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Teaching

 

NOTE !! This is an old page. For the 2008-2009 lecture course go to the

Module pages of the physics department

 

Lecture notes

Lecture notes 

 

Slides of the lectures (PDF format)

Lecture 1: The basics

Lecture 2 : Lawson criterion / plasma physics

Lecture 3: Force on the plasma / Virial theorem

Lecture 4 : Cylindiral concepts

Lecture 5 : Particle motion

Lecture 6 : Conserved quantities / Mirror / Tokamak 

Lecture 7 : Stellarator / Tokamak

Lecture 8 Plasma shaping and vertical stability

Lecture 9 : Tokamak / beta limit / vertical stability

Lecture 10 : diagnostics / running a discharge

Lecture 11 Diagnostics / Ohmic heating

Lecture 12 : Ohmic heating / Classical transport / particle motion in tokamak

Lecture 13 : Diffusion equation / Transport

Lecture 14 : Transport / ITER

Lecture 15: Inertial confinement fusion

 

Slides of the lectures (Power-point format)

Lecture 1: The basics (powerpoint)

Lecture 2 : Lawson criterion / plasma physics (powerpoint)

Lecture 3: Force on the plasma / Virial theorem (powerpoint)

Lecture 4 : Cylindiral concepts (powerpoint)

Lecture 5 : Particle motion (powerpoint)

Lectrure6 : Conserved quatities / Mirror / Tokamak (powerpoint)

Lecture 7 : Stellarator / Tokamak (powerpoint)

Lecture 8 Plasma shaping and vertical stability (powerpoint)

Lecture 9 : Tokamak / beta limit / vertical stability (powerpoint) 

Lecture 10 : diagnostics / running a discharge (powerpoint)

Lecture 11 Diagnostics / Ohmic heating (powerpoint)

Lecture 12 : Heating (powerpoint)

Lecture 13 : Diffusion equation / Transport (powerpoint)

Lecture 14 : Transport / ITER (powerpoint)

Lecture 15: Inertial confinement fusion (powerpoint)

 

Movie of the turbulence in a tokamak plasma

Turbulence movie

 

Lecturer: Arthur G. Peeters

Weighting: 7.5 CATS


Aims:

The course will discuss the two main approaches: inertial confinement and magnetic confinement, with the emphasis on the later since it is further developed. The course will deal with both the physics phenomena as well as with the boundary conditions that must be satisfied for a working reactor.

Objectives
By the end of the module, you should:

  • be familiar with the main experimental reactor concepts.

  • have an understanding of the boundary conditions such concepts have to satisfy

  • be familiar with the main physics effect, and understand how they influence the reactor design.

  • have a deep understanding of a few chosen subjects of the field

Syllabus:

  • Introduction
    Nuclear fusion / Energy production / Efficiency of a reactor / Current status

  • Essential elements of plasma physics (briefly introduced)

  • Magnetic confinement.
    Virial theorem / Pressure equilibrium / Why the simplest topology for good energy confinement is the torus.

  • The tokamak .
    Reason for the plasma current / Plasma elongation / Vertical instability and control / The divertor and impurity control / External heating / Energy confinement .

  • Energy confinement
    Collision dominated transport / Instabilities and turbulence

  • Inertial confinement fusion
    Basic concept / Current status / Physics challenges

Commitment: 15 Lectures

Assessment: 1.5 hour examination

Recommended Texts: Lecture notes

Other useful books include: J.A. Wesson