In this paper, DEMO-like shaped plasma equilibria are defined for RFX-mod2 tokamak operations by using the Inverse Equilibrium Tool (IET code). IET allows for the computation of the coil currents ...needed to obtain a predetermined plasma shape with well defined plasma global parameters (i.e. total plasma current and total poloidal magnetic flux at the boundary) by solving a constrained minimization problem. The new shape conditions would allow achieving higher plasma current and plasma density values at the same toroidal magnetic field and safety factor limits of previous RFX-mod tokamak operations. The feasibility of these new equilibria is explored in terms of coil current requirements and vertical stability analysis. This study shows that RFX-mod2 is a flexible device, able to perform DEMO-like shaped tokamak operations with low requirements on both magnitude and distribution of active coil currents.
In this study the non-linear hereditariness of knee tendons and ligaments is framed in the context of stochastic mechanics. Without losing the possibility of generalization, this work was focused on ...knee Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and the tendons used in its surgical reconstruction. The proposed constitutive equations of fibrous tissues involves three material parameters for the creep tests and three material parameters for relaxation tests. One-to-one relations among material parameters estimated in creep and relaxations were established and reported in the paper. Data scattering, observed with a novel experimental protocol used to characterize the mechanics of the tissue, was modelled as the outcome of the random mechanical parameters. The numerical example proposed in the paper shows that for an assigned probability density function of the material random parameters, the parameters of the probability density function (pdf) may be obtained by a statistical analysis of the experimental data.
Abstract
In this paper we present a method to compute spatial and time evolution of electromagnetic forces in magnetic confinement fusion devices based on a combination of signal analysis of magnetic ...measurements with a simple electromagnetic modelling. The method allows analyzing the whole plasma discharge including fast transient phenomena such as fast terminations or disruptions. It has been tested and verified on RFX-mod, an experiment equipped with a non-continuous toroidal passive stabilizing shell, but it can be applied to cases with continuous wall such as tokamak devices, as well. An experimental plasma discharge, with a fast termination phenomenon at the end of the flat-top phase, has been analyzed and the related forces have been computed by using two different sets of data: synthetic magnetic field measurements provided by ANSYS simulation and real experimental ones. The results are in good agreement in all the phases of the plasma discharge. Moreover, because of the very low-computational requirements, it is shown that the presented method can be used as a tool for real-time monitoring of the electromagnetic forces on the shell to be integrated in the protection system of the future RFX-mod2 experiment.
Abstract
A reflectometric system will be installed in the RFX-mod2 experiment, consisting of 4 couples of transmitting/receiving antennas working in the range 16–26.5 GHz in X-mode wave propagation ...for tokamak discharges. They will be placed within dedicated plasma accesses in the same poloidal section at 4 equispaced poloidal positions, two on the equatorial plane, High Field Side (HFS)/Low Field Side (LFS), and two at the vertical top/bottom ports. This configuration was conceived to perform plasma position control experiments without using the magnetic measurement signals. While the accesses in LFS, top and bottom positions will accommodate pyramidal antennas, the strict room constraints in the HFS position required a special routing of the feeding waveguide and the design of a different type of antenna, described in the paper. The horn reflector (also named hoghorn) type was preferred which allows radiating (and receiving) a beam at a 90° direction with respect to the horn axis, which will be perpendicular to the equatorial plane. After fixing a reference working frequency
f
= 21 GHz (wavelength λ = 14.3 mm), an antenna fitting the available room was designed by means of the COMSOL Multiphysics Radio Frequency module. Four different versions were developed by introducing some modifications of the aperture shape to study their effect on the antenna performance. FEM analyses were run for frequencies in the 17–26 GHz interval to characterize the frequency response in terms of radiative patterns of the total and far electric field. The directivity of the antennae was also evaluated. The 4 versions exhibited comparable responses and the observed beam directional properties at the expected plasma distance were considered acceptable for the development of this application. A prototype of the antenna has been realized by additive manufacturing process.
The complex inhomogeneous architecture of the human meniscal tissue at the micro and nano scale in the absence of artefacts introduced by sample treatments has not yet been fully revealed. The ...knowledge of the internal structure organization is essential to understand the mechanical functionality of the meniscus and its relationship with the tissue's complex structure. In this work, we investigated human meniscal tissue structure using up-to-date non-invasive imaging techniques, based on multiphoton fluorescence and quantitative second harmonic generation microscopy complemented with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy measurements. Observations on 50 meniscal samples extracted from 6 human menisci (3 lateral and 3 medial) revealed fundamental features of structural morphology and allowed us to quantitatively describe the 3D organisation of elastin and collagen fibres bundles. 3D regular waves of collagen bundles are arranged in "honeycomb-like" cells that are comprised of pores surrounded by the collagen and elastin network at the micro-scale. This type of arrangement propagates from macro to the nanoscale.
