Thermonuclear inverse magnetic pumping power cycle for stellarator reactor
The plasma column in a stellarator is compressed and expanded alternatively in minor radius. First a plasma in thermal balance is compressed adiabatically. The volume of the compressed plasma is maintained until the plasma reaches a new thermal equilibrium. The plasma is then expanded to its original volume. As a result of the way a stellarator works, the plasma pressure during compression is less than the corresponding pressure during expansion. Therefore, negative work is done on the plasma over a complete cycle. This work manifests itself as a back-voltage in the toroidal field coils. Direct electrical energy is obtained from this voltage. Alternatively, after the compression step, the plasma can be expanded at constant pressure. The cycle can be made self-sustaining by operating a system of two stellarator reactors in tandem. Part of the energy derived from the expansion phase of a first stellarator reactor is used to compress the plasma in a second stellarator reactor.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03073
- Assignee:
- The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Number(s):
- H000936
- Application Number:
- 06/911533
- OSTI ID:
- 1176636
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 1986 Sep 25
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Thermonuclear inverse magnetic pumping power cycle for stellarator reactor
Thermonuclear inverse magnetic pumping power cycle for stellarator reactors