Formation of a field reversed configuration for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma

摘要

A system and method for containing plasma and forming a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) magnetic topology are described in which plasma ions are contained magnetically in stable, non-adiabatic orbits in the FRC. Further, the electrons are contained electrostatically in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. The simultaneous electrostatic confinement of electrons and magnetic confinement of ions avoids anomalous transport and facilitates classical containment of both electrons and ions. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by nuclear force, thus releasing fusion energy. Moreover, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement system and method are not limited to neutronic fuels only, but also advantageously include advanced fuels.

主权项

1. A method of forming a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic field about a plasma of charged particles comprising the steps of
creating a magnetic guide field within a cylindrical chamber having a longitudinal axis, wherein the magnetic guide field having field lines axially extending within the chamber parallel to the longitudinal axis, injecting a plasma of charged electron and ion particles into the chamber toward a midplane of the chamber, generating an azimuthal electric field within the chamber coupling to the charged electron and ion particles of the plasma causing ponderomotive forces causing the charged electron and ion particles to accelerate and the plasma to rotate within the chamber and form a magnetic poloidal self field surrounding the rotating plasma due to the rotating plasma's current, thereby creating and rapidly increasing an axial magnetic flux within the chamber, and increasing a current running through a betatron flux coil concentric with a principle axis of the chamber, increasing the rotating plasma's rotational energy to increase the self-field's magnitude to a level that overcomes a guide field axially extending within the chamber causing the formation of a magnetic field within the chamber with field reversed topology.