Plasma extrusion dynamo and methods related thereto

• US 5,923,716 A
• Filed: 11/07/1996
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meacham G B Kirby
• Original Assignee: Meacham G B Kirby
• Inventors: Meacham, G. B. Kirby
• Primary Examiner(s): Wasil, Daniel D.
• Application Number:
  US08/740,333
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 376/100, 376/121, 376/133, 376/128, 376/144, 376/146, 376/107, 376/139, 376/140, 376/127, 376/141
• US Class Current: 376/121
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/00 Thermonuclear fusion reactors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

Featured is a plasma extrusion dynamo and methods related thereto. Also featured are fusion reactors using such dynamos and methods. In the methodology of the present invention, a steady-state stream of conductive plasma is forced by pressure or momentum to flow into a magnetic extrusion nozzle made up of converging magnetic field lines so as to form a closed, steady-state current loop within the plasma. The plasma current loop in turn forms a closed set of poloidal field lines which interact with the plasma current to compress and confine a portion of the plasma in a toroidal volume. Such pressure and confinement establish the conditions for magnetically confining controlled nuclear fusion reactions for power generation. A fusion reactor using the plasma extrusion dynamo methodology includes a source of high pressure or high velocity plasma, one or more converging magnetic extrusion nozzles, and a plasma exhaust area at low pressure. In a preferred embodiment, a reactor includes two magnetic extrusion dynamos back-to-back with shared field lines. Neutral material is inserted into the common space between the nozzles and ionized to form the plasma that flows through both nozzles to form two steady-state plasma current loops wherein conditions conducive to fusion are established. A magnetic coil is disposed between the dynamos to separate and stabilize the two plasma current loops.

Claims

1. A method for forming a closed current loop in a conductive fluid comprising the steps of:

establishing a converging magnetic field; and

flowing the conductive fluid through the converging magnetic field in the direction of contraction.

2. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, wherein the conductive fluid is a conductive plasma suitable for nuclear fusion reactions.

3. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, wherein said step of flowing includes establishing a high to low pressure gradient in the direction of flow.

4. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, wherein said step of flowing includes flowing the conductive fluid in the direction of contraction so the flowing conductive fluid crosses radial components of the field lines of the converging magnetic field being established.

5. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 4, further comprising the step of establishing poloidal magnetic fields about the formed current loop.

6. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, wherein the converging magnetic field being established has a cross sectional configuration in the direction of flow of one of circular, oval, elliptical and polygonal.

7. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, wherein the converging magnetic field being established has a circular cross section in the direction of flow and wherein the current loop being formed is an annular ring of current.

8. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 5, wherein the conductive fluid is a conductive plasma suitable for nuclear fusion reactions and wherein said method further comprises the step of selecting a magnitude for the converging magnetic field being established and a flow for the flowing plasma so as to create conditions within the poloidal magnetic field conducive to fusion reactions.

9. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 8, further comprising the steps of exhausting fusion reaction by-products and unreacted plasma from within the poloidal magnetic fields and replacing therewith fresh unreacted plasma so as to continuously maintain the conditions conducive for fusion reactions.

10. The method for forming a closed current loop of claim 1, further comprising the step of interacting the flowing conductive fluid and field lines of the converging magnetic field.

11. A method for forming two closed current loops in a conductive fluid comprising the steps of:

establishing two converging magnetic fields; and

flowing the conductive fluid through each of the converging magnetic fields in the direction of contraction for each.

12. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 11, wherein said step of flowing includes establishing a high to low pressure gradient in the direction of flow for each converging magnetic field.

13. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 11, wherein each converging magnetic field includes an inlet region and wherein said method further comprises the step of arranging the two converging magnetic fields so the inlet regions are in back to back relationship and so a long axis of each converging magnetic field is in common.

14. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 13, further comprising the step of establishing poloidal magnetic fields about each of the formed current loops.

15. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 14, wherein the conductive fluid is a conductive plasmas suitable for nuclear fusion reactions and wherein said method further comprises the step of selecting a magnetic field magnitude for each of the converging magnetic fields and a flow for the flowing plasma through each converging magnetic field so as to create conditions within each poloidal magnetic field conducive to fusion reactions.

16. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 15, further comprising the steps of exhausting fusion reaction by-products and unreacted plasma from within each poloidal magnetic field and replacing therewith fresh unreacted plasma so as to continuously maintain the conditions conducive for fusion reactions in each poloidal magnetic field.

17. The method for forming two closed current loops of claim 11, further comprising the step of interacting the flowing conductive fluid flowing through each converging magnetic field and field lines therefor.