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

• US 9,265,137 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Rostoker, Norman, Binderbauer, Michi, Qerushi, Artan, Tahsiri, Hooshang
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASIL, DANIEL D
• Application Number:
  US12/465,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20090220039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 376/107, 376/113, 376/121, 376/130, 315/111.41, 315/111.21, 315/111.81, 315/111.71
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/05 with magnetic or electric plasma confinement
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/052 reversed field configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 7/00 Arrangements for direct production of electric energy from fusion or fission reactions obtaining electric energy from radioactive sources G21H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/03 using electrostatic fields
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/10 using externally-applied magnetic fields only , e.g. Q-machines, Yin-Yang, base-ball
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/12 wherein the containment vessel forms a closed or nearly closed loop G21B1/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/14 wherein the containment vessel is straight and has magnetic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/16 using externally-applied electric and magnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/00 Energy generation of nuclear origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

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 ions 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.

Claims

1. A method for confining a plasma of ions and electrons within a chamber comprising the steps of:

magnetically confining a plurality of plasma ions within a magnetic field formed within a chamber and having a field reversed configuration (FRC);

forming an electrostatic field within the chamber having a polarity and magnitude that is confining to plasma electrons; and

electrostatically confining a plurality of plasma electrons within the electrostatic field formed within the chamber,

wherein both electrostatic confinement of plasma electrons and magnetic confinement of plasma ions occur simultaneously within the chamber;

wherein the step of forming the electrostatic field includes;

applying a magnetic field to the chamber,

forming a FRC magnetic field within the chamber about a rotating plasma of ions and electrons, and

injecting neutralized ion beams into the FRC,

wherein the magnitude and polarity of the electrostatic field is a function of the magnitude of the applied magnetic field and the velocity of the injected neutralized ion beams.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of applying a magnetic field to the chamber, and forming a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic field within the chamber about a rotating plasma of ions and electrons.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of injecting ion beams into the FRC.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of forming an FRC magnetic field comprises the steps of

generating a poloidal magnetic self-field about the rotating beam plasma, and

increasing the rotating beam plasma'"'"'s rotational velocity to increase the magnetic self-field'"'"'s magnitude beyond the applied magnetic field'"'"'s magnitude causing field reversal internal to the rotating beam plasma and formation of the FRC.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of injecting the ion beams further comprises the steps of

neutralizing the ion beams,

draining the neutralized ion beams'"'"' electric polarization, and

exerting a Lorentz force due to the magnetic field on the neutralized ion beams to bend the ion beams into betatron orbits.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein step of increasing the rotating beam plasma'"'"'s rotational velocity includes the step of forming an azimuthal electric field about a principle axis extending within and along the length of the chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of forming an azimuthal electric field includes the step of increasing the current running through a betatron flux coil concentrically positioned along the principle axis of the chamber, wherein the betatron flux coil includes a plurality of parallel coil windings wound about the principle axis.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of tuning the applied magnetic field'"'"'s magnitude to maintain the rotating beam plasma at a predetermined radial size.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of increasing the rate of change of the current running through the betatron flux coil to accelerate the rotating beam plasma to increase the rotational energy of the rotating beam plasma.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of injecting high energy ion beams into the FRC and trapping the beams in betatron orbits within the FRC.

11. A method for confining a plasma of ions and electrons within a chamber comprising the steps of:

injecting beams comprising a plurality of ions and electrons into a magnetic field having a field reversed configuration (FRC) and formed about a rotating plasma of ions and electrons within a chamber;

magnetically confining a plurality of plasma ions within the FRC in the chamber;

forming within the chamber, an electrostatic field having a polarity and magnitude that is confining to plasma electrons,

wherein the beams are injected at a velocity and the magnetic field is applied at a magnitude that causes the formation of the electrostatic field within the chamber; and

electrostatically confining a plurality of plasma electrons within the electrostatic field formed within the chamber,

wherein both electrostatic confinement of plasma electrons and magnetic confinement of plasma ions occur simultaneously within the chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of applying a magnetic field to the chamber and forming the FRC magnetic field within the chamber.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of forming an FRC magnetic field comprises the steps of

generating a poloidal magnetic self-field about the rotating beam plasma, and

increasing the rotating beam plasma'"'"'s rotational velocity to increase the magnetic self-field'"'"'s magnitude beyond the applied magnetic field'"'"'s magnitude causing field reversal internal to the rotating beam plasma and formation of the FRC.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of applying a magnetic field includes energizing a plurality of field coils extending about the chamber.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the ion beams are injected substantially transverse to the applied magnetic field.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of injecting the ion beams further comprises the step of neutralizing the ion beams.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of adjusting the applied magnetic field'"'"'s magnitude to maintain the rotating beam plasma at a predetermined radial size.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein step of increasing the rotating beam plasma'"'"'s rotational velocity includes the step of increasing the current running through a betatron flux coil concentrically positioned along a principle axis extending within and along the length of the chamber inducing the formation of an azimuthal electric field about the longitudinal axis of the chamber, wherein the betatron flux coil includes a plurality of parallel coil windings wound about the principle axis.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step increasing the rate of change of the current running through the betatron flux coil to accelerate the rotating beam plasma to increase the rotational energy of the rotating beam plasma.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of injecting high energy ion beams into the FRC and trapping the beams in betatron orbits within the FRC.