Acceleration of magnetized plasma rings

Conference · Tue Nov 16 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6554267

Hartman, D; Eddleman, J; Hammer, J H

One scheme is considered, acceleration of a ring between coaxial electrodes by a B/sub theta/ field as in a coaxial rail-gun. If the electrodes are conical, a ring accelerated towards the apex of the cone undergoes self-similar compression (focussing) during acceleration. Because the allowable acceleration force F/sub a/ = kappa U/sub m//R (kappa < 1) increases as R/sup -2/, the accelerating distance for conical electrodes is considerably shortened over that required for coaxial electrodes. In either case however, since the accelerating flux can expand as the ring moves, most of the accelerating field energy can be converted into kinetic energy of the ring leading to high efficiency.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6554267
• Report Number(s): UCRL-87941; CONF-821124-15; ON: DE83006609
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700104* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Kinetics-Experimental-- (-1987)
ACCELERATION
CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COMPACT TORUS
CONFIGURATION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRODES
EQUATIONS
KINETIC EQUATIONS
LINEAR MOMENTUM
PLASMA ACCELERATION
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TORI