Sean Dettrick
A5003782663- Magnetic confinement fusion research
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Particle accelerators and beam dynamics
- Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Fusion materials and technologies
- Superconducting Materials and Applications
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineering
- Radiation Effects in Electronics
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
- Advanced Data Storage Technologies
- Dust and Plasma Wave Phenomena
- Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
- Silicon and Solar Cell Technologies
- Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory
- Advanced NMR Techniques and Applications
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Pulsed Power Technology Applications
- Optical Systems and Laser Technology
Tri Alpha Energy (United States)
2016-2025
University of California, Irvine
2003-2004
National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
2002
Japan Atomic Energy Agency
2000
Advanced Science Research Center
1999
Australian National University
1998
Conventional field-reversed configurations (FRCs), high-beta, prolate compact toroids embedded in poloidal magnetic fields, face notable stability and confinement concerns. These can be ameliorated by various control techniques, such as introducing a significant fast ion population. Indeed, adding neutral beam injection into the FRC over past half-decade has contributed to striking improvements stability. Further, addition of electrically biased plasma guns at ends, end plugs, advanced...
A hot stable field-reversed configuration (FRC) has been produced in the C-2 experiment by colliding and merging two high-β plasmoids preformed dynamic version of θ-pinch technology. The process exhibits highest poloidal flux amplification obtained a magnetic confinement system (over tenfold increase). Most kinetic energy is converted into thermal with total temperature (T{i}+T{e}) exceeding 0.5 keV. final FRC state record lifetime approaching classical values. These findings should have...
TAE Technologies' research is devoted to producing high temperature, stable, long-lived field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas by neutral-beam injection (NBI) and edge biasing/control. The newly constructed C-2W experimental device (also called 'Norman') the world's largest compact-toroid (CT) device, which has several key upgrades from preceding C-2U such as higher input power longer pulse duration of NBI system well installation inner divertors with upgraded electrode biasing systems....
TAE Technologies, Inc. (TAE) is pursuing an alternative approach to magnetically confined fusion, which relies on field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas composed of mostly energetic and well-confined particles by means a state-of-the-art tunable energy neutral-beam (NB) injector system. TAE's current experimental device, C-2W (also called 'Norman'), the world's largest compact-toroid device has made significant progress in FRC performance, producing record breaking, high temperature...
Field reversed configurations (FRCs) with high confinement are obtained in the C-2 device by combining plasma gun edge biasing and neutral beam injection. The creates an inward radial electric field that counters usual FRC spin-up. n = 2 rotational instability is stabilized without applying quadrupole magnetic fields. FRCs nearly axisymmetric, which enables fast ion confinement. also produces E × B shear layer, may explain observed improved particle transport. times factors to 4, lifetimes...
Tri Alpha Energy's experimental program has demonstrated reliable field-reversed configuration (FRC) formation and sustainment, driven by fast ions via high-power neutral-beam (NB) injection. The world's largest compact-toroid device, C-2U, was upgraded from C-2 with the following key system upgrades: increased total NB input power ~4 MW (20 keV hydrogen) to 10+ (15 tilted injection angle; enhanced edge-biasing capability inside of each end divertor for boundary/stability control. C-2U...
A high temperature field reversed configuration (FRC) has been produced in the newly built, world’s largest compact toroid (CT) facility, C-2, by colliding and merging two high-β CTs using advanced field-reversed θ-pinch technology. This long-lived, stable merged state exhibits following key properties: (1) apparent increase poloidal flux from first pass to final state, (2) significantly improved confinement compared conventional FRCs with decay rates approaching classical values some cases,...
Abstract An economic magnetic fusion reactor favours a high ratio of plasma kinetic pressure to in well-confined, hot with low thermal losses across the confining field. Field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas are potentially attractive as concept, achieving simple axisymmetric geometry. Here, we show that FRC have unique, beneficial microstability properties differ from typical regimes toroidal confinement devices. Ion-scale fluctuations found be absent or strongly suppressed core,...
A thorough analysis of energetic particle modes (EPM) stability and mode structures is presented for tokamaks with hollow q profiles. Focusing on the region near minimum-q surface, EPM gap resonant EPMs are shown to exist as solutions same dispersion relation. By controlling fast ion distribution function, or, equivalently, their fundamental dynamical properties, a smooth transition between these two classes obtained within When toroidal coupling becomes important, it demonstrated that may...
Large field reversed configurations (FRCs) are produced in the C-2 device by combining dynamic formation and merging processes. The good confinement of these FRCs must be further improved to achieve sustainment with neutral beam (NB) injection pellet fuelling. A plasma gun is installed at one end attempt electric control FRC edge layer. inward radial counters usual spin-up mitigates n = 2 rotational instability without applying quadrupole magnetic fields. Better centering also obtained,...
Collisional merging formation of field-reversed configurations (FRCs) at super Alfvenic velocity have been successfully initiated in the FAT-CM device Nihon University. It is experimentally evidenced that quiescent FRC profile formed a self-organizational manner after distructive disturbances by collision two translated magnetized plasmoids. A drastic increase excluded flux compared to theta-pinch section has also observed. This process an important role realizing based high-beta reactor...
