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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,027 records · Page 57
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Comparison of non-neutral electron plasma confinement in harmonic and rectangular potentials in a very dense regime

Confinement of high density electron plasmas in a strong uniform magnetic field was experimentally studied in a multi-ring trap (MRT). The trap was housed inside a bore tube and surrounded by a superconducting solenoid. A 5 T magnetic field was used to provide radial confinement while an electrostatic harmonic or rectangular potential well was used for axial confinement. For trapped electrons of N = 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} in a harmonic potential well (HPW) with the trap length of L{sub T} = 320 mm, the plasma lifetime was about 10{sup 4} s and it became much longer at lower N = 4.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 9}. Such long holding times were achieved without application of rotating electric fields. Contrastingly, in a rectangular potential well (RPW), the plasma of N = 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} under the same trap length expanded to cover the whole Faraday Cup within 200 s, where its radial expansion rate was {eta} = 3.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} mm/s, which was 20 times faster than HPW. The lifetime for RPW became shorter with increasing L{sub T} and scaled as 1/[L{sub T}]{sup 2}. This scaling found for high density plasmas is similar to the obtained one with different Penning-Malmberg traps at UC San Diego (USCD).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Confined electron states in two-dimensional HgTe in magnetic field: Quantum dot versus quantum ring behavior

We investigate the electron states and optical absorption in square- and hexagonal-shaped two-dimensional (2D) HgTe quantum dots and quantum rings in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field. The electronic structure is modeled by means of the sp3d5s∗ tight-binding method within the nearest-neighbor approximation. Both bulklike and edge states appear in the energy spectrum. The bulklike states in quantum rings exhibit Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in magnetic field, whereas no such oscillations are found in quantum dots, which is ascribed to the different topology of the two systems. When magnetic field varies, all the edge states in square quantum dots appear as quasibands composed of almost fully flat levels, whereas some edge states in quantum rings are found to oscillate with magnetic field. However, the edge states in hexagonal quantum dots are localized like in rings. The absorption spectra of all the structures consist of numerous absorption lines, which substantially overlap even for small line broadening. The absorption lines in the infrared are found to originate from transitions between edge states. It is shown that the magnetic field can be used to efficiently tune the optical absorption of HgTe 2D quantum dot and quantum ring systems. © 2019 American Physical Society.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Micro-aligned 1 Tesla Solenoid for High-energy Bunched-beam Electron Cooling

Electron cooling of ion beams requires precise alignment of the electron beam with the equilibrium trajectory of the ion bunch. In magnetized cooling the cooling rate is enhanced by transverse confinement of each electron on a magnetic line of force. The magnetic lines of force must therefore be aligned with the ion bunch trajectory everywhere along the extent of the solenoid. For the parameters required for JLEIC, a solenoid with bore field ~1 T, length ~30 m, and rms alignment of ~micro-radian is required. Such alignment has never been accomplished. The design of a micro-aligned solenoid is presented. A gap-separated stack of thin steel washers is located along the bore of the solenoid. The flux plate stack shields transverse magnetic fields from the interior, so that axial alignment is enhanced by a factor of ~10.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Bi-fluid and neoclassical effect on a Double-Tearing mode in Tore Supra

Tearing modes associated to hollow current profiles are prone to grow in moderate performance plasmas and often constrain the realization of non-inductive discharges in the Tore Supra tokamak, where long pulse duration is performed using Lower Hybrid waves for providing most of the plasma current. The prediction of MHD boundaries in such scenarios is complicated by the importance of diamagnetic effects, combined with curvature stabilization, which determine the stability of these modes. We show that diamagnetic effects, as well as neoclassical forces, are playing a key role in the linear and nonlinear regimes of Double-Tearing Modes on q = 5/3 and q = 2 in these experimental conditions. Detailed comparison with experimental measurements, combined with a scaling in plasma resistivity, give constraints about the experimental equilibrium. Resistive-Interchange Modes destabilized by diamagnetic rotation could also play a role in degrading the energy confinement in the negative magnetic shear region.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Constructing stellarators with quasisymmetry to high order

