Quantitive scalar description of Field Reversed Configuration racetrack and elliptical current profiles

Helion’s Trenta prototype compressed Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) plasmas to thermonuclear fusion conditions, reaching 9 keV plasma temperatures [1]. FRC plasmas are fundamentally high-beta and if heated through pulsed, adiabatic compression, they operate in a unique collisional regime that supports both thermonuclear fusion conditions as well as a non-equilibrium ion to electron temperature ratio during compression. Further, high-Beta magnetized FRC plasma compression systems can directly recover particle energy through MHD expansion driving magnetic expansion. 

 

FRC plasmas can be described qualitatively as racetrack versus elliptical, also called hollow versus peaked current profiles [2], which is a direct description of how plasma thermal energy is distributed within the internal magnetic field lines. In the presented work, Helion has developed quantitative descriptions of racetrack versus elliptical FRC profiles and a description of both the creation of these profiles, their impact on system performance, as well as the evolution of profiles will be discussed. A discussion on the transition between such profiles will be further detailed. Finally, a clear quantitative scalar metric will be proposed for all future FRC plasmas.

 

[1] Kirtley, D et al. “Thermonuclear Field Reversed Configuration plasmas in the Trenta prototype” IEEE Pulsed Power Conference and Symposium on Fusion Energy (2021). 

[2] Steinhauer, Loren C. "Review of field-reversed configurations." Physics of Plasmas 18.7 (2011).