Transient magnetohydrodynamic processes in a conducting continuous medium arising during plasma disruptions in tokamaks represent a critical issue for the safety of future fusion reactors, especially during transient processes with characteristic times of 0.1–100 ms. The lack of a clear phenomenological model and reliable methods for diagnosing key parameters such as flow velocity, pressure dynamics, and induced current density is hindering progress in this area. This work is devoted to the preparatory stage of a comprehensive project to study such phenomena. Within the framework of this stage, key engineering and methodological tasks were solved. Numerical simulations using the finite element method were performed, which predicted the complex dynamics of the Lorentz forces. To justify the selection of diagnostic sensors, estimates of expected pressures and fluid flow rates were made based on modeling a 1.5-kA current pulse or a 0.7-T magnetic-field pulse in a uniform 1.7-T transverse magnetic field. A strength analysis of the solenoid for generating a poloidal magnetic field revealed significant mechanical stresses (up to 19 MPa), indicating the need for design modifications. The central task was to test measurement methods. The performance of piezoelectric pressure sensors in strong magnetic fields has been confirmed, and a combined measurement system using fiber-optic sensors has been proposed to improve reliability in conditions of strong electromagnetic interference. Thus, the completed engineering calculations, numerical modeling, and development of diagnostic methods formed the necessary scientific and technical basis for conducting subsequent experiments.
Shmakov et al. (Sun,) studied this question.