Summary of C-2W Field-Reversed Configuration Experiment Diagnostic Systems and Results

TAE Technologies, Inc. studies the evolution of advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas sustained by neutral-beam injection. Ongoing operations on the new C-2W device (also called Norman) focus on FRC heating and diamagnetic current build up [1]. Data on the FRC plasma is provided by a comprehensive suite of diagnostics including over 700 magnetic sensors, four interferometry systems, multi-chord FIR polarimetry, two Thomson scattering systems, survey spectroscopy measurements, impurity and majority ion CHERS, multiple fast imaging cameras, end loss analyzers, multiple bolometer systems, and fusion product detectors. Many other sophisticated diagnostics are also in preparation and commissioning including: reflectometry, neutral particle analyzers, and FIDA. Most of these diagnostic systems are new designs built using experience and data from the preceding C-2U [2] experiment. TAE’s diagnostics development program also works on novel systems including new ways to measure FRC internal magnetic fields.

[1] M.W. Binderbauer et al., AIP Conf. Proc. 1721, 030003 (2016)

[2] M.C. Thompson et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 87, 11D435 (2016)