Quasi-spherical multipinch configuration

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:489437

Winterberg, F ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)

If a large number of pinch discharges, produced by laser-, particle-beam channeling, or along gas jets, with alternating directions of the currents flowing in adjacent discharge channels, intersect in one point, a quasispherical plasma configuration is obtained with a 1/r{sup 2} pressure profile. Therefore, if the plasma pressure at the periphery of a 25 cm plasma sphere is {approximately} 100 atm, corresponding to a confining magnetic field of {approximately} 5 x 10{sup 4} G, the pressure would rise to about {approximately} 10{sup 6} atm at the center of the sphere where all the discharge channels meet. Because of this high pressure the particle number density at thermonuclear temperatures can there become as high as {approximately} 10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}. The release of thermonuclear energy by this configuration then only depends on its stability and the radial heat conduction losses. Because of its spherical arrangement such a multipinch-configuration should have a much better degree of stability, with the heat conduction losses greatly reduced by the presence of a strong transverse magnetic field. Estimates show that the amount of thermonuclear energy released into charged fusion products exceeds the heat conduction losses, a necessary condition for thermonuclear burn. Because of the high plasma density the device would have to operate with short-pulsed cycles, each cycle lasting for example {approximately} 10{sup -4} sec, whereby plasma stability would have to be ascertained only for this rather short time.

• OSTI ID: 489437
• Report Number(s): CONF-960354--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
PINCH DEVICES
PLASMA PRESSURE
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS