FRC Lifetime Studies for the Field Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment

POSTER

Abstract

The goal of the Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) is to demonstrate magnetized plasma compression. A requirement is that the trapped flux inside the FRC must persist long enough for the compression process to be completed, which is approximately 20 microseconds. Lifetime measurements of the FRCs formed for FRCHX show lifetimes of only 7 $\sim $ 9 microseconds once the FRC has entered the capture region. Results from recent FRCHX experiments will be presented, and possible reasons for the lifetime limitations will be discussed along with several approaches for overcoming these limitations. This work is supported by DOE-OFES.

Authors

  • Chris Grabowski

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • James Degnan

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • David Amdahl

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Rachel Delaney

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Matthew Domonkos

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Mark Lehr

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Ricardo Magallanes

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Randy Robinson

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Edward Ruden

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • William White

    • Air Force Research Laboratory, Directed Energy Directorate

  • Don Gale

    • Science Applications International Corporation

  • Mark Kostora

    • Science Applications International Corporation

  • John McCullough

    • Science Applications International Corporation

  • Wayne Sommars

    • Science Applications International Corporation

  • Michael Frese

    • NumerEx

  • Sherry Frese

    • NumerEx

  • Frank Camacho

    • NumerEx

  • Sean Coffey

    • NumerEx

  • Thomas Intrator

    • LANL
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • P-24: Plasma Physics

  • Glen Wurden

    • LANL
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Richard Siemon

    • University of Nevada, Reno

  • Stephan Fuelling

    • University of Nevada, Reno

  • Bruno Bauer

    • University of Nevada, Reno

  • Alan Lynn

    • The University of New Mexico
    • University of New Mexico

  • Norman Roderick

    • University of New Mexico