An Overview of Accomplishments From Experiment and Theory at TAE Technologies

The experimental and theory programs at TAE Technologies are focused on answering questions that drive the design of Copernicus, the next-generation field-reversed configuration (FRC) device. Over the last year, dedicated campaigns have investigated the effects of neutral beam geometry, energy, and gas species using new capabilities such as waveform control of beam energy and current. Experiments have shown new regimes of high temperature at low collisionality where both bulk and impurity ion temperatures have reached new heights in C-2W [1]. Theoretical models have been developed to describe energy confinement in the FRC core, as well as the mirror-confined scrape-off layer (SOL) and tenuous edge (HALO). Updates on integration of equilibrium, transport and wall interactions into a single code suite based on WarpX, and planned machine upgrades in preparation for the Copernicus build will be discussed.

[1] H. Gota et al., Nucl. Fusion 61, 106039 (2021).