Alpha Particle Density and Energy Distributions in Tandem Mirrors Using Monte Carlo Techniques.
Abstract
Alpha particles, born at 3.52 MeV, are used to maintain the ignition temperatures in a deuterium-tritium (D-T) reacting plasma above 10 keV in tandem mirror reactors. The alpha energy is trans- ferred to the plasma by Coulomb collisions and, after thermalization, the alphas can accumulate in the plasma and quench the reaction. We have simulated the alpha thermalization process using a Monte-Carlo technique, in which the alpha guiding center is followed between simulated collisions and Spitzer's collision model is used for the alpha-plasma interaction. Monte-Carlo techniques are used to determine the alpha radial birth position, the alpha particle posi- tion at a collision, and the angle scatter and dispersion at a collision. The plasma is modeled as a hot reacting core, surrounded by a cold halo plasma (T (TURN) 50 eV). Alpha orbits that intersect the halo loose 90% of their energy to the halo electrons because of the halo drag, which is ten times greater than the drag in the core. The uneven drag across the alpha orbit also produces an outward, radial, guiding center drift. This drag drift is dependent on the plasma density and temperature radial profiles. We have modeled these profiles and have specifically studied a single-scale-length model, in which the density scale length (r(,pD)) equals the temperature scale length (r(,pT)), and a two-scale-length model, in which r(,pD)/r(,pT) = 1.1. Alpha energy losses to the core and halo were determined by varying the vacuum magnetic field (B(,v)), peak beta ((')(beta)), and plasma radius (r(,p)) for each profile combination. The energy losses to the halo are a function of (rho)/r(,c) where (rho) is 0.27/B(,v) 1-<(beta)(r)> (' 1/2), and r(,c) is the reacting core radius. When p/r(,c) > 0.3 for the single-scale-length study, the energy losses to the halo are greater than 40%. This occurs for (rho)/r(,c) > 0.39 for the two-scale-length study, but there is a 50% variation in the data for (rho)/r(,c) > 0.35 in this case. This data scatter suggests that (rho)/r(,c) is not an exact scaling parameter. Until improvements are made to the scaling parameter, the alpha halo losses must be calculated using plasma density and temperature profiles that produce equilibrium alpha distributions.
- Publication:
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Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986PhDT........52K
- Keywords:
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- Physics: Fluid and Plasma