Alternative Pathways to Fusion Energy (Focus on Department of Energy Innovative Confinement Concepts)
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Alternative pathways to fusion energy (focus on Department of Energy Innovative Confinement Concepts) S. Woodruff May 1st 2006 GCEP Fusion Energy Workshop, Princeton, NJ Thanks for help and permission: Brown Bauer Belova Siemon Cothran Hooper Jarboe Ellis Shumlak Hassam Slough Sarff Hoffman Ji Mauel Yamada Kesner Barnes Thio Wurden 1. Motivation: cutting edge plasma science and a paradigm shift for fusion. 2. Innovative confinement concepts: a) Doubly connected b) Simply connected closed c) Simply connected open d) Theory support 3. Culture of innovation 1. Motivation: cutting edge plasma science and a paradigm shift for fusion. 2. Innovative confinement concepts: a) Doubly connected b) Simply connected closed c) Simply connected open d) Theory support 3. Culturing innovation Innovative Confinement Concepts • Cutting-edge plasma science across the nation. • Experiments offer to fundamentally change the paradigm of Fusion Energy Sciences. • Experiments aim to operate in new plasma regimes. • Premier method to train the next generation of plasma researchers (more than 100 students/year). • The US program leads the world in concept innovation. • Small-scale experiments (<1-2M/year) deliver value science. Can we fundamentally change the paradigm? Yes! Think: complexity, scale and new physics. •To first order, the total weight Total cost of the fusion core is a measure Direct cost 65% indirect cost 25% of it’s cost. Contingency 10% 100% •‘Simply connected’ may be a Direct cost virtue. Reactor 50-60% Conventional plant 35-30% Structures 15-10% Doubly: a Ro 100% structure Reactor Cost links plasma Coils 30% Torus Shield 10% Blanket Blanket 10% Simply: a Heat Transfer 15% nothing Auxilliary power 15% links plasma Other compnents 20% CT 100% Fusion development path is staged to address scientific and performance metrics. Progress < < ICC experiments are often divided into several different categories. “Doubly connected” “Simply connected” Tokamak / Non-tokamak Closed Open stellarator /stellarator HBT-EP Reversed field Spheromak Mirror Resistive-wall pinch (SSPX, HIT-SI, CalTech) Mary. Centr. stab. (MST) FRC Exp. Tokamak Dipole (TCS-rotomak, Odd-parity Magneto-Bern. trans. phys. LDX RMF, SSX, PHD, PFRC, Exp. Divertor Theory) Flow Pinch innovation Magneto-Inertial Fusion (ZAP) Pegasus (FRX-L, Solid liner, theory, Plasma jets LTX stand-off driver) Accelerated FRC HSX CT Accel CTH Inverse Z-pinch QPS $7M $7M $9M $4M 1. Motivation: cutting edge plasma science and a paradigm shift for fusion. 2. Innovative confinement schemes: a) Doubly connected b) Simply connected closed c) Simply connected open d) Theory support 3. Culturing innovation The Reversed Field Pinch toroidal plasma configuration. PotentialPotential AdvantagesAdvantages asas FusionFusion PowerPower CoreCore:: •• compact,compact, highhigh betabeta configurationconfiguration •• lowlow magneticmagnetic fieldfield requirementrequirement •• single-piecesingle-piece maintenancemaintenance Tokamak-like Confinement (Transiently) Madison Symmetric Torus (UW) R=1.5 m, a=0.5 m, Ip ≤0.55 MA Improved (Profile Control) Standard 1. Motivation: cutting edge plasma science and a paradigm shift for fusion. 2. Innovative confinement schemes: a) Doubly connected b) Simply connected closed c) Simply connected open d) Theory support 3. Culturing innovation Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment. Bpol Investigates magnetic field generation and confinement in high temperature spheromaks. Btor • Low magnetic fluctuations with low edge λ ––> no 1 m low-order rational surfaces •Te = 350 eV PotentialPotential AdvantagesAdvantages asas FusionFusion PowerPower CoreCore:: •• compact,compact, lowlow aspectaspect ratioratio λ = μ0 j/B •• nono linkedlinked coilscoils –– nono coilscoils alongalong geometricgeometric axisaxis •• easyeasy toto disassembledisassemble andand maintainmaintain HIT-SI is making progress towards its goal of inductively sustaining a closed-flux, high-β, spheromaks Novel current drive scheme being explored to form spheromaks more efficiently. Flux conserver shaped to obtain high beta spheromaks. Modeling Goal Ip = 5 Iinj Taylor State, Ip = 1.5 Iinj QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. Plans: •Continued study of doublet FRC, flux-core dipole-trapped Achieved: spheromak, and other novel CT •Dynamical measurement of 3D configurations magnetic geometry in merging •Comparison of IDS flow experiments. measurements with 3D simulation •Measurement of bi-directional jets (HYM, NIMROD, MH4D, etc) with 1.33 m ion Doppler •Merged spheromaks in oblate flux spectrometer. conserver (tilt stable) The TCS Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) B Potential Advantages as Fusion Power