Wendelstein 7-AS (abbreviated W7-AS, for "Advanced Stellarator") was an experimental stellarator which was in operation from 1988 to 2002 by the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching.[1][2] It was the first of a new class of advanced stellarators with modular coils, designed with the goal of developing a nuclear fusion reactor to generate electricity.
 Wendelstein 7-AS in Garching. The stellarator - at the rear right - is almost covered by diagnostic and heating components. | |
| Device type | Stellarator |
|---|---|
| Location | Garching, Germany |
| Affiliation | Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics |
| Technical specifications | |
| Major radius | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Minor radius | 0.13–0.18 m (5.1 in – 7.1 in) |
| Plasma volume | approx. 1 m3 |
| Magnetic field | up to 2.6 T (26,000 G) |
| Heating power | 5.3 MW |
| Discharge duration | up to 2 s |
| History | |
| Year(s) of operation | 1988–2002 |
| Succeeded by | Wendelstein 7-X |
The experiment was succeeded by Wendelstein 7-X, which began construction in Greifswald in 2002, was completed in 2014 and started operation in December 2015. The goal of its successor is to investigate the suitability of components designed for a future fusion reactor.[3]
Experimental design
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Wendelstein 7-AS was a stellarator, a device which generates the magnetic fields necessary for the confinement of a hot hydrogen plasma via current-carrying coils outside the plasma. They are potential candidates for fusion reactors designed for continuous operation as the current exclusively flows on the outside of the machine, in contrast to the tokamak which generates the confining magnetic fields from the current that flows within the plasma itself.
Wendelstein 7-AS was the first in a series of IPP stellarator experiments[4] with a modular coil system that creates the twisted magnetic fields necessary to confine the plasma. It was designed to give the magnetic fields more degrees of freedom that allowed it shaped closer to the optimal theoretical configuration.[5] Due to limited computing power and the need to quickly test the validity of the concept on the stellarator, only a partial optimization of the magnetic fields were carried out at Wendelstein 7-AS.[verification needed] It was only on the successor device Wendelstein 7-X that a full optimization of the code used to generate the fields were carried out.[6][7]
Technical specifications
edit| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Major radius | 2 m |
| Minor radius | 0.13 to 0.18 m |
| Magnetic field | up to 2.6 Tesla (≈ 500,000 times Earth's magnetic field in Europe) |
| Number of toroidal coils | 45 modular, non-flat coils + 10 flat additional coils |
| Plasma duration | up to 2 seconds |
| Plasma heating | 5.3 megawatts (2.6 MW microwaves + 2.8 MW neutral particle injection) |
| Plasma volume | ≈ 1 cubic meter |
| Amount of plasma | <1 milligram |
| Electron temperature | up to 78 million K = 6.8 keV |
| Ion temperature (hydrogen) | up to 20 million K = 1.7 keV (slightly more than the temperature in the center of the Sun) |
Project results
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The following experimental results confirmed the predictions of a partially optimized Wendelstein 7-AS and led to the development and construction of the Wendelstein 7-X:[8]
- The magnetic field was able to trap plasma particles (mostly hydrogen ions and electrons) with higher thermal energies than its predecessors. This improvement made it possible to reach temperatures eight times higher than the internal temperature of the Sun (inside the plasma ring for electrons), and slightly more (internal temperature of the Sun) for hydrogen ions.
- Furthermore, it was shown that the partially optimized stellarator behaves extraordinarily "good-natured" with regard to plasma instabilities, which is of great importance for the continuous operation of a future reactor. Instabilities can lead to temporary cooling or the loss of hot plasma particles and thus reduce the plasma pressure and temperatures inside the vessel.
