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Languages : en
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Book Description
Recent experiments on the TMX-U thermal barrier device at LLNL have achieved the end plugging of axial ion losses up to a central cell density of n/sub c/ = 2 x 1012 cm. During these tests, the axial potential profile characteristic of a thermal barrier has been measured experimentally, indicating an ion-confining potential greater than 1.5 kV and a potential depression of 0.45 kV in the barrier region. The average beta of hot electrons in the thermal barrier has been increased to 15% and appears limited only by classical scattering and ECRH pulse duration. Furthermore, deuterium ions in the central cell have been heated with ICRF to an average energy of 1.5 keV, with a heating efficiency of 40%. During strong end plugging, the axial ion confinement time reached 50 to 100 ms while the nonambipolar radial ion confinement time was 5 to 15 ms - independent of end plugging. Radial ion confinement time exceeding 100 ms has been attained on shots without end plugging. Plates, floated electrically on the end walls, have increased the radial ion confinement time by a factor of 1.8. Further improvement in the central cell density during end plugging can be expected by increasing the ICRF, improving the central cell vacuum conditions and beam heating efficiency, and increasing the radial extent of the potential control plates on the end walls.
