System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor
- Cambridge, MA
A system for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor providing steady-state generation of the thermonuclear power. A dense, hot toroidal plasma is initially prepared with a confining magnetic field with toroidal and poloidal components. Continuous wave RF energy is injected into said plasma to establish a spectrum of traveling waves in the plasma, where the traveling waves have momentum components substantially either all parallel, or all anti-parallel to the confining magnetic field. The injected RF energy is phased to couple to said traveling waves with both a phase velocity component and a wave momentum component in the direction of the plasma traveling wave components. The injected RF energy has a predetermined spectrum selected so that said traveling waves couple to plasma electrons having velocities in a predetermined range .DELTA.. The velocities in the range are substantially greater than the thermal electron velocity of the plasma. In addition, the range is sufficiently broad to produce a raised plateau having width .DELTA. in the plasma electron velocity distribution so that the plateau electrons provide steady-state current to generate a poloidal magnetic field component sufficient for confining the plasma. In steady state operation of the fusion reactor, the fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated in the plasma.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-C-01-4107
- Assignee:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4292124
- OSTI ID:
- 864004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor
System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor
Related Subjects
generating
steady
confining
current
toroidal
plasma
fusion
reactor
providing
steady-state
generation
thermonuclear
power
dense
hot
initially
prepared
magnetic
field
poloidal
components
continuous
wave
rf
energy
injected
establish
spectrum
traveling
waves
momentum
substantially
parallel
anti-parallel
phased
couple
phase
velocity
component
direction
predetermined
selected
electrons
velocities
range
delta
thermal
electron
addition
sufficiently
broad
produce
raised
plateau
width
distribution
provide
generate
sufficient
operation
density
exceeds
dissipated
velocity component
confining magnetic
predetermined range
traveling waves
traveling wave
continuous wave
nuclear power
toroidal plasma
magnetic field
fusion reactor
rf energy
power density
phase velocity
poloidal magnetic
reactor providing
steady-state current
power dissipated
fusion power
electron velocity
velocity distribution
field component
confining current
generating steady
plasma fusion
providing steady-state
steady-state generation
wave components
waves couple
thermonuclear power
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