PPPL-3364 is available in pdf or postscript formats.

Chosen Solutions to the Engineering Challenges of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) Magnets

Philip Heitzenroeder, James Chrzanowski, Charles Neumeyer, Horng-Ming Fan and the NSTX Team

Date of PPPL Report: October 14, 1999

Conference Paper: Presented at the 16th International Conference on Magnet Technology (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, September 26 - October 1, 1999).

NSTX is one of the largest of a new class of magnetic plasma research devices known as spherical toroids (STs). The plasma in a ST is characterized by its almost spherical shape with a slender cylindrical region through its vertical axis. The so-called “center stack” is located in this region. It contains magnetic windings for confining the plasma, induce the plasma current, and shape the plasma. This paper will describe the engineering challenges of designing the center stack magnets to meet their operational requirements within this constrained space.