Core: rc rs e Potential Advantages as Fusion Power Core: B •• VeryVery highhigh 〈β〉〈β〉== 11 –– xx 22/2/2 xx ≡≡rr //rr Bo i ss ss ss cc •• SimpleSimple linearlinear geometry:geometry: BB == BB /(1-/(1-xx 22)) ee oo ss •• NaturalNatural divertor:divertor: unrestrictedunrestricted flowflow outout ends.ends. ls U. Washington TCS Experiment True steady-state operation with rotating (Translation, Confinement, Sustainment) magnetic field (RMF) current drive r = 0.42, = 2.5 m c ls Greatly enhanced stability PPPL calculations point way to complete stability High temperatures produced by fast formation should be achievable with 20 slow, reactor relevant formation in new (mT) 15 Shot No: 12964 e improved vacuum system B 10 5 0 A UW / PPPL collaboration using RMF & (mT) r = 24 cm 2 tor 0 TNBI could result in fusion B -2 breakthrough 2 4 6 8 10 TIME (ms) Princeton FRC Experiment: FY2006 Program: test theoretical predictions that odd-parity RMF can form, confine, heat, and stabilize FRC plasma FY06 accomplishments Plasma formation at sub-mT fill pressures Added capabilities: Hall effect probe, diamagnetic loops, 170 GHz interferometer, 2 divertors Characterization of internal flux conservers New method to measure RMF penetration Operation of components at full design parameters: Bv to 400 G; RMF power to 10 kW; Plasma well separated from Pyrex vessel Pulse length 5 ms; 1% duty factor Goal: Research aimed at the B to 15 G; Density to 1013 cm-3 RMF development of a clean, Phys. Rev. Lett. on ion heating theory PhD produced: A. Landsman compact, steady-state, Graduate students: N. Ferraro, D. Fong, D. Lundberg, reliable, and practical fusion A Roach Undergraduate: D. Olivan reactor. Collaborators: A. Glasser (LANL), E. Scime (WVU), •Operation at 100 kW RF power G. Zaslavsky ( CIMS) •Superconducting components to extend pulse length LANL/AFRL Magnetized target fusion physics compression of FRC • The plasma beta ranges from 0.8 to 1 • The heart of the device fits on a modest table-top • The plasma density is high ~1019 cm-3 • The current density can be 1000 MA/m2 • The magnetic field confining the plasma is 500 Tesla ! • The auxiliary heating power level is ~ 1000 Gigawatts ! PotentialPotential AdvantagesAdvantages asas FusionFusion PowerPower CoreCore:: •• Pulsed,Pulsed, highhigh pressure.pressure. GetsGets aroundaround sustainmentsustainment issues.issues. •• SimpleSimple geometrygeometry •• HybridHybrid ofof inertialinertial andand magneticmagnetic confinementconfinement Pulsed High Density (PHD) Fusion Experiment BURN CHAMBER Magnetic Flowing Liquid Metal Heat Exchanger/ Breeder Expansion Chamber (Dch ~ 5 cm) Accelerator Source 1 m MSNW ~ 20 m 10-30 m Potential advantages as a fusion core Energy required to achieve • Minimum B field at highest plasma pressure (β~1) fusion conditions is transferred • Simple linear system – reactor wall is steel pipe to FRC plasmoid from array of axially sequenced coils. • Variable output power ~ 10-100 MW not multi-GW • Burn chamber well separated from plasmoid formation/heating. • Direct electric power conversion with expansion of fusion heated plasmoid (Brayton cycle - η > 90%) • Low mass system directly applicable to space propulsion • Key physics and scaling have been demonstrated Current experiment to create • Developmental cost order of magnitude less - initial FRC plasmoid for fusion breakeven experiment POP experiment ~ 1 M$ / year Diffuse pinch experiment studies wall-plasma UNR interactions & confinement z Hard core Plasma Conducting current current hard core 5cm Liner Liner ~ 1.5 cm Return Metal Insulator posts L1 L2 B Atlas Bank Current Predictions of Initially flux-compression experiments planned. wall plasma are sensitive Follow-on experiments to use plasma pinch. MHRDR to assumptions Garanin about energy 1. Self-organization observed numerically transport near Makhin et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 042312 (2005) RAVEN the surface… 2. Potential for fusion reported at IAEA Which are right? Siemon et al., Nuc. Fusion 45, 1148 (2005) 3. Experimental design presented at APS Siemon et al., Makhin et al., 47th APS-DPP (2005) Vacuum Ohmically heated metal Surface 1. Motivation: cutting edge plasma science and a paradigm shift for fusion. 2. Innovative confinement schemes: a) Doubly connected b) Simply connected closed c) Simply connected open d) Theory support 3. Culturing innovation ZAP Z-pinch produces a stable column by providing a shear in the velocity. To generate a Z-pinch configuration with an embedded axial flow the ZaP experiment couples a coaxial accelerator with a pinch assembly region. PotentialPotential AdvantagesAdvantages asas FusionFusion PowerPower CoreCore:: •• linearlinear systemsystem •• nono coilscoils •• naturalnatural exhaust.exhaust. [1] U. Shumlak, B. A. Nelson, R. P. Golingo, S. L. Jackson, E. A. Crawford, [2] R. P. Golingo and U. Shumlak