Visible to the public Energy Confinement Time in a Magnetically Confined Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor

TitleEnergy Confinement Time in a Magnetically Confined Thermonuclear Fusion Reactor
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsChen, C., Becker, J. R., Farrell, J. J.
Conference Name2022 IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS)
Date Publishedmay
Keywordscomposability, energy measurement, Fusion reactors, Ions, Magnetic confinement, Plasma measurements, Plasmas, pubcrawl, resilience, Resiliency, Time measurement
AbstractThe single most important scientific question in fusion research may be confinement in a fusion plasma [1] . A recently-developed theoretical model [2] is reviewed for the confinement time of ion kinetic energy in a material where fusion reactions occur. In the theoretical model where ion stopping was considered as a key mechanism for ion kinetic energy loss, an estimate was obtained for the confinement time of ion kinetic energy in a D-T plasma - and found to be orders of magnitude lower than required in the Lawson criterion. As ions transfer their kinetic energies to electrons via ion stopping and thermalization between the ions and the electrons takes place, spontaneous electron cyclotron radiation is identified as a key mechanism for electron kinetic energy loss in a magnetically confined plasma. The energy confinement time is obtained and found in agreement with measurements from TFTR [1] and Wendelstein 7-X [3] . An advanced Lawson criterion is obtained for a magnetically confined thermonuclear fusion reactor.
NotesISSN: 2576-7208
DOI10.1109/ICOPS45751.2022.9813043
Citation Keychen_energy_2022