ASPECT: an advanced specified-profile evaluation code for tokamaks

Abstract

A specified-profile, global analysis code has been developed to evaluate the performance of fusion reactor designs. Both steady-state and time-dependent calculations are carried out; the results of the former can be used in defining the parameters of the latter, if desired. In the steady-state analysis, the performance is computed at a density and temperature chosen to be consistent with input limits (e.g. density and beta) of several varieties. The calculation can be made at either the intersection of the two limits or at the point of optimum performance as the density and temperature are varied along the limiting boundaries. Two measures of performance are available for this purpose: the ignition margin or the confinement level required to achieve a prescribed ignition margin. The time-dependent calculation can be configured to yeild either the evolution of plasma energy as a function of time or, via an iteration scheme, the amount of auxiliary power required to achieve a desired final plasma energy.