Observations of improved confinement in field reversed configurations sustained by antisymmetric rotating magnetic fields

Abstract

Rotating magnetic fields (RMF) have been employed to both form and sustain currents in field reversed configurations (FRC). A major concern about this method has been the fear of opening up magnetic field lines with even small ratios of vacuum RMF Bω to external confinement field Be. A recently proposed innovation was to use an antisymmetric arrangement of RMF, but vacuum calculations with full RMF penetration showed that very low values of Bω∕Be would still be required to provide field-line closure. Recent comparisons of symmetric and antisymmetric RMF drive on the translation, confinement, and sustainment (TCS) facility [A. L. Hoffman, H. Y. Guo, J. T. Slough et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. 41, 92 (2002)] have shown strong improvements in the basic confinement properties of the FRCs when using antisymmetric drive, even with ratios of Bω∕Be as high as 0.3. This is due to normal standard operation with only partial penetration of the RMF beyond the FRC separatrix. The uniform transverse RMF in vacuum is shielded by the conducting plasma, resulting in a mostly azimuthal field near the FRC separatrix with a very small radial component. Simple numerical calculations using analytical solutions for the partially penetrated antisymmetric RMF, superimposed on Grad–Shafranov solutions for the poloidal FRC fields, show good field-line closure for the TCS experimental conditions. The antisymmetric arrangement also leads to more efficient current drive and improved stabilization of rotational modes.