow exponentially, but at the expense of making the computer systems more and more difficult to program in order to get maximum performance. In this paper, we will present a new approach to managing the complexity caused by the need to write efficient codes: Separating the numerical description of the problem, in our case a discretized right hand side (r.h.s.), from the actual implementation of efficiently evaluating it. An automatic code generator is used to describe the r.h.s. in a quasi-symbolic form while leaving the translation into efficient and parallelized code to a computer program itself. We implemented this approach for OpenGGCM (Open General Geospace Circulation Model), a model of the Earth's magnetosphere, which was accelerated by a factor of three on regular x86 architecture and a factor of 25 on the Cell BE architecture (commonly known for its deployment in Sony's PlayStation 3).

Evolution of the MHD sheet pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthaeus, W.H.; Montgomery, D.

1979-01-01

A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problem of recurrent interest for both astrophysical and laboratory plasmas is the evolution of the unstable sheet pinch, a current sheet across which a dc magnetic field reverses sign. The evolution of such a sheet pinch is followed with a spectral-method, incompressible, two-dimensional, MHD turbulence code. Spectral diagnostics are employed, as are contour plots of vector potential (magnetic field lines), electric current density, and velocity stream function (velocity streamlines). The nonlinear effect which seems most important is seen to be current filamentation: the concentration of the current density onto sets of small measure near a mgnetic X point. A great deal of turbulence is apparent in the current distribution, which, for high Reynolds numbers, requires large spatial grids (greater than or equal to (64) 2 ). 11 figures, 1 table

Numerical study for determining PF coil system parameters in MHD equilibrium of KT-2 tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, J.; Hong, S.H.; Lee, K.W.; Hong, B.G.; In, S.R.; Kim, S.K.

1995-01-01

The KT-2 is a large-aspect-ratio medium-sized divertor tokamak in the conceptual design phase and planned to be operational in 1998 at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Plasma equilibrium in tokamak can be acquired by controlling the current of poloidal field (PF) coils in appropriate geometries and positions. In this study, the authors have performed numerical calculations to achieve the various equilibrium conditions fitting given plasma shapes and satisfying PF current limitations. Usually an ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equation is used to obtain the equilibrium solution of tokamak plasma, and it is practical to take advantage of a numerical method in solving the MHD equation because it has nonlinear source terms. Two equilibrium codes have been applied to find a double-null configuration of free-boundary tokamak plasma in KT-2: one is of the authors' own developing and the other is a free-boundary tokamak equilibrium code (FBT) that has been used mainly for the verification of developed code's results. PF coil system parameters including their positions and currents are determined for the optimization of input power required when the specifications of KT-2 tokamak are met. Then, several sets of equilibrium conditions during the tokamak operation are found to observe the changes of poloidal field currents with the passing of operation time step, and the basic stability problems related with the magnetic field structure is also considered

Alpha-Driven MHD and MHD-Induced Alpha Loss in TFTR DT Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Zuoyang

1996-11-01

Theoretical calculation and numerical simulation indicate that there can be interesting interactions between alpha particles and MHD activity which can adversely affect the performance of a tokamak reactor (e.g., ITER). These interactions include alpha-driven MHD, like the toroidicity-induced-Alfven-eigenmode (TAE) and MHD induced alpha particle losses or redistribution. Both phenomena have been observed in recent TFTR DT experiments. Weak alpha-driven TAE activity was observed in a NBI-heated DT experiment characterized by high q0 ( >= 2) and low core magnetic shear. The TAE mode appears at ~30-100 ms after the neutral beam turning off approximately as predicted by theory. The mode has an amplitude measured by magnetic coils at the edge tildeB_p ~1 mG, frequency ~150-190 kHz and toroidal mode number ~2-3. It lasts only ~ 30-70 ms and has been seen only in DT discharges with fusion power level about 1.5-2.0 MW. Numerical calculation using NOVA-K code shows that this type of plasma has a big TAE gap. The calculated TAE frequency and mode number are close to the observation. (2) KBM-induced alpha particle loss^1. In some high-β, high fusion power DT experiments, enhanced alpha particle losses were observed to be correlated to the high frequency MHD modes with f ~100-200 kHz (the TAE frequency would be two-times higher) and n ~5-10. These modes are localized around the peak plasma pressure gradient and have ballooning characteristics. Alpha loss increases by 30-100% during the modes. Particle orbit simulations show the added loss results from wave-particle resonance. Linear instability analysis indicates that the plasma is unstable to the kinetic MHD ballooning modes (KBM) driven primarily by strong local pressure gradients. ----------------- ^1Z. Chang, et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76 (1996) 1071. In collaberation with R. Nazikian, G.-Y. Fu, S. Batha, R. Budny, L. Chen, D. Darrow, E. Fredrickson, R. Majeski, D. Mansfield, K. McGuire, G. Rewoldt, G. Taylor, R. White, K

Tilt and shift mode stability in a spheromak with a flux core

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finn, J.M.; Jardin, S.C.

1984-07-01

The stability of spheromak equilibria with a flux core, or reversal coil, is studied by means of an ideal MHD code. Results depend critically upon whether the flux hole region (the current free area just inside the separatrix) is treated as perfectly conducting plasma or as vacuum. This indicates that the tilt and shift modes persist as resistive instabilities if they are stable in ideal MHD. Specifically, for nonoptimally shaped equilibria, the flux core must nearly touch the current channel if the flux hole is vacuum, whereas the core may be slightly outside the separatrix if the flux hole has conducting plasma. A larger margin exists for optimally shaped equilibria.

Proceedings of the workshop on nonlinear MHD and extended MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Nonlinear MHD simulations have proven their value in interpreting experimental results over the years. As magnetic fusion experiments reach higher performance regimes, more sophisticated experimental diagnostics coupled with ever expanding computer capabilities have increased both the need for and the feasibility of nonlinear global simulations using models more realistic than regular ideal and resistive MHD. Such extended-MHD nonlinear simulations have already begun to produce useful results. These studies are expected to lead to ever more comprehensive simulation models in the future and to play a vital role in fully understanding fusion plasmas. Topics include the following: (1) current state of nonlinear MHD and extended-MHD simulations; (2) comparisons to experimental data; (3) discussions between experimentalists and theorists; (4) /equations for extended-MHD models, kinetic-based closures; and (5) paths toward more comprehensive simulation models, etc. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database

Proceedings of the workshop on nonlinear MHD and extended MHD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-01

Nonlinear MHD simulations have proven their value in interpreting experimental results over the years. As magnetic fusion experiments reach higher performance regimes, more sophisticated experimental diagnostics coupled with ever expanding computer capabilities have increased both the need for and the feasibility of nonlinear global simulations using models more realistic than regular ideal and resistive MHD. Such extended-MHD nonlinear simulations have already begun to produce useful results. These studies are expected to lead to ever more comprehensive simulation models in the future and to play a vital role in fully understanding fusion plasmas. Topics include the following: (1) current state of nonlinear MHD and extended-MHD simulations; (2) comparisons to experimental data; (3) discussions between experimentalists and theorists; (4) /equations for extended-MHD models, kinetic-based closures; and (5) paths toward more comprehensive simulation models, etc. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Investigations of MHD activity in ASDEX discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stambaugh, R.; Gernhardt, J.; Klueber, O.; Wagner, F.

1984-06-01

This report makes a strong attempt to relate some specific observations of MHD activity in ADEX discharges to observations made on the Doublet III and PDX tokamaks and to theoretical work on high β MHD modes at GA and PPPL. Three topics are discussed. The first topic is the detailed analysis of the time history of MHD activity in a β discharge. The β limit discharge in ASDEX is identified as a discharge in which, during constant neutral beam power, β reaches a maximum and then decreases, often to a lower steady level if the heating pulse is long enough. During the L phase of this discharge, the MHD activity observed in the B coils is both a continuous and bursting coupled m >= 1 mode of the 'fishbone' type. When β is rising in the H phase, this mode disappears; only ELMs are present. At βsub(max), a different mode appears, the m=2, n=1 tearing mode, which grows rapidly as β decreases. The second topic is the very new observation of the fishbone-like mode in a discharge heated by combined neutral beam and ion cyclotron heating power. The mode characteristics are modulated by sawtooth oscillations in a manner consistent with the importance of q(0) in the stability of this mode. The third topic is the search for ELM precursors in discharges designed to have no other competing and complicating MHD activity. In these cases nonaxisymmetric precursors to the Hsub(α) spike were observed. Hence, it appears that an MHD mode, rather than an energy balance problem, must be the origin of the ELM. (orig./GG)

Ideal MHD beta-limits of poloidally asymmetric equilibria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Todd, A.M.M.; Miller, A.E.; Grimm, R.C.; Okabayashi, M.; Dalhed, H.E. Jr.

1981-05-01

The ideal MHD stability of poloidally asymmetric equilibria, which are typical of a tokamak reactor design with a single-null poloidal divertor is examined. As with symmetric equilibria, stability to non-axisymmetric modes improves with increasing triangularity and ellipticity, and with lower edge safety factor. Pressure profiles optimized with respect to ballooning stability are obtained for an asymmetric shape, resulting in ..beta../sub critical/ approx. = 5.7%. The corresponding value for an equivalent symmetric shape is ..beta../sub critical/ approx. = 6.5%.

Ideal MHD beta-limits of poloidally asymmetric equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todd, A.M.M.; Miller, A.E.; Grimm, R.C.; Okabayashi, M.; Dalhed, H.E. Jr.

1981-05-01

The ideal MHD stability of poloidally asymmetric equilibria, which are typical of a tokamak reactor design with a single-null poloidal divertor is examined. As with symmetric equilibria, stability to non-axisymmetric modes improves with increasing triangularity and ellipticity, and with lower edge safety factor. Pressure profiles optimized with respect to ballooning stability are obtained for an asymmetric shape, resulting in β/sub critical/ approx. = 5.7%. The corresponding value for an equivalent symmetric shape is β/sub critical/ approx. = 6.5%

Thermodynamic stability criteria for a quantum memory based on stabilizer and subsystem codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chesi, Stefano; Loss, Daniel; Bravyi, Sergey; Terhal, Barbara M

2010-01-01

We discuss several thermodynamic criteria that have been introduced to characterize the thermal stability of a self-correcting quantum memory. We first examine the use of symmetry-breaking fields in analyzing the properties of self-correcting quantum memories in the thermodynamic limit; we show that the thermal expectation values of all logical operators vanish for any stabilizer and any subsystem code in any spatial dimension. On the positive side, we generalize the results of Alicki et al to obtain a general upper bound on the relaxation rate of a quantum memory at nonzero temperature, assuming that the quantum memory interacts via a Markovian master equation with a thermal bath. This upper bound is applicable to quantum memories based on either stabilizer or subsystem codes.

The stability of internal transport barriers to MHD ballooning modes and drift waves: A formalism for low magnetic shear and for velocity shear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.; Hastie, R.J.; Webster, A.J.; Wilson, H.R.

2005-01-01

Tokamak discharges with internal transport barriers (ITBs) provide improved confinement, so it is important to understand their stability properties. The stability to an important class of modes with high wave-numbers perpendicular to the magnetic field, is usually studied with the standard ballooning transformation and eikonal approach. However, ITBs are often characterised by radial q profiles that have regions of negative or low magnetic shear and by radially sheared electric fields. Both these features affect the validity of the standard method. A new approach to calculating stability in these circumstances is developed and applied to ideal MHD ballooning modes and to micro-instabilities responsible for anomalous transport. (author)

Locality-preserving logical operators in topological stabilizer codes

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, Paul; Bartlett, Stephen D.

2018-01-01

Locality-preserving logical operators in topological codes are naturally fault tolerant, since they preserve the correctability of local errors. Using a correspondence between such operators and gapped domain walls, we describe a procedure for finding all locality-preserving logical operators admitted by a large and important class of topological stabilizer codes. In particular, we focus on those equivalent to a stack of a finite number of surface codes of any spatial dimension, where our procedure fully specifies the group of locality-preserving logical operators. We also present examples of how our procedure applies to codes with different boundary conditions, including color codes and toric codes, as well as more general codes such as Abelian quantum double models and codes with fermionic excitations in more than two dimensions.

Elms: MHD Instabilities at the transport barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huysmans, G.T.A

2005-07-01

Significant progress has been made in recent years both on the experimental characterisation of ELMs (edge localized modes) and the theory and modelling of ELMs. The observed maximum pressure gradient is in good agreement with the calculated ideal MHD stability limits due to peeling-ballooning modes. The dependence on plasma current and plasma shape are also reproduced by the ideal MHD model. It will be a challenge to verify experimentally the influence of the extensions to the ideal MHD theory such as the possibly incomplete diamagnetic stabilisation, the influence of shear flow, finite resistivity or the stabilizing influence of the separatrix on peeling modes. The observations of the filamentary structures find their explanation in the theory and simulations of the early non-linear phase of the evolution of ballooning modes. One of the remaining open questions is what determines the size of the ELM and its duration. This is related to the loss mechanism of energy and density. Some heuristic descriptions of possible mechanisms have been proposed in literature but none of the models so far makes quantitative predictions on the ELM size. Also the numerical simulations are not yet advanced to the point where the full ELM crash can be modelled. The theory and simulations of the ELMs are necessary to decide between the possible parameters, such as the collisionality or the parallel transport time, that are proposed for the extrapolation of ELM sizes to ITER.

Elms: MHD Instabilities at the transport barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huysmans, G.T.A.

2005-01-01

Significant progress has been made in recent years both on the experimental characterisation of ELMs (edge localized modes) and the theory and modelling of ELMs. The observed maximum pressure gradient is in good agreement with the calculated ideal MHD stability limits due to peeling-ballooning modes. The dependence on plasma current and plasma shape are also reproduced by the ideal MHD model. It will be a challenge to verify experimentally the influence of the extensions to the ideal MHD theory such as the possibly incomplete diamagnetic stabilisation, the influence of shear flow, finite resistivity or the stabilizing influence of the separatrix on peeling modes. The observations of the filamentary structures find their explanation in the theory and simulations of the early non-linear phase of the evolution of ballooning modes. One of the remaining open questions is what determines the size of the ELM and its duration. This is related to the loss mechanism of energy and density. Some heuristic descriptions of possible mechanisms have been proposed in literature but none of the models so far makes quantitative predictions on the ELM size. Also the numerical simulations are not yet advanced to the point where the full ELM crash can be modelled. The theory and simulations of the ELMs are necessary to decide between the possible parameters, such as the collisionality or the parallel transport time, that are proposed for the extrapolation of ELM sizes to ITER

Observation of SOL Current Correlated with MHD Activity in NBI-heated DIII-D Tokamak Discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, H.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Schaffer, M.J.; Austin, M.E.; Evans, T.E.; Lao, L.L.; Watkins, J.G.

2004-01-01

This work investigates the potential roles played by the scrape-off-layer current (SOLC) in MHD activity of tokamak plasmas, including effects on stability. SOLCs are found during MHD activity that are: (1) slowly growing after a mode-locking-like event, (2) oscillating in the several kHz range and phase-locked with magnetic and electron temperature oscillations, (3) rapidly growing with a sub-ms time scale during a thermal collapse and a current quench, and (4) spiky in temporal behavior and correlated with spiky features in Da signals commonly identified with the edge localized mode (ELM). These SOLCs are found to be an integral part of the MHD activity, with a propensity to flow in a toroidally non-axisymmetric pattern and with magnitude potentially large enough to play a role in the MHD stability. Candidate mechanisms that can drive these SOLCs are identified: (a) toroidally non-axisymmetric thermoelectric potential, (b) electromotive force (EMF) from MHD activity, and (c) flux swing, both toroidal and poloidal, of the plasma column. An effect is found, stemming from the shear in the field line pitch angle, that mitigates the efficacy of a toroidally non-axisymmetric SOLC to generate a toroidally non-axisymmetric error field. Other potential magnetic consequences of the SOLC are identified: (i) its error field can introduce complications in feedback control schemes for stabilizing MHD activity and (ii) its toroidally non-axisymmetric field can be falsely identified as an axisymmetric field by the tokamak control logic and in equilibrium reconstruction. The radial profile of a SOLC observed during a quiescent discharge period is determined, and found to possess polarity reversals as a function of radial distance

Simulation of MHD instability effects on burning plasma transport with ITB in tokamak and helical reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamazaki, K.; Yamada, I.; Taniguchi, S.; Oishi, T.

2009-01-01

Full text: The high performance plasma behavior is required to realize economic and environmental-friendly fusion reactors compatible with conventional power plant systems. To improve plasma confinement, the formation of internal transport barrier (ITB) is anticipated, and its behavior is analyzed by the simulation code TOTAL (Toroidal Transport Linkage Analysis). This TOTAL code comprises a 2- or 3-dimensional equilibrium and 1-dimensional predictive transport code for both tokamak and helical systems. In the tokamak code TOTAL-T, the external current drive, bootstrap current, sawtooth oscillation, ballooning mode and neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) analyses are included. The steady-state burning plasma operation is achieved by the feedback control of pellet injection fuelling and external heating power control. The impurity dynamics of iron and tungsten is also included in this code. The NTM effects are evaluated using the modified Rutherford Model with the stabilization of the ECCD current drive. The excitation of m=2/n=1 NTM leads to the 20 % reduction in the central temperature in ITER-like reactors. Recently, the external non-resonant helical field application is analyzed and its stabilization properties are evaluated. The pellet injection effects on ITB formation is also clarified in tokamak and helical plasmas. Relationship between sawtooth oscillation and impurity ejection is recently simulated in comparison with experimental data. In this conference, we will show above-stated new results on MHD instability effects on burning plasma transport. (author)

Interim report on research and development of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation. General remarks; Denji ryutai (MHD) hatsuden kenkyu kaihatsu chukan hokokusho. Soron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1973-08-01

This report covers the MHD power generation research and development project which has been under way for 7 years since fiscal 1966, and contains guidelines to follow in the next 3 years during which studies will continue toward the consummation of the project. Subjected to research and development under this project are the development of superconductive magnets and helium refrigeration/liquefaction equipment, clarification of the power generation characteristics of the 1,000kW-class MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) power generator and of a test machine designed for a long-term operation, etc. Since they contain many basic studies, the efforts are being exerted primarily by the Electrotechnical Laboratory. In the research and development of MHD power generation characteristics, a power generation experiment is conducted through oxygen combustion in a hot wall channel, with the combustor and insulation against the Hall voltage improved. In this test, a maximum output of 1,182kW is achieved under the conditions of a flow rate of 2.9kg/s, a thermal input of 24.6MW, and a flux density of 3.2T. Since there are some problems to solve in connection with the stability of MHD power generation characteristics, durability of the MHD power generation channel, characteristics of heat exchanger system, measures for NOx reduction, etc., some more deliberation is necessary before taking the next research and development step. (NEDO)

Recent progress on MHD-induced loss of D-D fusion products in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zweben, S.J.; Darrow, D.S.; Budny, R.V.; Cheng, C.Z.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Herrmann, H.; Mynick, H.E.; Schivell, J.

1993-08-01

This paper reviews the recent progress made toward understanding the MHD-induced loss of D-D fusion products which has been seen on TFTR since 1988. These measurements have been made using the ''lost alpha'' diagnostic, which is described briefly. The largest MHD- induced loss occurs with coherent 3/2 or 2/1 MHD activity (kink/tearing modes), which can cause up to ∼3--5 times the first-orbit loss at I∼1.6--1.8 MA, roughly a ∼20--30% global los of D-D fusion products. Modeling of these MHD-induced losses has progressed to the point where the basic loss mechanism can be accounted for qualitatively, but the experimental results can not yet be understood quantitatively. Several alpha loss codes are being developed to improve the quantitative comparison between experiment and theory

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandra, Avinash

1980-01-01

The concept of MHD power generation, principles of operation of the MHD generator, its design, types, MHD generator cycles, technological problems to be overcome, the current state of the art in USA and USSR are described. Progress of India's experimental 5 Mw water-gas fired open cycle MHD power generator project is reported in brief. (M.G.B.)

Extended MHD Effects in High Energy Density Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Seyler, Charles

2016-10-01

The MHD model is the workhorse for computational modeling of HEDP experiments. Plasma models are inheritably limited in scope, but MHD is expected to be a very good model for studying plasmas at the high densities attained in HEDP experiments. There are, however, important ways in which MHD fails to adequately describe the results, most notably due to the omission of the Hall term in the Ohm's law (a form of extended MHD or XMHD). This talk will discuss these failings by directly comparing simulations of MHD and XMHD for particularly relevant cases. The methodology is to simulate HEDP experiments using a Hall-MHD (HMHD) code based on a highly accurate and robust Discontinuous Galerkin method, and by comparison of HMHD to MHD draw conclusions about the impact of the Hall term. We focus on simulating two experimental pulsed power machines under various scenarios. We examine the MagLIF experiment on the Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories and liner experiments on the COBRA machine at Cornell. For the MagLIF experiment we find that power flow in the feed leads to low density plasma ablation into the region surrounding the liner. The inflow of this plasma compresses axial magnetic flux onto the liner. In MHD this axial flux tends to resistively decay, whereas in HMHD a force-free current layer sustains the axial flux on the liner leading to a larger ratio of axial to azimuthal flux. During the liner compression the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability leads to helical perturbations due to minimization of field line bending. Simulations of a cylindrical liner using the COBRA machine parameters can under certain conditions exhibit amplification of an axial field due to a force-free low-density current layer separated by some distance from the liner. This results in a configuration in which there is predominately axial field on the liner inside the current layer and azimuthal field outside the layer. We are currently attempting to experimentally verify the simulation

Closed-loop feedback of MHD instabilities on DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredrickson, E.D.; Johnson, L.C.; Manickam, J.; Okabayashi, M. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Bialek, J.; Garofalo, A.M.; Navratil, G.A. [Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); La Haye, R.J.; Scoville, J.T.; Strait, E.J. [General Atomics, La Jolla, CA 92186 (United States); Lazarus, E.A. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830 (United States)

2001-03-01

A system of coils, sensors and amplifiers has been installed on the DIII-D tokamak to study the physics of feedback stabilization of low-frequency MHD modes such as the resistive wall mode (RWM). Experiments are being performed to assess the effectiveness of this minimal system and benchmark the predictions of theoretical models and codes. In the last campaign the experiments had been extended to a regime where the RWM threshold is lowered by a fast ramp of the plasma current. In these experiments the onset time of the RWM is very reproducible. With this system, the onset of the RWM had been delayed by up to 100 ms without degrading the plasma performance. The growth rate of the mode increases proportional to the length of the delay, suggesting that the plasma is evolving towards a more unstable configuration. The present results have suggested directions for improving the feedback system, including better sensors and improved feedback algorithms. (author)

Integrated ELM simulation with edge MHD stability and transport of SOL-divertor plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Takizuka, Tomonori; Aiba, Nobuyuki; Ozeki, Takahisa; Oyama, Naoyuki

2007-07-01

The effect of the pressure profile on the energy loss caused by edge localized modes (ELMs) has been investigated by using an integrated simulation code TOPICS-IB based on a core transport code with a stability code for the peeling-ballooning modes and a transport model for scrape-off-layer and divertor plasmas. The steep pressure gradient inside the pedestal top is found to broaden the region of the ELM enhanced transport through the broadening of eigenfunctions and enhance the ELM energy loss. The ELM energy loss in the simulation becomes larger than 15% of the pedestal energy, as is shown in the database of multi-machine experiments. (author)

Stabilization of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in a current-carrying stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, K.; Miyamoto, K.

1979-02-01

Stable profiles against MHD instabilities are given in a cylindrical current-carrying stellarator. The comparison theorem, i.e., guiding principle for stabilization, is obtained in the same way as in a tokamak. As the external rotational transform due to an l = 2 helical field increases, MHD properties in a stellarator are improved than in a tokamak and the minimum value of q(a) which provides simultaneous stabilization of MHD modes can be lowered less than 2 even without a conducting shell. In an l = 3 stellarator, however, as shown from the Euler equation, the configuration becomes more unstable than in a tokamak and strong tailoring of the current profile is necessary in order to stabilize MHD modes. (author)

MHD activity in the ISX-B tokamak: experimental results and theoretical interpretation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carreras, B.A.; Dunlap, J.L.; Bell, J.D.; Charlton, L.A.; Cooper, W.A.; Dory, R.A.; Hender, T.C.; Hicks, H.R.; Holmes, J.A.; Lynch, V.E.

1982-01-01

The observed spectrum of MHD fluctuations in the ISX-B tokamak is clearly dominated by the n=1 mode when the q=1 surface is in the plasma. This fact agrees well with theoretical predictions based on 3-D resistive MHD calculations. They show that the (m=1; n=1) mode is then the dominant instability. It drives other n=1 modes through toroidal coupling and n>1 modes through nonlinear couplings. These theoretically predicted mode structures have been compared in detail with the experimentally measured wave forms (using arrays of soft x-ray detectors). The agreement is excellent. More detailed comparisons between theory and experiment have required careful reconstructions of the ISX-B equilibria. The equilibria so constructed have permitted a precise evaluation of the ideal MHD stability properties of ISX-B. The present results indicate that the high ..beta.. ISX-B equilibria are marginally stable to finite eta ideal MHD modes. The resistive MHD calculations also show that at finite ..beta.. there are unstable resistive pressure driven modes.

Preliminary Study of Ideal Operational MHD Beta Limit in HL-2A Tokamak Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Yong; Dong Jiaqi; He Hongda; Turnbull, A. D.

2009-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) n = 1 kink mode with n the toroidal mode number is studied and the operational beta limit, constrained by the mode, is calculated for the equilibrium of HL-2A by using the GATO code. Approximately the same beta limit is obtained for configurations with a value of the axial safety factor q 0 both larger and less than 1. Without the stabilization of the conducting wall, the beta limit is found to be 0.821% corresponding to a normalized beta value of β c N = 2.56 for a typical HL-2A discharge with a plasma current I p = 0.245 MA, and the scaling of β c N ∼constant is confirmed. (magnetically confined plasma)

Stability of axisymmetric plasmas in closed line magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simakov, A.N.; Vernon Wong, H.; Berk, H.L.

2003-01-01

The stability of axisymmetric plasmas confined by closed poloidal magnetic field lines is considered. The results are relevant to plasmas in the dipolar fields of stars and planets, as well as the Levitated Dipole Experiment, multipoles, Z pinches and field reversed configurations. The ideal MHD energy principle is employed to study the stability of pressure driven shear Alfven modes. A point dipole is considered in detail to demonstrate that equilibria exist which are MHD stable for arbitrary beta. Effects of sound waves and plasma resistivity are investigated for Z pinch and point dipole equilibria by means of resistive MHD theory. Kinetic theory is used to study drift frequency modes and their interaction with MHD modes near the ideal stability boundary for different collisionality regimes. Effects of collisional dissipation on drift mode stability are explicitly evaluated and applied to a Z pinch. The role of finite Larmor radius effects and drift reversed particles in modifying ideal stability thresholds is examined. (author)

Two-Fluid 2.5D MHD-Code for Simulations in the Solar Atmosphere

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Piantschitsch, I.; Amerstorfer, U.; Thalmann, J.; Utz, D.; Hanslmeier, A.; Bárta, Miroslav; Thonhofer, S.; Lemmerer, B.

