The role of plasma instabilities in the onset of detachment in the York Linear Plasma Device

摘要

Introduction Power handling is of utmost importance in next-generation experimental tokamaks and prototype power plants, such as ITER and DEMO. The exhaust power flux to the divertor in ITER is estimated to be at least 15 MWm~(-2) [1] and could be a factor of ten higher, whereas the maximum flux for a reasonable lifetime of the tungsten divertor plates is 10MWm~(-2) [2]. Power plant power levels are likely to be even higher, and therefore a reliable method of reducing divertor power fluxes is key to the success of fusion as a commercial energy source.