- A so-called island divertor was successfully operated on the Wendelstein 7-AS – the first time on a stellarator; this removes contaminants from the plasma that would additionally cool the hot plasma inside. For this purpose, the magnetic field lines at the edge of the plasma were deformed in such a way that multi-charged ions of the hot plasma hit targeted baffle plates and distribute their energy as cheaply as possible, thereby avoiding local overheating.[9][10]
- The Wendelstein 7-AS was the first stellarator access the H-mode (H for "high confinement"), which was previously only accessible to tokamaks. This allows it to easily achieve ignition conditions of a fusion reactor as the plasma is able to develop an insulating layer a few centimeters thick from the edge of the machine, allowing for higher temperatures inside.
References
edit- ^ Renner, H; Anabitarte, E; Ascasibar, E; Besshou, S; Brakel, R; Burhenn, R; Cattanei, G; Dodhy, A; Dorst, D; Elsner, A; Engelhardt, K (1989). "Initial operation of the Wendelstein 7AS advanced stellarator". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 31 (10): 1579–1596. Bibcode:1989PPCF...31.1579R. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/31/10/008. ISSN 0741-3335. S2CID 250858130.
- ^ a b Hirsch, M; Baldzuhn, J; Beidler, C; Brakel, R; Burhenn, R; Dinklage, A; Ehmler, H; Endler, M; Erckmann, V; Feng, Y; Geiger, J (2008). "Major results from the stellarator Wendelstein 7-AS". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 50 (5): 053001. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/50/5/053001. ISSN 0741-3335. S2CID 118508232.
- ^ Clery, Daniel (2015-10-21). "The bizarre reactor that might save nuclear fusion". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ^ Grieger, G.; Renner, H.; Wobig, H. (1985). "Wendelstein stellarators". Nuclear Fusion. 25 (9): 1231–1242. doi:10.1088/0029-5515/25/9/040. ISSN 0029-5515. S2CID 250832456.
- ^ Chu, T.K.; Furth, H.P.; Johnson, J.L.; Ludescher, C.; Weimer, K.E. (1982). "Optimization techniques for modular stellarator coils". Nuclear Fusion. 22 (7): 871–881. doi:10.1088/0029-5515/22/7/001. ISSN 0029-5515. S2CID 121149986.
- ^ Renner, H. (1988). "Experimental programme of W VII-AS and projections to W VII-X". Proceedings of the Workshop on Wendelstein VII-X. 20 (18) – via International Nuclear Information System.
- ^ Wanner, M.; the W7-X Team (2000). "Design goals and status of the WENDELSTEIN 7-X project". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 42 (11): 1179–1186. Bibcode:2000PPCF...42.1179W. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/42/11/304. hdl:11858/00-001M-0000-0029-543E-1. ISSN 0741-3335. S2CID 110058999.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Wagner, F.; Bäumel, S.; Baldzuhn, J.; Basse, N.; Brakel, R.; Burhenn, R.; Dinklage, A.; Dorst, D.; Ehmler, H.; Endler, M.; Erckmann, V. (2005). "W7-AS: One step of the Wendelstein stellarator line". Physics of Plasmas. 12 (7): 072509. Bibcode:2005PhPl...12g2509W. doi:10.1063/1.1927100. ISSN 1070-664X.
- ^ Jaenicke, R; Baldzuhn, J; Erckmann, V; Geiger, J; Grigull, P; Hofmann, J V; Kick, M; Kisslinger, J; Kuhner, G; Maassberg, H; Niedermeyer, H (1995). "High power heating experiments on WENDELSTEIN 7-AS stellarator". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 37 (11A): A163–A176. Bibcode:1995PPCF...37A.163J. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/37/11a/010. ISSN 0741-3335. S2CID 250801192.
- ^ McCormick, K.; Grigull, P.; Burhenn, R.; Brakel, R.; Ehmler, H.; Feng, Y.; Fischer, R.; Gadelmeier, F.; Giannone, L.; Hildebrandt, D.; Hirsch, M. (2003). "Island divertor experiments on the Wendelstein 7-AS stellarator". Journal of Nuclear Materials. Plasma-Surface Interactions in Controlled Fusion Devices 15. 313–316: 1131–1140. Bibcode:2003JNuM..313.1131M. doi:10.1016/S0022-3115(02)01506-4. ISSN 0022-3115.
External links
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