[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 5, S2039 (2010)

Regular Articles

New QP/QI Symmetric Stellarator Configurations
Donald A. SPONG and Jeffrey H. HARRIS
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
(Received 21 December 2009 / Accepted 6 April 2010 / Published 10 December 2010)

Abstract

A unique characteristic of the quasi-poloidal/isodynamic transport optimization strategy is that it can lead to stellarators that deviate from the usual “doughnut” shape; i.e., they can have extended relatively straight cylindrical sections of plasma (connected by corner regions). This offers a number of potential design advantages, including simplified coil geometries, novel divertor approaches, low bootstrap current (less potential for ELMs and disruptions), more acceptable wall heat fluxes, and demountable blankets for reactors. The STELLOPT approach has been used to develop optimized configurations of this type for two and four field periods with aspect ratio <R>/<a> in the range of 8 to 16.

Keywords

stellarator, optimization, transport, quasi-symmetry, Shafranov shift, effective ripple

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.5.S2039

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Donald A. SPONG and Jeffrey H. HARRIS, Plasma Fusion Res. 5, S2039 (2010).