Application of diffusion theory to neutral atom transport in fusion plasmas
It is found that energy dependent diffusion theory provides excellent accuracy in the modelling of transport of neutral atoms in fusion plasmas. Two reasons in particular explain the good accuracy. First, while the plasma is optically thick for low energy neutrals, it is optically thin for high energy neutrals and diffusion theory with Marshak boundary conditions gives accurate results for an optically thin medium even for small values of 'c', the ratio of the scattering to the total cross section. Second, the effective value of 'c' at low energy becomes very close to one due to the down-scattering via collisions of high energy neutrals. The first reason is proven both computationally and theoretically by solving the transport equation in a power series in 'c' and the diffusion equation with 'general' Marshak boundary conditions. The second reason is established numerically by comparing the results from a one-dimensional, general geometry, multigroup diffusion theory code, written for this purpose, with the results obtained using the transport code ANISN.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering
- DOE Contract Number:
- AS03-80ER52062
- OSTI ID:
- 5628647
- Report Number(s):
- UCLA/PPG-902; ON: DE86010913
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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