Formation of field-reversed configuration by use of two merging spheromaks with opposing toroidal field

Abstract

In 1986, we, U. Tokyo group first reported the new formation of the field-reversed configuration (FRC) by two merging spheromaks with opposing toroidal field. This unique formation has been developed mainly in our TS-3 and TS- 4 merging experiments, leading us to a new scenario of FRC slow-formation, heating and current-amplification. Its formation efficiency is much higher than the conventional field-reversed theta-pinch method. The relaxation from the force-free (β∼0.05-0.1) spheromaks to the high-β (β∼0.7-1) FRC is caused by conversion of the toroidal (partly poloidal) magnetic energy of the spheromaks to the ion thermal energy of the FRC through the reconnection outflow. The reconnection heating energy scales with square of the reconnecting magnetic field, suggesting direct access to the alpha heating without using any additional heating. A central solenoid (CS) coil was installed successfully to amplify the FRC plasma current by factor 2. Our toroidal mode observations suggest that the tilting stability of the oblate FRC is provided by ion kinetic effect. As another important extension, fast application of external toroidal magnetic field transformed this oblate FRC into an ultra-high-β spherical tokamak (ST) with diamagnetic toroidal magnetic field, suggesting close relationship between FRCs and high-β STs in the second stable region for ballooning mode.