2014-01-01

Roč. 38, č. 1 (2014), s. 59-66 ISSN 1845-8319 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14AT022 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : MHD simulation * chromosphere * reconnection Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Kinetic analysis of MHD ballooning modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, W.M.; Rewoldt, G.; Cheng, C.Z.; Chance, M.S.

1984-10-01

A comprehensive analysis of the stability properties of the appropriate kinetically generalized form of MHD ballooning modes together with the usual trapped-particle drift modes is presented. The calculations are fully electromagnetic and include the complete dynamics associated with compressional ion acoustic waves. Trapped-particle effects along with all forms of collisionless dissipation are taken into account without approximations. The influence of collisions is estimated with a model Krook operator. Results from the application of this analysis to realistic tokamak operating conditions indicate that unstable short-wavelength modes with significant growth rates can extend from β = 0 to value above the upper ideal-MHD-critical-beta associated with the so-called second stability regime. Since the strength of the relevant modes appears to vary gradually with β, these results support a soft beta limit picture involving a continuous (rather than abrupt or hard) modification of anomalous transport already present in low-β-tokamaks. However, at higher beta the increasing dominance of the electromagnetic component of the perturbations indicated by these calculations could also imply significantly different transport scaling properties

Stabilization of ballooning modes with sheared toroidal rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.L.; Waelbroeck, F.W.; Lao, L.L.; Taylor, T.S.

1994-11-01

A new code demonstrates the stabilization of MHD ballooning modes by sheared toroidal rotation. A shifted model is used to elucidate the physics and numerically reconstructed equilibria are used to analyze DIII-D discharges. In the ballooning representation, the modes shift periodically along the field line to the next point of unfavorable curvature. The shift frequency (dΩ/dq where Ω is the angular toroidal velocity and q is the safety factor) is proportional to the rotation shear and inversely proportional to the magnetic shear. Stability improves with increasing shift frequency and, in the shifted circle model, direct stable access to the second stability regime occurs when this frequency is a fraction of the Alfven frequency ω A = V A /qR. Shear stabilization is also demonstrated for an equilibrium reconstruction of a DIII-D VH-mode

MHD Program Plan, FY 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-10-01

The current MHD program being implemented is a result of a consensus established in public meetings held by the Department of Energy in 1984. Essential elements of the current program include: (1) develop technical and environmental data for the integrated MHD topping cycle system through POC testing (1,000 hours); (2) develop technical and environmental data for the integrated MHD bottoming cycle sub system through POC testing (4,000 hours); (3) design, construct, and operate a seed regeneration POC facility (SRPF) capable of processing spent seed materials from the MHD bottoming cycle; (4) prepare conceptual designs for a site specific MHD retrofit plant; and (5) continue system studies and supporting research necessary for system testing. The current MHD program continues to be directed toward coal fired power plant applications, both stand-alone and retrofit. Development of a plant should enhance the attractiveness of MHD for applications other than electrical power. MHD may find application in electrical energy intensive industries and in the defense sector

MHD stability analysis using higher order spline functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ida, Akihiro [Department of Energy Engineering and Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi (Japan); Todoroki, Jiro; Sanuki, Heiji

1999-04-01

The eigenvalue problem of the linearized magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equation is formulated by using higher order spline functions as the base functions of Ritz-Galerkin approximation. When the displacement vector normal to the magnetic surface (in the magnetic surface) is interpolated by B-spline functions of degree p{sub 1} (degree p{sub 2}), which is continuously c{sub 1}-th (c{sub 2}-th) differentiable on neighboring finite elements, the sufficient conditions for the good approximation is given by p{sub 1}{>=}p{sub 2}+1, c{sub 1}{<=}c{sub 2}+1, (c{sub 1}{>=}1, p{sub 2}{>=}c{sub 2}{>=}0). The influence of the numerical integration upon the convergence of calculated eigenvalues is discussed. (author)

Passive stabilization of MHD instabilities at high βn in the HBT-EP Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.A.

1993-01-01

The HBT-EP Tokamak has been designed, built, and is now fully operational in the Columbia University Plasma Physics Laboratory. One of the primary purposes of this facility is to study the effects of a conducting wall on the MHD modes that lead up to plasma disruptions. Of particular interest are the types of instabilities that are driven by the kinetic pressure of the plasma, because these instabilities are believed to be responsible for the present limit to plasma β with β ∝ /B 2 , where the is the volume averaged pressure and B is the magnetic field. To this end, a movable conducting wall has been installed inside the HBT-EP vacuum chamber. The primary result of this thesis are the initial results from experiments that study the effect of this wall on plasma instabilities. The experiment shows that the conducting wall significantly reduces the growth rate of instabilities that precede a plasma disruption that occurs when the value of β is near the Troyon limit. The location of the wall required for significant stabilization is b/a ∼1.2 where a is the minor radius of the plasma and b is the minor radial location of the wall. Moving the wall closer than b/a = 1.2 slightly degrades the stabilizing effect, which is consistent with recent theories

Passive stabilization of MHD instabilities at high βn in the HBT-EP Tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gates, David A. [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

1993-01-01

The HBT-EP Tokamak has been designed, built, and is now fully operational in the Columbia University Plasma Physics Laboratory. One of the primary purposes of this facility is to study the effects of a conducting wall on the MHD modes that lead up to plasma disruptions. Of particular interest are the types of instabilities that are driven by the kinetic pressure of the plasma, because these instabilities are believed to be responsible for the present limit to plasma β with β ∝/B², where the is the volume averaged pressure and B is the magnetic field. To this end, a movable conducting wall has been installed inside the HBT-EP vacuum chamber. The primary result of this thesis are the initial results from experiments that study the effect of this wall on plasma instabilities. The experiment shows that the conducting wall significantly reduces the growth rate of instabilities that precede a plasma disruption that occurs when the value of β is near the Troyon limit. The location of the wall required for significant stabilization is b/a ~1.2 where a is the minor radius of the plasma and b is the minor radial location of the wall. Moving the wall closer than b/a = 1.2 slightly degrades the stabilizing effect, which is consistent with recent theories.

Stability and disturbance of large dc superconducting magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.T.

1981-01-01

This paper addresses the stability aspects of several successful dc superconducting magnets such as large bubble chamber magnets, and magnets for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility and MHD Research Facility. Specifically, it will cover Argonne National Laboratory 12-Foot Bubble Chamber magnets, the 15-foot Bubble Chamber magnets at Fermi National Laboratory, the MFTF-B Magnet System at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the U-25B Bypass MHD Magnet, and the CFFF Superconducting MHD magnet built by Argonne National Laboratory. All of these magnets are cooled in pool-boiling mode. Magnet design is briefly reviewed. Discussed in detail are the adopted stability critera, analyses of stability and disturbance, stability simulation, and the final results of magnet performance and the observed coil disturbances

MHD stability limits to the operation parameters of the FT tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alladio, F.; Bardotti, G.; Bartiromo, R.

1986-01-01

A systematic study of the macroscopic instabilities limiting the accessible operation parameters has been performed on the Ohmic discharges of the FT tokamak at Bsub(T)=40 and 60 kG. The MHD fluctuation behaviour and the modifications of the profiles associated with the precursor of the disruption are discussed in detail for the cases of breaking through qsub(L)=3, low-qsub(L) operation, disruptions at the high-density limit and disruptions following the disappearance of the sawtooth activity. In all these cases the power balance terms that appear associated with the development of the MHD instabilities are dominant either in the centre or at the edge of the discharge and so transport in the intermediate confinement zone does not seem to be affected during the precursor of the disruption. The loop voltage negative spike of the disruption itself is found to be associated with the appearance of a burst of m=3, n=2 modes in the presence of m=2, n=1 precursor activity. (author)

Observation of voltage fluctuations in a superconducting magnet during MHD power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.P.; Niemann, R.C.; Kraimer, M.R.; Zinneman, T.E.

1978-01-01

Fluctuating voltage signals on the potential taps of the ANL 5.0 T MHD Superconducting Dipole Magnet have been observed during MHD power generation at the U-25B Facility at the High Temperature Institute (IVTAN) Moscow, USSR. Various other thermodynamic and electrical parameters of the U-25B flow train have been recorded, and statistical analysis concerning correlations between the phenomena with a view of discerning causal interdependence is in progress. Voltage fluctuations observed at the magnet terminals are analyzed with special emphasis on magnet stability

Influence of hot beam ions on MHD ballooning modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rewoldt, G.; Tang, W.M.

1984-01-01

It has recently been proposed that the presence of high-energy ions from neutral-beam injection can have a strong stabilizing effect on kinetically modified ideal-MHD ballooning modes in tokamaks. To assess realistically the importance of such effects, a comprehensive kinetic stability analysis, which takes into account the integral equation nature of the basic problem, has been applied to this investigation. In the collisionless limit, the effect of adding small fractions of hot beam ions is indeed found to be strongly stabilizing. On the other hand, for somewhat larger fractions of hot ions, a different, beam-driven root of the mode equations is found to occur with a growth rate comparable in magnitude to the growth rate of the usual MHD ballooning mode in the absence of hot ions. This implies that there should be an optimal density of hot particles which minimizes the strength of the relevant instabilities. Employing non-Maxwellian equilibrium distribution functions to model the beam species makes a quantitative, but not qualitative, difference in the results. Adding collisions to the calculation tends to reduce considerably the stabilizing effect of the hot ions. (author)

Influence of hot beam ions on MHD ballooning modes in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rewoldt, G.; Tang, W.M.

1984-07-01

It has recently been proposed that the presence of high energy ions from neutral beam injection can have a strong stabilizing effect on kinetically-modified ideal MHD ballooning modes in tokamaks. In order to assess realistically the importance of such effects, a comprehensive kinetic stability analysis, which takes into account the integral equation nature of the basic problem, has been applied to this investigation. In the collisionless limit, the effect of adding small fractions of hot beam ions is indeed found to be strongly stabilizing. On the other hand, for somewhat larger fractions of hot ions, a new beam-driven mode is found to occur with a growth rate comparable in magnitude to the growth rate of the MHD ballooning mode in the absence of hot ions. This implies that there should be an optimal density of hot particles which minimizes the strength of the relevant instabilities. Employing non-Maxwellian equilibrium distribution functions to model the beam species makes a quantitative, but not qualitative, difference in the results. Adding collisions to the calculation tends to reduce considerably the stabilizing effect of the hot ions

ELM triggering conditions for the integrated modeling of H-mode plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pankin, A.Y.; Schnack, D.D.; Bateman, G.; Kritz, A.H.; Brennan, D.P.; Snyder, P.B.; Voitsekhovitch, I.; Kruger, S.; Janeschitz, G.; Onjun, T.; Pacher, G.W.; Pacher, H.D.

2004-01-01

Recent advances in the integrated modeling of ELMy (edge localized mode) H-mode plasmas are presented. A model for the H-mode pedestal and for the triggering of ELMs predicts the height, width, and shape of the H-mode pedestal and the frequency and width of ELMs. Formation of the pedestal and the L-H transition is the direct result of E r x B flow shear suppression of anomalous transport. The periodic ELM crashes are triggered by either the ballooning or peeling MHD instabilities. The BALOO, DCON, and ELITE ideal MHD stability codes are used to derive a new parametric expression for the peeling-ballooning threshold. The new dependence for the peeling-ballooning threshold is implemented in the ASTRA transport code. Results of integrated modeling of DIII-D like discharges are presented and compared with experimental observations. The results from the ideal MHD stability codes are compared with results from the resistive MHD stability code NIMROD. (authors)

Perturbed solutions of fixed boundary MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portone, A.

2004-01-01

In this study, the fixed boundary plasma MHD equilibrium problem is solved by the finite element method; then, by perturbing the flux at the plasma boundary nodes, linear formulae are derived linking the variation of several plasma parameters of interest to the variation of the currents flowing in the external circuits. On the basis of these formulae it is shown how it is possible to efficiently solve two central problems in plasma engineering, namely (1) the optimization of the currents in a given set of coils necessary to maintain a specified equilibrium configuration and (2) the derivation of a linear dynamic model describing the plasma axisymmetric displacement (n = 0 mode) about a given magnetic configuration. A case study-based on the ITER reference equilibrium magnetic configuration at burn-is analysed both in terms of equilibrium currents optimality as well as axisymmetric stability features. The results obtained by these formulae are also compared with the predictions of a non-linear free boundary code and of a linear, dynamic model. As shown, the formulae derived here are in good agreement with such predictions, confirming the validity of the present approach. (author)

A data parallel pseudo-spectral semi-implicit magnetohydrodynamics code

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keppens, R.; Poedts, S.; Meijer, P. M.; Goedbloed, J. P.; Hertzberger, B.; Sloot, P.

1997-01-01

The set of eight nonlinear partial differential equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is used for time dependent simulations of three-dimensional (3D) fluid flow in a magnetic field. A data parallel code is presented, which integrates the MHD equations in cylindrical geometry, combining a

Liquid metal MHD research and development in Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branover, H.

1993-01-01

The study of liquid metal MHD in Israel commenced in 1973. Initially it was concentrated mainly on laminar flows influenced by external magnetic fields. In 1978 a liquid metal MHD energy conversion program was started. This program was developed at the Center for MHD Studies at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, with the participation of specialists from the Technion, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Atomic Energy Commission, and others. The program was sponsored initially by the Israel Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and later by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Since 1980, Solmecs, a private commercial company has become a major factor in the development of liquid metal MHD in Israel. From the very beginning the program was based on broad international cooperation. A number of overseas institutions and individuals became participants in the program. Through extensive research and evaluation of a number of concepts of liquid metal MHD power generation systems, It was established that the most promising concept, demanding a relatively short period of development, is the gravitational system using heavy metals (lead, lead alloys) as the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid and steam or gases as thermodynamic fluids. This concept was chosen for further development and industrial application, and the program related to such systems was named the Etgar Program. The main directions of research and development activities have been defined as follows: investigations of physical phenomena, development of universal numerical code for parametric studies, optimization and design of the system, material studies, development of engineering components, building and testing of integrated small-scale Etgar type systems, economic evaluation of the system and comparison with conventional technologies, development of moderate scale industrial demonstration plant. At this time 6 items have been fully implemented and activities on the last item were started. (author)

Kinetic Stability of the Field Reversed Configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

E.V. Belova; R.C. Davidson; H. Ji; and M. Yamada

2002-01-01

New computational results are presented which advance the understanding of the stability properties of the Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC). The FRC is an innovative confinement approach that offers a unique fusion reactor potential because of its compact and simple geometry, translation properties, and high plasma beta. One of the most important issues is FRC stability with respect to low-n (toroidal mode number) MHD modes. There is a clear discrepancy between the predictions of standard MHD theory that many modes should be unstable on the MHD time scale, and the observed macroscopic resilience of FRCs in experiments

MHD-induced Energetic Ion Loss during H-mode Discharges in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medley, S.S.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Andre, R.; Bell, R.E.; Darrow, D.S.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Kaye, S.M.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Roquemore, A.L.

2004-01-01

MHD-induced energetic ion loss in neutral-beam-heated H-mode [high-confinement mode] discharges in NSTX [National Spherical Torus Experiment] is discussed. A rich variety of energetic ion behavior resulting from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity is observed in the NSTX using a horizontally scanning Neutral Particle Analyzer (NPA) whose sightline views across the three co-injected neutral beams. For example, onset of an n = 2 mode leads to relatively slow decay of the energetic ion population (E ∼ 10-100 keV) and consequently the neutron yield. The effect of reconnection events, sawteeth, and bounce fishbones differs from that observed for low-n, low-frequency, tearing-type MHD modes. In this case, prompt loss of the energetic ion population occurs on a time scale of less than or equal to 1 ms and a precipitous drop in the neutron yield occurs. This paper focuses on MHD-induced ion loss during H-mode operation in NSTX. After H-mode onset, the NPA charge-exchange spectrum usually exhibits a significant loss of energetic ions only for E > E(sub)b/2 where E(sub)b is the beam injection energy. The magnitude of the energetic ion loss was observed to decrease with increasing tangency radius, R(sub)tan, of the NPA sightline, increasing toroidal field, B(sub)T, and increasing neutral-beam injection energy, E(sub)b. TRANSP modeling suggests that MHD-induced ion loss is enhanced during H-mode operation due to an evolution of the q and beam deposition profiles that feeds both passing and trapped ions into the region of low-n MHD activity. ORBIT code analysis of particle interaction with a model magnetic perturbation supported the energy selectivity of the MHD-induced loss observed in the NPA measurements. Transport analysis with the TRANSP code using a fast-ion diffusion tool to emulate the observed MHD-induced energetic ion loss showed significant modifications of the neutral- beam heating as well as the power balance, thermal diffusivities, energy confinement times, and

MHD-induced Energetic Ion Loss during H-mode Discharges in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

S.S. Medley; N.N. Gorelenkov; R. Andre; R.E. Bell; D.S. Darrow; E.D. Fredrickson; S.M. Kaye; B.P. LeBlanc; A.L. Roquemore; and the NSTX Team

2004-03-15

MHD-induced energetic ion loss in neutral-beam-heated H-mode [high-confinement mode] discharges in NSTX [National Spherical Torus Experiment] is discussed. A rich variety of energetic ion behavior resulting from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity is observed in the NSTX using a horizontally scanning Neutral Particle Analyzer (NPA) whose sightline views across the three co-injected neutral beams. For example, onset of an n = 2 mode leads to relatively slow decay of the energetic ion population (E {approx} 10-100 keV) and consequently the neutron yield. The effect of reconnection events, sawteeth, and bounce fishbones differs from that observed for low-n, low-frequency, tearing-type MHD modes. In this case, prompt loss of the energetic ion population occurs on a time scale of less than or equal to 1 ms and a precipitous drop in the neutron yield occurs. This paper focuses on MHD-induced ion loss during H-mode operation in NSTX. After H-mode onset, the NPA charge-exchange spectrum usually exhibits a significant loss of energetic ions only for E > E(sub)b/2 where E(sub)b is the beam injection energy. The magnitude of the energetic ion loss was observed to decrease with increasing tangency radius, R(sub)tan, of the NPA sightline, increasing toroidal field, B(sub)T, and increasing neutral-beam injection energy, E(sub)b. TRANSP modeling suggests that MHD-induced ion loss is enhanced during H-mode operation due to an evolution of the q and beam deposition profiles that feeds both passing and trapped ions into the region of low-n MHD activity. ORBIT code analysis of particle interaction with a model magnetic perturbation supported the energy selectivity of the MHD-induced loss observed in the NPA measurements. Transport analysis with the TRANSP code using a fast-ion diffusion tool to emulate the observed MHD-induced energetic ion loss showed significant modifications of the neutral- beam heating as well as the power balance, thermal diffusivities, energy confinement times

Localized MHD activity near transport barriers in JT-60U and TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manickam, J.

2001-01-01

Localized MHD activity observed in JT-60U and TFTR near transport barriers with their associated large pressure gradients is investigated. Stability analysis of equilibria modeling the experiments supports an identification of this MHD as being due to an ideal MHD n=1 instability. The appearance of the instability depends on the local pressure gradient, local shear in the q profile and the proximity of rational surfaces where q∼m/n and m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers respectively. The mode width is shown to depend on the local value of q, and is larger when q is smaller. In addition the role of the edge current density in coupling the internal mode to the plasma edge and of the energetic particles which can drive fishbone like modes is investigated. (author)

On the stability of rotational discontinuities and intermediate shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, L.C.; Huang, L.; Chao, J.K.

1989-01-01

The stability of rotational discontinuities and intermediate shocks is studied based on a hybrid simulation code. The simulation results show that rotational discontinuities are stable and intermediate shocks are not stationary. Intermediate shocks tend to evolve to rotational discontinuities and waves. The authors employ several different initial profiles for the magnetic field in the transition region and find that the final structure of the discontinuities or shocks is not sensitive to the initial magnetic field profile. The present results are different from those obtained from the resistive MHD simulations. Furthermore, their study indicates that the kinetic effect of particles plays an important role in the structure and stability of rotational discontinuities and intermediate shocks

3D nonlinear MHD simulations of ultra-low q plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonfiglio, D.; Cappello, S.; Piovan, R.; Zanotto, L.; Zuin, M.

2008-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) phenomena occurring in the ultra-low safety factor (ULq) configuration are investigated by means of 3D nonlinear MHD simulations. The ULq configuration, a screw pinch characterized by the edge safety factor q edge in the interval 0 edge edge values which are about the major rational numbers, suggesting plasma self-organization. Similar behaviour is observed in experimental ULq discharges, like those recently obtained exploiting the flexibility of the RFX-mod device. The transition of q edge from a major rational number to the next one occurs together with the development of a kink deformation of the plasma column, whose stabilization yields a nearly axisymmetric state with a rather flat q profile. Numerical simulations also show that it is possible to sustain either of the two conditions, namely, the saturated kink helical configuration and the axisymmetric one, by forcing q edge at a suitable value. Finally, the effects of this MHD phenomenology on the confinement properties of ULq plasmas are discussed.

Creating Synthetic Coronal Observational Data From MHD Models: The Forward Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Rachmeler, Laurel A.; Gibson, Sarah E.; Dove, James; Kucera, Therese Ann

2010-01-01

We present a generalized forward code for creating simulated corona) observables off the limb from numerical and analytical MHD models. This generalized forward model is capable of creating emission maps in various wavelengths for instruments such as SXT, EIT, EIS, and coronagraphs, as well as spectropolari metric images and line profiles. The inputs to our code can be analytic models (of which four come with the code) or 2.5D and 3D numerical datacubes. We present some examples of the observable data created with our code as well as its functional capabilities. This code is currently available for beta-testing (contact authors), with the ultimate goal of release as a SolarSoft package

Modeling of flow-dominated MHD instabilities at WiPPAL using NIMROD

Science.gov (United States)

Flanagan, K.; McCollam, K. J.; Milhone, J.; Mirnov, V. V.; Nornberg, M. D.; Peterson, E. E.; Siller, R.; Forest, C. B.

2017-10-01

Using the NIMROD (non-ideal MHD with rotation - open discussion) code developed at UW-Madison, we model two different flow scenarios to study the onset of MHD instabilities in flow-dominated plasmas in the Big Red Ball (BRB) and the Plasma Couette Experiment (PCX). Both flows rely on volumetric current drive, where a large current is drawn through the plasma across a weak magnetic field, injecting J × B torque across the whole volume. The first scenario uses a vertical applied magnetic field and a mostly radial injected current to create Couette-like flows which may excite the magnetorotational instability (MRI). In the other scenario, a quadrupolar field is applied to create counter-rotating von Karman-like flow that demonstrates a dynamo-like instability. For both scenarios, the differences between Hall and MHD Ohm's laws are explored. The implementation of BRB geometry in NIMROD, details of the observed flows, and instability results are shown. This work was funded by DoE and NSF.

Three computer codes for safety and stability of large superconducting magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, L.R.

1985-01-01

For analyzing the safety and stability of large superconducting magnets, three computer codes TASS, SHORTURN, and SSICC have been developed, applicable to bath-cooled magnets, bath-cooled magnets with shorted turns, and magnets with internally cooled conductors respectively. The TASS code is described, and the use of the three codes is reviewed

Ballooning stability of JET discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huysmans, G.T.A.; Goedbloed, J.P.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Lazzaro, E.; Smeulders, P.

1989-01-01

Conditions under which ballooning modes are expected to be excited have recently been obtained in two different types of discharges in JET. In the first type, extremely large pressure gradients have been produced in the plasma core through pellet injections in the current rise phase followed by strong additional heating. In the second type, the total pressure of the discharge is approaching the Troyon limit. The stability of these discharges with respect to the ideal MHD ballooning modes has been studied with the stability code HBT. The equilibria are reconstructed with the IDENTC code using the external magnetic measurements and the experimental pressure profile. The results show that the evaluated high beta discharge is unstable in the central region of the plasma. This instability is related to the low shear and not to a large pressure gradient, as expected at the Troyon limit. In the pellet discharges the regions with the large pressure gradients are unstable to ballooning modes at the time of the beta decay, which ends the period of enhanced performance. The maximum pressure gradient in these discharges is limited by the boundary of the first region of stability. The observed phenomena at the beta decay are similar to those observed at the beta limit in DIII-D and TFTR. (author)

MHD channel performance for potential early commercial MHD power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swallom, D.W.

1981-01-01

The commercial viability of full and part load early commercial MHD power plants is examined. The load conditions comprise a mass flow of 472 kg/sec in the channel, Rosebud coal, 34% by volume oxygen in the oxidizer preheated to 922 K, and a one percent by mass seeding with K. The full load condition is discussed in terms of a combined cycle plant with optimized electrical output by the MHD channel. Various electrical load parameters, pressure ratios, and magnetic field profiles are considered for a baseload MHD generator, with a finding that a decelerating flow rate yields slightly higher electrical output than a constant flow rate. Nominal and part load conditions are explored, with a reduced gas mass flow rate and an enriched oxygen content. An enthalpy extraction of 24.6% and an isentropic efficiency of 74.2% is predicted for nominal operation of a 526 MWe MHD generator, with higher efficiencies for part load operation

MHD and heat transfer benchmark problems for liquid metal flow in rectangular ducts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidorenkov, S.I.; Hua, T.Q.; Araseki, H.

1994-01-01

Liquid metal cooling systems of a self-cooled blanket in a tokamak reactor will likely include channels of rectangular cross section where liquid metal is circulated in the presence of strong magnetic fields. MHD pressure drop, velocity distribution and heat transfer characteristics are important issues in the engineering design considerations. Computer codes for the reliable solution of three-dimensional MHD flow problems are needed for fusion relevant conditions. Argonne National Laboratory and The Efremov Institute have jointly defined several benchmark problems for code validation. The problems, described in this paper, are based on two series of rectangular duct experiments conducted at ANL; one of the series is a joint ANL/Efremov experiment. The geometries consist of variation of aspect ratio and wall thickness (thus wall conductance ratio). The transverse magnetic fields are uniform and nonuniform in the axial direction

Resistive MHD studies of high-β-tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, V.E.; Carreras, B.A.; Hicks, H.R.; Holmes, J.A.; Garcia, L.

