Apparatus and method for extended plasma confinement

Shumlak, Uri; Nelson, Brian A.; Meier, Eric T.

Apparatus and method for extended plasma confinement

Patent · Tue Sep 12 04:00:00 EDT 2023

OSTI ID:2222317

Shumlak, Uri; Nelson, Brian A.; Meier, Eric T.

Methods and systems are provided for plasma confinement utilizing various electrode and valve configurations. In one example, a device includes a first electrode positioned to define an outer boundary of an acceleration volume, a second electrode arranged coaxially with respect to the first electrode and positioned to define an inner boundary of the acceleration volume, at least one power supply to drive an electric current along a Z-pinch plasma column between the first second electrodes, and a set of valves to provide gas to the acceleration volume to fuel the Z-pinch plasma column, wherein an electron flow of the electric current is in a first direction from the second electrode to the first electrode. In additional or alternative examples, a shaping part is conductively connected to the second electrode to, in a presence of the gas, cause a gas breakdown of the gas to generate a sheared flow velocity profile.

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Research Organization:: Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

DOE Contract Number:: AR0001010; AR0001260

Assignee:: Zap Energy, Inc. (Seattle, WA)

Patent Number(s):: 11,758,640

Application Number:: 17/841,591

OSTI ID:: 2222317

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (37)

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