| Abstract: | In this paper we present a coupled Finite Element Method – Boundary Element Method (FEM-BEM) approach for the solution of the free-boundary axi-symmetric
plasma equilibrium problem. The proposed method, obtained from an improvement
of the Hagenow-Lackner coupling method, allows to efficiently model the equilibrium
problem in unbounded domains by discretizing only the plasma region; the external
conductors can be modelled either as 2D or 3D models, according to the problem of interest. The paper explores different iterative methods for the solution of the nonlinear
Grad-Shafranov equation, such as Picard, Newton-Raphson and Newton-Krylov, in order to provide a robust and reliable tool, able to handle large-scale problems (e.g. high
resolution equilibria). This method has been implemented in the FRIDA code (FRee-boundary Integro-Differential Axisimmetric – https://github.
om/matteobonotto/
FRIDA), together with a suitable Adaptive Integration Technique (AIT) for the computation of the source term. FRIDA has been successfully tested and validated against
experimental data from RFX-mod device, and numerical equilibria of an ITER-like device. |