Here, a method is given to rapidly compute quasisymmetric stellarator magnetic fields for plasma confinement, without the need to call a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium code inside an optimization iteration. The method is based on direct solution of the equations of magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium and quasisymmetry using Garren & Boozer’s expansion about the magnetic axis ( Phys Fluids B, vol. 3, 1991, p. 2805), and it is several orders of magnitude faster than the conventional optimization approach. The work here extends the method of Landreman et al. ( J. Plasma Phys. , vol. 85, 2019, 905850103), which was limited to flux surfaces with elliptical cross-section, to higher order in the aspect-ratio expansion. As a result, configurations can be generated with strong shaping that achieve quasisymmetry to high accuracy. Using this construction, we give the first numerical demonstrations of Garren and Boozer’s ideal scaling of quasisymmetry breaking with the cube of the inverse aspect ratio. We also demonstrate a strongly non-axisymmetric configuration (vacuum rotational transform $\unicode[STIX]{x1D704} >0.4$ ) in which symmetry-breaking mode amplitudes throughout a finite volume are ${<}2\times 10^{-7}$ , the smallest ever reported. To generate boundary shapes of finite-minor-radius configurations, a careful analysis is given of the effect of substituting a finite minor radius into the near-axis expansion. In conclusion, the approach here can provide analytic insight into the space of possible quasisymmetric stellarator configurations, and it can be used to generate good initial conditions for conventional stellarator optimization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Features of relaxation modes in soft magnetic metallic glasses and their correlation with magnetic ordering

Although the anneal-induced relaxation process of Fe-based metallic glasses has been widely reported, there is a lack of a systematic description of the relaxation modes of atoms. Here, in this work, the relaxation modes of FeSiBPC metallic glasses and their relationship with magnetic ordering have been investigated. A two-stage relaxation behavior has been observed, and the pinning effect of Curie temperature is found in the first stage. The short-range ordering involved in the β relaxation in the first stage is confined and facilitated by magnetic ordering. It causes a smaller E β compared to that of non-magnetic metallic glasses. In the second stage, the pinning effect disappears. It is mainly the medium-range rearrangements involved in α relaxation that begins to yield the influence on magnetic ordering. This work uncovers the inner magnet-influenced β relaxation in Fe-based metallic glasses and provides insights into the interaction between structural arrangement during relaxation and magnetic ordering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effects of the q profile on toroidal rotation in Alcator C-Mod LHCD plasmas

Changes in the core toroidal rotation profiles following injection of lower hybrid (LH) waves have been documented in Alcator C-Mod plasmas. Shot by shot scans of LH input power have been performed at fixed magnetic field and electron density for several plasma currents. For sawtoothing target plasmas, if the input power is low enough that the central safety factor q 0 remains below 1, the change in the core rotation is in the counter-current direction, consistent in sign, magnitude and LH power scaling with direct momentum input from the LH waves. If the power level is high enough that there are significant changes to the q profile, including the termination of sawtooth oscillations, the change in the toroidal rotation is in the co-current direction, consistent with changes in the momentum flux through its dependence on the current density profile. Further, the direction of the rotation changes depends on whether q 0 is below or above unity, and seemingly not on the magnetic shear, nor the Ohmic confinement regime of the target plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

NMR relaxation of molecules confined inside the cement paste pores under partially saturated conditions

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxation studies of liquids confined inside cement samples mostly refer to water molecules and saturated pores. Here we extend these studies to the ethanol and cyclohexane molecules partially saturating a white cement paste. The two filling liquids were selected as representatives of polar and nonpolar molecules which should experience different interactions with the surface containing OH groups. The results on these two molecules are compared with those obtained on water filled sample. The transverse relaxation measurements, performed at different saturation degrees, clearly revealed three pore reservoirs in cement paste: intra-C-S-H sheet pores, inter-C-S-H gel pores and capillary pores. A two phase exchange model, describing the effective relaxation rate under partially saturated conditions, is also considered. The model allows finding of a relationship between the relaxation time distribution, the filling degree of the pores and the liquid morphology inside these pores.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

