End stoppering in mirror machines
Like toroidal confinement, confinement by a potential barrier offers the possibility of unlimited Q if the barrier is good enough. For a barrier height PHI, approximately tau approximately equal to tau/sub collision/ exp PHI/T/sub i/. These notes review previous ideas about how to establish a potential barrier at the ends of a mirror machine and we also discuss a different possibility using mirror confinement itself to establish a barrier utilizing the positive ambipolar potential characteristic of mirror machines. One example consists of three mirrors in tandem, the two at the ends having a much smaller volume. Then mirror confinement in the end cells would be used to establish ambipolar barriers that stopper up the ends of the central, large mirror cell. An example is discussed in which, by approximate calculation, it appears that ignition might occur in a center cell 10 to 20 meters long and the overall Q is 5 or more, including the power required to sustain the end cells by neutral injection.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 7147072
- Report Number(s):
- UCID-17244; TRN: 76-022716
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
CONFIGURATION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
NEUTRAL ATOM BEAM INJECTION
BEAM INJECTION
CONFINEMENT
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
700101* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Confinement
Heating
& Production