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Title: Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma

Abstract

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 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.

Inventors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1260398
Patent Number(s):
9,386,676
Application Number:
13/915,521
Assignee:
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (Oakland, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
N00014-99-1-0857
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2013 Jun 11
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Rostoker, Norman, and Binderbauer, Michl. Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma. United States: N. p., 2016. Web.
Rostoker, Norman, & Binderbauer, Michl. Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma. United States.
Rostoker, Norman, and Binderbauer, Michl. 2016. "Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1260398.
@article{osti_1260398,
title = {Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma},
author = {Rostoker, Norman and Binderbauer, Michl},
abstractNote = {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 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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1260398}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

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