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Radial and Vertical Build

Simplified scale diagrams of the vertical and horizontal cross-sections of the machine can be output in the 2-page summary using the utility plot_proc.py (currently stored in process/process/io).

The coordinate system is (R,Z) system, where R is the radial distance from the vertical centreline (axis) of the torus, and Z is the vertical distance from the equatorial midplane.

Components are often referred to as being 'inboard' or 'outboard', which simply means that they lie at a radius R less than or greater than R_0, respectively, where R_0 is the plasma major radius (rmajor).

The radial build is described in detail in the OUT.DAT file as in the example below, which lists the major radius of each component in the midplane. The machine is axisymmetric, except for the TF coils which are discrete. The variables marked "IP" below are input variables. Those marked "ITV" are available as iteration variables (although it is not always advisable to use them as iteration variables). Those marked with an asterisk (*) may or may not be input variables depending on the switches used.

 ************************************************ Radial Build ***************************************

 Device centreline                            0.000           0.000                       
 Machine bore                                 2.124           2.124   (bore)              IP, ITV
 Central solenoid                             0.500           2.624   (ohcth)             IP, ITV
 CS precompression                            0.065           2.689   (precomp)           
 Gap                                          0.050           2.739   (gapoh)             IP, ITV
 TF coil inboard leg                          1.400           4.139   (tfcth)             IP
 Gap                                          0.050           4.189   (tftsgap)           IP
 Thermal shield, inboard                      0.050           4.239   (thshield_ib)       IP
 Gap                                          0.020           4.259   (gapds)             IP
 Vacuum vessel (and shielding)                0.600           4.859   (d_vv_in + shldith) IP
 Gap                                          0.020           4.879   (vvblgap)           IP
 Inboard blanket                              0.755           5.634   (blnkith)           IP*
 Inboard first wall                           0.018           5.652   (fwith)             
 Inboard scrape-off                           0.225           5.877   (scrapli)           IP, ITV
 Plasma geometric centre                      3.265           9.142   (rminor)            
 Plasma outboard edge                         3.265          12.408   (rminor)            
 Outboard scrape-off                          0.225          12.633   (scraplo)           IP, ITV
 Outboard first wall                          0.018          12.651   (fwoth)             
 Outboard blanket                             0.982          13.633   (blnkoth)           IP*
 Gap                                          0.020          13.653   (vvblgap)           IP
 Vacuum vessel (and shielding)                1.100          14.753   (d_vv_out+shldoth)  IP
 Gap                                          1.900          16.652   (gapsto)            
 Thermal shield, outboard                     0.050          16.702   (thshield_ob)       IP
 Gap                                          0.050          16.752   (tftsgap)           IP
 TF coil outboard leg                         1.400          18.152   (tfthko)          

The radial build is shown schematically below (click to zoom).

Radial build

The vertical build is described in detail in the OUT.DAT as in the following example, which lists the vertical coordinate of each component at the point furthest from the midplane (excluding the CS, the other PF coils and the cryostat). The midplane is defined to be half way between the top and bottom of the plasma. A single-null scenario is assumed to have a lower divertor, in which case the machine is not symmetric about the midplane.

 *********************************************** Vertical Build *************************

 Single null case
                                          Thickness (m)    Height (m)
 TF coil                                      1.576           9.862   (tfcth)             
 Gap                                          0.050           8.286   (tftsgap)           
 Thermal shield                               0.050           8.236   (thshield)          
 Gap                                          0.050           8.186   (vgap_vv_thermalshield)             
 Vacuum vessel (and shielding)                0.600           8.136   (d_vv_top+shldtth)  
 Gap                                          0.020           7.536   (vvblgap)           
 Top blanket                                  0.869           7.516   (blnktth)           
 Top first wall                               0.018           6.647   (fwtth)             
 Top scrape-off                               0.600           6.629   (vgaptop)           
 Plasma top                                   6.029           6.029   (rminor*kappa)      
 Midplane                                     0.000          -0.000                       
 Plasma bottom                                6.029          -6.029   (rminor*kappa)      
 Lower scrape-off                             2.002          -8.031   (vgap)              
 Divertor structure                           0.621          -8.652   (divfix)            
 Vacuum vessel (and shielding)                1.000          -9.652   (d_vv_bot+shldlth)  
 Gap                                          0.050          -9.702   (vgap_vv_thermalshield)             
 Thermal shield                               0.050          -9.752   (thshield)          
 Gap                                          0.050          -9.802   (tftsgap)           
 TF coil                                      1.576         -11.379   (tfcth)    

The vertical build is shown schematically below (click to zoom).

Vertical build

Since PROCESS is essentially a 0-D code, the shape of each component is used to estimate its mass and cost, but is not used otherwise. The first wall, blanket, shield and vacuum vessel may be either D-shaped in cross-section, or each may be defined by two half-ellipses. The choice between these two possibilities is set using input parameter fwbsshape, which should be

  • 1 for D-shaped,
  • 2 for ellipses.

TF coil placement

The radial build can vary from the figures above dependant on the placement of the inboard TF coil leg when using the tf_in_cs switch. See TF coil page**