Ellipticity: Difference between revisions

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Add a figure with simple illustrations of Shafranov shift, elongation, triangularity, and squareness.
 
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The ellipticity refers to the shape of the poloidal cross section of the Last Closed [[Flux surface]] or [[separatrix]] of a [[tokamak]].
[[File:Geometry.png|400px|thumb|right|Sketch of tokamak geometry]]
It is defined as the maximum vertical height of the cross section (2''b'') divided by the maximum horizontal width of the cross section (2''a'').
[[File:Cross_section_1shift_2elong_3triang_4square.png|400px|thumb|right|Illustration of the m=1,2,3, and 4 perturbations to a tokamak plasma cross section. Ellipticity/elongation is the m=2 perturbation (second from the left).]]
The ellipticity (also referred to as elongation<ref name="Luce2013">T.C. Luce, [[doi:10.1088/0741-3335/55/9/095009|Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion '''55''' (2013) 095009 ]]</ref>) refers to the shape of the poloidal cross section of the Last Closed [[Flux surface]] or [[separatrix]] of a [[tokamak]].
 
Assuming<ref name="Luce2013" />:
* ''R<sub>max</sub>'' is the maximum value of ''R'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''R<sub>min</sub>'' is the minimum value of ''R'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''Z<sub>max</sub>'' is the maximum value of ''Z'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''Z<sub>min</sub>'' is the minimum value of ''Z'' along the LCFS or separatrix.
* ''a'' is the minor radius of the plasma, defined as ''(R<sub>max</sub> - R<sub>min</sub>)/2''.
The ellipticity is then defined as follows:
:<math> \kappa = (Z_{max}-Z_{min})/2a</math>
 
Higher elongation is beneficial for fusion performance, but comes with increased vertical instability growth rate and thus increased risk of vertical displacement event (VDE) type disruptions.<ref>D.A. Humphreys, et al., ''Experimental vertical stability studies for ITER performance and design guidance'' [[doi:10.1088/0029-5515/49/11/115003|Nucl. Fusion '''49''' (2009) 115003]]</ref>
Because of vertical stability constraints, <math>\kappa</math> is usually limited to a value close to about 1.8.


== See also ==
== See also ==
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* [[Toroidal coordinates]]
* [[Toroidal coordinates]]
* [[Effective plasma radius]]
* [[Effective plasma radius]]
== References ==
<references />

Latest revision as of 23:47, 30 March 2023

Sketch of tokamak geometry
Illustration of the m=1,2,3, and 4 perturbations to a tokamak plasma cross section. Ellipticity/elongation is the m=2 perturbation (second from the left).

The ellipticity (also referred to as elongation[1]) refers to the shape of the poloidal cross section of the Last Closed Flux surface or separatrix of a tokamak.

Assuming[1]:

  • Rmax is the maximum value of R along the LCFS or separatrix.
  • Rmin is the minimum value of R along the LCFS or separatrix.
  • Zmax is the maximum value of Z along the LCFS or separatrix.
  • Zmin is the minimum value of Z along the LCFS or separatrix.
  • a is the minor radius of the plasma, defined as (Rmax - Rmin)/2.

The ellipticity is then defined as follows:

κ=(Zmax−Zmin)/2a

Higher elongation is beneficial for fusion performance, but comes with increased vertical instability growth rate and thus increased risk of vertical displacement event (VDE) type disruptions.[2] Because of vertical stability constraints, κ is usually limited to a value close to about 1.8.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 T.C. Luce, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 55 (2013) 095009
  2. ↑ D.A. Humphreys, et al., Experimental vertical stability studies for ITER performance and design guidance Nucl. Fusion 49 (2009) 115003