Use of current-potential patches to obtain fundamental improvements to the coils of magnetic fusion devices

TL;DR

This paper introduces a computational method using current-potential patches to improve coil design in magnetic fusion devices, enabling better plasma access, increased coil-plasma separation, and enhanced control.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach for separating coil feasibility studies from engineering design, allowing for more optimal coil configurations in fusion devices.

Findings

Enhanced plasma access through coil design

Increased coil-plasma separation distances

Improved insensitivity to coil position errors

Abstract

A central issue in the design of tokamaks or stellarators is the coils that produce the external magnetic fields. The freedom that remains unstudied in the design of coils is enormous. This freedom could be quickly studied computationally at low cost with high reliability. In particular, the space between toroidal field or modular coils that block access to the plasma chamber could be increased by a large factor. The concept of current-potential patches, which was developed in Todd Elder's thesis, provides a method for separating the study of the feasibility of coils with attractive physics properties from the engineering design of specific coils. In addition to enhanced accessibility, coils can be designed for increased plasma-coil separation, insensitivity to coil position errors, and plasma control.