1981-01-01

Numerical calculations have been performed to study the MHD activity in high-β tokamaks such as ISX-B. These initial value calculations built on earlier low β techniques, but the β effects create several new numerical issues. These issues are discussed and resolved. In addition to time-stepping modules, our system of computer codes includes equilibrium solvers (used to provide an initial condition) and output modules, such as a magnetic field line follower and an X-ray diagnostic code. The transition from current driven modes at low β to predominantly pressure driven modes at high β is described. The nonlinear studies yield X-ray emissivity plots which are compared with experiment

Sawtooth oscillations as MHD relaxation process in a plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Zensho; Inoue, Nobuyuki; Ogawa, Yuichi

1992-01-01

The sawtooth oscillation in a tokamak plasma is a spontaneous relaxation process accompanying global instabilities which behave to reduce the internal magnetic energy. This phenomenon has a similarity to the MHD relaxation processes in Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) and Ultra Low Q (ULQ) plasmas. The self-stabilizing effect of instabilities with m (poloidal mode number) = 1 results in an increase in the central safety factor q(0). Nonlinear dynamics of m = 1 instabilities has been discussed both for global and local modes. The latter appears when a pitch minimum exists in the plasma, and is relevant to the compound sawtooth oscillation. The MHD relaxation is a restructuring process of the plasma current profile that is competitive with the resistive diffusion. (author)

Langley Stability and Transition Analysis Code (LASTRAC) Version 1.2 User Manual

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chau-Lyan

2004-01-01

LASTRAC is a general-purposed, physics-based transition prediction code released by NASA for Laminar Flow Control studies and transition research. The design and development of the LASTRAC code is aimed at providing an engineering tool that is easy to use and yet capable of dealing with a broad range of transition related issues. It was written from scratch based on the state-of-the-art numerical methods for stability analysis and modern software technologies. At low fidelity, it allows users to perform linear stability analysis and N-factor transition correlation for a broad range of flow regimes and configurations by using either the linear stability theory or linear parabolized stability equations method. At high fidelity, users may use nonlinear PSE to track finite-amplitude disturbances until the skin friction rise. This document describes the governing equations, numerical methods, code development, detailed description of input/output parameters, and case studies for the current release of LASTRAC.

MHD pilot industrial applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, M.; Riviere-Wekstein, G.

1994-01-01

MHD industrial applications (and their historical developments) are sketched in the fields of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and marine vehicles propelling. Nuclear fission projects resulted in promising prototypes between 1972 and 1980, especially for liquid-metal MHD generators. All of them have been stopped by the scientific policies of the governments. Nuclear fusion projects used mainly the equilibrium plasma of tokamak type reactors; some military projects used pulsed plasma to perform pulsed MHD generators. Marine vehicle propelling is the most advanced field. By june 1992, the japanese sea-going boat 'Yamato 1' was sailing with two MHD propellers. A few months later, the building of 'Yamato 2' has begun

Calculation of three-dimensional MHD equilibria with islands and stochastic regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, A.; Greenside, H.

1986-08-01

A three-dimensional MHD equilibrium code is described that does not assume the existence of good surfaces. Given an initial guess for the magnetic field, the code proceeds by calculating the pressure-driven current and then by updating the field using Ampere's law. The numerical algorithm to solve the magnetic differential equation for the pressure-driven current is described, and demonstrated for model fields having islands and stochastic regions. The numerical algorithm which solves Ampere's law in three dimensions is also described. Finally, the convergence of the code is illustrated for a particular stellarator equilibrium with no large islands

Nonlinear MHD dynamics of tokamak plasmas on multiple time scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruger, S.E.; Schnack, D.D.; Brennan, D.P.; Gianakon, T.A.; Sovinec, C.R.

2003-01-01

Two types of numerical, nonlinear simulations using the NIMROD code are presented. In the first simulation, we model the disruption occurring in DIII-D discharge 87009 as an ideal MHD instability driven unstable by neutral-beam heating. The mode grows faster than exponential, but on a time scale that is a hybrid of the heating rate and the ideal MHD growth rate as predicted by analytic theory. The second type of simulations, which occur on a much longer time scale, focus on the seeding of tearing modes by sawteeth. Pressure effects play a role both in the exterior region solutions and in the neoclassical drive terms. The results of both simulations are reviewed and their implications for experimental analysis is discussed. (author)

MHD instabilities in astrophysical plasmas: very different from MHD instabilities in tokamaks!

Science.gov (United States)

Goedbloed, J. P.

2018-01-01

The extensive studies of MHD instabilities in thermonuclear magnetic confinement experiments, in particular of the tokamak as the most promising candidate for a future energy producing machine, have led to an ‘intuitive’ description based on the energy principle that is very misleading for most astrophysical plasmas. The ‘intuitive’ picture almost directly singles out the dominant stabilizing field line bending energy of the Alfvén waves and, consequently, concentrates on expansion schemes that minimize that contribution. This happens when the wave vector {{k}}0 of the perturbations, on average, is perpendicular to the magnetic field {B}. Hence, all macroscopic instabilities of tokamaks (kinks, interchanges, ballooning modes, ELMs, neoclassical tearing modes, etc) are characterized by satisfying the condition {{k}}0 \\perp {B}, or nearly so. In contrast, some of the major macroscopic instabilities of astrophysical plasmas (the Parker instability and the magneto-rotational instability) occur when precisely the opposite condition is satisfied: {{k}}0 \\parallel {B}. How do those instabilities escape from the dominance of the stabilizing Alfvén wave? The answer to that question involves, foremost, the recognition that MHD spectral theory of waves and instabilities of laboratory plasmas could be developed to such great depth since those plasmas are assumed to be in static equilibrium. This assumption is invalid for astrophysical plasmas where rotational and gravitational accelerations produce equilibria that are at best stationary, and the associated spectral theory is widely, and incorrectly, believed to be non-self adjoint. These complications are addressed, and cured, in the theory of the Spectral Web, recently developed by the author. Using this method, an extensive survey of instabilities of astrophysical plasmas demonstrates how the Alfvén wave is pushed into insignificance under these conditions to give rise to a host of instabilities that do not

3-D resistive MHD calculations for tokamak plasmas: beyond the simple reduced set of equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreras, B.A.; Garcia, L.; Hender, T.C.; Hicks, H.R.; Holmes, J.A.; Lynch, V.E.; Masden, B.F.

1983-01-01

Numerical studies of the resistive stability of tokamak plasmas in cylindrical geometry have been performed using: (1) the full set of resistive Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations and (2) an extended version of the reduced set of resistive MHD equations including diamagnetic and electron temperature effects. In particular, the nonlinear interaction of tearing modes of many helicities has been investigated. The numerical results confirm many of the features uncovered previously using the simple reduced equations. (author)

Derivation of the physical equations solved in the inertial confinement stability code DOC. Informal report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scannapieco, A.J.; Cranfill, C.W.

1978-11-01

There now exists an inertial confinement stability code called DOC, which runs as a postprocessor. DOC (a code that has evolved from a previous code, PANSY) is a spherical harmonic linear stability code that integrates, in time, a set of Lagrangian perturbation equations. Effects due to real equations of state, asymmetric energy deposition, thermal conduction, shock propagation, and a time-dependent zeroth-order state are handled in the code. We present here a detailed derivation of the physical equations that are solved in the code

Derivation of the physical equations solved in the inertial confinement stability code DOC. Informal report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scannapieco, A.J.; Cranfill, C.W.

1978-11-01

There now exists an inertial confinement stability code called DOC, which runs as a postprocessor. DOC (a code that has evolved from a previous code, PANSY) is a spherical harmonic linear stability code that integrates, in time, a set of Lagrangian perturbation equations. Effects due to real equations of state, asymmetric energy deposition, thermal conduction, shock propagation, and a time-dependent zeroth-order state are handled in the code. We present here a detailed derivation of the physical equations that are solved in the code.

Physical Model Development and Benchmarking for MHD Flows in Blanket Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramakanth Munipalli; P.-Y.Huang; C.Chandler; C.Rowell; M.-J.Ni; N.Morley; S.Smolentsev; M.Abdou

2008-06-05

An advanced simulation environment to model incompressible MHD flows relevant to blanket conditions in fusion reactors has been developed at HyPerComp in research collaboration with TEXCEL. The goals of this phase-II project are two-fold: The first is the incorporation of crucial physical phenomena such as induced magnetic field modeling, and extending the capabilities beyond fluid flow prediction to model heat transfer with natural convection and mass transfer including tritium transport and permeation. The second is the design of a sequence of benchmark tests to establish code competence for several classes of physical phenomena in isolation as well as in select (termed here as “canonical”,) combinations. No previous attempts to develop such a comprehensive MHD modeling capability exist in the literature, and this study represents essentially uncharted territory. During the course of this Phase-II project, a significant breakthrough was achieved in modeling liquid metal flows at high Hartmann numbers. We developed a unique mathematical technique to accurately compute the fluid flow in complex geometries at extremely high Hartmann numbers (10,000 and greater), thus extending the state of the art of liquid metal MHD modeling relevant to fusion reactors at the present time. These developments have been published in noted international journals. A sequence of theoretical and experimental results was used to verify and validate the results obtained. The code was applied to a complete DCLL module simulation study with promising results.

Physical Model Development and Benchmarking for MHD Flows in Blanket Design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munipalli, Ramakanth; Huang, P.-Y.; Chandler, C.; Rowell, C.; Ni, M.-J.; Morley, N.; Smolentsev, S.; Abdou, M.

2008-01-01

An advanced simulation environment to model incompressible MHD flows relevant to blanket conditions in fusion reactors has been developed at HyPerComp in research collaboration with TEXCEL. The goals of this phase-II project are two-fold: The first is the incorporation of crucial physical phenomena such as induced magnetic field modeling, and extending the capabilities beyond fluid flow prediction to model heat transfer with natural convection and mass transfer including tritium transport and permeation. The second is the design of a sequence of benchmark tests to establish code competence for several classes of physical phenomena in isolation as well as in select (termed here as 'canonical',) combinations. No previous attempts to develop such a comprehensive MHD modeling capability exist in the literature, and this study represents essentially uncharted territory. During the course of this Phase-II project, a significant breakthrough was achieved in modeling liquid metal flows at high Hartmann numbers. We developed a unique mathematical technique to accurately compute the fluid flow in complex geometries at extremely high Hartmann numbers (10,000 and greater), thus extending the state of the art of liquid metal MHD modeling relevant to fusion reactors at the present time. These developments have been published in noted international journals. A sequence of theoretical and experimental results was used to verify and validate the results obtained. The code was applied to a complete DCLL module simulation study with promising results.

Computational studies of tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takizuka, Tomonori; Tsunematsu, Toshihide; Tokuda, Shinji

1981-02-01

Computational studies of tokamak plasmas are extensively advanced. Many computational codes have been developed by using several kinds of models, i.e., the finite element formulation of MHD equations, the time dependent multidimensional fluid model, and the particle model with the Monte-Carlo method. These codes are applied to the analyses of the equilibrium of an axisymmetric toroidal plasma (SELENE), the time evolution of the high-beta tokamak plasma (APOLLO), the low-n MHD stability (ERATO-J) and high-n ballooning mode stability (BOREAS) in the INTOR tokamak, the nonlinear MHD stability, such as the positional instability (AEOLUS-P), resistive internal mode (AEOLUS-I) etc., and the divertor functions. (author)

CAFE: A NEW RELATIVISTIC MHD CODE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lora-Clavijo, F. D.; Cruz-Osorio, A. [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-264, Distrito Federal 04510, México (Mexico); Guzmán, F. S., E-mail: fdlora@astro.unam.mx, E-mail: aosorio@astro.unam.mx, E-mail: guzman@ifm.umich.mx [Instituto de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Edificio C-3, Cd. Universitaria, 58040 Morelia, Michoacán, México (Mexico)

2015-06-22

We introduce CAFE, a new independent code designed to solve the equations of relativistic ideal magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) in three dimensions. We present the standard tests for an RMHD code and for the relativistic hydrodynamics regime because we have not reported them before. The tests include the one-dimensional Riemann problems related to blast waves, head-on collisions of streams, and states with transverse velocities, with and without magnetic field, which is aligned or transverse, constant or discontinuous across the initial discontinuity. Among the two-dimensional (2D) and 3D tests without magnetic field, we include the 2D Riemann problem, a one-dimensional shock tube along a diagonal, the high-speed Emery wind tunnel, the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability, a set of jets, and a 3D spherical blast wave, whereas in the presence of a magnetic field we show the magnetic rotor, the cylindrical explosion, a case of Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, and a 3D magnetic field advection loop. The code uses high-resolution shock-capturing methods, and we present the error analysis for a combination that uses the Harten, Lax, van Leer, and Einfeldt (HLLE) flux formula combined with a linear, piecewise parabolic method and fifth-order weighted essentially nonoscillatory reconstructors. We use the flux-constrained transport and the divergence cleaning methods to control the divergence-free magnetic field constraint.

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillips, M.W.

1996-01-01

This report describes MHD equilibrium and stability studies carried out at Northrop Grumman`s Advanced Technology and Development Center during the period March 1 to December 31, 1995. Significant progress is reported in both ideal and resistive MHD modeling of TFTR plasmas. Specifically, attention is concentrated on analysis of Advanced Tokamak experiments at TFTR involving plasmas in which the q-profiles were non-monotonic.

Lyapunov stability analysis of magnetohydrodynamic plasma equilibria with axisymmetric toroidal flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almaguer, J.A.; Hameiri, E.; Herrera, J.; Holm, D.D.

1988-01-01

Lyapunov stability conditions for ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasmas with mass flow in axisymmetric toroidal geometry are determined in the Eulerian representation. Axisymmetric equilibrium solutions of ideal MHD are associated to critical points of a nonlinearly conserved Lyapunov functional consisting of the sum of the total energy and the following flux-weighted quantities: the circulation along field lines, the angular momentum, the toroidal flux, and the mass content within each flux tube. Conditions sufficient for Lyapunov stability of these equilibria against axisymmetric perturbations are found by taking advantage of the Hamiltonian formalism for ideal MHD. In particular [see Eq. (60)], it is sufficient for Lyapunov stability under linearized dynamics that an axisymmetric equilibrium be subsonic in the appropriate rotating frame, lie in the first elliptic regime of the Bernoulli--Grad--Shafranov (BGS) system of equations, and satisfy one additional, more complicated, condition. Effects of boundary conditions, nonlinearity, and three-dimensionality on MHD stability are also discussed

Evaluation of technical feasibility of closed-cycle non-equilibrium MHD power generation with direct coal firing. Final report, Task I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-11-01

Program accomplishments in a continuing effort to demonstrate the feasibility of direct coal-fired, closed-cycle MHD power generation are reported. This volume contains the following appendices: (A) user's manual for 2-dimensional MHD generator code (2DEM); (B) performance estimates for a nominal 30 MW argon segmented heater; (C) the feedwater cooled Brayton cycle; (D) application of CCMHD in an industrial cogeneration environment; (E) preliminary design for shell and tube primary heat exchanger; and (F) plant efficiency as a function of output power for open and closed cycle MHD power plants. (WHK)

A no-go theorem for a two-dimensional self-correcting quantum memory based on stabilizer codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bravyi, Sergey; Terhal, Barbara

2009-01-01

We study properties of stabilizer codes that permit a local description on a regular D-dimensional lattice. Specifically, we assume that the stabilizer group of a code (the gauge group for subsystem codes) can be generated by local Pauli operators such that the support of any generator is bounded by a hypercube of size O(1). Our first result concerns the optimal scaling of the distance d with the linear size of the lattice L. We prove an upper bound d=O(L D-1 ) which is tight for D=1, 2. This bound applies to both subspace and subsystem stabilizer codes. Secondly, we analyze the suitability of stabilizer codes for building a self-correcting quantum memory. Any stabilizer code with geometrically local generators can be naturally transformed to a local Hamiltonian penalizing states that violate the stabilizer condition. A degenerate ground state of this Hamiltonian corresponds to the logical subspace of the code. We prove that for D=1, 2, different logical states can be mapped into each other by a sequence of single-qubit Pauli errors such that the energy of all intermediate states is upper bounded by a constant independent of the lattice size L. The same result holds if there are unused logical qubits that are treated as 'gauge qubits'. It demonstrates that a self-correcting quantum memory cannot be built using stabilizer codes in dimensions D=1, 2. This result is in sharp contrast with the existence of a classical self-correcting memory in the form of a two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnet. Our results leave open the possibility for a self-correcting quantum memory based on 2D subsystem codes or on 3D subspace or subsystem codes.

MHD instabilities and their effects on plasma confinement in the large helical device plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toi, K.

2002-01-01

MHD stability of NBI heated plasmas and impacts of MHD modes on plasma confinement are intensively studied in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Three characteristic MHD instabilities were observed, that is, (1) pressure driven modes excited in the plasma edge, (2) pressure driven mode in the plasma core, and (3) Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) driven by energetic ions. MHD mode excited in the edge region accompanies multiple satellites, and is called Edge Harmonic Modes (EHMs). EHM sometimes has a bursting character. The bursting EHM transiently decreases the stored energy by about 15 percent. In the plasma core region, m=2/n=1 pressure driven mode is typically destabilized. The mode often induces internal collapse in the higher beta regime more than 1 percent. The internal collapse appreciably affects the global confinement. Energetic ion driven AEs are often detected in NBI-heated LHD plasmas. Particular AE with the frequency 8-10 times larger than TAE-frequency was detected in high beta plasmas more than 2 percent. The AE may be related to helicity-induced AE. Excitation of these three types of MHD instabilities and their impacts on plasma confinement are discussed. (author)

Limits of possible operation of the R-tokamak due to ideal MHD instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitou, H.; Yamazaki, K.; Takemoto, Y.; Abe, Y.; Gruber, R.; Saurenmann, H.; Troyon, F.

1984-09-01

A series of MHD stability calculations has been made with the ERATO code to know the maximum β which can be expected for the R-Tokamak using the parameters of the second phase design (an aspect ratio of 2.75, ellipticity of 1.8 and triangularity of 0.3). The highest β obtained under the condition that both the n=1 free boundary mode (with no wall stabilization) and the n=infinity ballooning modes are stable is about 6% at qsub(s)--2.0 and qsub(o) at the Mercier limit on axis. This result has been found by performing some optimization of the current and pressure profiles. If only the ballooning modes are concerned, the limiting β becomes 8.6%. The sensitivity of the result to elongation has been studied. It has been found that the maximum β increases and then decreases with elongation. The optimum β is obtained for an elongation of 1.8 if both the n=1 kink and n=infinity ballooning limits are considered and of 2.0 if only ballooning modes are considered. These results are compared with proposed scaling laws. (author)

Flow-Induced New Channels of Energy Exchange in Multi-Scale Plasma Dynamics - Revisiting Perturbative Hybrid Kinetic-MHD Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraishi, Junya; Miyato, Naoaki; Matsunaga, Go

2016-05-10

It is found that new channels of energy exchange between macro- and microscopic dynamics exist in plasmas. They are induced by macroscopic plasma flow. This finding is based on the kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory, which analyses interaction between macroscopic (MHD-scale) motion and microscopic (particle-scale) dynamics. The kinetic-MHD theory is extended to include effects of macroscopic plasma flow self-consistently. The extension is realised by generalising an energy exchange term due to wave-particle resonance, denoted by δ WK. The first extension is generalisation of the particle's Lagrangian, and the second one stems from modification to the particle distribution function due to flow. These extensions lead to a generalised expression of δ WK, which affects the MHD stability of plasmas.

MHD Generating system

Science.gov (United States)

Petrick, Michael; Pierson, Edward S.; Schreiner, Felix

1980-01-01

According to the present invention, coal combustion gas is the primary working fluid and copper or a copper alloy is the electrodynamic fluid in the MHD generator, thereby eliminating the heat exchangers between the combustor and the liquid-metal MHD working fluids, allowing the use of a conventional coalfired steam bottoming plant, and making the plant simpler, more efficient and cheaper. In operation, the gas and liquid are combined in a mixer and the resulting two-phase mixture enters the MHD generator. The MHD generator acts as a turbine and electric generator in one unit wherein the gas expands, drives the liquid across the magnetic field and thus generates electrical power. The gas and liquid are separated, and the available energy in the gas is recovered before the gas is exhausted to the atmosphere. Where the combustion gas contains sulfur, oxygen is bubbled through a side loop to remove sulfur therefrom as a concentrated stream of sulfur dioxide. The combustor is operated substoichiometrically to control the oxide level in the copper.

Effects of global MHD instability on operational high beta-regime in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, K.Y.; Sakakibara, S.; Narushima, Y.; Funaba, H.; Narihara, K.; Tanaka, K.; Toi, K.; Ohdachi, S.; Kaneko, O.; Yamada, H.; Nakajima, N.; Yamada, I.; Kawahata, K.; Tokuzawa, T.; Komori, A.; Yamaguchi, T.; Suzuki, Y.; Cooper, W.A.; Murakami, S.

2005-01-01

In the Large Helical device (LHD), the operational highest averaged beta value has been expanded from 3.2% to 4% in last two years by increasing the heating capability and exploring a new magnetic configuration with a high aspect ratio. Although the MHD stability properties are considered to be unfavourable in the new high aspect configuration, the heating efficiency due to neutral beams and the transport properties are expected to be favourable in a high beta range. In order to make clear the effect of the global ideal MHD unstable mode on the operational regimes in helical systems, specially the beta gradients in the peripheral region and the beta value, the MHD analysis and the transport analysis are done in a high beta range up to 4% in LHD. In a high beta range of more than 3%, the maxima of the observed thermal pressure gradients in the peripheral region are marginally stable to a global ideal MHD instability. Though a gradual degradation of the local transport in the region has been observed as beta increases, a disruptive degradation of the local transport does not appear in the beta range up to 4%. (author)

Equations of state for self-excited MHD generator studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogers, F.J.; Ross, M.; Haggin, G.L.; Wong, L.K.

1980-02-26

We have constructed a state-of-the-art equation of state (EOS) for argon covering the temperature density range attainable by currently proposed self-excited MHD generators. The EOS for conditions in the flow channel was obtained primarily by a non-ideal plasma code (ACTEX) that is based on a many body activity expansion. For conditions in the driver chamber the EOS was primarily obtained from a fluid code (HDFP) that calculates the fluid properties from perturbation theory based on the insulator interatomic pair potential but including electronic excitations. The results are in agreement with several sets of experimental data in the 0.6 - 91 GPa pressure range.

Characteristics of laminar MHD fluid hammer in pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Z.Y.; Liu, Y.J.

2016-01-01

As gradually wide applications of MHD fluid, transportation as well as control with pumps and valves is unavoidable, which induces MHD fluid hammer. The paper attempts to combine MHD effect and fluid hammer effect and to investigate the characteristics of laminar MHD fluid hammer. A non-dimensional fluid hammer model, based on Navier–Stocks equations, coupling with Lorentz force is numerically solved in a reservoir–pipe–valve system with uniform external magnetic field. The MHD effect is represented by the interaction number which associates with the conductivity of the MHD fluid as well as the external magnetic field and can be interpreted as the ratio of Lorentz force to Joukowsky force. The transient numerical results of pressure head, average velocity, wall shear stress, velocity profiles and shear stress profiles are provided. The additional MHD effect hinders fluid motion, weakens wave front and homogenizes velocity profiles, contributing to obvious attenuation of oscillation, strengthened line packing and weakened Richardson annular effect. Studying the characteristics of MHD laminar fluid hammer theoretically supplements the gap of knowledge of rapid-transient MHD flow and technically provides beneficial information for MHD pipeline system designers to better devise MHD systems. - Highlights: • Characteristics of laminar MHD fluid hammer are discussed by simulation. • MHD effect has significant influence on attenuation of wave. • MHD effect strengthens line packing. • MHD effect inhibits Richardson annular effect.

MHD Advanced Power Train Phase I, Final Report, Volume 7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A. R. Jones

1985-08-01

This appendix provides additional data in support of the MHD/Steam Power Plant Analyses reported in report Volume 5. The data is in the form of 3PA/SUMARY computer code printouts. The order of presentation in all four cases is as follows: (1) Overall Performance; (2) Component/Subsystem Information; (3) Plant Cost Accounts Summary; and (4) Plant Costing Details and Cost of Electricity.

Implementation of the full viscoresistive magnetohydrodynamic equations in a nonlinear finite element code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haverkort, J.W. [Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, P.O. Box 94079, 1090 GB Amsterdam (Netherlands); Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, P.O. Box 6336, 5600 HH Eindhoven (Netherlands); Blank, H.J. de [Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, P.O. Box 6336, 5600 HH Eindhoven (Netherlands); Huysmans, G.T.A. [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon sur Verdon, 13115 Saint Paul Lez Durance (France); Pratt, J. [Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, P.O. Box 6336, 5600 HH Eindhoven (Netherlands); Koren, B., E-mail: b.koren@tue.nl [Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2016-07-01

Numerical simulations form an indispensable tool to understand the behavior of a hot plasma that is created inside a tokamak for providing nuclear fusion energy. Various aspects of tokamak plasmas have been successfully studied through the reduced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. The need for more complete modeling through the full MHD equations is addressed here. Our computational method is presented along with measures against possible problems regarding pollution, stability, and regularity. The problem of ensuring continuity of solutions in the center of a polar grid is addressed in the context of a finite element discretization of the full MHD equations. A rigorous and generally applicable solution is proposed here. Useful analytical test cases are devised to verify the correct implementation of the momentum and induction equation, the hyperdiffusive terms, and the accuracy with which highly anisotropic diffusion can be simulated. A striking observation is that highly anisotropic diffusion can be treated with the same order of accuracy as isotropic diffusion, even on non-aligned grids, as long as these grids are generated with sufficient care. This property is shown to be associated with our use of a magnetic vector potential to describe the magnetic field. Several well-known instabilities are simulated to demonstrate the capabilities of the new method. The linear growth rate of an internal kink mode and a tearing mode are benchmarked against the results of a linear MHD code. The evolution of a tearing mode and the resulting magnetic islands are simulated well into the nonlinear regime. The results are compared with predictions from the reduced MHD model. Finally, a simulation of a ballooning mode illustrates the possibility to use our method as an ideal MHD method without the need to add any physical dissipation.

Outline of fiscal 1970 achievements in research on MHD power generation; 1970 nendo MHD hatsuden kenkyu seika gaiyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1970-07-01

Compiled are the results of studies conducted in fiscal 1970 on MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) power generation. In the operation test and modification of the 1000kW-class MHD power generator, modification is carried out involving the combustion system, seed collecting method, and power generation channel, and reviews through experiments are conducted about the analysis and control of the boundary layer structure. In the operation test of the MHD power generator designed for prolonged operation, a test operation for resistance to heat and seeds continues more than 100 hours using a cold wall type power generation channel constituted of water cooled ceramics, and the ceramics are analyzed for failure and loss. Studies are also conducted involving MHD power generator heat exchangers, seed collecting methods, electrode materials for MHD power generators, heat-resistant materials for MHD power generators, thermal performance rating for MHD power plants, etc. In the research and development of superconductive electromagnets, superconductive electromagnets are developed and tested for 1000kW-class MHD power generators, and studies are conducted on turbine type helium liquefiers, superinsulated superconductive electromagnetic field generators, etc. (NEDO)

ELMs and constraints on the H-mode pedestal: peeling-ballooning stability calculation and comparison with experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snyder, P.B.; Ferron, J.R.; Wilson, H.R.