The equilibrium potential structure in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of field-reversed configuration (FRC) can be affected by penetration edge biasing applied at divertor ends. primary focus paper is to establish a formulation that accurately captures both parallel and radial variations two-dimensional (2D) SOL. mainly describes quasi-neutral plasma with logical sheath boundary. A full-f gyrokinetic ion model massless electron are implemented GTC-X code solve for self-consistent potential,...
It is becoming clear that tokamak anomalous transport dominated by radially extended non-local modes which originate from strong toroidal coupling of rational surfaces in non-uniform plasmas. To aid understanding the internal barrier (ITB) formed reversed magnetic shear experiments, addition to well known flow effect, article points out an important effect and/or finite size comes complex behaviour mode over a radial region around minimum q (safety factor) surface. The mode, characterized...
Abstract TAE Technologies’ fifth-generation fusion device, C-2W (also called ‘Norman’), is the world’s largest compact-toroid device and has made significant progress in field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma performance. produces record breaking, macroscopically stable, high-temperature advanced beam-driven FRC plasmas, dominated by injected fast particles sustained steady state, which primarily limited neutral-beam (NB) pulse duration. The NB power supply system recently been upgraded...
The transport phenomenon of a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) is studied using the newly developed two-dimensional code Q2D, which couples magnetohydrodynamic with Monte Carlo for beam component. simulation by Q2D parallel to simple open θ-pinch fields and its associated outflow shows an excellent agreement one leading theories, elevating validity simultaneously deepening theoretical understanding this fundamental process. We find sharp distinction between evolved radial density profiles...
Active control of field reversed configuration (FRC) devices requires a method to determine the flux surface geometry and dynamic properties plasma during both transient steady-state conditions. The current tomography (CT) uses Bayesian inference density distribution using information from magnetic measurements physics model in prior. Here we show that, inferred sources, FRC topology its axial stability are readily obtained. When Gaussian process priors used forward is linear, CT solution...
Field-reversed configuration (FRC) Amplification via Translation–Collisional Merging (FAT-CM) experiments have recently commenced to study physics phenomena of colliding and merged FRC plasma states. Two independently formed FRCs are translated into the confinement region FAT-CM device, collided near mid-plane device with a relative speed up ∼400 km/s, final state is achieved. To measure internal magnetic field profiles plasmas as well understand its collisional-merging process, an probe...
Gyrokinetic particle simulation of the field-reversed configuration (FRC) has been developed using gyrokinetic toroidal code (GTC). The magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium is mapped from cylindrical coordinates to Boozer for FRC core and scrape-off layer (SOL), respectively. A field-aligned mesh constructed solving self-consistent electric fields a semi-spectral solver in partial torus geometry. This new capability successfully verified driftwave instability studied first time. Initial GTC...
Field reversed configurations (FRC) are characterized by a magnetic field topology, which exhibits the inversion of external through plasma sustained current and subsequent presence null surface. A monotonical radial decrease in longitudinal leads to potential harmonics ion cyclotron frequency any order region included between outer wall What is effective hot-plasma dispersion relation obtained convolution large ensemble high fast waves (HHFW) confined finite represents an open question that...
A significant improvement of field reversed configuration (FRC) lifetime and plasma confinement times in the C-2 plasma, called High Performance FRC regime, has been observed with neutral beam injection (NBI), improved edge stability, better wall conditioning [Binderbauer et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)]. Quasi-1D (Q1D) fluid transport code developed employed to carry out analysis such conditions. The Q1D is coupled a Monte-Carlo incorporate effect fast ions, due NBI, on background...
The advanced beam-driven FRC is a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) with the addition of neutral beam (NB) injection, electrode biasing, and magnetic expander divertors. resulting configuration has novel features that make it necessary to revisit many key results in theory. Three these include (i) large energetic ion population, (ii) in-principle capability adjust electric field rotation profiles, (iii) combination electrostatic confinement electrons SOL. In some fueling scenarios electron...
The field reversed configuration (FRC), such as studied in the C-2W experiment at TAE Technologies, is an attractive candidate for realizing a nuclear fusion reactor. In FRC, kinetic ion effects play majority role macroscopic stability, which allows global stability studies to make use of fluid-kinetic hybrid (also referred Ohm's law) models wherein ions are treated kinetically while electrons fluid. development and validation particle-in-cell algorithm Exascale Computing Project code WarpX...
A one‐dimensional linear hybrid gyrokinetic‐magnetohydrodynamic δ f particle in cell simulation code is developed to study the detailed mechanisms of energetic drift‐bounce resonant destabilization Alfvén modes ring‐current region magnetosphere. The model plasma composed a cold (10–100eV) component which provides inertia plus tenuous (∼10 keV) “ring‐current” both and compressional stabilization MHD modes. Full kinetic effects such as finite Larmor radii magnetic bounce precessional drift...