X-point target divertor concept and the Alcator DX high power divertor test facility

Three critical challenges must be met before a steady-state, power-producing fusion reactor can be realized: (1) safely handle extreme plasma exhaust power, (2) completely suppress material erosion at divertor targets and (3) do this while maintaining a burning plasma core. Advanced divertors such as `Super X' and `X-point target' have the potential to solve all three challenges by producing a stable, fully detached, low temperature plasma in the divertor while maintaining a hot boundary layer around a clean plasma core. The X-point target divertor may be particularly effective. It places a second X-point in the pathway of the peak parallel heat flux with the intention of forming an X-point MARFE in the divertor volume, well away from the primary X-point that defines the last closed flux surface and at larger major radius, providing detachment front stability. Divertor heat dissipation is via volumetric processes (radiation, ion-neutral collisions), virtually eliminating erosion by ion bombardment and reducing peak heat flux and neutron fluence on remote divertor target components. Alcator DX is conceived as a national facility to test these ideas. It employs the high magnetic field technology of Alcator combined with high-power ICRH to investigate advanced divertors at reactor-level parallel heat flux densities.