Systems and methods for plasma compression with recycling of projectiles

• US 9,271,383 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
• Inventors: Howard, Stephen James, Laberge, Michel Georges, McIlwraith, Lon, Richardson, Douglas Harvey, Gregson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burke, Sean P
• Application Number:
  US14/518,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 376/339, 376/457, 376/133, 376/150
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 3/006 Fusion by impact, e.g. cluster/beam interaction, ion beam collisions, impact on a target
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 3/008 Fusion by pressure waves
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/02 Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma G21B1/00 takes precedence; electron optics H01J
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/54 Plasma accelerators

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.

Claims

1. A method of compressing a plasma, the method comprising:

generating a toroidal plasma;

accelerating the toroidal plasma toward a cavity in a liquid metal;

accelerating a projectile toward the cavity in the liquid metal; and

compressing the toroidal plasma with the projectile while the toroidal plasma is in the cavity in the liquid metal and while the projectile is at least partially within the cavity in the liquid metal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a toroidal plasma comprises generating a spheromak.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accelerating the toroidal plasma further comprises compressing the toroidal plasma.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accelerating the projectile comprises using high pressure gas to accelerate the projectile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accelerating the projectile comprises using electromagnetic forces to accelerate the projectile.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the cavity in the liquid metal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the cavity comprises flowing a liquid metal to form the cavity.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising recycling a portion of the liquid metal to form at least one new projectile for compressing toroidal plasma while the toroidal plasma is in the cavity in the liquid metal and while the at least one new projectile is at least partially within the cavity in the liquid metal.