2004-01-01

We review and test the peeling-ballooning model for edge localized modes (ELMs) and pedestal constraints, a model based upon theoretical analysis of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities that can limit the pedestal height and drive ELMs. A highly efficient MHD stability code, ELITE, is used to calculate quantitative stability constraints on the pedestal, including constraints on the pedestal height. Because of the impact of collisionality on the bootstrap current, these pedestal constraints are dependent on the density and temperature separately, rather than simply on the pressure. ELITE stability calculations are directly compared with experimental data for a series of plasmas in which the density is varied and ELM characteristics change. In addition, a technique is developed whereby peeling-ballooning pedestal constraints are calculated as a function of key equilibrium parameters via ELITE calculations using series of model equilibria. This technique is used to successfully compare the expected pedestal height as a function of density, triangularity and plasma current with experimental data. Furthermore, the technique can be applied for parameter ranges beyond the purview of present experiments, and we present a brief projection of peeling-ballooning pedestal constraints for burning plasma tokamak designs. (author)

Fast axisymmetric stability calculations using variational techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haney, S.W., Pearlstein, L.D.; Bulmer, R.H.

1991-01-01

A procedure for treating the axisymmetric (n = 0) stability of diverted plasmas in the presence of arbitrary, but toroidally symmetric, structures and active feedback circuits has been developed and implemented as a module in the TEQ free-boundary equilibrium code. This procedure is based on a variational solution of the ideal MHD normal mode equations. Inertia is ordered small but provides a constraint to allow the calculation of the poloidal and toroidal components of the plasma displacement. Feedback based on flux loop measurements is handled by introducing an adjoint system into the variational principle. Approximately 200 trial functions for the radial component of the plasma displacement and 200 magnetic surfaces are employed to obtain highly accurate estimates of the passive growth rate and the non-rigid eigenfunction. Nevertheless, the method is extremely fast: typically 10-20 sec of Cray 2 CPU time are required to analyze a realistic tokamak configuration. This speed, along with the direct coupling to the MHD equilibrium solver, allows interactive investigations of tokamak axisymmetric stability. Benchmarks with TSC and GATO are presented along with parameter scans for ITER and BPX. The results emphasize the importance of considering non-rigid mode effects which for ITER, yield higher nominal growth rates (non-rigid: 45 Hz, rigid: 25 Hz) and atypical internal inductance dependence (smaller l i more unstable)

An induction-based magnetohydrodynamic 3D code for finite magnetic Reynolds number liquid-metal flows in fusion blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawczynski, Charlie; Smolentsev, Sergey; Abdou, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new induction-based magnetohydrodynamic code was developed using a finite difference method. • The code was benchmarked against purely hydrodynamic and MHD flows for low and finite magnetic Reynolds number. • Possible applications of the new code include liquid-metal MHD flows in the breeder blanket during unsteady events in the plasma. - Abstract: Most numerical analysis performed in the past for MHD flows in liquid-metal blankets were based on the assumption of low magnetic Reynolds number and involved numerical codes that utilized electric potential as the main electromagnetic variable. One limitation of this approach is that such codes cannot be applied to truly unsteady processes, for example, MHD flows of liquid-metal breeder/coolant during unsteady events in plasma, such as major plasma disruptions, edge-localized modes and vertical displacements, when changes in plasmas occur at millisecond timescales. Our newly developed code MOONS (Magnetohydrodynamic Object-Oriented Numerical Solver) uses the magnetic field as the main electromagnetic variable to relax the limitations of the low magnetic Reynolds number approximation for more realistic fusion reactor environments. The new code, written in Fortran, implements a 3D finite-difference method and is capable of simulating multi-material domains. The constrained transport method was implemented to evolve the magnetic field in time and assure that the magnetic field remains solenoidal within machine accuracy at every time step. Various verification tests have been performed including purely hydrodynamic flows and MHD flows at low and finite magnetic Reynolds numbers. Test results have demonstrated very good accuracy against known analytic solutions and other numerical data.

An induction-based magnetohydrodynamic 3D code for finite magnetic Reynolds number liquid-metal flows in fusion blankets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawczynski, Charlie; Smolentsev, Sergey, E-mail: sergey@fusion.ucla.edu; Abdou, Mohamed

2016-11-01

Highlights: • A new induction-based magnetohydrodynamic code was developed using a finite difference method. • The code was benchmarked against purely hydrodynamic and MHD flows for low and finite magnetic Reynolds number. • Possible applications of the new code include liquid-metal MHD flows in the breeder blanket during unsteady events in the plasma. - Abstract: Most numerical analysis performed in the past for MHD flows in liquid-metal blankets were based on the assumption of low magnetic Reynolds number and involved numerical codes that utilized electric potential as the main electromagnetic variable. One limitation of this approach is that such codes cannot be applied to truly unsteady processes, for example, MHD flows of liquid-metal breeder/coolant during unsteady events in plasma, such as major plasma disruptions, edge-localized modes and vertical displacements, when changes in plasmas occur at millisecond timescales. Our newly developed code MOONS (Magnetohydrodynamic Object-Oriented Numerical Solver) uses the magnetic field as the main electromagnetic variable to relax the limitations of the low magnetic Reynolds number approximation for more realistic fusion reactor environments. The new code, written in Fortran, implements a 3D finite-difference method and is capable of simulating multi-material domains. The constrained transport method was implemented to evolve the magnetic field in time and assure that the magnetic field remains solenoidal within machine accuracy at every time step. Various verification tests have been performed including purely hydrodynamic flows and MHD flows at low and finite magnetic Reynolds numbers. Test results have demonstrated very good accuracy against known analytic solutions and other numerical data.

Development and Application of Predictive Tools for MHD Stability Limits in Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brennan, Dylan [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Miller, G. P. [Univ. of Tulsa, Tulsa, AZ (United States)

2016-10-03

This is a project to develop and apply analytic and computational tools to answer physics questions relevant to the onset of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in toroidal magnetic confinement plasmas. The focused goal of the research is to develop predictive tools for these instabilities, including an inner layer solution algorithm, a resistive wall with control coils, and energetic particle effects. The production phase compares studies of instabilities in such systems using analytic techniques, PEST- III and NIMROD. Two important physics puzzles are targeted as guiding thrusts for the analyses. The first is to form an accurate description of the physics determining whether the resistive wall mode or a tearing mode will appear first as β is increased at low rotation and low error fields in DIII-D. The second is to understand the physical mechanism behind recent NIMROD results indicating strong damping and stabilization from energetic particle effects on linear resistive modes. The work seeks to develop a highly relevant predictive tool for ITER, advance the theoretical description of this physics in general, and analyze these instabilities in experiments such as ASDEX Upgrade, DIII-D, JET, JT-60U and NTSX. The awardee on this grant is the University of Tulsa. The research efforts are supervised principally by Dr. Brennan. Support is included for two graduate students, and a strong collaboration with Dr. John M. Finn of LANL. The work includes several ongoing collaborations with General Atomics, PPPL, and the NIMROD team, among others.

Development and Application of Predictive Tools for MHD Stability Limits in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, Dylan; Miller, G. P.

2016-01-01

This is a project to develop and apply analytic and computational tools to answer physics questions relevant to the onset of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in toroidal magnetic confinement plasmas. The focused goal of the research is to develop predictive tools for these instabilities, including an inner layer solution algorithm, a resistive wall with control coils, and energetic particle effects. The production phase compares studies of instabilities in such systems using analytic techniques, PEST- III and NIMROD. Two important physics puzzles are targeted as guiding thrusts for the analyses. The first is to form an accurate description of the physics determining whether the resistive wall mode or a tearing mode will appear first as β is increased at low rotation and low error fields in DIII-D. The second is to understand the physical mechanism behind recent NIMROD results indicating strong damping and stabilization from energetic particle effects on linear resistive modes. The work seeks to develop a highly relevant predictive tool for ITER, advance the theoretical description of this physics in general, and analyze these instabilities in experiments such as ASDEX Upgrade, DIII-D, JET, JT-60U and NTSX. The awardee on this grant is the University of Tulsa. The research efforts are supervised principally by Dr. Brennan. Support is included for two graduate students, and a strong collaboration with Dr. John M. Finn of LANL. The work includes several ongoing collaborations with General Atomics, PPPL, and the NIMROD team, among others.

Boundary modulation effects on MHD instabilities in Heliotrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, N.; Hudson, S.R.; Hegna, C.C.; Nakamura, Y.

2005-01-01

In three-dimensional configurations, the confinement region is surrounded by the stochastic magnetic field lines related to magnetic islands or separatrix, leading to the fact that the plasma-vacuum boundary is not so definite compared with tokamaks that the various modulations of the plasma-vacuum boundary will be induced around the stochastic region by a large Shafranov shift of the whole plasma, in especially high-β operations. To examine such the modulation effects of the plasma boundary on MHD instabilities, high-β plasmas allowing a large Shafranov shift are considered in the inward-shifted LHD configurations with the vacuum magnetic axis R ax of 3.6m, for which previous theoretical analyses indicate that pressure-driven modes are significantly more unstable compared with experimental observations. It is shown that the boundary modulation due to a free motion of the equilibrium plasma has not only significant stabilizing effects on ideal MHD instabilities, but also characteristics consistent to experimental observations. (author)

Kinetic extensions of magnetohydrodynamic models for axisymmetric toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1989-04-01

A nonvariational kinetic-MHD stability code (NOVA-K) has been developed to integrate a set of non-Hermitian integro-differential eigenmode equations due to energetic particles for axisymmetric toroidal plasmas in a general flux coordinate system with an arbitrary Jacobian. The NOVA-K code employs the Galerkin method involving Fourier expansions in the generalized poloidal angle θ and generalized toroidal angle /zeta/ directions, and cubic-B spline finite elements in the radial /Psi/ direction. Extensive comparisons with the existing variational ideal MHD codes show that the ideal MHD version of the NOVA-K code converges faster and gives more accurate results. The NOVA-K code is employed to study the effects of energetic particles on MHD-type modes: the stabilization of ideal MHD internal kink modes and the excitation of ''fishbone'' internal kink modes; and the alpha particle destabilization of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) via transit resonances. Analytical theories are also presented to help explain the NOVA-K results. For energetic trapped particles generated by neutral beam injection (NBI) or ion cyclotron resonant heating (ICRH), a stability window for the n = 1 internal kink mode in the hot particle beta space exists even in the absence of the core ion finite Larmor radius effect. On the other hand, the trapped alpha particles are found to have negligible effects on the stability of the n = 1 internal kink mode, but the circulating alpha particles can strongly destabilize TAE modes via inverse Landau damping associated with the spatial gradient of the alpha particle pressure. 60 refs., 24 figs., 1 tab

MHD program plan, FY 1991

Science.gov (United States)

1990-10-01

The current magnetohydrodynamic MHD program being implemented is a result of a consensus established in public meetings held by the Department of Energy in 1984. The public meetings were followed by the formulation of a June 1984 Coal-Fired MHD Preliminary Transition and Program Plan. This plan focused on demonstrating the proof-of-concept (POC) of coal-fired MHD electric power plants by the early 1990s. MHD test data indicate that while there are no fundamental technical barriers impeding the development of MHD power plants, technical risk remains. To reduce the technical risk three key subsystems (topping cycle, bottoming cycle, and seed regeneration) are being assembled and tested separately. The program does not require fabrication of a complete superconducting magnet, but rather the development and testing of superconductor cables. The topping cycle system test objectives can be achieved using a conventional iron core magnet system already in place at a DOE facility. Systems engineering-derived requirements and analytical modeling to support scale-up and component design guide the program. In response to environmental, economic, engineering, and utility acceptance requirements, design choices and operating modes are tested and refined to provide technical specifications for meeting commercial criteria. These engineering activities are supported by comprehensive and continuing systems analyses to establish realistic technical requirements and cost data. Essential elements of the current program are to: develop technical and environmental data for the integrated MHD topping cycle and bottoming cycle systems through POC testing (1000 and 4000 hours, respectively); design, construct, and operate a POC seed regeneration system capable of processing spent seed materials from the MHD bottoming cycle; prepare conceptual designs for a site specific MHD retrofit plant; and continue supporting research necessary for system testing.

MHD equilibrium identification on ASDEX-Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, P.J.; Schneider, W.; Lakner, K.; Zehrfeld, H.P.; Buechl, K.; Gernhardt, J.; Gruber, O.; Kallenbach, A.; Lieder, G.; Wunderlich, R.

1992-01-01

A central activity accompanying the ASDEX-Upgrade experiment is the analysis of MHD equilibria. There are two different numerical methods available, both using magnetic measurements which reflect equilibrium states of the plasma. The first method proceeds via a function parameterization (FP) technique, which uses in-vessel magnetic measurements to calculate up to 66 equilibrium parameters. The second method applies an interpretative equilibrium code (DIVA) for a best fit to a different set of magnetic measurements. Cross-checks with the measured particle influxes from the inner heat shield and the divertor region and with visible camera images of the scrape-off layer are made. (author) 3 refs., 3 figs

Advanced energy utilization MHD power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The 'Technical Committee on Advanced Energy Utilization MHD Power Generation' was started to establish advanced energy utilization technologies in Japan, and has been working for three years from June 2004 to May 2007. This committee investigated closed cycle MHD, open cycle MHD, and liquid metal MHD power generation as high-efficiency power generation systems on the earth. Then, aero-space application and deep space exploration technologies were investigated as applications of MHD technology. The spin-off from research and development on MHD power generation such as acceleration and deceleration of supersonic flows was expected to solve unstart phenomena in scramjet engine and also to solve abnormal heating of aircrafts by shock wave. In addition, this committee investigated researches on fuel cells, on secondary batteries, on connection of wind power system to power grid, and on direct energy conversion system from nuclear fusion reactor for future. The present technical report described results of investigations by the committee. (author)

Investigation of MHD instabilities and control in KSTAR preparing for high beta operation

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Y. S.; Sabbagh, S. A.; Bialek, J. M.; Berkery, J. W.; Lee, S. G.; Ko, W. H.; Bak, J. G.; Jeon, Y. M.; Park, J. K.; Kim, J.; Hahn, S. H.; Ahn, J.-W.; Yoon, S. W.; Lee, K. D.; Choi, M. J.; Yun, G. S.; Park, H. K.; You, K.-I.; Bae, Y. S.; Oh, Y. K.; Kim, W.-C.; Kwak, J. G.

2013-08-01

Initial H-mode operation of the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) is expanded to higher normalized beta and lower plasma internal inductance moving towards design target operation. As a key supporting device for ITER, an important goal for KSTAR is to produce physics understanding of MHD instabilities at long pulse with steady-state profiles, at high normalized beta, and over a wide range of plasma rotation profiles. An advance from initial plasma operation is a significant increase in plasma stored energy and normalized beta, with Wtot = 340 kJ, βN = 1.9, which is 75% of the level required to reach the computed ideal n = 1 no-wall stability limit. The internal inductance was lowered to 0.9 at sustained H-mode duration up to 5 s. In ohmically heated plasmas, the plasma current reached 1 MA with prolonged pulse length up to 12 s. Rotating MHD modes are observed in the device with perturbations having tearing rather than ideal parity. Modes with m/n = 3/2 are triggered during the H-mode phase but are relatively weak and do not substantially reduce Wtot. In contrast, 2/1 modes to date only appear when the plasma rotation profiles are lowered after H-L back-transition. Subsequent 2/1 mode locking creates a repetitive collapse of βN by more than 50%. Onset behaviour suggests the 3/2 mode is close to being neoclassically unstable. A correlation between the 2/1 mode amplitude and local rotation shear from an x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer suggests that the rotation shear at the mode rational surface is stabilizing. As a method to access the ITER-relevant low plasma rotation regime, plasma rotation alteration by n = 1, 2 applied fields and associated neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) induced torque is presently investigated. The net rotation profile change measured by a charge exchange recombination diagnostic with proper compensation of plasma boundary movement shows initial evidence of non-resonant rotation damping by the n = 1, 2 applied

Investigation of MHD instabilities and control in KSTAR preparing for high beta operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Y.S.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Bialek, J.M.; Berkery, J.W.; Lee, S.G.; Ko, W.H.; Bak, J.G.; Jeon, Y.M.; Kim, J.; Hahn, S.H.; Yoon, S.W.; Lee, K.D.; You, K.-I.; Bae, Y.S.; Oh, Y.K.; Park, J.K.; Ahn, J.-W.; Choi, M.J.; Yun, G.S.; Park, H.K.

2013-01-01

Initial H-mode operation of the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) is expanded to higher normalized beta and lower plasma internal inductance moving towards design target operation. As a key supporting device for ITER, an important goal for KSTAR is to produce physics understanding of MHD instabilities at long pulse with steady-state profiles, at high normalized beta, and over a wide range of plasma rotation profiles. An advance from initial plasma operation is a significant increase in plasma stored energy and normalized beta, with W tot = 340 kJ, β N = 1.9, which is 75% of the level required to reach the computed ideal n = 1 no-wall stability limit. The internal inductance was lowered to 0.9 at sustained H-mode duration up to 5 s. In ohmically heated plasmas, the plasma current reached 1 MA with prolonged pulse length up to 12 s. Rotating MHD modes are observed in the device with perturbations having tearing rather than ideal parity. Modes with m/n = 3/2 are triggered during the H-mode phase but are relatively weak and do not substantially reduce W tot . In contrast, 2/1 modes to date only appear when the plasma rotation profiles are lowered after H–L back-transition. Subsequent 2/1 mode locking creates a repetitive collapse of β N by more than 50%. Onset behaviour suggests the 3/2 mode is close to being neoclassically unstable. A correlation between the 2/1 mode amplitude and local rotation shear from an x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer suggests that the rotation shear at the mode rational surface is stabilizing. As a method to access the ITER-relevant low plasma rotation regime, plasma rotation alteration by n = 1, 2 applied fields and associated neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) induced torque is presently investigated. The net rotation profile change measured by a charge exchange recombination diagnostic with proper compensation of plasma boundary movement shows initial evidence of non-resonant rotation damping by the n = 1, 2

Gasdynamic performance in relation to the power extraction of an MHD generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massee, P.

1983-01-01

A study of the gasdynamical processes in MHD generators has been made both theoretically and experimentally. A core flow and boundary layer model has been developed. In order to obtain a fast computer code which can be used for engineering purposes the quasi-one-dimensional approximation is used. It is shown in this thesis that the boundary layers have to be calculated from integral equations describing momentum, kinetic energy and stagnation enthalpy respectively, when the MHD effects in the boundary layers are properly taken into account. Calculations with the developed core flow and boundary layer model have shown that the electrical power output is limited by the design of the existing facility and have indicated possibilities to circumvent this limitation. (Auth.)

A study on the fusion reactor - Numerical analyses of MHD equilibrium and= edge plasma transport in tokamak fusion reactor with divertor configurations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Sang Hee; Kang, Kyung Doo; Ryu, Ji Myung; Kim, Deok Kyu; Chung, TaeKyun; Chung, Mo Se [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Su Won [Kyungki University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-08-01

In the present project for developing the numerical codes of 2-D MHD equilibrium, edge plasma transport and neutral particle transport for the tokamak plasmas, we computed the MHD equilibria of single and double null configurations and determined the external coil currents and the plasma parameters used for operation and control data. Also we numerically acquired the distributions of edge plasma parameters in poloidal and radial directions= and the design-related values according to the various operating conditions using the developed plasma transport code. Furthermore, a neutral particle transport code for the edge region is developed and them used for the analysis of the neutral particle behavior yielding the source terms in the fluid transport equations, and expected to supply the input parameters for the edge plasma transport code. 53 refs., 12 tabs., 44 figs. (author)

Relativistic MHD simulations of stellar core collapse and magnetars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Font, Jose A; Gabler, Michael [Departamento de AstronomIa y Astrofisica, Universitat de Valencia, 46100 Burjassot (Valencia) (Spain); Cerda-Duran, Pablo; Mueller, Ewald [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85741 Garching (Germany); Stergioulas, Nikolaos, E-mail: j.antonio.font@uv.es [Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124 (Greece)

2011-02-01

We present results from simulations of magneto-rotational stellar core collapse along with Alfven oscillations in magnetars. These simulations are performed with the CoCoA/CoCoNuT code, which is able to handle ideal MHD flows in dynamical spacetimes in general relativity. Our core collapse simulations highlight the importance of genuine magnetic effects, like the magneto-rotational instability, for the dynamics of the flow. For the modelling of magnetars we use the anelastic approximation to general relativistic MHD, which allows for an effective suppression of fluid modes and an accurate description of Alfven waves. We further compute Alfven oscillation frequencies along individual magnetic field lines with a semi-analytic approach. Our work confirms previous results based on perturbative approaches regarding the existence of two families of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), with harmonics at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. Additional material is presented in the accompanying contribution by Gabler et al (2010b) in these proceedings.

Ceramics and M.H.D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yvars, M.

1979-10-01

The materials considered for the insulating walls of a M.H.D. converter are Al 2 O 3 , and the calcium or strontium zirconates. For the conducting walls electricity conducting oxides are being considered such as ZrO 2 or CrO 3 La essentially. The principle of M.H.D. systems is recalled, the materials considered are described as is their behaviour in the corrosive atmospheres of M.H.D. streams [fr

Entangled cloning of stabilizer codes and free fermions

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Timothy H.

2016-10-01

Though the no-cloning theorem [Wooters and Zurek, Nature (London) 299, 802 (1982), 10.1038/299802a0] prohibits exact replication of arbitrary quantum states, there are many instances in quantum information processing and entanglement measurement in which a weaker form of cloning may be useful. Here, I provide a construction for generating an "entangled clone" for a particular but rather expansive and rich class of states. Given a stabilizer code or free fermion Hamiltonian, this construction generates an exact entangled clone of the original ground state, in the sense that the entanglement between the original and the exact copy can be tuned to be arbitrarily small but finite, or large, and the relation between the original and the copy can also be modified to some extent. For example, this Rapid Communication focuses on generating time-reversed copies of stabilizer codes and particle-hole transformed ground states of free fermion systems, although untransformed clones can also be generated. The protocol leverages entanglement to simulate a transformed copy of the Hamiltonian without having to physically implement it and can potentially be realized in superconducting qubits or ultracold atomic systems.

Stability Limits of High-Beta Plasmas in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, E.J.

2005-01-01

Stability at high beta is an important requirement for a compact, economically attractive fusion reactor. DIII-D experiments have shown that ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory is an accurate predictor of the ultimate stability limits for tokamaks, and the Troyon scaling law has provided a useful approximation of ideal stability limits for discharges with 'conventional' profiles. However, variation of the discharge shape, pressure profile, and current density profile can lead to ideal MHD beta limits that differ significantly from simple Troyon scaling. The need for profiles consistent with steady-state operation places an important additional constraint on plasma stability. Nonideal effects can also be important and must be taken into account. For example, neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs), resulting from plasma resistivity and the nonlinear effects of the bootstrap current, can become unstable at beta values well below the ideal MHD limit. DIII-D experiments are now entering a new era of unprecedented control over plasma stability, including suppression of NTMs by localized current drive at the island location, and direct feedback stabilization of kink modes with a resistive wall. The continuing development of physics understanding and control tools holds the potential for stable, steady-state fusion plasmas at high beta

Nonequilibrium fluctuations in micro-MHD effects on electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aogaki, Ryoichi; Morimoto, Ryoichi; Asanuma, Miki

2010-01-01

In copper electrodeposition under a magnetic field parallel to electrode surface, different roles of two kinds of nonequilibrium fluctuations for micro-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects are discussed; symmetrical fluctuations are accompanied by the suppression of three dimensional (3D) nucleation by micro-MHD flows (the 1st micro-MHD effect), whereas asymmetrical fluctuations controlling 2D nucleation yield secondary nodules by larger micro-MHD flows (the 2nd micro-MHD effect). Though the 3D nucleation with symmetrical fluctuations is always suppressed by the micro-MHD flows, due to the change in the rate-determining step from electron transfer to mass transfer, the 2D nucleation with asymmetrical fluctuations newly turns unstable, generating larger micro-MHD flows. As a result, round semi-spherical deposits, i.e., secondary nodules are yielded. Using computer simulation, the mechanism of the 2nd micro-MHD effect is validated.

Electromagnetic interactions between the U-25 superconducting magnet and the U-25 B MHD flow train

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.P.; Niemann, R.C.; Kraimer, M.R.; Zinneman, T.E.

1978-01-01

Fluctuating voltage signals on the potential taps of the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) 5.0 Tesla MHD Superconducting Dipole Magnet have been observed during MHD power generation at the U-25 B Facility at the High Temperature Institute (IVAN), Moscow, U.S.S.R. The voltage fluctuations are analyzed with special emphasis on magnet stability. Various other thermodynamic and electrical parameters of the U-25 B flow train have been recorded and statistical correlations between these signals and the signals observed at the magnet terminals are described

Stability of the n = 1 internal kink mode in equilibria with flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aydemir, A.Y.; Waelbroeck, F.L.

1996-01-01

Stabilizing influence of mass flows, either directly or through their shearing action, on various modes is now generally recognized. Here we examine linear and nonlinear stability of the n = 1 internal kink mode in equilibria with toroidal rotation, using our nonlinear, initial-value MHD code CTD, which can be used to generate self-consistent equilibria with flows in arbitrary geometries. It is well known that equilibrium mass flows introduce complications in determination of MHD equilibria and their stability properties, such as the loss of self-adjointness and an increase in the number of conditions required to uniquely determine the equilibria. Thus, even with purely toroidal flows, an implicit statement about the equation of state is needed, in addition to a knowledge of the magnetic field and velocity profiles; rotation in an adiabatic plasma leads to a different equilibrium than, for example, in an isothermal one, with possibly quite different stability properties. We find that the expected stabilizing influence of toroidal rotation on n = 1 is generally absent in adiabatically generated equilibria in which, of all the relevant thermodynamic variables, only the specific entropy is a flux function, s = s (ψ). Fortunately, physically more relevant isothermal case where the temperature is constant on flux surfaces, T = T(ψ), has more favorable stability characteristics. On the other hand, an inconsistent but common practice of ignoring density perturbations, a benign omission for static equilibria, leads to overly optimistic results when equilibrium flows axe present, predicting stability when there may not be any. The crucial role played by the equation of state in determining equilibrium raises questions regarding the role of parallel transport in stability calculations; this and other nonideal effects, along with the role of plasma β vs. the rotational β, and nonlinear stability when the mode is pushed beyond marginality, will be discussed

Optimization and control of the plasma shape and current profile in noncircular cross-section tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, R.W.; Bernard, L.C.; Chan, V.S.; Davidson, R.H.; Dobrott, D.R.; Helton, F.J.; Miller, R.L.; Pfeiffer, W.; Waltz, R.E.; Wang, T.S.