The transport of cosmic rays across magnetic fieldlines

The long residence times and small anisotropies of cosmic rays suggest that they are well confined and well scattered by the Galactic magnetic field. Due to the disk-like shape of the confinement volume, transport in the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the mean Galactic magnetic field, is key to cosmic ray escape. It has long been recognized that this vertical transport depends both on the vertical component of the field lines themselves and on the extent to which the cosmic rays are tied to the field lines. In this paper, we use magnetic fields with very simple spatial and temporal structures to isolate some important features of cross field line transport. We show that even simple magnetic nonuniformities combined with pitch angle scattering can enhance cross field line transport by several orders of magnitude, while pitch angle scattering is unnecessary for enhanced transport if the field is chaotic. Nevertheless, perpendicular transport is much less than parallel transport in all the cases we study. We apply the results to confinement of cosmic rays in the Fermi bubbles.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Magnetic field generation during intense laser channelling in underdense plasma

Channel formation during the propagation of a high-energy (120 J) and long duration (30 ps) laser pulse through an underdense deuterium plasma has been spatially and temporally resolved via means of a proton imaging technique, with intrinsic resolutions of a few μm and a few ps, respectively. Conclusive proof is provided that strong azimuthally symmetric magnetic fields with a strength of around 0.5 MG are created inside the channel, consistent with the generation of a collimated beam of relativistic electrons. The inferred electron beam characteristics may have implications for the cone-free fast-ignition scheme of inertial confinement fusion.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Experimental investigation of microwave interaction with magnetoplasma in miniature multipolar configuration using impedance measurements

A miniature microwave plasma source employing both radial and axial magnetic fields for plasma confinement has been developed for micro-propulsion applications. Plasma is initiated by launching microwaves via a short monopole antenna to circumvent geometrical cutoff limitations. The amplitude and phase of the forward and reflected microwave power is measured to obtain the complex reflection coefficient from which the equivalent impedance of the plasma source is determined. Effect of critical plasma density condition is reflected in the measurements and provides insight into the working of the miniature plasma source. A basic impedance calculation model is developed to help in understanding the experimental observations. From experiment and theory, it is seen that the equivalent impedance magnitude is controlled by the coaxial discharge boundary conditions, and the phase is influenced primarily by the plasma immersed antenna impedance.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Observation of a new type of self-generated current in magnetized plasmas

A tokamak, a torus-shaped nuclear fusion device, needs an electric current in the plasma to produce magnetic field in the poloidal direction for confining fusion plasmas. Plasma current is conventionally generated by electromagnetic induction. However, for a steady-state fusion reactor, minimizing the inductive current is essential to extend the tokamak operating duration. Several non-inductive current drive schemes have been developed for steady-state operations such as radio-frequency waves and neutral beams. However, commercial reactors require minimal use of these external sources to maximize the fusion gain, Q, the ratio of the fusion power to the external power. Apart from these external current drives, a self-generated current, so-called bootstrap current, was predicted theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Here, we reveal another self-generated current that can exist in a tokamak and this has not yet been discussed by present theories. We report conclusive experimental evidence of this self-generated current observed in the KSTAR tokamak.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Laser-driven magnetized liner inertial fusion on OMEGA

Magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) combines the compression of fusion fuel, a hallmark of inertial confinement fusion (ICF), with strongly magnetized plasmas that suppress electron heat losses, a hallmark of magnetic fusion. It can reduce the traditional velocity, pressure, and convergence ratio requirements of ICF. The magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) concept being studied at the Z Pulsed-Power Facility is a key target concept in the U.S. ICF Program. Laser-driven MagLIF is being developed on OMEGA to test the scaling of MagLIF over a range of absorbed energy of the order of 1 kJ on OMEGA to 500 kJ on Z. It is also valuable as a platform for studying the key physics of MIF. An energy-scaled point design has been developed for OMEGA that is roughly 10 × smaller in linear dimensions than Z MagLIF targets. A 0.6-mm-outer-diameter plastic cylinder filled with 2.4 mg/cm3 of D2 is placed in a ∼10-T axial magnetic field, generated by a Magneto-inertial fusion electrical discharge system, the cylinder is compressed by 40 OMEGA beams, and the gas fill is preheated by a single OMEGA beam propagating along the axis. Preheating to >100 eV and axially uniform compression over 0.7 mm have been demonstrated, separately, in a series of preparatory experiments that meet our initial expectations. The preliminary results from the first integrated experiments combining magnetization, compression, and preheat demonstrating a roughly 2 x increase in the neutron yield will be reported here for the first time.

