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Fiber Bragg grating sensor array for detecting heat flux in vacuum.
J B Titus1, M E Griswold1, E M Granstedt1
1TAE Technologies, Inc., 19631 Pauling, Foothill Ranch, Lake Forest, California 92610, USA.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|September 1, 2022
Summary
A new diagnostic system using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors effectively maps heat flux on the C-2W device wall. This innovation provides crucial data for understanding plasma behavior and improving fusion energy research.
Area of Science:
- Plasma Physics
- Fusion Energy
- Materials Science
Background:
- The C-2W device at TAE Technologies produces advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasmas.
- Sustaining these plasmas requires sophisticated control systems and diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement a novel diagnostic for measuring heat flux along the vacuum vessel wall.
- To create a detailed heat map of the vessel during plasma discharges.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an industrial fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor array housed in a steel sheath.
- Installed four vacuum-rated FBG arrays, each with 30 sensors spaced 0.15m apart on a 5m fiber.
- Employed a 100 Hz acquisition rate to analyze reflected wavelengths sensitive to temperature and strain.
Main Results:
- Successfully detected temperature changes along the vacuum vessel wall caused by plasma discharges.
- Generated a 120-point heat map, providing spatial temperature distribution data.
- Demonstrated the FBG system's capability to monitor heat flux in a fusion plasma environment.
Conclusions:
- The FBG sensor array is a viable diagnostic for heat flux measurement in fusion devices.
- This novel diagnostic contributes to understanding plasma-wall interactions.
- The heat map data aids in optimizing plasma confinement and device performance.