1980-06-01

High-β equilibria which are stable to all ideal MHD modes are found by optimizing the plasma shape and current profile for doublets, up-down asymmetric dees, and symmetric dees. The ideal MHD stability of these equilibria for low toroidal mode number n is analyzed with a global MHD stability code, GATO. The stability to high-n modes is analyzed with a localized ballooning code, BLOON. The attainment of high β is facilitated by an automated optimization search on shape and current parameters. The equilibria are calculated with a free-boundary equilibrium code using coils appropriate for the Doublet III experimental device. The optimal equilibria are characterized by broad current profiles with values of β/sub poloidal/ approx. =1. Experimental realization of the shapes and current profiles giving the highest β limits is explored with a 1 1/2-D transport code, which simulates the time evolution of the 2-D MHD equilibrium while calculating consistent current profiles from a 1-D transport model. Transport simulations indicate that nearly optimal shapes may be obtained provided that the currents in the field-shaping coils are appropriately programmed and the plasma current profile is sufficiently broad. Obtaining broad current profiles is possible by current ramping, neutral beam heating, and electron cyclotron heating. With combinations of these techniques it is possible to approach the optimum β predicted by the MHD theory

Semi-implicit method for three-dimensional compressible MHD simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harned, D.S.; Kerner, W.

1984-03-01

A semi-implicit method for solving the full compressible MHD equations in three dimensions is presented. The method is unconditionally stable with respect to the fast compressional modes. The time step is instead limited by the slower shear Alfven motion. The computing time required for one time step is essentially the same as for explicit methods. Linear stability limits are derived and verified by three-dimensional tests on linear waves in slab geometry. (orig.)

PHANTOM: Smoothed particle hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics code

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Daniel J.; Wurster, James; Nixon, Chris; Tricco, Terrence S.; Toupin, Stéven; Pettitt, Alex; Chan, Conrad; Laibe, Guillaume; Glover, Simon; Dobbs, Clare; Nealon, Rebecca; Liptai, David; Worpel, Hauke; Bonnerot, Clément; Dipierro, Giovanni; Ragusa, Enrico; Federrath, Christoph; Iaconi, Roberto; Reichardt, Thomas; Forgan, Duncan; Hutchison, Mark; Constantino, Thomas; Ayliffe, Ben; Mentiplay, Daniel; Hirsh, Kieran; Lodato, Giuseppe

2017-09-01

Phantom is a smoothed particle hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics code focused on stellar, galactic, planetary, and high energy astrophysics. It is modular, and handles sink particles, self-gravity, two fluid and one fluid dust, ISM chemistry and cooling, physical viscosity, non-ideal MHD, and more. Its modular structure makes it easy to add new physics to the code.

High-confinement-mode edge stability of Alcator C-mod plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mossessian, D.A.; Snyder, P.; Hubbard, A.; Hughes, J.W.; Greenwald, M.; La Bombard, B.; Snipes, J.A.; Wolfe, S.; Wilson, H.

2003-01-01

For steady state high-confinement-mode (H-mode) operation, a relaxation mechanism is required to limit build-up of the edge gradient and impurity content. Alcator C-Mod [Hutchinson et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 1511 (1994)] sees two such mechanisms--EDA (enhanced D-alpha H mode) and grassy ELMs (edge localized modes), but not large type I ELMs. In EDA the edge relaxation is provided by an edge localized quasicoherent (QC) electromagnetic mode that exists at moderate pedestal temperature T 95 >3.5, and does not limit the buildup of the edge pressure gradient. The q boundary of the operational space of the mode depends on plasma shape, with the q 95 limit moving down with increasing plasma triangularity. At high edge pressure gradients and temperatures the mode is replaced by broadband fluctuations ( f<50 kHz) and small irregular ELMs are observed. Ideal MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) stability analysis that includes both pressure and current driven edge modes shows that the discharges where the QC mode is observed are stable. The ELMs are identified as medium n (10< n<50) coupled peeling/ballooning modes. The predicted stability boundary of the modes as a function of pedestal current and pressure gradient is reproduced in experimental observations. The measured dependence of the ELMs' threshold and amplitude on plasma triangularity is consistent with the results of ideal MHD analysis performed with the linear stability code ELITE [Wilson et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 1277 (2002)

An analytic study of the magnetohydrodynamic stability of inverse shear profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimblett, C.G.; Hastie, R.J.; Hender, T.C.

1996-01-01

This paper reports on the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of tokamak field profiles that have a non-monotonic safety factor q(r). An analytic criterion is obtained for these open-quote open-quote inverse shear close-quote close-quote profiles by expanding in inverse aspect ratio and assuming that the minimum in q is slightly less than the m/n value of the mode under examination (m and n being the principal poloidal and toroidal mode numbers of the instability). Three terms are identified as controlling the stability of this open-quote open-quote double kink close-quote close-quote; two of them are stabilizing and due, respectively, to field line bending and the interaction of average favorable curvature with the pressure gradient. The possibility of instability comes from the third term which is due to toroidal coupling and is ballooning in character. The analytic results are compared with those from a fully toroidal stability code

Estimating a planetary magnetic field with time-dependent global MHD simulations using an adjoint approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Nabert

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The interaction of the solar wind with a planetary magnetic field causes electrical currents that modify the magnetic field distribution around the planet. We present an approach to estimating the planetary magnetic field from in situ spacecraft data using a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD simulation approach. The method is developed with respect to the upcoming BepiColombo mission to planet Mercury aimed at determining the planet's magnetic field and its interior electrical conductivity distribution. In contrast to the widely used empirical models, global MHD simulations allow the calculation of the strongly time-dependent interaction process of the solar wind with the planet. As a first approach, we use a simple MHD simulation code that includes time-dependent solar wind and magnetic field parameters. The planetary parameters are estimated by minimizing the misfit of spacecraft data and simulation results with a gradient-based optimization. As the calculation of gradients with respect to many parameters is usually very time-consuming, we investigate the application of an adjoint MHD model. This adjoint MHD model is generated by an automatic differentiation tool to compute the gradients efficiently. The computational cost for determining the gradient with an adjoint approach is nearly independent of the number of parameters. Our method is validated by application to THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms magnetosheath data to estimate Earth's dipole moment.

Outline of fiscal 1969 achievements in research on MHD power generation; 1969 nendo MHD hatsuden kenkyu seika gaiyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1969-07-01

Compiled are the results of studies conducted in fiscal 1969 on MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) power generation. In the operation test and modification of the 1,000kW-class MHD power generator, the operation test continues from the preceding fiscal year using high-temperature air as oxidant, and the growth of boundary layer in the channel is determined. In the operation test of the MHD power generator designed for prolonged operation, insulation walls, electrode materials, and structures capable of prolonged operation are developed and tested. In the research of MHD power generator heat exchangers, studies are made about the bulkhead type and heat accumulator types (stationary type, rotary type, and falling-grain type). In addition, studies are conducted about seed collecting methods, MHD power generator electrode materials, heat-resisting insulators, and thermal performance rating. In the research and development of superconductive electromagnets, studies are conducted about superconductive electromagnets for 1kW MHD power generators, ferromagnetic superconductive electromagnets for 1,000kW-class MHD power generators, 45-kilogauss col type superconductive electromagnets, turbine type helium liquefier, high current density col type superconductive electromagnets, superinsulated magnetic field generators, etc. (NEDO)

Predesign of an experimental (5 to 10 MWt) disk MHD facility and prospects of commercial (1,000 MWt) MHD/steam systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-07-01

Experimental disk MHD facilities are predesigned, and commercial-scale (1,000 MWt) MHD/steam systems are investigated. The predesigns of the disk MHD facilities indicate that enthalpy extraction is 8.7% for a 10 MWt open cycle MHD generator, and increases to 37% for a 5 MWt closed cycle MHD generator. Commercial (1,000 MWt) MHD/steam systems are studied for 4 types. Of these types, the open cycle disk MHD generator shows the lowest efficiency of 42.8%, while the closed cycle disk MHD generator the highest efficiency of 50.0%. The open cycle linear generator, although showing an efficiency of 49.4%, may be the lowest-cost type, when the necessary heat source, heat exchangers and the like are taken into consideration. For the design of superconducting magnet, it is necessary to further investigate whether the one for the test facility is applicable to the commercial systems. (NEDO)

Report of results of contract research. 'Research on magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) generation'; MHD hatsuden system no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1980-03-01

Examination was conducted in detail on an MHD generation system by coal combustion, with the results reported. Concerning a gas table calculation program in coal combustion, it was prepared assuming 100% slag removal ratio in the combustor as the primary approximation. A combustor for MHD generation needs to efficiently burn fuel using high temperature pre-heated air as the oxidant, to fully dissociate/electrolytically dissociate seed, and to supply to the generation channel a high speed combustion gas plasma having a high electrical conductivity which is required for MHD generation. This year, an examination was conducted on technological problems in burning coal in an MHD combustor. As for the NOx elimination system in an MHD generation plant, an examination was made if the method studied so far in MHD generation using heavy oil as the fuel is applicable to coal. Also investigated and reviewed were various characteristics, change in physical properties, recovery method, etc., in a mixed state of seed and slag in the case of coal combustion MHD. (NEDO)

MHD-stability of the Scyllac configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berge, G.; Freidberg, J.P.

1975-01-01

The results of a stability analysis for a diffuse high-β, l=1 helical configuration are presented. It is shown that there exists a gross m=1 mode whose properties are quite similar to those predicted by the sharp-boundary model. In addition, two new classes of m=1 modes are found, one localized on the inside of the plasma, the other one outside. For any monotonic pressure profile, these modes are unstable although their growth rates are very small. A further study suggests that small changes in the profile may stabilize these modes. (author)

The SOL width and the MHD interchange instability in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerner, W [Commission of the European Communities, Abingdon (United Kingdom). JET Joint Undertaking; Pogutse, O [Kurchatov institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-07-01

Instabilities in the SOL plasma can strongly influence the SOL plasma behaviour and in particular the SOL width. The SOL stability analysis shows that there exists a critical ratio of the thermal energy and the magnetic energy. If the SOL beta is greater than this critical value, the magnetic field cannot prevent the plasma displacement and a strong MHD instability in the SOL occurs. In the opposite case only slower resistive instabilities can develop. A theoretical investigation of the SOL plasma stability is presented for JET single-null and double-null divertor configurations. The dependence of the stability threshold on the SOL beta and on the sheath resistance is established. Applying a simple mixing length argument gives the scaling of the SOL width. 5 refs., 2 figs.

Helical-tokamak hybridization concepts for compact configuration exploration and MHD stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oishi, T.; Yamazaki, K.; Arimoto, H.; Baba, K.; Hasegawa, M.; Ozeki, H.; Shoji, T.; Mikhailov, M.I.

2010-11-01

To search for low-aspect-ratio torus systems, a lot of exotic confinement concepts are proposed so far historically. One of the authors previously proposed the tokamak-helical hybrid called TOKASTAR (Tokamak-Stellarator Hybrid) to improve the magnetic local shear near the bad curvature region. This is characterized by simple and compact coil systems with enough divertor space relevant to reactor designs. Based on this TOKASTAR concept, a toroidal mode number N=2 C (compact) -TOKASTAR machine (R - 35 mm) was constructed. The rotational transform of this compact helical configuration is rather small to confine hot ions, but can be utilized as a compact electron plasma machine for multi-purposes. The C-TOKASTAR has a pair of spherically winding helical coils and a pair of poloidal coils. Existence of magnetic surface and electron confinement property in C-TOKASTAR device were investigated by an electron-emission impedance method. Calculation of the particle orbit also supports that closed magnetic surface is formed in the cases that the ratio between poloidal and helical coil current is appropriate. Another aspect of the research using TOKASTAR configuration includes the evaluation of the effect of the outboard helical field application to tokamak plasmas. It is considered that outboard helical field has roles to assist the initiation of plasma current, to improve MHD stability, and so on. To check these roles, we made TOKASTAR-2 machine (R - 0.12 m, B - 1 kG) with ohmic heating central coil, eight toroidal field coils, a pair of vertical field coils and two outboard helical field coil segments. The electron cyclotron heating plasma start-up and plasma current disruption control experiments might be expected in this machine. Calculation of magnetic field line tracing has revealed that magnetic surface can be formed using additional outer helical coils. (author)

MHD saga in the gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petit, J.P.

1995-01-01

Jean-Pierre PETIT, one of the best MHD specialists, is telling this technology story and he is insisting on its military consequences. Civil MHD is only one iceberg emerged part, including a lot of leader technologies, interesting he defense. 3 notes

Overview of transport and MHD stability study and impact of magnetic field topology in the Large Helical Device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, K.; Nagaoka, K.; Kasahara, H.; Yoshinuma, M.; Ohdachi, S.; Osakabe, M.; Kobayashi, M.; Sudo, S.; Yamada, H.; Takeiri, Y.; Mutoh, T.; Imagawa, S.; Mito, T.; Nagayama, Y.; Watanabe, K.Y.; Kaneko, O.; Komori, A.; Inagaki, S.; Evans, T.; Kamiya, Kensaku

2014-10-01

The progress of physics understanding and concurrent parameter extension since the last IAEA-FEC 2012 in the Large Helical Device is overviewed. High ion and electron temperature plasma (T i (0) ∼ T e (0) ∼ 6 keV) with simultaneous ion and electron internal transport barrier (ITB) is obtained by controlling recycling and heating deposition. Associated with the formation of a transport barrier, a sign flip of the non-diffusive term of impurity/momentum transport (residual stress and convection flow) is observed. The impact of the topology of 3-D magnetic fields (stochastic magnetic fields and magnetic islands) on heat momentum and particle/impurity transport and MHD stability is also discussed. In the steady state operation, a 48 min discharge with a line-averaged electron density of 1x10 19 m -3 and with high electron and ion temperatures (T i (0) ∼ T e (0) ∼ 2 keV) resulting in 3.36 GJ of input energy is achieved. (author)

Different ELM regimes at ASDEX upgrade and their linear stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burckhart, Andreas O.

2013-01-01

Edge localised modes (ELMs) are magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities that occur at the edge of magnetically confined fusion plasmas. They periodically expel particles and energy from the confined region. In addition to limiting the confinement, they cause high heat fluxes to the walls of the tokamak which may not be manageable in larger, next-generation devices. However, the exact nature of the instabilities that drive ELMs is still unknown. The most commonly invoked theory to explain the occurrence of ELMs is the peeling-ballooning model which posits a critical edge pressure gradient and current density. In this thesis, this model is tested against experimental data gathered at the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak. For the first time, a broad selection of ELM scenarios is analysed with respect to ideal MHD stability using the same methodology. The comparison of experiment and theory is performed using a stability analysis chain, which consists of combining kinetic and magnetic measurements to generate self-consistent plasma equilibria with the Grad-Shafranov solver CLISTE, refining this equilibrium with the HELENA code, and, finally, determining its stability using ILSA, a linear MHD stability code. In theory the peeling ballooning model should apply to all type-I ELM scenarios. Therefore, the stability of several different type-I ELMy H-mode plasmas is analysed with respect to peeling ballooning modes. While some of them are consistent with the model, in others ELMs occur well below or above the ideal MHD stability limit. The standard type-I ELMy H-mode regime exhibits considerable variations with equilibria both well below and at the stability limit depending on the discharge. In addition, a nitrogen-seeded case in which the edge pressure gradient greatly exceeds the stability limit is identified. In another discharge, the edge pressure gradient and current density, which are on the threshold for marginal stability, relax when edge heating is applied. Contrary to

Different ELM regimes at ASDEX upgrade and their linear stability analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burckhart, Andreas O.

2013-12-16

Edge localised modes (ELMs) are magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities that occur at the edge of magnetically confined fusion plasmas. They periodically expel particles and energy from the confined region. In addition to limiting the confinement, they cause high heat fluxes to the walls of the tokamak which may not be manageable in larger, next-generation devices. However, the exact nature of the instabilities that drive ELMs is still unknown. The most commonly invoked theory to explain the occurrence of ELMs is the peeling-ballooning model which posits a critical edge pressure gradient and current density. In this thesis, this model is tested against experimental data gathered at the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak. For the first time, a broad selection of ELM scenarios is analysed with respect to ideal MHD stability using the same methodology. The comparison of experiment and theory is performed using a stability analysis chain, which consists of combining kinetic and magnetic measurements to generate self-consistent plasma equilibria with the Grad-Shafranov solver CLISTE, refining this equilibrium with the HELENA code, and, finally, determining its stability using ILSA, a linear MHD stability code. In theory the peeling ballooning model should apply to all type-I ELM scenarios. Therefore, the stability of several different type-I ELMy H-mode plasmas is analysed with respect to peeling ballooning modes. While some of them are consistent with the model, in others ELMs occur well below or above the ideal MHD stability limit. The standard type-I ELMy H-mode regime exhibits considerable variations with equilibria both well below and at the stability limit depending on the discharge. In addition, a nitrogen-seeded case in which the edge pressure gradient greatly exceeds the stability limit is identified. In another discharge, the edge pressure gradient and current density, which are on the threshold for marginal stability, relax when edge heating is applied. Contrary to

Generation of compressible modes in MHD turbulence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jungyeon [Chungnam National Univ., Daejeon (Korea); Lazarian, A. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2005-05-01

Astrophysical turbulence is magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) in nature. We discuss fundamental properties of MHD turbulence and in particular the generation of compressible MHD waves by Alfvenic turbulence and show that this process is inefficient. This allows us to study the evolution of different types of MHD perturbations separately. We describe how to separate MHD fluctuations into three distinct families: Alfven, slow, and fast modes. We find that the degree of suppression of slow and fast modes production by Alfvenic turbulence depends on the strength of the mean field. We review the scaling relations of the modes in strong MHD turbulence. We show that Alfven modes in compressible regime exhibit scalings and anisotropy similar to those in incompressible regime. Slow modes passively mimic Alfven modes. However, fast modes exhibit isotropy and a scaling similar to that of acoustic turbulence both in high and low {beta} plasmas. We show that our findings entail important consequences for star formation theories, cosmic ray propagation, dust dynamics, and gamma ray bursts. We anticipate many more applications of the new insight to MHD turbulence and expect more revisions of the existing paradigms of astrophysical processes as the field matures. (orig.)

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tixador, P.

1994-01-01

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion are now attracting attention in several countries. Different superconducting MagLev and MHD systems will be described concentrating on, above all, the electromagnetic aspect. Some programmes occurring throughout the world will be described. Magnetic levitated trains could be the new high speed transportation system for the 21st century. Intensive studies involving MagLev trains using superconductivity have been carried our in Japan since 1970. The construction of a 43 km long track is to be the next step. In 1991 a six year programme was launched in the United States to evaluate the performances of MagLev systems for transportation. The MHD (MagnetoHydroDynamic) offers some interesting advantages (efficiency, stealth characteristics, ..) for naval propulsion and increasing attention is being paid towards it nowadays. Japan is also up at the top with the tests of Yamato I, a 260 ton MHD propulsed ship. (orig.)

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tixador, P [CNRS/CRTBT-LEG, 38 - Grenoble (France)

1994-04-01

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion are now attracting attention in several countries. Different superconducting MagLev and MHD systems will be described concentrating on, above all, the electromagnetic aspect. Some programmes occurring throughout the world will be described. Magnetic levitated trains could be the new high speed transportation system for the 21st century. Intensive studies involving MagLev trains using superconductivity have been carried our in Japan since 1970. The construction of a 43 km long track is to be the next step. In 1991 a six year programme was launched in the United States to evaluate the performances of MagLev systems for transportation. The MHD (MagnetoHydroDynamic) offers some interesting advantages (efficiency, stealth characteristics, ..) for naval propulsion and increasing attention is being paid towards it nowadays. Japan is also up at the top with the tests of Yamato I, a 260 ton MHD propulsed ship. (orig.).

Report on results of contract research. 'Research on MHD generation system'; MHD hatsuden system no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-03-01

'Research on MHD generation system' was implemented by its expert committee in the electric joint study group, with the results of fiscal 1980 reported. This year, a detailed conceptual design was carried out on a coal fired MHD generation system, with points for the technological development concretely examined. In addition, investigation was conducted on the progress of MHD generation technology, development situation of other generation systems, state of energy resources, etc., in various foreign countries. In the conceptual design of the coal fired MHD generation plant, the system structure of a 2,000 MWt class commercial MHD generation plant was explained, as were the conceptual design of the structural elements and proposals for a 500 MWt class demonstration plant and an 100 MWt class experimental plant, for example. In the overseas trend of R and D on MHD generation, investigations were made concerning the U.S., Soviet Union, and China, with details compiled for such items as generation plants, combustors, generation channels, heat resisting materials, superconducting magnets, heat exchangers, seed slags, inverters, boilers and environments, and commercial plants. (NEDO)

Kinetic-MHD simulations of gyroresonance instability driven by CR pressure anisotropy

Science.gov (United States)

Lebiga, O.; Santos-Lima, R.; Yan, H.

2018-05-01

The transport of cosmic rays (CRs) is crucial for the understanding of almost all high-energy phenomena. Both pre-existing large-scale magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence and locally generated turbulence through plasma instabilities are important for the CR propagation in astrophysical media. The potential role of the resonant instability triggered by CR pressure anisotropy to regulate the parallel spatial diffusion of low-energy CRs (≲100 GeV) in the interstellar and intracluster medium of galaxies has been shown in previous theoretical works. This work aims to study the gyroresonance instability via direct numerical simulations, in order to access quantitatively the wave-particle scattering rates. For this, we employ a 1D PIC-MHD code to follow the growth and saturation of the gyroresonance instability. We extract from the simulations the pitch-angle diffusion coefficient Dμμ produced by the instability during the linear and saturation phases, and a very good agreement (within a factor of 3) is found with the values predicted by the quasi-linear theory (QLT). Our results support the applicability of the QLT for modelling the scattering of low-energy CRs by the gyroresonance instability in the complex interplay between this instability and the large-scale MHD turbulence.

MHD stability of (2,1) tearing mode: an issue for the preforming phase of Tore Supra non-inductive discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maget, P.; Luetjens, H.; Huysmans, G.; Moreau, Ph.; Schunke, B.; Segui, J.-L.; Garbet, X.; Joffrin, E.; Luciani, J.F.

2007-01-01

The early phase of a tokamak plasma discharge can have a dramatic impact on the main heating phase. This has been a persistent problem for the development of the steady state, fully non-inductive scenario using lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) on Tore Supra. The present paper reports on recent experimental and numerical investigations showing that a tearing mode coupled to the internal kink grows on q = 2 in the ohmic phase when the total current is too low, due to the weakening of field line curvature stabilization. Then, the application of LHCD drives the island to a larger size and undermines the development of the non-inductive phase. Decreasing the edge safety factor or increasing the Lundquist number S is found to be beneficial in both the linear and non-linear MHD analyses. The experimental database, which allows covering the edge safety factor dependence, supports this interpretation

Linear calculations of edge current driven kink modes with BOUT++ code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, G. Q., E-mail: ligq@ipp.ac.cn; Xia, T. Y. [Institute of Plasma Physics, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Xu, X. Q. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Snyder, P. B.; Turnbull, A. D. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186 (United States); Ma, C. H.; Xi, P. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); FSC, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2014-10-15

This work extends previous BOUT++ work to systematically study the impact of edge current density on edge localized modes, and to benchmark with the GATO and ELITE codes. Using the CORSICA code, a set of equilibria was generated with different edge current densities by keeping total current and pressure profile fixed. Based on these equilibria, the effects of the edge current density on the MHD instabilities were studied with the 3-field BOUT++ code. For the linear calculations, with increasing edge current density, the dominant modes are changed from intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes to low-n kink modes, and the linear growth rate becomes smaller. The edge current provides stabilizing effects on ballooning modes due to the increase of local shear at the outer mid-plane with the edge current. For edge kink modes, however, the edge current does not always provide a destabilizing effect; with increasing edge current, the linear growth rate first increases, and then decreases. In benchmark calculations for BOUT++ against the linear results with the GATO and ELITE codes, the vacuum model has important effects on the edge kink mode calculations. By setting a realistic density profile and Spitzer resistivity profile in the vacuum region, the resistivity was found to have a destabilizing effect on both the kink mode and on the ballooning mode. With diamagnetic effects included, the intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes can be totally stabilized for finite edge current density.

Linear calculations of edge current driven kink modes with BOUT++ code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, G. Q.; Xia, T. Y.; Xu, X. Q.; Snyder, P. B.; Turnbull, A. D.; Ma, C. H.; Xi, P. W.

2014-01-01

This work extends previous BOUT++ work to systematically study the impact of edge current density on edge localized modes, and to benchmark with the GATO and ELITE codes. Using the CORSICA code, a set of equilibria was generated with different edge current densities by keeping total current and pressure profile fixed. Based on these equilibria, the effects of the edge current density on the MHD instabilities were studied with the 3-field BOUT++ code. For the linear calculations, with increasing edge current density, the dominant modes are changed from intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes to low-n kink modes, and the linear growth rate becomes smaller. The edge current provides stabilizing effects on ballooning modes due to the increase of local shear at the outer mid-plane with the edge current. For edge kink modes, however, the edge current does not always provide a destabilizing effect; with increasing edge current, the linear growth rate first increases, and then decreases. In benchmark calculations for BOUT++ against the linear results with the GATO and ELITE codes, the vacuum model has important effects on the edge kink mode calculations. By setting a realistic density profile and Spitzer resistivity profile in the vacuum region, the resistivity was found to have a destabilizing effect on both the kink mode and on the ballooning mode. With diamagnetic effects included, the intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes can be totally stabilized for finite edge current density

MHD Modeling of Conductors at Ultra-High Current Density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ROSENTHAL, STEPHEN E.; DESJARLAIS, MICHAEL P.; SPIELMAN, RICK B.; STYGAR, WILLIAM A.; ASAY, JAMES R.; DOUGLAS, M.R.; HALL, C.A.; FRESE, M.H.; MORSE, R.L.; REISMAN, D.B.

2000-01-01

In conjunction with ongoing high-current experiments on Sandia National Laboratories' Z accelerator, the authors have revisited a problem first described in detail by Heinz Knoepfel. Unlike the 1-Tesla MITLs of pulsed power accelerators used to produce intense particle beams, Z's disc transmission line (downstream of the current addition) is in a 100--1,200 Tesla regime, so its conductors cannot be modeled simply as static infinite conductivity boundaries. Using the MHD code MACH2 they have been investigating the conductor hydrodynamics, characterizing the joule heating, magnetic field diffusion, and material deformation, pressure, and velocity over a range of current densities, current rise-times, and conductor materials. Three purposes of this work are (1) to quantify power flow losses owing to ultra-high magnetic fields, (2) to model the response of VISAR diagnostic samples in various configurations on Z, and (3) to incorporate the most appropriate equation of state and conductivity models into the MHD computations. Certain features are strongly dependent on the details of the conductivity model

MHD Modeling of Conductors at Ultra-High Current Density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenthal, S.E.; Asay, J.R.; Desjarlais, M.P.; Douglas, M.R.; Frese, M.H.; Hall, C.A.; Morse, R.L.; Reisman, D.; Spielman, R.B.; Stygar, W.A.

1999-01-01

In conjunction with ongoing high-current experiments on Sandia National Laboratories' Z accelerator we have revisited a problem first described in detail by Heinz Knoepfel. MITLs of previous pulsed power accelerators have been in the 1-Tesla regime. Z's disc transmission line (downstream of the current addition) is in a 100-1200 Tesla regime, so its conductors cannot be modeled simply as static infinite conductivity boundaries. Using the MHD code MACH2 we have been investigating conductor hydrodynamics, characterizing the joule heating, magnetic field diffusion, and material deformation, pressure, and velocity over a range of current densities, current rise-times, and conductor materials. Three purposes of this work are ( 1) to quantify power flow losses owing to ultra-high magnetic fields, (2) to model the response of VISAR diagnostic samples in various configurations on Z, and (3) to incorporate the most appropriate equation of state and conductivity models into our MHD computations. Certain features are strongly dependent on the details of the conductivity model. Comparison with measurements on Z will be discussed

Anisotropic plasma with flows in tokamak: Steady state and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilgisonis, V.I.

1996-01-01

An adequate description of equilibrium and stability of anisotropic plasma with macroscopic flows in tokamaks is presented. The Chew-Goldberger-Low (CGL) approximation is consistently used to analyze anisotropic plasma dynamics. The admissible structure of a stationary flow is found to be the same as in the ideal magnetohydrodynamics with isotropic pressure (MHD), which means an allowance for the same relabeling symmetry as in ideal MHD systems with toroidally nested magnetic surfaces. A generalization of the Grad-Shafranov equation for the case of anisotropic plasma with flows confined in the axisymmetric magnetic field is derived. A variational principle was obtained, which allows for a stability analysis of anisotropic pressure plasma with flows, and takes into account the conservation laws resulting from the relabeling symmetry. This principle covers the previous stability criteria for static CGL plasma and for ideal MHD flows in isotropic plasma as well. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Energetic particle physics with applications in fusion and space plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C.Z.

1997-01-01

Energetic particle physics is the study of the effects of energetic particles on collective electromagnetic (EM) instabilities and energetic particle transport in plasmas. Anomalously large energetic particle transport is often caused by low frequency MHD instabilities, which are driven by these energetic particles in the presence of a much denser background of thermal particles. The theory of collective energetic particle phenomena studies complex wave-particle interactions in which particle kinetic physics involving small spatial and fast temporal scales can strongly affect the MHD structure and long-time behavior of plasmas. The difficulty of modeling kinetic-MHD multiscale coupling processes stems from the disparate scales which are traditionally analyzed separately: the macroscale MHD phenomena are studied using the fluid MHD framework, while microscale kinetic phenomena are best described by complicated kinetic theories. The authors have developed a kinetic-MHD model that properly incorporates major particle kinetic effects into the MHD fluid description. For tokamak plasmas a nonvariational kinetic-MHD stability code, the NOVA-K code, has been successfully developed and applied to study problems such as the excitation of fishbone and Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE) and the sawtooth stabilization by energetic ions in tokamaks. In space plasmas the authors have employed the kinetic-MHD model to study the energetic particle effects on the ballooning-mirror instability which explains the multisatellite observation of the stability and field-aligned structure of compressional Pc 5 waves in the magnetospheric ring current plasma

Effects of stochastic field lines on the pressure driven MHD instabilities in the Large Helical Device

Science.gov (United States)

Ohdachi, Satoshi; Watanabe, Kiyomasa; Sakakibara, Satoru; Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Tsuchiya, Hayato; Ming, Tingfeng; Du, Xiaodi; LHD Expriment Group Team

2014-10-01

In the Large Helical Device (LHD), the plasma is surrounded by the so-called magnetic stochastic region, where the Kolmogorov length of the magnetic field lines is very short, from several tens of meters and to thousands meters. Finite pressure gradient are formed in this region and MHD instabilities localized in this region is observed since the edge region of the LHD is always unstable against the pressure driven mode. Therefore, the saturation level of the instabilities is the key issue in order to evaluate the risk of this kind of MHD instabilities. The saturation level depends on the pressure gradient and on the magnetic Reynolds number; there results are similar to the MHD mode in the closed magnetic surface region. The saturation level in the stochastic region is affected also by the stocasticity itself. Parameter dependence of the saturation level of the MHD activities in the region is discussed in detail. It is supported by NIFS budget code ULPP021, 028 and is also partially supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 26249144, by the JSPS-NRF-NSFC A3 Foresight Program NSFC: No. 11261140328.

Tests and studies of USSR materials at the US coal burning MHD facility UTSI-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Telegin, G P; Romanov, A I; Rekov, A I; Spiridonov, E G; Barodina, T I; Vysotsky, D A

1978-10-01

In accordance with the overall program of the US--USSR cooperation in the field of MHD power generation tests of Soviet electrode materials were conducted at the coal burning MHD facility UTSI-2 of the University of Tennessee Space Institute. The main purposes of the tests are evaluation of electrode materials behavior in the channel of the MHD generator operating with combustion products of coal containing ionizing alkali seed, study of thermal and physical stability of materials in the presence of corrosive slag, study of electrophysical characteristics of electrode materials when they are subjected to the passage of current through the plasma-slag-electrode system. Tests were conducted on electrodes made of silicon carbide doped with titanium and LaCrO/sub 3/--Cr cermet. Results are reported on the phase and chemical composition and structure of these two materials, their thermophysical and electrophysical properties, and the electrode fabrication methods. The MHD facility UTSI-2, where the tests were conducted is one of few utilizing actual coal as the fuel. A description of this facility is given, and its main operating parameters and the methods used to conduct electrode tests with and without an applied current are described.

Quantum chaos theory and the spectrum of ideal-MHD instabilities in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewar, Robert L.; Carolin, Nuehrenberg; Tatsuno, Tomoya

2004-01-01

In a fully 3-D system such as a stellarator, the toroidal mode number n ceases to be a good quantum number - all ns within a given mode family being coupled. It is found that the discrete spectrum of unstable ideal MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) instabilities ceases to exist unless MHD is modified (regularized) by introducing a short-perpendicular-wavelength cutoff. Attempts to use ray tracing to estimate the regularized MHD spectrum fail due to the occurrence of chaotic ray trajectories. In quantum chaos theory, strong chaos in the semiclassical limit leads to eigenvalue statistics the same as those of a suitable ensemble of random matrices. For instance, the probability distribution function for the separation between neighboring eigenvalues is as derived from random matrix theory and goes to zero at zero separation. This contrasts with the Poissonian distribution found in separable systems, showing that a signature of quantum chaos is level repulsion. In order to determine whether eigenvalues of the regularized MHD problem obey the same statistics as those of the Schroedinger equation in both the separable 1-D case and the chaotic 3-D cases, we have assembled data sets of ideal MHD eigenvalues for a Suydam-unstable cylindrical (1-D) equilibrium using Mathematica and a Mercier-unstable (3-D) equilibrium using the CAS3D code. In the 1-D case, we find that the unregularized Suydam-approximation spectrum has an anomalous peak at zero eigenvalue separation. On the other hand, regularization by restricting the domain of κsub(perpendicular) recovers the expected Poissonian distribution. In the 3-D case we find strong evidence of level repulsion within mode families, but mixing mode families produces Poissonian statistics. (author)

On the stochastic stability of MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teichmann, J.

1979-07-01

The stochastic stability in the large of stationary equilibria of ideal and dissipative magnetohydrodynamics under the influence of stationary random fluctuations is studied using the direct Liapunov method. Sufficient and necessary conditions for stability of the linearized Euler-Lagrangian systems are given. The destabilizing effect of stochastic fluctuations is demonstrated. (orig.)

Model for ICRF fast wave current drive in self-consistent MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonoli, P.T.; Englade, R.C.; Porkolab, M.; Fenstermacher, M.E.

1993-01-01

Recently, a model for fast wave current drive in the ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF) range was incorporated into the current drive and MHD equilibrium code ACCOME. The ACCOME model combines a free boundary solution of the Grad Shafranov equation with the calculation of driven currents due to neutral beam injection, lower hybrid (LH) waves, bootstrap effects, and ICRF fast waves. The equilibrium and current drive packages iterate between each other to obtain an MHD equilibrium which is consistent with the profiles of driven current density. The ICRF current drive package combines a toroidal full-wave code (FISIC) with a parameterization of the current drive efficiency obtained from an adjoint solution of the Fokker Planck equation. The electron absorption calculation in the full-wave code properly accounts for the combined effects of electron Landau damping (ELD) and transit time magnetic pumping (TTMP), assuming a Maxwellian (or bi-Maxwellian) electron distribution function. Furthermore, the current drive efficiency includes the effects of particle trapping, momentum conserving corrections to the background Fokker Planck collision operator, and toroidally induced variations in the parallel wavenumbers of the injected ICRF waves. This model has been used to carry out detailed studies of advanced physics scenarios in the proposed Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX). Results are shown, for example, which demonstrate the possibility of achieving stable equilibria at high beta and high bootstrap current fraction in TPX. Model results are also shown for the proposed ITER device

Neoclassical viscous stress tensor for non-linear MHD simulations with XTOR-2F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellet, N.; Maget, P.; Meshcheriakov, D.; Lütjens, H.

2013-01-01

The neoclassical viscous stress tensor is implemented in the non-linear MHD code XTOR-2F (Lütjens and Luciani 2010 J. Comput. Phys. 229 8130–43), allowing consistent bi-fluid simulations of MHD modes, including the metastable branch of neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) (Carrera et al 1986 Phys. Fluids 29 899–902). Equilibrium flows and bootstrap current from the neoclassical theory are formally recovered in this Chew–Goldberger–Low formulation. The non-linear behaviour of the new model is verified on a test case coming from a Tore Supra non-inductive discharge. A NTM threshold that is larger than with the previous model is obtained. This is due to the fact that the velocity is now part of the bootstrap current and that it differs from the theoretical neoclassical value. (paper)

Stabilization of kinetic internal kink mode by ion diamagnetic effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitou, H.; Kuramoto, T.; Kobayashi, T.; Yagi, M.; Tokuda, S.; Matsumoto, T.

2000-04-01

Ion diamagnetic effects on the m=1 (poloidal mode number) and n=1 (toroidal mode number) kinetic internal kink mode are studied numerically by the three-field gyro-reduced-MHD code in the cylindrical coordinates, GRM3F-CY. In the derivation of the gryo-reduced-MHD model including the ion diamagnetic effects, finite gyroradius effects of ions are added to the gyrokinetic Poisson equation (quasi-neutral condition) and the convection term of the conservation law of the ion density. It is found that the long wavelength approximation, ksub(perpendicular) ρ ti ti is the thermal ion gyroradius, fails to reproduce the correct dispersion relation; the formulation valid even for ksub(perpendicular) ρ ti >> 1 is necessary. The results of numerical calculation coincide with the theory for |ω *e |+|ω *i | 0 , where the growth rate reduces as the density gradient increases. Here ω *e and ω *i are electron and ion diamagnetic angular frequencies estimated at the rational surface of q=1 (q is a safety factor), respectively, and γ 0 is the growth rate for the uniform density. Very weak instability, however, is observed for |ω *e |+|ω *i | 0 , where the theory predicts the complete stabilization. This residual instability appears since the region with the density gradient is limited in the radial direction and the stabilization by the outgoing drift-wave like mode becomes incomplete. (author)

MHD power generation for the synthetic-fuels industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, M.S. Jr.

1982-01-01

The integration of open cycle MHD with various processes for the recovery of hydrocarbons for heavy oil deposits, oil sands, and oil shales are examined along with its use in producing medium Btu gas, synthetic natural gas and solvent refined coal. The major features of the MHD cycle which are of interest are: (a) the ability to produce hydrogen through the shift reaction by introducing H 2 O into the substoichiometric combustion product flow exiting the MHD diffuser, (b) the use of high temperature waste heat in the MHD exhaust, and (c) the ability of the seed in the MHD flow to remove sulfur from the combustion products. Therefore the use of the MHD cycle allows coal to be used in an environmentally acceptable manner in place of hydrocarbons which are now used to produce process heat and hydrogen. The appropriate plant sizes are in the range of 25 to 50 MWe and the required MHD generator enthalpy extraction efficiencies are low. Sale of electricity produced, over and above that used in the process, can provide a revenue stream which can improve the economics of the hydrocarbon processing. This, coupled with the replacement of coal for hydrocarbons in certain phases of the process, should improve the overall economics, while not requiring a high level of performance by the MHD components. Therefore, this area should be an early target of opportunity for the commercialization of MHD

Performance of the CNEN MHD Blow-Down Loop Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertolini, E.; Brown, R.; Gasparotto, M.; Gay, P.; Toschi, R. [Laboratorio Conversione Diretta, CNEN, Frascati (Italy)

1968-11-15

The CNEN facility has been designed, manufactured and used for alkali-seeded noble gas MHD energy conversion research, as the major experimental effort during the first five-year CNEN Research Programme on MHD. The main specifications and the general arrangement with information on preliminary commissioning tests of some components were given at the Salzburg Symposium. Since then the facility has been successfully commissioned and from March 1967 has been working on MHD experiments. Efforts were made to reduce any adverse effects on the experimental MHD results that were due to inherent limitations of an experimental apparatus (particularly under open-circuit conditions). Great emphasis was placed on problems of caesium vaporization and the mixing with helium, the purity level of the mixture, measurements and the control system. The insulation of the plasma from ground was carefully treated, increasing the ratio between insulator resistance and typical plasma resistance as much as possible. Fluidynamic tests at room and high temperatures have shown that stability in the gas parameters (temperature, pressure and mass flow) can be maintained within few per cent for tens of seconds after a transient, giving a behaviour similar to a continuously running system. The high- temperature, alumina pebble-bed heater has successfully operated, bringing the helium-caesium mixtures up to 2000 Degree-Sign K and up to 4 atm abs pressure, and undergoing seven thermal cycles, for a total of more than 2000 hours operation at top temperature. Preheated generator ducts using alumina as insulator and tantalum for electrodes performed satisfactorily, very much attention having been given in the design to reduction of thermal shocks and to obviating possible paths for caesium leakage and short-circuiting of electrode leads. The pulsed liquid nitrogen precooled magnet has been run for about 50 pulses at high field ( Asymptotically-Equal-To 4.5 tesla) with an operating time of about 10

DYMEL code for prediction of dynamic stability limits in boilers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deam, R.T.

1980-01-01

Theoretical and experimental studies of Hydrodynamic Instability in boilers were undertaken to resolve the uncertainties of the existing predictive methods at the time the first Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR) plant was commissioned. The experiments were conducted on a full scale electrical simulation of an AGR boiler and revealed inadequacies in existing methods. As a result a new computer code called DYMEL was developed based on linearisation and Fourier/Laplace Transformation of the one-dimensional boiler equations in both time and space. Beside giving good agreement with local experimental data, the DYMEL code has since shown agreement with stability data from the plant, sodium heated helical tubes, a gas heated helical tube and an electrically heated U-tube. The code is now used widely within the U.K. (author)

Report of results of contract research. 'Research on magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) generation'; MHD hatsuden system no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1980-03-01

Examination was conducted in detail on an MHD generation system by coal combustion, with the results reported. Concerning a gas table calculation program in coal combustion, it was prepared assuming 100% slag removal ratio in the combustor as the primary approximation. A combustor for MHD generation needs to efficiently burn fuel using high temperature pre-heated air as the oxidant, to fully dissociate/electrolytically dissociate seed, and to supply to the generation channel a high speed combustion gas plasma having a high electrical conductivity which is required for MHD generation. This year, an examination was conducted on technological problems in burning coal in an MHD combustor. As for the NOx elimination system in an MHD generation plant, an examination was made if the method studied so far in MHD generation using heavy oil as the fuel is applicable to coal. Also investigated and reviewed were various characteristics, change in physical properties, recovery method, etc., in a mixed state of seed and slag in the case of coal combustion MHD. (NEDO)

Gas Core Reactor Numerical Simulation Using a Coupled MHD-MCNP Model

Science.gov (United States)

Kazeminezhad, F.; Anghaie, S.

2008-01-01

Analysis is provided in this report of using two head-on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks to achieve supercritical nuclear fission in an axially elongated cylinder filled with UF4 gas as an energy source for deep space missions. The motivation for each aspect of the design is explained and supported by theory and numerical simulations. A subsequent report will provide detail on relevant experimental work to validate the concept. Here the focus is on the theory of and simulations for the proposed gas core reactor conceptual design from the onset of shock generations to the supercritical state achieved when the shocks collide. The MHD model is coupled to a standard nuclear code (MCNP) to observe the neutron flux and fission power attributed to the supercritical state brought about by the shock collisions. Throughout the modeling, realistic parameters are used for the initial ambient gaseous state and currents to ensure a resulting supercritical state upon shock collisions.

Modeling and analysis of the disk MHD generator component of a gas core reactor/MHD Rankine cycle space power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, G.E.; Dugan, E.T.; Lear, W.E. Jr.; Appelbaum, J.G.

1990-01-01

A gas core nuclear reactor (GCR)/disk magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator direct closed Rankine space power system concept is described. The GCR/disk MHD generator marriage facilitates efficient high electric power density system performance at relatively high operating temperatures. The system concept promises high specific power levels, on the order of 1 kW e /kg. An overview of the disk MHD generator component magnetofluiddynamic and plasma physics theoretical modeling is provided. Results from a parametric design analysis of the disk MHD generator are presented and discussed

Technical support for open-cycle MHD program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-05-01

The support program for open-cycle MHD at Argonne National Lab is developing the analytical tools needed to investigate the performance of the major components in the combined-cycle MHD/steam power system. The analytical effort is centered on the primary components of the system that are unique to MHD and also on the integration of these analytical representations into a model of the entire power producing system. The present project activities include modeling of the combustor, MHD channel, slag separator, and the high-temperature air preheater. In addition, these models are combined into a complete system model, which is at present capable of carrying out optimizations of the entire system on either thermodynamic efficiency or with less confidence, cost of electrical power. Also, in support of the open-cycle program, considerable effort has gone into the formulation of a CDIF Test Plan and a National MHD Test Program.

AN MHD AVALANCHE IN A MULTI-THREADED CORONAL LOOP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hood, A. W.; Cargill, P. J.; Tam, K. V. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Browning, P. K., E-mail: awh@st-andrews.ac.uk [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2016-01-20

For the first time, we demonstrate how an MHD avalanche might occur in a multithreaded coronal loop. Considering 23 non-potential magnetic threads within a loop, we use 3D MHD simulations to show that only one thread needs to be unstable in order to start an avalanche even when the others are below marginal stability. This has significant implications for coronal heating in that it provides for energy dissipation with a trigger mechanism. The instability of the unstable thread follows the evolution determined in many earlier investigations. However, once one stable thread is disrupted, it coalesces with a neighboring thread and this process disrupts other nearby threads. Coalescence with these disrupted threads then occurs leading to the disruption of yet more threads as the avalanche develops. Magnetic energy is released in discrete bursts as the surrounding stable threads are disrupted. The volume integrated heating, as a function of time, shows short spikes suggesting that the temporal form of the heating is more like that of nanoflares than of constant heating.

Benchmarking and qualification of the NUFREQ-NPW code for best estimate prediction of multi-channel core stability margins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taleyarkhan, R.; Lahey, R.T. Jr.; McFarlane, A.F.; Podowski, M.Z.

1988-01-01

The NUFREQ-NPW code was modified and set up at Westinghouse, USA for mixed fuel type multi-channel core-wide stability analysis. The resulting code, NUFREQ-NPW, allows for variable axial power profiles between channel groups and can handle mixed fuel types. Various models incorporated into NUFREQ-NPW were systematically compared against the Westinghouse channel stability analysis code MAZDA-NF, for which the mathematical model was developed, in an entirely different manner. Excellent agreement was obtained which verified the thermal-hydraulic modeling and coding aspects. Detailed comparisons were also performed against nuclear-coupled reactor core stability data. All thirteen Peach Bottom-2 EOC-2/3 low flow stability tests were simulated. A key aspect for code qualification involved the development of a physically based empirical algorithm to correct for the effect of core inlet flow development on subcooled boiling. Various other modeling assumptions were tested and sensitivity studies performed. Good agreement was obtained between NUFREQ-NPW predictions and data. Moreover, predictions were generally on the conservative side. The results of detailed direct comparisons with experimental data using the NUFREQ-NPW code; have demonstrated that BWR core stability margins are conservatively predicted, and all data trends are captured with good accuracy. The methodology is thus suitable for BWR design and licensing purposes. 11 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs

Dynamic stability of self-similar solutions for a plasma pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Sifeng.

1988-01-01

Linear Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability theory is applied to a class of self-similar solutions which describe implosion, expansion and oscillation of an infinitely conducting plasma column. The equations of perturbation are derived in the Lagrangian coordinate system. Numerical procedures via the finite-element method are formulated, and general aspects of dynamic stability are discussed, The dynamic stability of the column when it is oscillatory is studied in detail using the Floquet theory, and the characteristic exponent is calculated numerically. A-pinch configuration is examined. It is found that self-similar oscillations in general destabilize the continua in the MHD spectrum, and parametric instability results

Neoclassical MHD descriptions of tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.; Kim, Y.B.; Sundaram, A.K.

1988-01-01

Considerable progress has been made in extending neoclassical MHD theory and in exploring the linear instabilities, nonlinear behavior and turbulence models it implies for tokamak plasmas. The areas highlighted in this paper include: extension of the neoclassical MHD equations to include temperature-gradient and heat flow effects; the free energy and entropy evolution implied by this more complete description; a proper ballooning mode formalism analysis of the linear instabilities; a new rippling mode type instability; numerical simulation of the linear instabilities which exhibit a smooth transition from resistive ballooning modes at high collisionality to neoclassical MHD modes at low collisionality; numerical simulation of the nonlinear growth of a single helicity tearing mode; and a Direct-Interaction-Approximation model of neoclassical MHD turbulence and the anomalous transport it induces which substantially improves upon previous mixing length model estimates. 34 refs., 2 figs

Numerical Study of Equilibrium, Stability, and Advanced Resistive Wall Mode Feedback Algorithms on KSTAR

Science.gov (United States)

Katsuro-Hopkins, Oksana; Sabbagh, S. A.; Bialek, J. M.; Park, H. K.; Kim, J. Y.; You, K.-I.; Glasser, A. H.; Lao, L. L.

2007-11-01

Stability to ideal MHD kink/ballooning modes and the resistive wall mode (RWM) is investigated for the KSTAR tokamak. Free-boundary equilibria that comply with magnetic field coil current constraints are computed for monotonic and reversed shear safety factor profiles and H-mode tokamak pressure profiles. Advanced tokamak operation at moderate to low plasma internal inductance shows that a factor of two improvement in the plasma beta limit over the no-wall beta limit is possible for toroidal mode number of unity. The KSTAR conducting structure, passive stabilizers, and in-vessel control coils are modeled by the VALEN-3D code and the active RWM stabilization performance of the device is evaluated using both standard and advanced feedback algorithms. Steady-state power and voltage requirements for the system are estimated based on the expected noise on the RWM sensor signals. Using NSTX experimental RWM sensors noise data as input, a reduced VALEN state-space LQG controller is designed to realistically assess KSTAR stabilization system performance.

Observation of finite-β MHD phenomena in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGuire, K.M.

1985-01-01

Stable high beta plasmas are required for the tokamak to attain an economical fusion reactor. Recently, intense neutral beam heating experiments in tokamaks have shown new effects on plasma stability and confinement associated with high beta plasmas. The observed spectrum of MHD fluctuations at high beta is clearly dominated by the n = 1 mode when the q = 1 surface is in the plasma. The m/n = 1/1 mode drives other n = 1 modes through toroidal coupling and n > 1 modes through nonlinear coupling. On PDX, with near perpendicular injection, a resonant interaction between the n = 1 internal kink and the trapped fast ions results in loss of beam particles and heating power. Key parameters in the theory are the value of qsub(o) and the injection angle. High frequency broadband magnetic fluctuations have been observed on ISX-B and D-III and a correlation with the deterioration of plasma confinement was reported. During enhanced confinement (H-mode) discharges in divertor plasmas two new edge instabilities were observed, both localized radially near the separatrix. By assembling results from the different tokamak experiments, it is found that the simple theoretical ideal MHD beta limit has not been exceeded

High beta and second stability region transport and stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, M.H.; Phillps, M.W.; Todd, A.M.M.; Krishnaswami, J.; Hartley, R.

1992-09-01

This report describes ideal and resistive studies of high-beta plasmas and of the second stability region. Emphasis is focused on ''supershot'' plasmas in TFIR where MHD instabilities are frequently observed and which spoil their confinement properties. Substantial results are described from the analysis of these high beta poloidal plasmas. During these studies, initial pressure and safety factor profiles were obtained from the TRANSP code, which is used extensively to analyze experimental data. Resistive MBD stability studies of supershot equilibria show that finite pressure stabilization of tearing modes is very strong in these high βp plasmas. This has prompted a detailed re-examination of linear tearing mode theory in which we participated in collaboration with Columbia University and General Atomics. This finite pressure effect is shown to be highly sensitive to small scale details of the pressure profile. Even when an ad hoc method of removing this stabilizing mechanism is implemented, however, it is shown that there is only superficial agreement between resistive MBD stability computation and the experimental data. While the mode structures observed experimentally can be found computationally, there is no convincing correlation with the experimental observations when the computed results are compared with a large set of supershot data. We also describe both the ideal and resistive stability properties of TFIR equilibria near the transition to the second region. It is shown that the highest β plasmas, although stable to infinite-n ideal ballooning modes, can be unstable to the so called ''infernal'' modes associated with small shear. The sensitivity of these results to the assumed pressure and current density profiles is discussed. Finally, we describe results from two collaborative studies with PPPL. The first involves exploratory studies of the role of the 1/1 mode in tokamaks and, secondly, a study of sawtooth stabilization using ICRF

MHD simulation of a beat frequency heated plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milroy, R.D.; Capjack, C.E.; James, C.R.; McMullin, J.N.

1976-01-01

The heating of a plasma in a solenoid, with a beat frequency harmonic which is excited at a frequency near to that of a Langmuir mode in a plasma, is examined. It is shown that at high temperatures the heating rate is very insensitive to changes in plasma density. The amount of energy that can be coupled to a plasma in a solenoid with this heating scheme is investigated by using a one-dimensional computer code which incorporates an exact solution of the relevant MHD equations. The absorption of energy from a high powered laser is shown to be significantly enhanced with this process. (author)

Entropy stable high order discontinuous Galerkin methods for ideal compressible MHD on structured meshes

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yong; Shu, Chi-Wang; Zhang, Mengping

2018-02-01

We present a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) scheme with suitable quadrature rules [15] for ideal compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations on structural meshes. The semi-discrete scheme is analyzed to be entropy stable by using the symmetrizable version of the equations as introduced by Godunov [32], the entropy stable DG framework with suitable quadrature rules [15], the entropy conservative flux in [14] inside each cell and the entropy dissipative approximate Godunov type numerical flux at cell interfaces to make the scheme entropy stable. The main difficulty in the generalization of the results in [15] is the appearance of the non-conservative "source terms" added in the modified MHD model introduced by Godunov [32], which do not exist in the general hyperbolic system studied in [15]. Special care must be taken to discretize these "source terms" adequately so that the resulting DG scheme satisfies entropy stability. Total variation diminishing / bounded (TVD/TVB) limiters and bound-preserving limiters are applied to control spurious oscillations. We demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of this new scheme on standard MHD examples.

