National Spherical Torus Experiment – Upgrade (NSTX-U)

Inside the NSTX spherical torus at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

The NSTX-U is a magnetic confinement fusion facility employing a spherical torus confinement configuration to explore the potential stability and confinement advantages of this compact tokamak concept.

Princeton, NJ Location
2016 Start of Operations
336 (FY 2023) Number of Users

Description

The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade, or NSTX-U, is the most powerful spherical tokamak in the world. With its nearly spherical plasma shape, it provides a test of the theory of toroidal magnetic confinement as the spherical limit is approached. The NSTX-U construction was complete in 2015 and plasma operations began in 2016. This upgrade project included a new center stack and a second neutral beam injection system. Together this hardware upgrade has doubled the magnetic field, plasma current, and auxiliary heating power of the device, while extending the plasma pulse length by nearly a factor of five.

Science

Research at this facility aims to elucidate prior NSTX observations showing that plasma with a spherical torus shape (viz. a shape resembling a cored apple) is stable even when ratios of plasma-to-magnetic pressure and self-driven current fraction are large. Beyond stability, NSTX-U will test the impact of the spherical torus shape on plasma energy confinement properties. If present theoretical predictions are verified, it would indicate that spherical tori use applied magnetic fields more efficiently than most other magnetic confinement systems and could, therefore, be expected to lead to more cost-effective fusion power systems. Research is conducted to:

  • Extend confinement and stability physics basis at low-A and high beta to lower collisionality relevant to burning plasma regimes.
  • Develop operation at large bootstrap fraction and advance the physics basis required for non-inductive and low- disruptivity operation of steady-state compact fusion devices.
  • Evaluate conventional and innovative power and particle handling techniques to optimize plasma exhaust in high performance scenarios.