Barnak, D. H. (ORCID:0000000246467517)↗
DOE OSTI2018

Multifunctional ferrofluid-infused surfaces with reconfigurable multiscale topography

Developing adaptive materials with geometries that change in response to external stimuli provides fundamental insights into the links between the physical forces involved and the resultant morphologies and creates a foundation for technologically relevant dynamic systems. In particular, reconfigurable surface topography as a means to control interfacial properties has recently been explored using responsive gels, shape-memory polymers, liquid crystals and hybrid composites, including magnetically active slippery surfaces. However, these designs exhibit a limited range of topographical changes and thus a restricted scope of function. Here we introduce a hierarchical magneto-responsive composite surface, made by infiltrating a ferrofluid into a microstructured matrix (termed ferrofluid-containing liquid-infused porous surfaces, or FLIPS). We demonstrate various topographical reconfigurations at multiple length scales and a broad range of associated emergent behaviours. An applied magnetic-field gradient induces the movement of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in a viscous fluid, which leads to microscale flow of this ferrofluid first above and then within the microstructured surface. This redistribution changes the initially smooth surface of the ferrofluid (which is immobilized by the porous matrix through capillary forces) into various multiscale hierarchical topographies shaped by the size, arrangement and orientation of the confining microstructures in the magnetic field. We analyse the spatial and temporal dynamics of these reconfigurations theoretically and experimentally as a function of the balance between capillary and magnetic pressures and of the geometric anisotropy of the FLIPS system. Several interesting functions at three different length scales are demonstrated: self-assembly of colloidal particles at the micrometre scale; regulated flow of liquid droplets at the millimetre scale; and switchable adhesion and friction, liquid pumping and removal of biofilms at the centimetre scale. We envision that FLIPS could be used as part of integrated control systems for the manipulation and transport of matter, thermal management, microfluidics and fouling-release materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Extreme Scale Plasma Turbulence Simulations on Top Supercomputers Worldwide

The goal of the extreme scale plasma turbulence studies described in this paper is to expedite the delivery of reliable predictions on confinement physics in large magnetic fusion systems by using world-class supercomputers to carry out simulations with unprecedented resolution and temporal duration. This has involved architecture-dependent optimizations of performance scaling and addressing code portability and energy issues, with the metrics for multi-platform comparisons being 'time-to-solution' and 'energy-to-solution'. Realistic results addressing how confinement losses caused by plasma turbulence scale from present-day devices to the much larger $25 billion international ITER fusion facility have been enabled by innovative advances in the GTC-P code including (i) implementation of one-sided communication from MPI 3.0 standard; (ii) creative optimization techniques on Xeon Phi processors; and (iii) development of a novel performance model for the key kernels of the PIC code. Our results show that modeling data movement is sufficient to predict performance on modern supercomputer platforms.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quasisymmetric Optimization of Nonaxisymmetry in Tokamaks

Predictive 3D optimization reveals a novel approach to modify a nonaxisymmetric magnetic perturbation to be entirely harmless for tokamaks, by essentially restoring quasisymmetry in perturbed particle orbits as much as possible. Such a quasisymmetric magnetic perturbation (QSMP) has been designed and successfully tested in the KSTAR and DIII-D tokamaks, demonstrating no performance degradation despite the large overall amplitudes of nonaxisymmetric fields and strong response otherwise expected in the tested plasmas. The results indicate that a quasisymmetric optimization is a robust path of error field correction across the resonant and nonresonant field spectrum in a tokamak, leveraging the prevailing concept of quasisymmetry for general 3D plasma confinement systems such as stellarators. Finally, the optimization becomes, in fact, a simple eigenvalue problem to the so-called torque response matrices if a perturbed equilibrium is calculated consistent with nonaxisymmetric neoclassical transport.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