Tipping the tokamak

SPC Justin Ball

Swiss Plasma Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
Introduction to Fusion Non-mirror symmetric tokamaks
• Simulations indicate that breaking the mirror
symmetry of the plasma cross-section (in
addition to up-down asymmetry) using
triangularity can further enhance rotation

θE Mach number of rotation

• Fusion reactions generate loads of energy,
-0.2 0.0 0.3 0.5 -0.1 0.2
but the reactions require substantial energy to 2

overcome the repulsion of like charges, so

midplane
3
0.2 -0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.9
much so that the fuel must be a “plasma” 8

0.2 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.9 0.1 -0.0 -0.1 0.4

4

0.6 0.2 1.0 1.2 1.1 1.2 0.2 0.2 0.5

8

axis of symmetry
0.2 0 -0.2 -0.7 -0.7 -0.2 -0.1

• Plasmas can be confined with magnetic - - - 0 θT

fields 4 6 12 12 6 4 3

0.0 • Certain shapes also improve

0.2 -0.0the 0.0
ability
-0.0 of 0.1

Plasma rotation is helpful Up-down asymmetric tokamaks tokamaks to confine the plasma
• Rotation of the plasma around the axis of
symmetry stabilizes certain plasma instabilities
• By noting a symmetry of the equations that θE Amount of energy transport
govern plasma turbulence, we can show that
+ Allows a given device to confine more fuel
2.6 1.7 2.4 2.9 1.2 0.7
tokamaks that have mirror symmetric about 2

the midplane generate little rotation 2.5

3
1.8 2.3 1.8 2.1 2.4 1.2 0.8 0.9
8

• The donut-shaped “tokamak” (Russian

acronym for toroidal chamber with magnetic 1.8
4
1.5 1.7 1.8 1.2 0.7 0.8 1.2 1.7

coils) produces the best experimental results

1.3 1.2 1.2 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.2
• In a tokamak, currents in the plasma and 8

external coils produce a confining magnetic 1.1 0 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
field
-
4
-
6
-
12
0
12 6 4 3
θT
• Gradient in rotation can shear apart turbulent
eddies, improving the ability of tokamaks to 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.9

confine energy TCV tokamak at EPFL

• Computer simulations demonstrate that • Unparalleled ability to
breaking up-down symmetry by tilting the create and control plasma
usual elliptical plasma shape does intrinsically shapes
• The advantages of fusion include
drive rotation
+ Virtually inexhaustible fuel supply • Have begun investigating
+ Little CO2, CH4, or other greenhouse gases Mach number of rotation the experimental feasibility
of these unusual shapes
+ Gigawatt, baseload power plants
+ Cannot meltdown
• While rotation is helpful, the techniques
+ Low risk of nuclear weapon proliferation currently used to drive rotation do not appear
+ Low-level radioactive waste (similar to to work well in future larger devices θE
coal ash after 100 years)