Control for orbiting charged particles

• US 4,416,845 A
• Filed: 08/02/1979
• Issued: 11/22/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Energy Profiles Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Energy Profiles Incorporated
• Inventors: Salisbury, Winfield W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cangialosi, Sal
• Application Number:
  US06/063,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 176/2, 176/5, 176/1, 176/3-6, 176/9, 376/105-107, 376/143
• US Class Current: 376/107
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/15 Particle injectors for producing thermonuclear fusion reactions, e.g. pellet injectors
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 3/006 Fusion by impact, e.g. cluster/beam interaction, ion beam collisions, impact on a target
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

This invention relates to the control of ions orbiting in a cylindrical reaction space and more particularly to attenuation of instabilities in two counterflow streams of ions to focus the ions of both streams into a predetermined orbital reaction zone.

Claims

1. In a fusion reaction system where ions from two sources spiral toward each other on common axis while rotating in opposite senses in orbital paths of common radii in an annular reaction zone of circular symmetry at any given cross section perpendicular to the axis of said paths and bounded by spaced apart outer and inner coaxial electrode walls for promoting collisions of ions in one beam with ions in the other beam, the improvement comprising:

(a) electrostatic field means for causing said ions normally to orbit at said radii in said zone; and

(b) structure for establishing electric focusing fields operable in the absence of any effective magnetic fields within said reaction zone to force ions traversing scatter paths back into said orbital paths.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said structure includes:

electrical circuit means having means for sensing plasma waves and elements in circuit therewith tuned to the frequency of said plasma waves of ions from one of said sources to attenuate said waves.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein cavities at the perimeter of said zone resonate at a plasma wave frequency for ions from one of said sources to damp the plasma waves.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein electrodes arranged around the perimeter of said zone are connected in circuits with means including tuning means to include at least one plasma wave frequency for ions from one of said sources for attenuation of plasma waves.

5. In a fusion reaction system where ions from two sources spiral toward each other on common axis while rotating in opposite senses in orbital paths of common radii in an annular reaction zone of circular symmetry at any given gross section perpendicular to the axis of said paths and bounded by spaced apart outer and inner coaxial electrode walls for promoting collisions of ions in one beam with ions in the other beam, the improvement comprising:

(a) electrostatic field control means to cause said ions normally to follow orbital paths of said radii; and

(b) electrical circuit means associated with one of said electrodes and tuned to a frequency representative of wave action of said ions in said zone operable in the absence of any effective magnetic fields for exerting stabilizing forces on said ions within said zone for limiting travel through said zone substantially to said paths of said radius.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the larger of said electrodes is thick-walled and has cavities therein, some of which form coolant courses connected to a coolant flow system and some of which are connected to said reaction zone by slots wherein the slots and cavities form resonant systems related to characteristics of flow of said ions.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which sensor means mounted on the inside of the larger of said electrodes provides for sensing wave motion in the ion streams in said zone and wherein circuit means responsive to said sensor means establishes ion control fields in said zone to generate said forces.

8. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which two sets of said sensors and said circuit means are provided, one set of which is directional preferential in one sense and the other set of which is directionally preferential in the opposite sense.

9. In a fusion reaction system where ions from two sources spiral toward each other on common axis while rotating in opposite senses in orbital paths of common radii in an annular reaction zone of circular symmetry at any given cross section perpendicular to the axis of said paths and bounded by spaced apart outer and inner coaxial electrode walls for promoting collisions of ions in one beam with ions in the other beam, the improvement comprising:

(a) electrostatic field means operable in the absence of any effective magnetic fields for substantially limiting travel through said zone to orbital paths of the same radii with the walls of at least one of said electrodes having coolant courses connected to a coolant flow system and structure forming cavities in the larger of said electrodes, said cavities being connected to said reaction zone by slots in the walls of said larger electrode wherein the slots and connected cavities form passive systems at resonance relative to characteristics of flow of said ions and which establish focusing fields within the reaction zone to force said ions into paths of said radii.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which said cavities of said resonant systems are cylindrical and have axes parallel to the axis of said reaction zone.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which said coolant course and said resonant cavities are arrayed symmetrical to the axis of said reaction zone in alternate relation.

12. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which said slots lie in a radial plane common to the axis of said reaction zone.

13. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which said systems are resonant at a plasma wave frequencies relative to the flow of ions in said helical paths.

14. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which said slots contain high dielectric material and said connected cavities contain lossy material.

15. In a fusion reaction system where ions from two sources spiral toward each other on common axis while rotating in opposite senses in orbital paths of common radii in an annular reaction zone of circular symmetry at any given cross section perpendicular to the axis of said paths and bounded by spaced apart outer and inner coaxial electrode walls for promoting collisions of ions in one beam with ions in the other beam, the improvement comprising:

(a) sensing plasma waves produced by ions as they leave said paths in said zone; and

(b) in response to the sensed plasma waves establishing electric fields in the absence of any effective magnetic fields to force said ions back into said orbital path.