MHD equilibrium and stability considerations for high-aspect-ratio ARIES-I tokamak reactors

The requirements of (1) an external poloidal-field coil (PFC) system with minimum stored energy, (2) double-null divertor plasmas with elongated D shape, (3) adequate passive stabilization of plasma vertical displacement by a vacuum vessel located behind the blanket zone, and (4) an enhanced plasma beta limit in the first stability regime are incorporated in the Advanced Reactor Innovation and Evaluation Study-I (ARIES-I) concept for a high-field tokamak reactor with high aspect ratio (A=4.5). The plasma current and pressure profiles are also made consistent with enhanced bootstrap current and reduced current drive power by means of ion cyclotron wave or neutral beam injection. These lead to plasmas characterized by an elongation of 1.8 to the divertor X-point, a triangularity of 0.7, a safety factor of approximately 1.5, a safety factor at the edge >4, a plasma beta of approximately 2%, and a poloidal beta of approximately 0.5. With a plasma current of 11 MA, a toroidal field of 13 T at the major radius of 6.5 m, and over 3.5 m of clearance between the PFCs and the plasma edge, the stored energy in the PFC system ranges from 20 GJ during plasma operation at low beta, to 12 GJ during plasma operation at high beta.<>