Surface currents on the plasma-vacuum interface in MHD equilibria

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, James

2017-10-01

The VMEC non-axisymmetric MHD equilibrium code can compute free-boundary equilibria. Since VMEC assumes that magnetic fields within the plasma form closed and nested flux surfaces, the plasma-vacuum interface is a flux surface, and the total magnetic field there has no normal component. VMEC imposes this condition of zero normal field using the potential formulation of Merkel, and solves a Neumann problem for the magnetic potential in the exterior region. This boundary condition necessarily admits the possibility of a surface current on the interface. While this surface current may be small in MHD equilibrium, it is readily computed in terms of the magnetic potentials in both the interior and exterior regions, evaluated on the surface. If only the external magnetic potential is known (as in VMEC), then the surface current can be computed from the discontinuity of the tangential field across the interface. Examples of the surface current for VMEC equilibria will be shown for a zero-pressure stellarator equilibrium. Field-line following of the vacuum magnetic field shows magnetic islands within the plasma region.

Report on results of contract research. 'Research on MHD generation system'; MHD hatsuden system no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-03-01

'Research on MHD generation system' was implemented by its expert committee in the electric joint study group, with the results of fiscal 1980 reported. This year, a detailed conceptual design was carried out on a coal fired MHD generation system, with points for the technological development concretely examined. In addition, investigation was conducted on the progress of MHD generation technology, development situation of other generation systems, state of energy resources, etc., in various foreign countries. In the conceptual design of the coal fired MHD generation plant, the system structure of a 2,000 MWt class commercial MHD generation plant was explained, as were the conceptual design of the structural elements and proposals for a 500 MWt class demonstration plant and an 100 MWt class experimental plant, for example. In the overseas trend of R and D on MHD generation, investigations were made concerning the U.S., Soviet Union, and China, with details compiled for such items as generation plants, combustors, generation channels, heat resisting materials, superconducting magnets, heat exchangers, seed slags, inverters, boilers and environments, and commercial plants. (NEDO)

MHD phenomena in advanced scenarios on ASDEX upgrade and the influence of localised electron heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenter, S.; Gude, A.; Hobirk, J.; Maraschek, M.; Peeters, A.G.; Pinches, S.D.; Schade, S.; Wolf, R.C.; Saarelma, S.

2001-01-01

MHD instabilities in advanced tokamak scenarios on the one hand are favourable as they can contribute to the stationarity of the current profiles and act as a trigger for the formation of internal transport barriers. In particular fishbone oscillations driven by fast particles arising from neutral beam injection (NBI) are shown to trigger internal transport barriers in low and reversed magnetic shear discharges. During the whistling down period of the fishbone oscillation the transport is reduced around the corresponding rational surface, leading to an increased pressure gradient. This behaviour is explained by the redistribution of the resonant fast particles resulting in a sheared plasma rotation due to the return current in the bulk plasma, which is equivalent to a radial electric field. On the other hand MHD instabilities limit the accessible operating regime. Ideal and resistive MHD modes such as double tearing modes, infernal modes and external kinks degrade the confinement or even lead to disruptions in ASDEX Upgrade reversed shear discharges. Localized electron cyclotron heating and current drive is shown to significantly affect the MHD stability of this type of discharges. (author)

MHD phenomena in advanced scenarios on ASDEX Upgrade and the influence of localized electron heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guenter, S.; Gude, A.; Hobirk, J.; Maraschek, M.; Schade, S.; Wolf, R.C.; Saarelma, S.

2001-01-01

On the one hand, MHD instabilities in advanced tokamak scenarios are favourable as they can contribute to the stationarity of the current profiles and act as a trigger for the formation of internal transport barriers (ITBs). In particular, fishbone oscillations driven by fast particles arising from NBI are shown to trigger ITBs in low and reversed magnetic shear discharges. During the whistling down period of the fishbone oscillation the transport is reduced around the corresponding rational surface, leading to an increased pressure gradient. This behaviour could be explained by the redistribution of the resonant fast particles resulting in a sheared plasma rotation due to the return current in the bulk plasma, which is equivalent to a radial electric field. On the other hand, MHD instabilities limit the accessible operating regime. Ideal and resistive MHD modes such as double tearing modes, infernal modes and external kinks degrade the confinement or even lead to disruptions in ASDEX Upgrade reversed shear discharges. Localized electron cyclotron heating and current drive are shown to significantly affect the MHD stability of this type of discharge. (author)

Axisymmetric instability in a noncircular tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipschultz, B.

1979-10-01

The stability of dee, inverse-dee and square cross section plasmas to axisymmetric modes has been investigated experimentally in Tokapole II, a tokamak with a four-null poloidal divertor. Experimental results are closely compared with predictions of two numerical stability codes - the PEST code (ideal MHD, linear stability) adapted to tokapole geometry and a code which follows the nonlinear evolution of shapes similar to tokapole equilibria

Overview of liquid-metal MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, P.F.

1978-01-01

The basic features of the two-phase liquid-metal MHD energy conversion under development at Argonne National Laboratory are presented. The results of system studies on the Rankine-cycle and the open-cycle coal-fired cycle options are discussed. The liquid-metal MHD experimental facilities are described in addition to the system's major components, the generator, mixer and nozzle-separator-diffuser

Electricity from MHD, 1968. Vol. IV. Open-Cycle MHD. Proceedings of a Symposium on Magnetohydrodynamic Electrical Power Generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1968-01-01

Proceedings of a Symposium on Magnetohydrodynamic Electrical Power Generation held by the IAEA at Warsaw, 24-30 July 1968. The meeting was attended by some 300 participants from 21 countries and three international organizations. In contrast to the Symposium held two years ago, much more emphasis was placed on the economic aspects of using MHD generators in large-scale power generation. Among closed- cycle systems, the prospects of linking an ultra-high-temperature reactor with an MHD generator were explored, and the advantages gained by having a liquid-metal generator as a 'topper' in a conventional steam generating plant were presented. Comments were made about the disproportionate effect of end and boundary conditions in experimental MHD generators on the main plasma parameters, and estimates were made of the interrelationship to be expected in real generators. The estimates will have to await confirmation until results are obtained on large-scale prototype MHD systems. Progress in materials research, in design and construction of auxiliary equipment such as heat exchangers, supercooled magnets (which are- now commercially available), etc., is accompanied by sophisticated ideas of plant design. The Proceedings are complemented by three Round Table Discussions in which chosen experts from various countries discuss the outlook for closed-cycle gas, closed-cycle liquid-metal and open-cycle MHD, and give their views as to the most fruitful course to follow to achieve economic full-scale power generation. Contents: (Vol. I) 1. Closed-Cycle MHD with Gaseous Working Fluids: (a) Diagnostics (3 papers); (b) Steady-state non-equilibrium ionization (8 papers); (c) Transient non-equilibrium ionization (7 papers); (d) Pre-ionization and gas discharge (4 papers); (e) Fields and flow in MHD channels (10 papers); (0 Instabilities (8 papers); (g) Generator design and performance studies (6 papers); (Vol. II) (h) Shock waves (6 papers); (i) Power generation experiments (13 papers

Scaling, Intermittency and Decay of MHD Turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarian, A.; Cho, Jungyeon

2005-01-01

We discuss a few recent developments that are important for understanding of MHD turbulence. First, MHD turbulence is not so messy as it is usually believed. In fact, the notion of strong non-linear coupling of compressible and incompressible motions along MHD cascade is not tenable. Alfven, slow and fast modes of MHD turbulence follow their own cascades and exhibit degrees of anisotropy consistent with theoretical expectations. Second, the fast decay of turbulence is not related to the compressibility of fluid. Rates of decay of compressible and incompressible motions are very similar. Third, viscosity by neutrals does not suppress MHD turbulence in a partially ionized gas. Instead, MHD turbulence develops magnetic cascade at scales below the scale at which neutrals damp ordinary hydrodynamic motions. Forth, density statistics does not exhibit the universality that the velocity and magnetic field do. For instance, at small Mach numbers the density is anisotropic, but it gets isotropic at high Mach numbers. Fifth, the intermittency of magnetic field and velocity are different. Both depend on whether the measurements are done in a local system of reference oriented along the local magnetic field or in the global system of reference related to the mean magnetic field

Ideal MHD properties for proposed noncircular tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, F.J.; Greene, J.M.

1986-01-01

We obtain Double Dee, TFXC-C, Big Dee, and JET equlibria which are optimized with respect to both shape and current profile for stability to ideal MHD modes. With a wall reasonably far from the plasma surface we find that the external kink constrains q 1 to be above two, where q 1 is the plasma surface value of the safety factor, and the ballooning mode limits the value of β. Then a relevant stable β value for the Double Dee reactor design is over 7%. Such a Double Dee equilibrium is not in a separated second stability region and thus does not have a problem with accessibility. A relevant stable β value for the TFCX-C reactor design is over 6%. Equivalent relevant stable β values for the Big Dee (17%) and JET (7%) are included for calibration purposes. We compare these relevant stable β values with the β's determined by two recent scaling laws

An Iterative Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS) Analysis Using Time-dependent 3-D MHD Models as Kernels

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, B. V.; Yu, H. S.; Hick, P. P.; Buffington, A.; Odstrcil, D.; Kim, T. K.; Pogorelov, N. V.; Tokumaru, M.; Bisi, M. M.; Kim, J.; Yun, J.

2017-12-01

The University of California, San Diego has developed an iterative remote-sensing time-dependent three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction technique which provides volumetric maps of density, velocity, and magnetic field. We have applied this technique in near real time for over 15 years with a kinematic model approximation to fit data from ground-based interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations. Our modeling concept extends volumetric data from an inner boundary placed above the Alfvén surface out to the inner heliosphere. We now use this technique to drive 3-D MHD models at their inner boundary and generate output 3-D data files that are fit to remotely-sensed observations (in this case IPS observations), and iterated. These analyses are also iteratively fit to in-situ spacecraft measurements near Earth. To facilitate this process, we have developed a traceback from input 3-D MHD volumes to yield an updated boundary in density, temperature, and velocity, which also includes magnetic-field components. Here we will show examples of this analysis using the ENLIL 3D-MHD and the University of Alabama Multi-Scale Fluid-Kinetic Simulation Suite (MS-FLUKSS) heliospheric codes. These examples help refine poorly-known 3-D MHD variables (i.e., density, temperature), and parameters (gamma) by fitting heliospheric remotely-sensed data between the region near the solar surface and in-situ measurements near Earth.

Neoclassical MHD equations for tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.; Shaing, K.C.

1986-03-01

The moment equation approach to neoclassical-type processes is used to derive the flows, currents and resistive MHD-like equations for studying equilibria and instabilities in axisymmetric tokamak plasmas operating in the banana-plateau collisionality regime (ν* approx. 1). The resultant ''neoclassical MHD'' equations differ from the usual reduced equations of resistive MHD primarily by the addition of the important viscous relaxation effects within a magnetic flux surface. The primary effects of the parallel (poloidal) viscous relaxation are: (1) Rapid (approx. ν/sub i/) damping of the poloidal ion flow so the residual flow is only toroidal; (2) addition of the bootstrap current contribution to Ohm's laws; and (3) an enhanced (by B 2 /B/sub theta/ 2 ) polarization drift type term and consequent enhancement of the perpendicular dielectric constant due to parallel flow inertia, which causes the equations to depend only on the poloidal magnetic field B/sub theta/. Gyroviscosity (or diamagnetic vfiscosity) effects are included to properly treat the diamagnetic flow effects. The nonlinear form of the neoclassical MHD equations is derived and shown to satisfy an energy conservation equation with dissipation arising from Joule and poloidal viscous heating, and transport due to classical and neoclassical diffusion

Rotation, Stability and Transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connor, J. W.

2007-07-01

Tokamak plasmas can frequently exhibit high levels of rotation and rotation shear. This can usually be attributed to various sources: injection of momentum, e.g. through neutral beams, flows driven by plasma gradients or torques resulting from non-ambipolar particle loss; however, the source sometimes remains a mystery, such as the spontaneous rotation observed in Ohmic plasmas. The equilibrium rotation profile is given by the balance of these sources with transport and other losses; the edge boundary conditions can play an important role in determining this profile . Such plasma rotation, particularly sheared rotation, is predicted theoretically to have a significant influence on plasma behaviour. In the first place, sonic flows can significantly affect tokamak equilibria and neoclassical transport losses. However, the influence of rotation on plasma stability and turbulence is more profound. At the macroscopic level it affects the behaviour of the gross MHD modes that influence plasma operational limits. This includes sawteeth, the seeding of neoclassical tearing modes, resistive wall modes and the onset of disruptions through error fields, mode locking and reconnection. At the microscopic level it has a major effect on the stability of ballooning modes, both ideal MHD and drift wave instabilities such as ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes. In the non-linear state, as unstable drift waves evolve into turbulent structures, sheared rotation also tears apart eddies, thereby reducing the resulting transport. There is considerable experimental evidence for these effects on both MHD stability and plasma confinement. In particular, the appearance of improved confinement modes with transport barriers, such as edge H-mode barriers and internal transport barriers (ITBs) appears to correlate well with the presence of sheared plasma rotation. This talk will describe the theory underlying some of these phenomena involving plasma rotation, on both macroscopic and microscopic

New construction of quantum error-avoiding codes via group representation of quantum stabilizer codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Hailin [Wenzhou University, College of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Wenzhou (China); Southeast University, National Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, Nanjing (China); Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cognitive Radio and Information Processing, Guilin (China); Zhang, Zhongshan [University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Convergence Networks and Ubiquitous Services, Beijing (China); Chronopoulos, Anthony Theodore [University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Computer Science, San Antonio, TX (United States)

2017-10-15

In quantum computing, nice error bases as generalization of the Pauli basis were introduced by Knill. These bases are known to be projective representations of finite groups. In this paper, we propose a group representation approach to the study of quantum stabilizer codes. We utilize this approach to define decoherence-free subspaces (DFSs). Unlike previous studies of DFSs, this type of DFSs does not involve any spatial symmetry assumptions on the system-environment interaction. Thus, it can be used to construct quantum error-avoiding codes (QEACs) that are fault tolerant automatically. We also propose a new simple construction of QEACs and subsequently develop several classes of QEACs. Finally, we present numerical simulation results encoding the logical error rate over physical error rate on the fidelity performance of these QEACs. Our study demonstrates that DFSs-based QEACs are capable of providing a generalized and unified framework for error-avoiding methods. (orig.)

Improving 3D-Turbo Code's BER Performance with a BICM System over Rayleigh Fading Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Yao

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Classical Turbo code suffers from high error floor due to its small Minimum Hamming Distance (MHD. Newly-proposed 3D-Turbo code can effectively increase the MHD and achieve a lower error floor by adding a rate-1 post encoder. In 3D-Turbo codes, part of the parity bits from the classical Turbo encoder are further encoded through the post encoder. In this paper, a novel Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation (BICM system is proposed by combining rotated mapping Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM and 3D-Turbo code to improve the Bit Error Rate (BER performance of 3D-Turbo code over Raleigh fading channel. A key-bit protection scheme and a Two-Dimension (2D iterative soft demodulating-decoding algorithm are developed for the proposed BICM system. Simulation results show that the proposed system can obtain about 0.8-1.0 dB gain at BER of 10^{-6}, compared with the existing BICM system with Gray mapping QAM.

Benchmarking and qualification of the nufreq-npw code for best estimate prediction of multi-channel core stability margins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taleyarkhan, R.; McFarlane, A.F.; Lahey, R.T. Jr.; Podowski, M.Z.

1988-01-01

The work described in this paper is focused on the development, verification and benchmarking of the NUFREQ-NPW code at Westinghouse, USA for best estimate prediction of multi-channel core stability margins in US BWRs. Various models incorporated into NUFREQ-NPW are systematically compared against the Westinghouse channel stability analysis code MAZDA, which the Mathematical Model was developed in an entirely different manner. The NUFREQ-NPW code is extensively benchmarked against experimental stability data with and without nuclear reactivity feedback. Detailed comparisons are next performed against nuclear-coupled core stability data. A physically based algorithm is developed to correct for the effect of flow development on subcooled boiling. Use of this algorithm (to be described in the full paper) captures the peak magnitude as well as the resonance frequency with good accuracy

Optimization and control of plasma shape and current profile in non-circular cross-section tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, R.W.; Bernard, L.C.; Chan, V.S.

1981-01-01

Tokamaks with elongated, non-circular cross-sections are under consideration as fusion reactors because they have the potential for stable operation at high β. Ideal MHD theory, however, predicts that careful current profile control will be required to achieve the potential high-β advantages of non-circular cross-sections. In this paper, high-β equilibria which are stable to all ideal MHD modes are found by optimizing the plasma shape and current profile for doublets, up-down asymmetric dees, and symmetric dees. The ideal MHD stability of these equilibria for low toroidal mode number n is analysed with a global MHD stability code, GATO. The stability to high-n modes is analysed with a localized ballooning code, BLOON. The attainment of high β is facilitated by an automated optimization search on shape and current parameters. The equilibria are calculated with a free-boundary equilibrium code using coils appropriate for the Doublet III experimental device. The optimal equilibria are characterized by broad current profiles with values of βsub(poloidal) approximately equal to 1. Experimental realization of the shapes and current profiles giving the highest β limits is explored with a 1 1/2-D transport code, which simulates the time evolution of the 2-D MHD equilibrium while calculating consistent current profiles from a 1-D transport model. Transport simulations indicate that nearly optimal shapes may be obtained provided that the currents in the field-shaping coils are appropriately programmed and the plasma current profile is sufficiently broad. Obtaining broad current profiles is possible by current ramping, neutral-beam heating, and electron-cyclotron heating. With combinations of these techniques it is possible to approach the optimum β predicted by the MHD theory. (author)

Scaling Optimization of the SIESTA MHD Code

Science.gov (United States)

Seal, Sudip; Hirshman, Steven; Perumalla, Kalyan

2013-10-01

SIESTA is a parallel three-dimensional plasma equilibrium code capable of resolving magnetic islands at high spatial resolutions for toroidal plasmas. Originally designed to exploit small-scale parallelism, SIESTA has now been scaled to execute efficiently over several thousands of processors P. This scaling improvement was accomplished with minimal intrusion to the execution flow of the original version. First, the efficiency of the iterative solutions was improved by integrating the parallel tridiagonal block solver code BCYCLIC. Krylov-space generation in GMRES was then accelerated using a customized parallel matrix-vector multiplication algorithm. Novel parallel Hessian generation algorithms were integrated and memory access latencies were dramatically reduced through loop nest optimizations and data layout rearrangement. These optimizations sped up equilibria calculations by factors of 30-50. It is possible to compute solutions with granularity N/P near unity on extremely fine radial meshes (N > 1024 points). Grid separation in SIESTA, which manifests itself primarily in the resonant components of the pressure far from rational surfaces, is strongly suppressed by finer meshes. Large problem sizes of up to 300 K simultaneous non-linear coupled equations have been solved on the NERSC supercomputers. Work supported by U.S. DOE under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.

Priority pollutant analysis of MHD-derived combustion products

Science.gov (United States)

Parks, Katherine D.

An important factor in developing Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) for commercial applications is environmental impact. Consequently, an effort was initiated to identify and quantify any possible undesirable minute chemical constituents in MHD waste streams, with special emphasis on the priority pollutant species. This paper discusses how priority pollutant analyses were used to accomplish the following goals at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI): comparison of the composition of solid combustion products collected from various locations along a prototypical MHD flow train during the firing of Illinois No. 6 and Montana Rosebud coals; comparison of solid waste products generated from MHD and conventional power plant technologies; and identification of a suitable disposal option for various MHD derived combustion products. Results from our ongoing research plans for gas phase sampling and analysis of priority pollutant volatiles, semi-volatiles, and metals are discussed.

MHD intermediate shock discontinuities: Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, C.F.; Blandford, R.D.; Coppi, P.

1989-01-01

Recent numerical investigations have focused attention once more on the role of intermediate shocks in MHD. Four types of intermediate shock are identified using a graphical representation of the MHD Rankine-Hugoniot conditions. This same representation can be used to exhibit the close relationship of intermediate shocks to switch-on shocks and rotational discontinuities. The conditions under which intermediate discontinuities can be found are elucidated. The variations in velocity, pressure, entropy and magnetic-field jumps with upstream parameters in intermediate shocks are exhibited graphically. The evolutionary arguments traditionally advanced against intermediate shocks may fail because the equations of classical MHD are not strictly hyperbolic. (author)

Experimental rigs for MHD studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkataramani, N.; Jayakumar, R.; Iyer, D.R.; Dixit, N.S.

1976-01-01

An MHD experimental rig is a miniature MHD installation consisting of basic equipments necessary for specific investigations. Some of the experimental rigs used in the investigations being carried out at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay (India) are dealt with. The experiments included diagnostics and evaluation of materials in seeded combustion plasmas and argon plasmas. The design specifications, schematics and some of the results of the investigations are also mentioned. (author)

Variational formalism for kinetic-MHD instabilities in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edery, D.; Garbet, X.; Roubin, J.P.; Samain, A.

1991-07-01

A variational formalism that includes in a consistent way the tokamak plasma fluid response to an electromagnetic field as well as the particle-field resonant interaction effects is presented. The integrability of the unperturbed motion of the particles is used to establish a general functional similar to the classical Lagrangian for the electromagnetic field, which is extremum with respect to the field potentials. This functional is the sum of fluid terms closely related to the classical MHD energy and of resonant terms describing the kinetic effects. The formalism is used to study a critical issue in tokamak confinement, namely the sawteeth stabilization by energetic particles

MHD Integrated Topping Cycle Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

The overall objective of the project is to design and construct prototypical hardware for an integrated MHD topping cycle, and conduct long duration proof-of-concept tests of integrated system at the US DOE Component Development and Integration Facility in Butte, Montana. The results of the long duration tests will augment the existing engineering design data base on MHD power train reliability, availability, maintainability, and performance, and will serve as a basis for scaling up the topping cycle design to the next level of development, an early commercial scale power plant retrofit. The components of the MHD power train to be designed, fabricated, and tested include: A slagging coal combustor with a rated capacity of 50 MW thermal input, capable of operation with an Eastern (Illinois {number sign}6) or Western (Montana Rosebud) coal, a segmented supersonic nozzle, a supersonic MHD channel capable of generating at least 1.5 MW of electrical power, a segmented supersonic diffuser section to interface the channel with existing facility quench and exhaust systems, a complete set of current control circuits for local diagonal current control along the channel, and a set of current consolidation circuits to interface the channel with the existing facility inverter.

The Biermann catastrophe of numerical MHD

Science.gov (United States)

Graziani, C.; Tzeferacos, P.; Lee, D.; Lamb, D. Q.; Weide, K.; Fatenejad, M.; Miller, J.

2016-05-01

The Biermann Battery effect is frequently invoked in cosmic magnetogenesis and studied in High-Energy Density laboratory physics experiments. Unfortunately, direct implementation of the Biermann effect in MHD codes is known to produce unphysical magnetic fields at shocks whose value does not converge with resolution. We show that this convergence breakdown is due to naive discretization, which fails to account for the fact that discretized irrotational vector fields have spurious solenoidal components that grow without bound near a discontinuity. We show that careful consideration of the kinetics of ion viscous shocks leads to a formulation of the Biermann effect that gives rise to a convergent algorithm. We note a novel physical effect a resistive magnetic precursor in which Biermann-generated field in the shock “leaks” resistively upstream. The effect appears to be potentially observable in experiments at laser facilities.

Anderson localization of ballooning modes, quantum chaos and the stability of compact quasiaxially symmetric stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redi, M.H.; Johnson, J.L.; Klasky, S.; Canik, J.; Dewar, R.L.; Cooper, W.A.

2002-01-01

The radially local magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) ballooning stability of a compact, quasiaxially symmetric stellarator (QAS), is examined just above the ballooning beta limit with a method that can lead to estimates of global stability. Here MHD stability is analyzed through the calculation and examination of the ballooning mode eigenvalue isosurfaces in the 3-space (s,α,θ k ); s is the edge normalized toroidal flux, α is the field line variable, and θ k is the perpendicular wave vector or ballooning parameter. Broken symmetry, i.e., deviations from axisymmetry, in the stellarator magnetic field geometry causes localization of the ballooning mode eigenfunction, and gives rise to new types of nonsymmetric eigenvalue isosurfaces in both the stable and unstable spectrum. For eigenvalues far above the marginal point, isosurfaces are topologically spherical, indicative of strong 'quantum chaos'. The complexity of QAS marginal isosurfaces suggests that finite Larmor radius stabilization estimates will be difficult and that fully three-dimensional, high-n MHD computations are required to predict the beta limit

Dynamics of nonlinear resonant slow MHD waves in twisted flux tubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Erdélyi

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Nonlinear resonant magnetohydrodynamic (MHD waves are studied in weakly dissipative isotropic plasmas in cylindrical geometry. This geometry is suitable and is needed when one intends to study resonant MHD waves in magnetic flux tubes (e.g. for sunspots, coronal loops, solar plumes, solar wind, the magnetosphere, etc. The resonant behaviour of slow MHD waves is confined in a narrow dissipative layer. Using the method of simplified matched asymptotic expansions inside and outside of the narrow dissipative layer, we generalise the so-called connection formulae obtained in linear MHD for the Eulerian perturbation of the total pressure and for the normal component of the velocity. These connection formulae for resonant MHD waves across the dissipative layer play a similar role as the well-known Rankine-Hugoniot relations connecting solutions at both sides of MHD shock waves. The key results are the nonlinear connection formulae found in dissipative cylindrical MHD which are an important extension of their counterparts obtained in linear ideal MHD (Sakurai et al., 1991, linear dissipative MHD (Goossens et al., 1995; Erdélyi, 1997 and in nonlinear dissipative MHD derived in slab geometry (Ruderman et al., 1997. These generalised connection formulae enable us to connect solutions obtained at both sides of the dissipative layer without solving the MHD equations in the dissipative layer possibly saving a considerable amount of CPU-time when solving the full nonlinear resonant MHD problem.

External kink (peeling) modes in x-point geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huysmans, G T A

2005-01-01

The influence of the separatrix on the stability of edge current driven external kink (peeling) modes has been studied. Two approaches have been compared: taking the limit towards the separatrix using linear ideal and resistive MHD stability codes and including the complete x-point geometry using a new resistive MHD code. A strong stabilizing effect has been observed for the ideal and the resistive peeling mode for instabilities driven by the edge current gradient. Both approaches are in good agreement. A new resistive instability remains unstable and is not significantly affected by the separatrix. This mode is a combination of a kink and a tearing type mode and could be called a peeling-tearing mode

Application of the MHD energy principle to magnetostatic atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zweibel, E.G.

