Tokamak plasma equilibrium analysis based on the relaxation method with a specified magnetic axis

Abstract

In this contribution, we have presented two techniques for the determination of plasma equilibrium position in IR-T1 tokamak: relaxation and optical methods. An analysis method of tokamak plasma equilibrium by a relaxation method with a specified magnetic axis is presented. The degrees of freedom due to designated positions of the magnetic axis are possible by using poloidal field coil currents. Stable steady-state tokamak plasma equilibria are calculated along with the magnetohydrodynamic potential energy. The plasma generates a plasma current which partially or fully cancels the magnetic field from the poloidal field coils. For low-temperature plasmas, the plasma current distribution is centrally peaked; for high-temperature plasmas, the plasma current has a hole. A centrally peaked current distribution in a low-temperature plasma is evolved into a current distribution with a hole by increasing the plasma pressure by Ohmic heating, radio frequency heating, or by neutral beam injection heating. In the second technique, an image-processing technique was used for the output signal of the charge coupled device camera and plasma emission intensity profile and then the plasma position was obtained. Results are compared and discussed.