S. Spagnolo
A5003018797- Magnetic confinement fusion research
- Particle accelerators and beam dynamics
- Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Superconducting Materials and Applications
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Fusion materials and technologies
- Vacuum and Plasma Arcs
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
- Metal and Thin Film Mechanics
- Electrostatic Discharge in Electronics
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineering
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Semiconductor materials and devices
- High voltage insulation and dielectric phenomena
- Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism
- High-Energy Particle Collisions Research
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Plasma Applications and Diagnostics
- Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
- Power Transformer Diagnostics and Insulation
- Aerosol Filtration and Electrostatic Precipitation
- Tattoo and Body Piercing Complications
Institute for the Science and Technology of Plasmas
2022-2024
National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
2013-2024
University of Padua
2015-2024
Royal Military Academy
2020
The ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF), called PRIMA (Padova Research on Megavolt Accelerator), is hosted in Padova, Italy and includes two experiments: MITICA, the full-scale prototype of heating neutral beam injector, SPIDER, full-size radio frequency negative-ions source. NBTF realization exploitation SPIDER MITICA have been recognized as necessary to make future operation injectors efficient reliable, fundamental achievement thermonuclear-relevant plasma parameters ITER. This paper...
Background Low temperature plasmas have been proposed in medicine as agents for tissue disinfection and received increasing attention due to the frequency of bacterial resistance antibiotics. This study explored whether atmospheric-pressure cold plasma (APCP) generated by a new portable device that ionizes flow helium gas can inactivate ocular pathogens without causing significant damage. Methodology/Principal Findings We tested APCP effects on cultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia...
Heating neutral beam (HNB) injectors, necessary to achieve burning conditions and control plasma instabilities in ITER, are characterized by such demanding parameters that a test facility (NBTF) dedicated their development optimization is being realized Padua (Italy) with direct contributions from the Italian government (through Consorzio RFX as host entity) ITER international organization (with kind domestic agencies of Europe, Japan India) technical scientific support various European...
The requirements of ITER neutral beam injectors (1 MeV, 40 A negative deuterium ion current for 1 h) have never been simultaneously attained; therefore, a dedicated Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) was set up at Consorzio RFX (Padova, Italy). NBTF includes two experiments: SPIDER (Source the Production Ions Deuterium Extracted from Rf plasma), full-scale prototype source injectors, with 100 keV accelerator, to investigate and optimize properties source; MITICA, entire injector, devoted...
SPIDER is one of the two projects ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) under construction in Padova, Italy, at Consorzio RFX premises; it will have a 100 keV beam source with full-size prototype radiofrequency (RF) ion for Injector (NBI), designed to operate pulse length up 3600 s, featuring ITER-like filter field configuration, caesium oven layout and wide set diagnostics.These features allow reproducing operation like as cannot be done any other existing test facility.SPIDER realization...
RFX-mod is a Reversed Field Pinch device that allowed performing experiments in regimes with plasma current up to 2 MA, thanks its MHD active control system. Experiments have shown improved performances are obtained when the resonant part of m = 1 spectrum one dominant tearing mode much higher than other secondary ones (quasi single helicity states). Tearing modes play crucial role determining energy and particle transport. Based on present understanding interplay between passive conductive...
A source for the production of low-power plasmas at atmospheric pressure, to be used nondamaging sterilization living tissues, is presented. The source, powered by radiofrequency and working with a helium flow, has specific configuration, studied prevent formation electric arcs dangerous matter. It capable killing different types bacteria decimal reduction time 1–2 min; on contrary, human cells such as conjunctival fibroblasts were found almost unharmed plasma. high concentration OH...
Neutral beam injection is one of the most important methods plasma heating in thermonuclear fusion experiments, allowing attainment conditions as well driving current. beams are generally produced by electrostatically accelerating ions, which neutralised before into magnetised plasma. At particle energy required for advanced devices and particularly ITER, neutralisation positive ions very inefficient so that negative used. The present paper devoted to description phenomena occurring when a...