1984-11-01

We apply the MHD energy principle to the stability of a magnetized atmosphere which is bounded below by much denser fluid, as is the solar corona. We treat the two fluids as ideal; the approximation which is consistent with the energy principle, and use the dynamical conditions that must hold at a fluid-fluid interface to show that if vertical displacements of the lower boundary are permitted, then the lower atmosphere must be perturbed as well. However, displacements which do not perturb the coronal boundary can be properly treated as isolated perturbations of the corona alone

Investigations on high speed MHD liquid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Takasuke; Kamiyama, Shin-ichi.

1982-01-01

Lately, the pressure drop problem of MHD two-phase flow in a duct has been investigated theoretically and experimentally in conjunction with the problems of liquid metal MHD two-phase flow power-generating cycle or of liquid metal boiling two-phase flow in the blanket of a nuclear fusion reactor. Though many research results have been reported so far for MHD single-phase flow, the hydrodynamic studies on high speed two-phase flow are reported only rarely, specifically the study dealing with the generation of cavitation is not found. In the present investigation, the basic equation was derived, analyzing the high speed MHD liquid flow in a diverging duct as the one-dimensional flow of homogeneous two-phase fluid of small void ratio. Furthermore, the theoretical solution for the effect of magnetic field on cavitation-generating conditions was tried. The pressure distribution in MHD flow in a duct largely varies with load factor, and even if the void ratio is small, the pressure distribution in two-phase flow is considerably different from that in single-phase flow. Even if the MHD two-phase flow in a duct is subsonic flow at the throat, the critical conditions may be achieved sometimes in a diverging duct. It was shown that cavitation is more likely to occur as magnetic field becomes more intense if it is generated downstream of the throat. This explains the experimental results qualitatively. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Numerical studies of the MHD spectrum of an elliptic plasma column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chance, M.S.; Greene, J.M.; Grimm, R.C.; Johnson, J.L.

1976-05-01

A numerical procedure is described for determining the MHD spectrum associated with small perturbations about an analytic equilibrium. This configuration has magnetic flux surfaces which are nested similar elliptical cylinders generated by a uniform axial current. Since the system is periodic, it models the essential features of a toroid. The code is used to study the properties of modes in the continuous shear Alfven and slow acoustic spectra as well as the discrete modes associated with the fast magnetosonic waves and kinks. Modes where the interchange criterion is violated, or nearly violated, are investigated

Confinement and stability in JET: recent results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, D.J.

1990-01-01

The versatility of the JET device allows a wide range of tokamak operating regimes to be explored and plasmas bounded both by material limiters and by a magnetic separatrix have been investigated extensively. This has permitted the confinement and mhd stability properties of plasmas heated to temperatures above 10keV by neutral beam injection or ion cyclotron resonance heating to be studied in detail. The results of recent analyses of transport and confinement in the L- and H-mode regimes in JET are discussed and the properties of H-mode plasmas produced by both major forms of heating are compared. Several aspects of the mhd stability of such plasmas, particularly at high toroidal beta, β θ , and at the density limit, are reviewed. (author)

Entanglement entropy from tensor network states for stabilizer codes

Science.gov (United States)

He, Huan; Zheng, Yunqin; Bernevig, B. Andrei; Regnault, Nicolas

2018-03-01

In this paper, we present the construction of tensor network states (TNS) for some of the degenerate ground states of three-dimensional (3D) stabilizer codes. We then use the TNS formalism to obtain the entanglement spectrum and entropy of these ground states for some special cuts. In particular, we work out examples of the 3D toric code, the X-cube model, and the Haah code. The latter two models belong to the category of "fracton" models proposed recently, while the first one belongs to the conventional topological phases. We mention the cases for which the entanglement entropy and spectrum can be calculated exactly: For these, the constructed TNS is a singular value decomposition (SVD) of the ground states with respect to particular entanglement cuts. Apart from the area law, the entanglement entropies also have constant and linear corrections for the fracton models, while the entanglement entropies for the toric code models only have constant corrections. For the cuts we consider, the entanglement spectra of these three models are completely flat. We also conjecture that the negative linear correction to the area law is a signature of extensive ground-state degeneracy. Moreover, the transfer matrices of these TNSs can be constructed. We show that the transfer matrices are projectors whose eigenvalues are either 1 or 0. The number of nonzero eigenvalues is tightly related to the ground-state degeneracy.

Cryogenic aspects of the experience in operating the U-25 superconducting MHD magnet in conjunction with the MHD generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemann, R.C.; Mataya, K.F.; Smith, R.P.; McWilliams, D.A.; Borden, R.; Streeter, M.H.; Wickson, R.; Privalov, N.P.

1978-01-01

In order to facilitate the rapid development of MHD technology for the generation of electrical energy, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. are jointly conducting research within the framework of the Program of Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The Institute for High Temperature (IVTAN) of the U.S.S.R. has designed and fabricated a special MHD facility which uses as its base much of the equipment of the existing U-25 Facility. The new MHD fow train consisting of a combustor, magnet, channel, and diffuser is named U-25B. The U.S. has provided a superconducting magnet system for the U-25B MHD Facility. As a result of these joint efforts, a unique and broad range of experimental test conditions similar to those that will exist in operation of commercial MHD generators has been created. The United States Superconducting Magnet System (U.S. SCMS) was designed, fabricated, and delivered to the U-25B Facility by the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy. The following description focuses on the cryogenic-related aspects of the magnet system commissioning and operation in the U.S.S.R

Development of materials for open-cycle magnetohydrodynamics (MHD): ceramic electrode. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bates, J.L.; Marchant, D.D.

1986-09-01

Pacific Northwest Laboratory, supported by the US Department of Energy, developed advanced materials for use in open-cycle, closed cycle magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) power generation, an advanced energy conversion system in which the flow of electrically conducting fluid interacts with an electric field to convert the energy directly into electricity. The purpose of the PNL work was to develop electrodes for the MHD channel. Such electrodes must have: (1) electrical conductivity above 0.01 (ohm-cm)/sup -1/ from near room temperature to 1900/sup 0/K, (2) resistance to both electrochemical and chemical corrosion by both slag and potassium seed, (3) resistance to erosion by high-velocity gases and particles, (4) resistance to thermal shock, (5) adequate thermal conductivity, (6) compatibility with other channel components, particularly the electrical insulators, (7) oxidation-reduction stability, and (8) adequate thermionic emission. This report describes the concept and development of high-temperature, graded ceramic composite electrode materials and their electrical and structural properties. 47 refs., 16 figs., 13 tabs.

MHD stability analysis of ELMs in MAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saarelma, S; Hender, T C; Kirk, A; Meyer, H; Wilson, H R; Team, MAST

2007-01-01

In this paper, edge stability analyses of the MAST tokamak plasmas are presented. The analyses show that the experimental equilibrium prior to an edge localized mode (ELM) is unstable against very narrow peeling modes with low growth rate. When the edge pressure gradient becomes steeper, wider peeling-ballooning modes with larger growth rate become unstable. These modes are the likely triggers of ELMs. In the analyses the required pressure increase for destabilization is sensitive to how the X-point is modelled in the equilibrium reconstruction. A 'sharp' X-point approximation is more stable against the peeling-ballooning modes than a 'round' one. An experimental ELM-free single null plasma is significantly more stable against the peeling-ballooning modes than the double null plasma, but this is unlikely to be directly due to the single null geometry but rather due to the different plasma profiles. Sheared toroidal rotation is able to stabilize the peeling-ballooning modes. This suggests the following model for the ELM triggering: the rotation shear keeps the edge stable until the pressure gradient has sufficiently exceeded the stability boundary for the static plasma. When the mode becomes unstable, it starts to grow, ties the flux surfaces together and flattens the rotation profile. This further destabilizes the edge plasma leading to an ELM crash

Discharge optimization and the control of edge stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nave, M.F.F.; Lomas, P.J.; Huysmans, G.T.A.

1999-01-01

Discharge optimization for improving MHD stability of both core and edge was essential for the achievement of record fusion power discharges, in the ELM-free hot ion H mode regime, in the recent JET DT operation. The techniques used to increase edge stability are described. In particular the successful technique of current rampdown used to suppress the outer mode is reported. The increased stability of the outer mode by decreasing the edge current density confirms its identification as an n = 1 external kink. Decreasing the plasma current, however, decreases the ELM-free period, which is consistent with stability calculations that show an earlier onset of the ballooning limit. In order to increase external kink stability without causing a deterioration in the ELM-free period, a compromise was achieved by using plasma current rampdown, while working at the highest plasma current values possible. Results from a plasma current scan show that at the time of occurrence of the first giant ELM, the plasma stored energy, as well as the pressure measured at the top of the edge pedestal increase linearly with plasma current, for a given plasma configuration and power. This is consistent with models of the edge transport barrier, where the transport barrier width is proportional to the ion (or fast ion) poloidal Larmor radius. The MHD observations in DT and deuterium only discharges were found to be similar. Thus the experience gained on the control of MHD modes in deuterium plasmas could be fully exploited in the DT campaign. (author)

Astrophysics days and MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falgarone, Edith; Rieutord, Michel; Richard, Denis; Zahn, Jean-Paul; Dauchot, Olivier; Daviaud, Francois; Dubrulle, Berengere; Laval, Jean-Philippe; Noullez, Alain; Bourgoin, Mickael; Odier, Philippe; Pinton, Jean-Francois; Leveque, Emmanuel; Chainais, Pierre; Abry, Patrice; Mordant, Nicolas; Michel, Olivier; Marie, Louis; Chiffaudel, Arnaud; Daviaud, Francois; Petrelis, Francois; Fauve, Stephan; Nore, C.; Brachet, M.-E.; Politano, H.; Pouquet, A.; Leorat, Jacques; Grapin, Roland; Brun, Sacha; Delour, Jean; Arneodo, Alain; Muzy, Jean-Francois; Magnaudet, Jacques; Braza, Marianna; Boree, Jacques; Maurel, S.; Ben, L.; Moreau, J.; Bazile, R.; Charnay, G.; Lewandowski, Roger; Laveder, Dimitri; Bouchet, Freddy; Sommeria, Joel; Le Gal, P.; Eloy, C.; Le Dizes, S.; Schneider, Kai; Farge, Marie; Bottausci, Frederic; Petitjeans, Philippe; Maurel, Agnes; Carlier, Johan; Anselmet, Fabien

2001-05-01

This publication gathers extended summaries of presentations proposed during two days on astrophysics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The first session addressed astrophysics and MHD: The cold interstellar medium, a low ionized turbulent plasma; Turbulent convection in stars; Turbulence in differential rotation; Protoplanetary disks and washing machines; gravitational instability and large structures; MHD turbulence in the sodium von Karman flow; Numerical study of the dynamo effect in the Taylor-Green eddy geometry; Solar turbulent convection under the influence of rotation and of the magnetic field. The second session addressed the description of turbulence: Should we give up cascade models to describe the spatial complexity of the velocity field in a developed turbulence?; What do we learn with RDT about the turbulence at the vicinity of a plane surface?; Qualitative explanation of intermittency; Reduced model of Navier-Stokes equations: quickly extinguished energy cascade; Some mathematical properties of turbulent closure models. The third session addressed turbulence and coherent structures: Alfven wave filamentation and formation of coherent structures in dispersive MHD; Statistical mechanics for quasi-geo-strophic turbulence: applications to Jupiter's coherent structures; Elliptic instabilities; Physics and modelling of turbulent detached unsteady flows in aerodynamics and fluid-structure interaction; Intermittency and coherent structures in a washing machine: a wavelet analysis of joint pressure/velocity measurements; CVS filtering of 3D turbulent mixing layer using orthogonal wavelets. The last session addressed experimental methods: Lagrangian velocity measurements; Energy dissipation and instabilities within a locally stretched vortex; Study by laser imagery of the generation and breakage of a compressed eddy flow; Study of coherent structures of turbulent boundary layer at high Reynolds number

Radiative transfer with scattering for domain-decomposed 3D MHD simulations of cool stellar atmospheres : numerical methods and application to the quiet, non-magnetic, surface of a solar-type star

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hayek, W.; Asplund, M.; Carlsson, M.; Trampedach, R.; Collet, R.; Gudiksen, B.V.; Hansteen, V.H.; Leenaarts, J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304837946

2010-01-01

Aims. We present the implementation of a radiative transfer solver with coherent scattering in the new BIFROST code for radiative magneto-hydrodynamical (MHD) simulations of stellar surface convection. The code is fully parallelized using MPI domain decomposition, which allows for large grid sizes

Report of commission for investigating MHD on a visit to U.S. Part 2. Report on each place of visit; Hobei MHD chosadan hokokusho. 2. Homonsakibetsu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-01-01

The members of MHD project examination subcommittee made an investigative tour of the U.S. on the state of development of MHD generation. This report of the 2nd part explains opinions and the present status of the R and D on MHD generation by each of the 19 institutions visited. The U.S. research on MHD generation is under the leadership of DOE, whereby the budget for the development is so large as nearly one hundred million dollars have been provided for several years. The purpose is the effective use of domestic coal. General Electric is of the opinion that a combined gas turbine system will be put to practical use earlier because MHD takes time for practicability despite its highest efficiency in coal-utilized power generation. Yet, GE thinks MHD will be more attractive in the future. Reynolds Metal is considering application of MHD generation to the electro-chemical industry at present. According to Reynolds, combined supply of electric output and heat of MHD can reduce the use of calorie per ton of aluminum from 240 MBTU to 100. Montana Power is promoting practicability through a combined plan with DOE-built MHD generation. (NEDO)

Resistive Wall Mode Stability and Control in the Reversed Field Pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadikin, Dmitriy

2006-03-01

Control of MHD instabilities using a conducting wall together with external magnetic fields is an important route to improved performance and reliability in fusion devices. Active control of MHD modes is of interest for both the Advanced Tokamak and the Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) configurations. A wide range of unstable, current driven MHD modes is present in the RFP. An ideally conducting wall facing the plasma can in principle provide stabilization to these modes. However, a real, resistive wall characterized by a wall field diffusion time, cannot stabilize the ideal MHD modes unless they rotate with Alfvenic velocity, which is usually not the case. With a resistive wall, the ideal modes are converted into resistive wall modes (RWM) with growth rates comparable to the inverse wall time. Resistive wall modes have been studied in the EXTRAP T2R thin shell RFP device. Growth rates have been measured and found in agreement with linear MHD stability calculations. An advanced system for active control has been developed and installed on the EXTRAP T2R device. The system includes an array of 128 active saddle coils, fully covering the torus surface. Experiments on EXTRAP T2R have for the first time demonstrated simultaneous active suppression of multiple independent RWMs. In experiments with a partial array, coupling of different modes due to the limited number of feedback coils has been observed, in agreement with theory. Different feedback strategies, such as the intelligent shell, the rotating shell, and mode control have been studied. Further, feedback operation with different types of magnetic field sensors, measuring either the radial or the toroidal field components have been compared

MHD power plants - a reality of the 80's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pishchikov, S.

1981-01-01

A 300 MW MHD generator and a conventional turbogenerator of the same capacity will be used for the first MHD power block assembly projected in the USSR. The power plant's own consumption will not exceed 12% and the availability will be approximately 50%. Compared with a conventional power generating unit of a capacity of 500 MW the projected unit will provide fuel savings of at least 23%. The project is based on almost seven years long experience with the U-25 experimental MHD facility. Similar to the U-25, the MHD power plant projected will be fired with natural gas. (B.S.)

MHD power plants - a reality of the 80's

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pishchikov, S

1981-02-01

A 300 MW MHD generator and a conventional turbogenerator of the same capacity will be used for the first MHD power block assembly projected in the USSR. The power plant's own consumption will not exceed 12% and the availability will be approximately 50%. Compared with a conventional power generating unit of a capacity of 500 MW the projected unit will provide fuel savings of at least 23%. The project is based on almost seven years long experience with the U-25 experimental MHD facility. Similar to the U-25, the MHD power plant projected will be fired with natural gas.

Results from a large-scale MHD propulsion experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrick, M.; Libera, J.; Bouillard, J.X.; Pierson, E.S.; Hill, D.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) thrusters which have long been recognized as potentially attractive candidates for ship propulsion because such systems eliminate the conventional rotating drive components. The MHD thruster is essentially an electromagnet (EM) pump operating in seawater. An electrical current is passed directly through the seawater and interacts with an applied magnetic field; the interaction of the magnetic field and the electrode current in the seawater results in a Lorentz force acting on the water, and the reaction to this force propels the vessel forward. The concept of EM propulsion has been examined periodically during the past 35 years as an alternative method of propulsion for surface ships and submersibles. The conclusions reached in early studies were that MHD thrusters restricted to fields of 2T (the state-of-the-art at that time) were impractical and very inefficient. With the evolution of superconducting magnet technology, later studies investigated the performance of MHD thrusters with much higher magnetic field strengths and concluded that at higher fields (>6 T) practical MHD propulsion systems appear possible

Equilibrium and Stability Properties of Low Aspect Ratio Mirror Systems: from Neutron Source Design to the Parker Spiral

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Ethan; Anderson, Jay; Clark, Mike; Egedal, Jan; Endrizzi, Douglass; Flanagan, Ken; Harvey, Robert; Lynn, Jacob; Milhone, Jason; Wallace, John; Waleffe, Roger; Mirnov, Vladimir; Forest, Cary

2017-10-01

Equilibrium reconstructions of rotating magnetospheres in the lab are computed using a user-friendly extended Grad-Shafranov solver written in Python and various magnetic and kinetic measurements. The stability of these equilibria are investigated using the NIMROD code with two goals: understand the onset of the classic ``wobble'' in the heliospheric current sheet and demonstrating proof-of-principle for a laboratory source of high- β turbulence. Using the same extended Grad-Shafranov solver, equilibria for an axisymmetric, non-paraxial magnetic mirror are used as a design foundation for a high-field magnetic mirror neutron source. These equilibria are numerically shown to be stable to the m=1 flute instability, with higher modes likely stabilized by FLR effects; this provides stability to gross MHD modes in an axisymmetric configuration. Numerical results of RF heating and neutral beam injection (NBI) from the GENRAY/CQL3D code suite show neutron fluxes promising for medical radioisotope production as well as materials testing. Synergistic effects between NBI and high-harmonic fast wave heating show large increases in neutron yield for a modest increase in RF power. work funded by DOE, NSF, NASA.

Particle simulation algorithms with short-range forces in MHD and fluid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cable, S.; Tajima, T.; Umegaki, K.

1992-07-01

Attempts are made to develop numerical algorithms for handling fluid flows involving liquids and liquid-gas mixtures. In these types of systems, the short-range intermolecular interactions are important enough to significantly alter behavior predicted on the basis of standard fluid mechanics and magnetohydrodynamics alone. We have constructed a particle-in-cell (PIC) code for the purpose of studying the effects of these interactions. Of the algorithms considered, the one which has been successfully implemented is based on a MHD particle code developed by Brunel et al. In the version presented here, short range forces are included in particle motion by, first, calculating the forces between individual particles and then, to prevent aliasing, interpolating these forces to the computational grid points, then interpolating the forces back to the particles. The code has been used to model a simple two-fluid Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Limitations to the accuracy of the code exist at short wavelengths, where the effects of the short-range forces would be expected to be most pronounced

An improvement of SiC insulator performances for MHD generator channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuo, T.; Ookouchi, T.; Aoki, Y.

1988-01-01

A water cooled ceramic-metal bonded wall element has been developed for a coal combustion MHD generator channels. It was shown to have excellent characters of stability under high heat flux and thermal shock conditions and good electrical insulation performance in the splash test stand and the small scale MHD simulation channel of ETL COM Fired Facility. Temperature of the compliant and brazed layer rises significantly with heat flux, and cause troubles such as oxidation, corrosion and deterioration of strength of the compliant material. Not only an application for the ceramics-metal bonding with high reliability, but also an improvement of allowable heat flux is possible. New compliant material made of grooved copper and a high reliable metallizing and brazing method were developed. It will make possible raising the limitation of allowable heat flux up to 1,000 W/cm 2 . Through this research, the compatibility of the grooved copper compliant structure was proved and a design concept obtained to construct a highly efficient, water cooled SiC insulator

Transient behavior of high-interaction MHD generator following external loading faults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Motoo

1983-01-01

Transient behavior consequent to external loading faults is studied numerically on four configurations of high-interaction MHD generators-subsonic Faraday, supersonic Faraday, subsonic diagonal and supersonic diagonal, to provide a variable data base to serve in selecting the type of large-scale MHD generator. Time-dependent one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved with the 1969 MacCormack method, in combination with the Maxwell equations and the generalized Ohm's law. An artificial viscosity term is added to the Navier-Stokes equations to maintain numerical stability. It is shown that, with both supersonic and subsonic flows, the Faraday generator is liable to sustain more harmful effect from short than from open faults of the external loading circuit. For large-scale diagonal types, on the other hand, open faults are more dangerous. With subsonic flow, a shock wave propagating upstream is induced by short fault in the Faraday, and by open fault in the diagonal-type generator. In the case of supersonic flow, propagation upstream of the disturbance is completely obstructed. Larger electrical stress is foreseen for Faraday than for diagonal configuration. (author)

Report on results of contract research. 'Research on MHD generation system'; MHD hatsuden system no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1982-03-01

'Research on MHD generation system' was implemented by its expert committee in the electric joint study group, with the results of fiscal 1981 reported. This year, technological reexamination was conducted for a 2,000 MWt commercial MHD generation plant, with evaluation carried out on the cost performance including the construction and operation cost. In addition, for the purpose of intermediate R and D towards the practicability, examination was also conducted on a system structure, concrete specifications of component element, cost of R and D including operation expenses for example, concerning an 100 MWt class experimental plant and a 500 MWt class plant. In the investigation of the overseas trend, information was summarized in detail on the experimental devices, combustors, generation channels, electrode materials, electrode phenomena, theoretical analyses, seeds, slag, component equipment, instrumental technologies, conceptual designs of generation plant, commercial plant, etc., in Soviet Union, China, Holland, India and EPRI, on the basis of the materials from the 19th MHD symposium held in UTSI and from the coal MHD specialist conference held in Sydney. (NEDO)

Conversion of a general quantum stabilizer code to an entanglement distillation protocol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumoto, Ryutaroh [Department of Communications and Integrated Systems, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan)

2003-07-25

We show how to convert a quantum stabilizer code to a one- or two-way entanglement distillation protocol. The proposed conversion method is a generalization of those of Shor-Preskill and Nielsen-Chuang. The recurrence protocol and the quantum privacy amplification protocol are equivalent to the protocols converted from [[2, 1

Conversion of a general quantum stabilizer code to an entanglement distillation protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Ryutaroh

2003-01-01

We show how to convert a quantum stabilizer code to a one- or two-way entanglement distillation protocol. The proposed conversion method is a generalization of those of Shor-Preskill and Nielsen-Chuang. The recurrence protocol and the quantum privacy amplification protocol are equivalent to the protocols converted from [[2, 1

An attempt at MHD mode control by feedback modulation of L.H. driven current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlange, F.; Vallet, J.C

1986-01-01

MHD activity in Tokamak discharges with lower hybrid current drive has distinct features which can be used to stabilize tearing modes. A way of reducing the m=2 tearing mode was recently proposed, consisting in driving more current at the 0 point of the islands than at the X point, by means of amplitude modulated lower hybrid waves. The way it was tested in Petula is presented here

Flow predictions for MHD channels with an approximation for three-dimensional effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blottner, F.G.

1978-01-01

A finite-difference procedure has been formulated for predicting the flow properties across channels. A quasi-two-dimensional approach has been developed which allows the three-dimensional channel effects to be taken into account. Comparison of the numerical solutions with experimental results show that this approach is a reasonable approximation for MHD flow conditions if there is not significant merging of the wall boundary layers. The resulting code provides a technique to obtain the flow details in the symmetry plane of the channel and requires only a small amount of computer time

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Tixador, P.

1994-04-01

Magnetic levitation and MHD propulsion are now attracting attention in several countries. Different superconducting MagLev and MHD systems will be described concentrating on, above all, the electromagnetic aspect. Some programmes occurring throughout the world will be described. Magnetic levitated trains could be the new high speed transportation system for the 21st century. Intensive studies involving MagLev trains using superconductivity have been carried out in Japan since 1970. The construction of a 43 km long track is to be the next step. In 1991 a six year programme was launched in the United States to evaluate the performances of MagLev systems for transportation. The MHD (MagnetoHydroDynamic) offers some interesting advantages (efficiency, stealth characteristics, ...) for naval propulsion and increasing attention is being paid towards it nowadays. Japan is also up at the top with the tests of Yamato I, a 260 ton MHD propulsed ship. Depuis quelques années nous assistons à un redémarrage de programmes concernant la lévitation et la propulsion supraconductrices. Différents systèmes supraconducteurs de lévitation et de propulsion seront décrits en examinant plus particulièrement l'aspect électromagnétique. Quelques programmes à travers le monde seront abordés. Les trains à sustentation magnétique pourraient constituer un nouveau mode de transport terrestre à vitesse élevée (500 km/h) pour le 21^e siècle. Les japonais n'ont cessé de s'intéresser à ce système avec bobine supraconductrice. Ils envisagent un stade préindustriel avec la construction d'une ligne de 43 km. En 1991 un programme américain pour une durée de six ans a été lancé pour évaluer les performances des systèmes à lévitation pour le transport aux Etats Unis. La MHD (Magnéto- Hydro-Dynamique) présente des avantages intéressants pour la propulsion navale et un regain d'intérêt apparaît à l'heure actuelle. Le japon se situe là encore à la pointe des d

PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND BODY COMPOSITION IN MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS (MHD PATIENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Zhang

2012-06-01

Conclusions: These findings indicate that adult MHD pts had a higher % body fat. Measures of physical performance were markedly reduced in MHD pts as compared to Normals. Physical performance in MHD, measured especially by 6-MW, correlated negatively with some measures of body composition, particularly with LBMI.

A Parallel Two-fluid Code for Global Magnetic Reconnection Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breslau, J.A.; Jardin, S.C.

2001-01-01

This paper describes a new algorithm for the computation of two-dimensional resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and two-fluid studies of magnetic reconnection in plasmas. It has been implemented on several parallel platforms and shows good scalability up to 32 CPUs for reasonable problem sizes. A fixed, nonuniform rectangular mesh is used to resolve the different spatial scales in the reconnection problem. The resistive MHD version of the code uses an implicit/explicit hybrid method, while the two-fluid version uses an alternating-direction implicit (ADI) method. The technique has proven useful for comparing several different theories of collisional and collisionless reconnection

ELM triggering conditions for the integrated modeling of H-mode plasmas