3-D Effects on Tokamak Plasma Stability

我毕业于拉夫堡大学数学学士学位早在2017年，提交了我的论文“穿越丘陵地形的最佳路线”。然后，我在保险行业担任了几年的软件开发人员，然后放弃了企业生活，继续追求学术界，目的是做一些适合我对数学的视觉，物理应用感兴趣的事情，并对地球产生积极影响。这促使我攻读博士学位，特别是在聚变CDT领域，因为随着我们对能源的渴望不断增长，对替代能源的需求也在不断增加。ELM（边缘局域模）是发生在等离子体边缘的剧烈爆发。如果不加控制，它们将对下一步托卡马克造成过度侵蚀;例如，ITER只能在最大的ELM中存活约10年，然后损坏将使其无法运行，需要长期维护。在ITER上，计划应用3D磁扰动作为控制这些ELM的方法。我将使用ELITE代码-约克大学和通用原子公司之间正在进行的合作，最近扩展到计算等离子体对这些3D磁扰动的响应以及由此产生的3D平衡。我的研究将集中在“托卡马克等离子体稳定性的三维效应”，并将由霍华德威尔逊教授指导。特别是我的一些目标是; -对新的3D ELITE代码进行基准测试。使用ELITE，以了解ELMs和基座区域如何受到3D效果的影响。进一步扩展模型以包括非理想效应，例如等离子体电阻率。探索等离子体周围的导电壁的影响。探索STEP和ITER等离子体平衡特性的后果。对这些领域的研究非常重要，因为它将使我们能够更好地了解如何控制或避免ELM，这对下一步托卡马克的寿命至关重要，从而发展聚变能。

I graduated from Loughborough University with a BSc in Mathematics back in 2017, submitting my dissertation on "Optimal Route Across Hilly Terrain". I then worked as a software developer in the insurance industry for a couple of years before scrapping the corporate life to continue pursuing academia, with the objective of doing something that suits my interest in visual, physical applications of mathematics as well as making a positive impact on the planet. This led me to pursue a PhD, in particular within the Fusion CDT due to the ever increasing need for alternative energy sources as our hunger for energy grows.ELMs (edge-localised modes) are violent eruptions that occur at the edge of plasmas. If uncontrolled, they will cause excessive erosion on next step tokamaks; for example ITER will only be able to survive ~10 of the largest ELMs before the damage will put it out of action for extended maintenance. On ITER, it is planned to apply 3D magnetic perturbations as an approach to control these ELMs. I will be working with the ELITE code - an ongoing collaboration between the University of York and General Atomics, recently extended to calculate the plasma response to these 3D magnetic perturbations and the resulting 3D equilibrium. My research will have a focus on "3D Effects on Tokamak Plasma Stability" and will be supervised by Prof. Howard Wilson. In particular some of my objectives are; -Benchmarking the new 3D ELITE code against other approaches.-Using ELITE in order to develop an understanding of how ELMs and the pedestal region are influenced by 3D effects.-Further extending the model to include non-ideal effects such as plasma resistivity.-Explore the effects of a conducting wall around the plasma.-Explore the consequences for equilibria characteristic of the STEP and ITER plasmas.Research into these areas is extremely important as it will allow us to better understand how to control or avoid ELMs, which is vital for the lifespan of next step tokamaks and hence development of fusion energy.