Steady-state solutions of the neo-classical transport equations

Abstract

The neo-classical transport equations of Rosenbluth, Hazeltine and Hinton have been solved for steady-state conditions in which the trapped-particle pinch effect balances the particle diffusion. By using the banana-regime coefficients at all radii (this introduces only small errors for steady-state solutions) and the simplest possible boundary conditions, the solutions for a given aspect ratio are found to depend on the single parameter , where a is the minor tube radius and ωpi the ion plasma frequency for the central density. The results indicate (i) a permanent skin current at intermediate values of α2, (ii) the importance of the trapped-particle Ettingshausen effect, (iii) the relative unimportance in the steady state of trapped-particle effects on the current and (iv) almost constant . Item (iv) agrees with the T-3 experimental results and the numerical values show no large anomaly in the electron thermal conductivity other than that caused by the increased collision frequency which is indicated by the observed average electrical conductivity .