SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORMING AND MAINTAINING A HIGH PERFORMANCE FRC
First Claim
1. A method for generating and maintaining a magnetic field with a field reversed configuration (FRC) comprising the steps of:
- forming an FRC about a plasma in a confinement chamber, andmaintaining the FRC at or about a constant value without decay by injecting beams of fast neutral atoms from neutral beam injectors into the FRC plasma at an angle towards the mid-plane of the confinement chamber and injecting a compact toroid plasma into the FRC.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high performance field reversed configuration (FRC) system includes a central confinement vessel, two diametrically opposed reversed-field-theta-pinch formation sections coupled to the vessel, and two divertor chambers coupled to the formation sections. A magnetic system includes quasi-dc coils axially positioned along the FRC system components, quasi-dc mirror coils between the confinement chamber and the formation sections, and mirror plugs between the formation sections and the divertors. The formation sections include modular pulsed power formation systems enabling static and dynamic formation and acceleration of the FRCs. The FRC system further includes neutral atom beam injectors, pellet or CT injectors, gettering systems, axial plasma guns and flux surface biasing electrodes. The beam injectors are preferably angled toward the midplane of the chamber. In operation, FRC plasma parameters including plasma thermal energy, total particle numbers, radius and trapped magnetic flux, are sustainable at or about a constant value without decay during neutral beam injection.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for generating and maintaining a magnetic field with a field reversed configuration (FRC) comprising the steps of:
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forming an FRC about a plasma in a confinement chamber, and maintaining the FRC at or about a constant value without decay by injecting beams of fast neutral atoms from neutral beam injectors into the FRC plasma at an angle towards the mid-plane of the confinement chamber and injecting a compact toroid plasma into the FRC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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3. (canceled)
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8-9. -9. (canceled)
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11-12. -12. (canceled)
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19-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A system for generating and maintaining a magnetic field with a field reversed configuration (FRC) comprising
a confinement chamber, first and second diametrically opposed FRC formation sections coupled to the confinement chamber, first and second divertors coupled to the first and second formation sections, one or more of a plurality of plasma guns, one or more biasing electrodes and first and second mirror plugs, wherein the plurality of plasma guns includes first and second axial plasma guns operably coupled to the first and second divertors, the first and second formation sections and the confinement chamber, wherein the one or more biasing electrodes being positioned within one or more of the confinement chamber, the first and second formation sections, and the first and second divertors, and wherein the first and second mirror plugs being position between the first and second formation sections and the first and second divertors, a gettering system coupled to the confinement chamber and the first and second divertors, a plurality of neutral atom beam injectors coupled to the confinement chamber and oriented normal to the axis of the confinement chamber, a magnetic system comprising a plurality of quasi-dc coils positioned around the confinement chamber, the first and second formation sections, and the first and second divertors, first and second set of quasi-dc mirror coils positioned between the confinement chamber and the first and second formation sections, and a CT injector coupled to the confinement chamber, wherein the system is configured to generate an FRC and maintain the FRC without decay while the neutral beams are injected into the plasma.
Specification