With the exploration of MA plasma current regime in up to 0.5 s long discharges, RFX-mod has opened new and very promising perspectives for reversed field pinch (RFP) magnetic configuration, made significant progress understanding improving confinement controlling stability. A big leap with respect previous knowledge expectations on RFP physics performance been by since last 2006 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference. self-organized helical equilibrium experimentally achieved (the Single Helical...
Optimization of machine operation, including plasma position control, density control and especially feedback on multiple magnetohydrodynamic modes, has led RFX-mod to operate reliably at 1.5 MA, the highest current ever achieved a reversed field pinch (RFP). At high low magnetic topology spontaneously self-organizes in an Ohmical helical symmetry, with new axis helically twisting around geometrical torus. The separatrix island disappears leaving wide symmetric thermal structure large...
The reversed field pinch configuration is characterized by the presence of magnetic structures both in core and at edge: core, high plasma current spontaneous development a helical structure accompanied appearance internal electron transport barriers; edge strong pressure gradients, identifying an barrier, are observed too, related to position reversal surface.
The ITER project requires additional heating provided by two neutral beam injectors using 40 A negative deuterium ions accelerated at 1 MV. As the requirements have never been experimentally met, a test facility is under construction Consorzio RFX, which hosts experiments: SPIDER, full-size 100 kV ion source prototype, and MITICA, MeV injector prototype. Since diagnostics in will be mainly limited to thermocouples, due neutron gamma radiation access, it crucial thoroughly investigate...
The full three-dimensional (3D) approach is now becoming an important issue for all magnetic confinement configurations. It a necessary condition the stellarator but also tokamak and reversed field pinch (RFP) cannot be completely described in axisymmetric framework. For RFP observation of self-sustained helical configurations with improved plasma performances require better description order to assess new view on this configuration. In framework configuration studies RFX-mod have been...
An innovative core-shell nanocarrier, combining the magnetism of surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs, core) and tannic acid (TA, shell) was self-assembled by simple incubation in water. Due to drastic reorganization SAMN surface, prepared magnetic nanocarrier (SAMN@TA) resulted as one most robust nanomaterial bearing TA date. Nevertheless, ferric tannates network, constituting SAMN@TA shell, free display comparable chemical behavior. The antimicrobial properties were tested on...
An interesting result of magnetic chaos reduction in RFX-mod high current discharges is the development strong electron transport barriers. internal heat and particle barrier formed when a bifurcation process changes configuration into helical equilibrium follows, together with formation null q shear. Strong temperature gradients develop, corresponding to decreased thermal transport. Turbulence analysis shows that large are limited by onset micro-tearing modes, addition residual chaos. A new...
Experimental evidences of short wavelength electromagnetic modes are found in the reversed-field-pinch configuration device RFX-mod by means in-vessel magnetic probes. The revealed during helical states plasma. Their amplitude is well correlated to electron temperature gradient strength core. On basis linear gyrokinetic calculations we interpret these instabilities as microtearing modes.
In present fusion research a strong effort is devoted to the studies of non-axisymmetric magnetic perturbations and consequent field ergodization on external region plasma. On this topic interesting results can be drawn from helical configuration observed in high-current regimes reversed pinches (RFPs) where small edge ripple sufficient modulate plasma?wall interaction plasma kinetic properties. This paper presents most recent experimental physical interpretation phenomena RFX-mod RFP...
Electromagnetic features of turbulent filaments, emerging from a plasma background, have been studied in four different magnetic configurations: the stellarator TJ-II, Reversed Field Pinch RFX-mod, device that can be operated also as ohmic tokamak, and Simple Magnetized Torus, TORPEX. By applying an analogous diagnostic concept all cases, direct measurements both field-aligned current density vorticity were performed inside filament. The inter-machine comparison reveals clear dependence...
Localized heating has been observed in unexpected positions on anodic surfaces a multi-electrode device insulated by vacuum gaps. In double polarity experiments, counter-intuitive behavior of current-voltage characteristic also observed. The phenomena could depend cascade effect charged particles exchanged between electrodes and mutual correlation particle trajectories electrode occurring during the high voltage conditioning phase. Attractors regions ascribed to regenerative processes...
Study of High DC Voltage breakdown between stainless steel electrodes separated