Progress in the engineering design of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX)

The National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) is a proof-of-principle experiment whose objective is to demonstrate high beta operation in a quasi-axisymmetric stellarator. NCSX will be housed in the Princeton Beta Experiment (PBX-M) test cell. Many of the existing site assets including the test cell, TF and PF coils, power supplies, neutral beam heating systems, and site utilities can be re-used, minimizing the cost of the project. Saddle coils are used in the reference design. The stellarator core is pre-fabricated and dropped into place on the PBX-M platform. The existing TF and PF coils are then reassembled around the stellarator core. Alternate coil topologies are also being explored.