Development of a magnetohydrodynamic code for axisymmetric, high-β plasmas with complex magnetic fields

The Topolotron is an axisymmetric, toroidal magnetic fusion concept in which two-dimensional effects are important, as well as all three magnetic field components. The particular MHD model employed is basically the one-fluid, two-temperature model using classical Braginskii transport with viscous effects ignored. The model is augmented by Saha-Boltzmann dissociation and partial ionization physics, a simple radiation loss mechanism, and an additional resistivity due to electron-neutral collisions. While retaining all velocity and magnetic field components, the assumption of axisymmetry is made, and the resulting equations are expanded in cylindrical coordinates. The major approximation technique is then applied: spline collocation, which reduces these equations to a set of ordinary differential equations