In our recent experiments on the TMX-U thermal-barrier device, we achieved the end plugging of axial ion losses up to a central cell density of n/sub c/ = 6 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/. During lower density experiments, we measured the axial potential profile characteristic of a thermal barrier and found an ion-confining potential greater than 1.5 kV and a potential depression of 0.45 kV in the barrier region. The average beta of hot end plug electrons has reached 15% and of hot central cell ions has reached 6%. In addition, we heated deuterium ions in the central cell with ICRF to an average perpendicular energy of 2 keV. During strong end plugging at low density (7 x 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -3/), the axial ion confinement time tau/sub parallel/ reached 50 to 100 ms while the nonambipolar radial ion confinement time tau/sub perpendicular/ was 14 ms - independent of end plugging. Electrically floating end walls increased the radial ion confinement time by a factor of 1.8. At higher densities and lower potentials, tau/sub parallel/ was 6 to 12 ms and tau/sub perpendicular/ exceeded 100 ms.

The Mirror Advanced Reactor Study (MARS) is a conceptual design of a 1200-MWe commercial tandem mirror reactor for electricity and synfuels (methanol) production. Thermal barrier end plugs of the TMX-U/MFTF-B type allow steady-state ignition of a 130-m-long central-cell DT plasma. Compact, gridless direct converters supply all the plant auxiliary power. The simple lead-lithium eutectic-cooled blanket has high neutron energy multiplication (1.36) as well as a low tritium inventory (< 8 g), and it will not melt in accidents.

In our recent experiments on the TMX-U thermal-barrier device, we achieved the end plugging of axial ion losses up to a central cell density of n/sub c/ = 6 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -3/. During lower density experiments, we measured the axial potential profile characteristic of a thermal barrier and found an ion-confining potential greater than 1.5 kV and a potential depression of 0.45 kV in the barrier region. The average beta of hot end plug electrons has reached 15% and of hot central cell ions has reached 6%. In addition, we heated deuterium ions in the central cell with ICRF to an average perpendicular energy of 2 keV. During strong end plugging at low density (7 x 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -3/), the axial ion confinement time tau/sub parallel to/ reached 50 to 100 ms while the nonambiopolar radial ion confinement time tau/sub perpendicular to/ was 14 ms - independent of end plugging. Electrically floating end walls doubled the radial ion confinement time. At higher densities and lower potentials, tau/sub parallel to/ was 6 to 12 ms and tau/sub perpendicular to/ exceeded 100 ms.