Self-induced longitudinal current in the perpendicular ion cyclotron heating in a tokamak

Abstract

In this paper, we give an estimation of the longitudinal current in a tokamak due to high-energy minority ions obtained by perpendicular ICR heating. To illustrate this current, which is known as the banana-drift current, we give an estimation of this effect in an ITER-like tokamak. It is shown that by changing the number of accelerated minority ions, by selecting the position and energy of the resonant layer in which they are accelerated, it is possible to completely replace the noninductive current driven by other methods (for example, with RF power and high-energy neutrals beams). Thus, it is shown that the self-induced currents (bootstrap, asymmetry, and banana-drift currents) driving by continuous HF sources can provide steady-state operation of a fusion reactor.