Towards a precession driven dynamo experiment

F. Stefani¹ - T. Albrecht² - G. Gerbeth¹ - A. Giesecke¹ - T. Gundrum¹ - J. Herault¹ - C. Nore³ - C. Steglich¹

¹ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, P.O. Box 510119, D-01314 Dresden, Germany
² Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
³ LIMSI-CNRS/B$\hat a$timent 508, BP 133, 91403 Orsay cedex, France et Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay cedex, France

Abstract
The most ambitious project within the DREsden Sodium facility for DYNamo and thermohydraulic studies (DRESDYN) at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) is the set-up of a precession-driven dynamo experiment. After discussing the scientific background and some results of water pre-experiments and numerical predictions, we focus on the numerous structural and design problems of the machine. We also outline the progress of the building's construction and the status of some other experiments that are planned in the framework of DRESDYN. Figs 6, Refs 33.