TOPICA : a virtual prototyping suite for plasma facing antennas

R. Maggiora, V. Kyrytsya, G. Vecchi, V. Lancellotti

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Abstract

An innovative tool has been realized for the simulation of 3-dimensional Ion Cyclotron Radio Frequency (ICRF) antennas in a realistic geometry and with an accurate plasma model. The approach to the problem is based on an integral-equation formulation for the self-consistent evaluation of the current distribution on antennas facing a plasma in a slab geometry. The plasma enters the formalism via a surface impedance matrix; for this reason any plasma model can be used (presently the FELICE code has been adopted). A vacuum-term extraction and an analytical evaluation of some integrals are employed that permit to significantly reduce the integration support and to obtain a high numerical efficiency leading to the practical possibility of using sub-domain basis functions on each conductor of the antenna system. Calculation of field distributions (both magnetic and electric), useful for sheath considerations, is included. This tool has been implemented in a suite that is modular and applicable to ICRF antenna structures of arbitrary shape. This new simulation tool can assist during the detailed design phase and for this reason can be referred to as a "Virtual Prototyping Laboratory" (VPL). The VPL has been tested against assessed codes and against measurements of mock-up and prototype antennas.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 44th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, November 11-15, 2002, Orlando, Florida
Pages1-31
Publication statusPublished - 2002

Publication series

NameBulletin of the American Physical Society
Volume47
ISSN (Print)0003-0503

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