Impact of Magnetic Field Configuration on Heat Transport in Stellarators and Heliotrons
Felix Warmer, K. Tanaka, P. Xanthopoulos, M. Nunami, M. Nakata, C. D. Beidler, S. A. Bozhenkov, M. N. A. Beurskens, K. J. Brunner, O. P. Ford, G. Fuchert, H. Funaba, J. Geiger, D. Gradic, K. Ida, H. Igami, S. Kubo, A. Langenberg, H. P. Laqua, S. Lazerson, T. Morisaki, M. Osakabe, N. Pablant, E. Pasch, B. Peterson, S. Satake, R. Seki, T. Shimozuma, H. M. Smith, T. Stange, A. v. Stechow, H. Sugama, Y. Suzuki, H. Takahashi, T. Tokuzawa, T. Tsujimura, Y. Turkin, R. C. Wolf, I. Yamada, R. Yanai, R. Yasuhara, M. Yokoyama, Y. Yoshimura, M. Yoshinuma, D. Zhang, LHD Experimental Group, W7-X Team
Abstract
We assess the magnetic field configuration in modern fusion devices by comparing experiments with the same heating power, between a stellarator and a heliotron. The key role of turbulence is evident in the optimized stellarator, while neoclassical processes largely determine the transport in the heliotron device. Gyrokinetic simulations elucidate the underlying mechanisms promoting stronger ion scale turbulence in the stellarator. Similar plasma performances in these experiments suggests that neoclassical and turbulent transport should both be optimized in next step reactor designs.