Configuration Optimization and Physics Basis for ARIES-CS
Authors: L.P. Ku, J.F. Lyon, and the ARIES Team
Abstract:
We report on the development of the physics basis for ARIES-CS. ARIES-CS is to study fusion power plants—their economics and engineering characteristics—with a compact stellarator as the core. Our efforts have been centered on the quasi-axially symmetric stellarator configurations with small number of field periods and low aspect ratios. The baseline design chosen has 3 field periods, aspect ratio 4.5 and major radius 7.75 m to yield 1 GW electric power. The configuration is optimized to be MHD stable to ~ 4–5% beta calculated using the linear ideal MHD theories. The transport properties are also optimized to limit the ripple losses. The configuration has effective ripples <0.6% everywhere and the energy loss of alpha particles <5% when operating in high collisionality regimes. In addition, modular coils have been designed which are optimized to provide adequate space for blanket and shielding requiring only moderate major radii for power plants generating GW electrical powers.
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Presented at: the Seventeenth ANS Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE2006), 13–5 November 2006, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Download PPPL-4196 November 2006 (pdf 520 KB).