STELLARATOR-TOKAMAK HYBRID WITH INCLINED COILS

A new type of device for plasma confinement that can be categorized as a stellarator-tokamak hybrid is proposed. This device features two sy stems of coils: the standard toroidal field coils of a tokamak and an additional system of simple coils to produce stellarator-like effects. A system of vertically inclined planar coils is used for numerical ca lculations, although other possible engineering solutions can be found . The system of poloidal field coils is required to compensate for the vertical magnetic field induced by the inclined coils. The possible m odernization of a tokamak into such a hybrid is outlined (The Phaedrus -T tokamak of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is kept in mind in t he examples considered.) Because of the availability of two separate c oil sets, the device considered is able to operate as a pure stellarat or as a pure tokamak, or as their hybrid when both coil systems are po wered. The main unique features and regimes of operation would be expe cted to include smooth transition from the pure tokamak regime to the pure stellarator regime and back and to possibly operate the device in an alternating-current regime. Devices of this type combine the attra ctive properties of both tokamaks and stellarators. They feature induc tive current, which is efficient for plasma heating and/or current dri ve, and good plasma confinement, typical of tokamaks. At the same time , they feature the prolonged or continuous plasma discharge operation typical of stellarators.