Plasma Performance Improvement Anticipated

The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) nuclear fusion reactor

The National Fusion Research Institute announced on July 7 that it has developed a nuclear fusion simulation code capable of analyzing and predicting the toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE) instability, which is a typical instability witnessed in nuclear fusion plasma.

The TAE instability occurs during an interaction between the fast ion and plasma of nuclear fusion plasma. The instability results in a fast ion deviation and hinders ion trapping. In plasma particles, fast ions are much higher in kinetic energy than general ions and increase the temperature and performance of plasma necessary for nuclear fusion. Stable fast ion trapping is essential in maintaining a nuclear fusion reaction.

The newly developed fast ion simulation code is to calculate and predict a change in TAE instability resulting from fast ion movements. The development was based on the domestically and previously developed gKPSP nuclear fusion simulation code. This code was used in plasma transport analysis in most cases, but it is expected to be further utilized in the field of electromagnetic phenomenon analysis such as TAE instability analysis.

“The newly developed code will be utilized in analyzing the trapping of fast ions generated as a result of nuclear fusion reactions and heating of various types,” the institute explained, adding, “Plasma performance improvement is anticipated through optimal fast ion trapping.”

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