Berlin 2014 – scientific programme
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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik
P 11: Magnetic Confinement II
P 11.1: Invited Talk
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 14:00–14:30, SPA HS202
Simulation and optimisation of turbulence in stellarators — •Pavlos Xanthopoulos1, Per Helander1, Harry Mynick2, Yuriy Turkin1, Frank Jenko3, Tobias Goerler3, Daniel Told3, Gabriel G. Plunk1, Thomas Bird1, and Josefine H.E. Proll1 — 1Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Wendelsteinstr. 1, 17491 Greifswald, Germany — 2Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA — 3Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstr. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
In tokamaks and stellarators - two leading types of devices used in fusion research - magnetic field lines trace out toroidal surfaces on which the plasma density and temperature are constant, but turbulent fluctuations carry energy across these surfaces to the wall, thus degrading the plasma confinement. Using petaflop-scale simulations, we calculate for the first time the pattern of turbulent structures forming on stellarator magnetic surfaces, and find striking differences relative to tokamaks. The observed sensitivity of the turbulence to the magnetic geometry suggests that there is room for further confinement improvement, in addition to measures already taken to minimise the laminar transport. With an eye towards fully optimised stellarators, we present a proof-of-principle configuration with substantially reduced turbulence compared to an existing design.