System and method of operating toroidal magnetic confinement devices

Patent · Tue Mar 31 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6577041

Manickam, J; Okabayashi, M; Chance, M S; Jardin, S C; Stix, T H; Grimm, R C

A method is described of operating a toroidal magnetic confinement device for confining a plasma, the plasma having a magnetic field B associated therewith, the magnetic field having an average magnetic pressure, B/sub av//sup 2//2, and the plasma having a pressure rho. The pressure has an average value, rho/sub av/ wherein B/sub av/=..integral..B/sup 2/dtau/..integral..dtau, and rho/sub av/=..integral..rhodtau/..integral..dtau, integration being over the plasma volume, the magnetic field and pressure defining a beta, ..beta.., associated with the plasma wherein ..beta..=2 rho/sub av//B/sub av//sup 2/, and the plasma having a first and a second region of stability and a region of instability therebetween. The method comprises: (a) modifying the shape of the plasma until the plasma has a bean-shaped poloidal cross-section, a measure of the bean-shape being the indentation at the inner most point on the plasma at the inboard side of the poidal cross-section; (b) maintaining the beta below the threshold for instability for operation in the first region of stability, while increasing the indentation to a critical value. The critical value is the value at which the second region of stability is accessed from the first region of stability without entering the region of instability; and (c) increasing the beta until a desired value of beta in the second region of stability is attained while maintaining the indentation at the critical value or greater.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): US 4654184
• Application Number: TRN: 87-019403
• OSTI ID: 6577041
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 30 Aug 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
TORI
CROSS SECTIONS
EQUATIONS
EQUILIBRIUM PLASMA
LOW-BETA PLASMA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
SHAPE
TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION
ANNULAR SPACE
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INSTABILITY
MINERAL RESOURCES
PLASMA
RESOURCES
SPACE
700101* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Confinement
Heating
& Production