Latest Results from Proto-MPEX and the Future Plans for MPEX

the MPEX team

doi:10.1080/15361055.2019.1610315

Latest Results from Proto-MPEX and the Future Plans for MPEX

the MPEX team

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is being used to qualify the plasma source and heating systems for the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX). The MPEX will address important and urgent research needs on plasma material interactions for future fusion reactors. In MPEX, plasma-facing components (nonirradiated and a priori neutron irradiated) will be exposed to plasma conditions as they are expected in future fusion reactors. The MPEX, a steady-state device enabled by superconducting magnets, will be able to break into new ground by assessing plasma-facing materials and components at an ion fluence level in the range of 10³⁰ to 10³¹ m⁻². To achieve the relevant plasma conditions, high-density plasmas (>4 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³) are produced with a high-power helicon source. The so-produced low-temperature helicon plasma is then additionally heated with waves in the ion cyclotron resonance frequency and electron cyclotron resonance frequency domains. Proto-MPEX has achieved all key parameters (source n_e, source T_e, source T_i, target T_e, target T_i, target ion flux, and target heat flux) within a factor of 2 of the design requirements of MPEX, albeit not simultaneously. These parameters were achieved with a total installed heating power of 330 kW, which is less than half of the planned heating power in the MPEX (800 kW). An overview of the latest results from Proto-MPEX is given. These results are shown in relationship to the MPEX system goals. Remaining necessary research and development tasks are discussed. The MPEX is currently in the conceptual design phase. The status of the design and an overview of the system requirements are presented.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	654-663
Number of pages	10
Journal	Fusion Science and Technology
Volume	75
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1610315
State	Published - Oct 3 2019

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under contract number DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The U.S. Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. The DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).

Funders	Funder number
DOE Public Access Plan
UT-Battelle	DE-AC05-00OR22725
U.S. Department of Energy

Keywords

Plasma-facing material
fusion nuclear science
linear device
plasma material interactions

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/15361055.2019.1610315

Cite this

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title = "Latest Results from Proto-MPEX and the Future Plans for MPEX",

abstract = "The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is being used to qualify the plasma source and heating systems for the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX). The MPEX will address important and urgent research needs on plasma material interactions for future fusion reactors. In MPEX, plasma-facing components (nonirradiated and a priori neutron irradiated) will be exposed to plasma conditions as they are expected in future fusion reactors. The MPEX, a steady-state device enabled by superconducting magnets, will be able to break into new ground by assessing plasma-facing materials and components at an ion fluence level in the range of 1030 to 1031 m−2. To achieve the relevant plasma conditions, high-density plasmas (>4 × 1019 m−3) are produced with a high-power helicon source. The so-produced low-temperature helicon plasma is then additionally heated with waves in the ion cyclotron resonance frequency and electron cyclotron resonance frequency domains. Proto-MPEX has achieved all key parameters (source ne, source Te, source Ti, target Te, target Ti, target ion flux, and target heat flux) within a factor of 2 of the design requirements of MPEX, albeit not simultaneously. These parameters were achieved with a total installed heating power of 330 kW, which is less than half of the planned heating power in the MPEX (800 kW). An overview of the latest results from Proto-MPEX is given. These results are shown in relationship to the MPEX system goals. Remaining necessary research and development tasks are discussed. The MPEX is currently in the conceptual design phase. The status of the design and an overview of the system requirements are presented.",

keywords = "Plasma-facing material, fusion nuclear science, linear device, plasma material interactions",

author = "{the MPEX team} and J. Rapp and A. Lumsdaine and Beers, {C. J.} and Biewer, {T. M.} and Bigelow, {T. S.} and Caneses, {J. F.} and Caughman, {J. B.O.} and Goulding, {R. H.} and N. Kafle and Lau, {C. H.} and E. Lindquist and Piotrowicz, {P. A.} and H. Ray and M. Showers",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, {\textcopyright} 2019 American Nuclear Society.",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1080/15361055.2019.1610315",

language = "English",

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AU - Caneses, J. F.

AU - Caughman, J. B.O.

AU - Goulding, R. H.

AU - Kafle, N.

AU - Lau, C. H.

AU - Lindquist, E.

AU - Piotrowicz, P. A.

AU - Ray, H.

AU - Showers, M.

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AB - The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is being used to qualify the plasma source and heating systems for the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX). The MPEX will address important and urgent research needs on plasma material interactions for future fusion reactors. In MPEX, plasma-facing components (nonirradiated and a priori neutron irradiated) will be exposed to plasma conditions as they are expected in future fusion reactors. The MPEX, a steady-state device enabled by superconducting magnets, will be able to break into new ground by assessing plasma-facing materials and components at an ion fluence level in the range of 1030 to 1031 m−2. To achieve the relevant plasma conditions, high-density plasmas (>4 × 1019 m−3) are produced with a high-power helicon source. The so-produced low-temperature helicon plasma is then additionally heated with waves in the ion cyclotron resonance frequency and electron cyclotron resonance frequency domains. Proto-MPEX has achieved all key parameters (source ne, source Te, source Ti, target Te, target Ti, target ion flux, and target heat flux) within a factor of 2 of the design requirements of MPEX, albeit not simultaneously. These parameters were achieved with a total installed heating power of 330 kW, which is less than half of the planned heating power in the MPEX (800 kW). An overview of the latest results from Proto-MPEX is given. These results are shown in relationship to the MPEX system goals. Remaining necessary research and development tasks are discussed. The MPEX is currently in the conceptual design phase. The status of the design and an overview of the system requirements are presented.

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KW - linear device

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Latest Results from Proto-MPEX and the Future Plans for MPEX

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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