Method and apparatus for the formation of a spheromak plasma

Patent · Mon Dec 13 23:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6507018

Furth, H P; Stix, T H; Todd, A M; Yamada, M

A method and apparatus for forming a detached, compact toroidally shaped spheromak plasma by an inductive mechanism. A generally spheroidal vacuum vessel houses a toroidally shaped flux ring or core which contains poloidal and toroidal field generating coils. A plasma discharge occurs with the pulsing of the toroidal field coil, and the plasma is caused to expand away from the core and toward the center of the vacuum vessel. When the plasma is in an expanded state, a portion of it is pinched off in order to form a separate, detached spheromak plasma configuration. The detached plasma is supported by a magnetic field generated by externally arranged equilibrium field coils.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4363776
• OSTI ID: 6507018
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700106 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Production-- (-1987)
ANNULAR SPACE
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
EXPANSION
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA EXPANSION
PLASMA PRODUCTION
SPACE
SPHEROMAK DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
VACUUM SYSTEMS