Fusion research with the STOR-M tokamak

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Funding is requested for research in magnetic fusion (tokamak), including fueling using compact torus, mitigation of major disruption by plasma biasing, H-mode induction by AC (alternating current) plasma biasing, and effects of lithium coating on plasma confinement.    The fusion research in the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the university of Saskatchewan (U of S) is centred at the STOR-M tokamak which was designed and built by the applicant and has been in operation since 1987 as the lone active tokamak in Canada. The STOR-M program continues to receive funding from NSERC and Fedoruk Centre for nuclear innovation. The original objectives of the STOR-M tokamak were to (a) develop innovative technologies relevant to tokamak fusion reactors, and (b) understanding mechanisms of anomalous transport and H-mode transition which have been achieved to our satisfaction. The STOR-M is a member of the IAEA Collaborative Research Program for Small Fusion Devices. The ultimate long term goal of the tokamak program led by the applicant is to design and build a next generation tokamak (STOR-U) which is a spherical tokamak and is expected to achieve plasma parameters (temperature, density, and confinement time) relevant to fusion reactors. Developing such a tokamak in Canada will be of vital importance for Canada to benefit from the ongoing international program ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). Canada is the only G8 country without membership in ITER. The applicant has been maintaining fusion research program at UofS for nearly 40 years with a belief that Canada will need expertise to design and build a tokamak reactor in the future. The demonstration of burning plasma in ITER through self-heating by alpha particles is imminent. Some of the technologies developed in the U. of S. PPL (such as fueling by CT injection) will be highly relevant to reliable and efficient operation of ITER and other tokamak reactors. The scope of tokamak research at US PPL is broad and covers the following subjects: effects of applying resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP); effects of compact torus (CT) injection on plasma rotation and plasma transport; development of repetitive CT injection technology; mitigation of plasma disruption by CT injection and plasma biasing. The common goals of the studies are improved plasma confinement, and disruption mitigation. The collaboration with our industrial partner (General Fusion) includes lithium coating of the vacuum chamber of STOR-M which is also expected to improve plasma confinement.