Modelling and simulation of new generation powerful gyrotrons for the fusion research

Abstract

One of the important issues related with the cyclotron resonance heating (CRH) and current drive of fusion plasmas in thermonuclear reactors (tokamaks and stellarators) is the development of multi-megawatt class gyrotrons. There are generally three stages of the implementation of that task, notably (i) elaborating a novel generation of software tools for the physical modelling and simulation of such kind of gyrotrons, (ii) their computer aided design (CAD) and construction on the basis of the simulation's results, and finally, (iii) gyrotrons' testing in real experimental conditions. This tutorial paper concerns the first item-the development of software tools. In co-operation with the Institute for Pulsed Power and Microwave Technology at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany, and Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas at cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, we work on the conceptual design of the software tools under development. The basic conclusions are that the numerical codes for gyrotrons' modelling should possess the following essential characteristics: (a) portability, (b) extensibility, (c) to be oriented toward the solution of practical problems (i.e., elaborating of computer programs that can be used in the design process), (d) to be based on self-consistent 3D physical models, which take into account the departure from axial symmetry, and (e) ability to simulate time dependent processes (electrostatic PIC simulation) alongside with a trajectory analysis (ray tracing simulation). Here, we discuss how various existing numerical codes have to be improved and implemented via the advanced programming technologies for state-of-the-art computer systems including clusters, grid, parallel platforms, and supercomputers. © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd.