Plasma apparatus comprises a vacuum vessel, a device for creating an open-ended magnetic field containing a plasma, a plurality of electrostatic plugs disposed at the open-ended portions of the magnetic field. At least one of the electrostatic plugs comprises a limiter attached to the vacuum vessel, provided with an inner hollow portion and arranged so as to confine the plasma, an anode electrode disposed at the open-ended portion and provided with an inner hollow portion extending along a direction of the open-ended magnetic field, a cathode electrode disposed with space from the anode electrode on the side opposite to the limiter and coaxially with the anode electrode and the limiter, a control electrode passing through a through hole provided for the cathode electrode and extending into the hollow portion of the anode electrode so as to operate to control electrode density thereby to determine the space potential distribution, and electric power applying means so that potentials are applied to the anode electrode, the control electrode, the limiter, and the cathode electrode so as to be higher in the stated order.
An electron beam excited plasma system is provided with a first auxiliary electrode for initial discharge, an anode having an opening, a cathode, having an opening and located between the anode and the first auxiliary electrode, for producing an initial discharge between the first auxiliary electrode and the cathode, and for producing a plasma-generating discharge between the anode and the cathode, a second auxiliary electrode, having an opening and located between the cathode and the anode, for facilitating the generation of the discharge plasma between the cathode and the anode, a gas supply device for supplying a discharge plasma-generating gas into the region between the cathode and the anode, and magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and for applying this magnetic field to the region between the cathode and the anode, such that a cusp magnetic field is generated in the vicinity of the cathode.
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 they 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.
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 they 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.
An apparatus 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 they 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.
A system and apparatus for controlled fusion in a field reversed configuration (FRC) magnetic topology and conversion of fusion product energies directly to electric power. Preferably, plasma ions are magnetically confined in the FRC while plasma electrons are electrostatically confined in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions they are fused together by the nuclear force, thus forming fusion products that emerge in the form of an annular beam. Energy is removed from the fusion product ions as they spiral past electrodes of an inverse cyclotron converter. Advantageously, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement and energy conversion system include advanced (aneutronic) fuels.
