Alpha Particle Dynamics in ARC Burning Plasmas

ORAL

Abstract

The ARC tokamak is expected to operate in a burning plasma regime with a large fusion-born alpha population. Alfvén eigenmode (AE)-driven effects are analyzed analytically and then numerically including alpha drive, ion Landau damping, and collisional damping from trapped electrons. Unstable and near-threshold unstable AE domains are identified within ARC's operational space. The NOVA code finds multiple AEs unstable up to toroidal mode numbers n=30. NUBEAM evaluates the alpha transport on timescales beyond the slowing-down time from RBQ computed transport coefficients. These global simulations identify favorable and unfavorable operating regimes in terms of alpha confinement, pressure redistribution, and heating efficiency. NTM, sawtooth, and toroidal-field ripple induced alpha transport are evaluated using the ORBIT-kick guiding center code. The kick-transport is integrated into TRANSP for more self-consistent calculations of alpha-driven current and overall sustainment of the ARC scenario. Sensitivity scans are performed in mode frequency, rational surface location, island width, mode amplitude, q=1 location, and limiter proximity. This study delivers physics-based insights to guide machine design, equilibrium control, and ensure adequate alpha heating.

*This manuscript is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, and has been authored by Princeton University under Contract Number DE-AC02-09CH11466 with the U.S. Department of Energy. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, partially funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No 101052200 — EUROfusion). The Swiss contribution to this work has been funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Commission or SERI. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission nor SERI can be held responsible for them. Supported by Commonwealth Fusion Systems. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences, under the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.

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Presenters

  • Phillip J Bonofiglo

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

Authors

  • Phillip J Bonofiglo

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

  • Nikolai N Gorelenkov

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

  • Mario L Podesta

    • Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne

  • Marina Gorelenkova

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

  • Alexandra LeViness

    • Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Jon C Hillesheim

    • Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Joseph A Snipes

    • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)