Impact of Stationary Direct Current in the Central Solenoidal Coil on Tokamak Plasma Formation by Non-induction Heating

Abstract

Stationary direct current in the central solenoidal coil (DCCS) of tokamak devices can reduce the non-induction heating energy necessary for tokamak plasma formation. The magnetic field energy in the inner region of the central solenoidal coil (CS region) is expelled during the tokamak plasma formation, because the vertical magnetic field intensity generated by the central solenoidal coil and poloidal field coils is partly cancelled by the increase in the toroidal plasma current. Because this magnetic field energy expelled from the CS region is distributed to the tokamak plasma in accordance with the mutual inductance, this expelled energy can drive the toroidal plasma current inductively. This energy expulsion in the CS region can be enhanced by the DCCS without the modification of the tokamak plasma configuration, when the CS coil current has negligible leakage magnetic field in the plasma area. Because the drive of the toroidal plasma current by non-induction heating can be assisted by this inductive c...