• Ravi Pragash.N
• C.D.Sankhavara

In general, Tokamaks are operated for various plasma confinement experiments all around the world since many decades. However, the complexity of such machines are too high to handle in terms of design and operation. Being the fourth state of matter, the plasma state is very challenging in engineering terms when it is produced and confined in such tokamaks. The major constraints are being the machine volume itself to accommodate enough diagnostic and other subsystems, and the support structure of the machine. The support structure requires a full scale design optimization if possible to maximum possible levels in both weight and size but still withstanding the operational structural loads due to plasma instabilities. Such an attempt is made in optimizing the support structure of a Table Top Tokamak (TTT) that is designed as a prototype. The software used is the Optistruct module from Hyperworks software which helps to carry out Design optimization using Finite Element Methods on any defined model. This paper reveals the description of using such software capability to optimize the structural design of supports for the TTT machine, so that the procedure can be applied to any large tokamak or even a Fusion reactor. In this case study, the Optistruct software is used to reduce a mass of about 12 kg from a 27.5 kg designed structure by means of optimization technique. In many applications, it is observed that a reduction of mass of about 45 % is achieved from the mechanically designed structure when the Optistruct method is used. The major mass reduction of components plays major role in rocket payloads, aerospace components and in novel applications like Robotics and tokamak applications. The procedure of applying Optistruct is explained in a way that the readers will be able to optimize any structure required after learning the modules and steps.

Optimization, Table Top Tokamak, Optistruct, Tokamak Support Structure

"DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF TABLE TOP TOKAMAK SUPPORT STRUCTURE USING OPTISTRUCT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no.680-684, July-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807109.pdf

"DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF TABLE TOP TOKAMAK SUPPORT STRUCTURE USING OPTISTRUCT", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no. pp680-684, July-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807109.pdf