Demonstration of steady inductive helicity injection

Abstract

Initial results demonstrating the concept of constant inductive helicity injection are presented. Constant helicity injection is achieved using two oscillating inductive helicity injectors, with the goal of producing a bow tie spheromak. Each injector is a 180° segment of a reverse field pinch and they are driven 90° out of phase. Approximately 5 MW of power is injected during the 6 ms pulse, and the input power has been maintained at a fairly constant value by directly fuelling the injectors with neutral gas. Motivation for the experiment is given, including beta-limit calculations for the bow tie spheromak. Fuelling the injectors with neutral gas during the discharge is shown to produce injector parameters that are more constant in time. A series of discharges with increasing power input shows a promising increase in toroidal current. Unique construction techniques of the experiment are also described.