Tokamak Physics Experiment
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The Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX) was a plasma physics experiment that was designed but not built. It was designed by an inter-organizational team in the USA led by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The experiment was designed to test theories about how Tokamaks would behave in a high-performance, steady-state regime.[1]
| Tokamak Physics Experiment | |
|---|---|
| Device type | Tokamak |
| Location | United States |
| Affiliation | Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and others |
| Technical specifications | |
| Major radius | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
| Minor radius | 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) |
| Magnetic field | 4.0 T (40,000 G) |
| Heating power | 17.5 MW |
| Plasma current | 2.0 MA |
| History | |
| Date(s) of construction | Not built |
| Year(s) of operation | Not built–Not built |
| Succeeded by | KSTAR |
TPX was to be the successor to the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). While TFTR was designed to achieve Q>1 (more fusion power produced by the plasma than injected into the plasma), TFTR only operated for short pulses, and did not provide data from and experience with plasmas behave like those of an economic Fusion power reactor. Specifically, TPX was designed to fill this need.
TPX was designed to test theories which suggested ways of making a future fusion power reactor compact, economic, and reliable. Specifically, TPX was designed to be near steady state, with pulse lengths of 1,000 seconds (more than 15 minutes). It was designed to operate at high Bootstrap current, meaning that less power would have to be expended driving toroidal current. It was designed to operate at high values of Beta, meaning that it would be able to store more plasma pressure for a given magnetic field. It was designed to operate with a high level of confinement, meaning that less auxiliary heating would be required.[1]
History
After the cancellation of the Compact Ignition Tokamak in 1991, the United States Department of Energy directed the US fusion program to find ways to improve the tokamak. In 1993, a conceptual design review was held for TPX in 1993, finalizing the conceptual design. The design team was managed by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and included members from other US institutions. The program was canceled in 1995, as the proposed cost was too high. The proposed cost was $539 Million in 1993 dollars.[1]