Microwave reflectometry, having its origins in ionosphere probing techniques to evaluate electronic density, has become one of the most important diagnostics for the same quantity in fusion plasmas. ...Reflectometry will play a major role in next-generation machines, in particular in DEMO, where it is expected to provide plasma positioning, shaping, and tracking data. The ability to have an ever-increasing comprehensive description of reflectometry is particularly important since it allows us to assess the measuring capabilities of existing experimental systems and to predict the performance of new diagnostic concepts based on probing waves. Furthermore, wave propagation in a thermonuclear plasma with fluctuating electronic densities is far from straightforward and the need for a numerical full-wave treatment becomes fundamental. We will present the reader with the fundamentals of this technique and introduce the usage and evolution of FDTD in reflectometry, using as an example, the synthetic diagnostics setup that uses the family of REFMUL* codes, which is employed in the assessment of the performance of several reflectometry systems in different fusion machines.
Abstract
RFX-mod2 (
R
= 2.0 m,
a
= 0.49 m), the upgraded version of the previous RFXmod fusion device, will be equipped with a new reflectometry system specifically designed for plasma position ...control purposes. Featuring a high temporal and spatial resolution and being suitable for harsh fusion reactor experimental conditions (long pulses, high neutron fluxes), reflectometry has been proposed as a good candidate for this task. On RFX-mod2 the diagnostic system will consist of four bistatic ultrafast independent reflectometric units working in the frequency range (16–26.5 GHz) and installed in four different poloidal locations at the same toroidal angle: two on the equatorial plane (high field side/low field side) and two at the vertical top/bottom ports. Standard pyramidal horns will be installed in the external midplane and in the vertical ports, while parabolic hoghorn reflectors have been designed for the internal midplane. Different technical solutions for the integration in the machine, as the additive manufacturing for the antenna production, are presented. Despite the differences with respect to the application on large Tokamaks like DEMO, the RFX-mod2 plasma position reflectometer can contribute to test on a simple machine some of the issues related to the development of a reflectometry based plasma position and shape control.
A major modification of the RFX-mod toroidal load assembly has been decided in order to improve passive MHD control and to minimize the braking torque on the plasma, thus extending the operational ...space in both RFP and Tokamak configurations. With the removal of the vacuum vessel, the support structure will be modified in order to obtain a new vacuum-tight chamber and the first wall tiles will be directly in front of the passive stabilizing shell inside of it, so increasing both the poloidal cross section and the plasma-shell proximity.
This implies the design of a new vacuum fit electromagnetic measurement system. The new local probes will be installed in vacuum onto the copper shell, behind the graphite tiles, and shall operate up to a maximum temperature of 180 °C to allow for baking cycles for first wall conditioning. Because of the reduced room available, tri-axial pickup probes have been designed, with the additional advantage of allowing the minimization of alignment errors.
The paper describes the detailed design of the new probe set, in particular highlighting advantages and effectiveness of different probe solutions. Preliminary tests carried out on local probe prototypes to characterize their electromagnetic behaviour are also reported.
•An initial concept and basis for the DEMO diagnostic and control system is presented.•The main control issues for the burn phase of the plasma have been allocated to a reduced set of diagnostics and ...actuators.•A set of 10 high level control requirements is formulated to guide the further developments.•Details on the current set of diagnostic methods and channels, as well as an outline of the integration approaches into the tokamak, are given.
An initial concept for the plasma diagnostic and control (D&C) system has been developed as part of European studies towards the development of a demonstration tokamak fusion reactor (DEMO). The main objective is to develop a feasible, integrated concept design of the DEMO D&C system that can provide reliable plasma control and high performance (electricity output) over extended periods of operation. While the fusion power is maximized when operating near to the operational limits of the tokamak, the reliability of operation typically improves when choosing parameters significantly distant from these limits. In addition to these conflicting requirements, the D&C development has to cope with strong adverse effects acting on all in vessel components on DEMO (harsh neutron environment, particle fluxes, temperatures, electromagnetic forces, etc.). Moreover, space allocation and plasma access are constrained by the needs for first wall integrity and optimization of tritium breeding. Taking into account these boundary conditions, the main DEMO plasma control issues have been formulated, and a list of diagnostic systems and channels needed for plasma control has been developed, which were selected for their robustness and the required coverage of control issues. For a validation and refinement of this concept, simulation tools are being refined and applied for equilibrium, kinetic and mode control studies.
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