NEUTRON SOURCE USING MAGNETIC COMPRESSION OF PLASMA
Abstract
A fusion reactor is described that utilizes compression and heating of an ionized thermonuclear fuel by an externally applied magnetic field, thus avoiding reliance on the pinch effect and its associated instability problems. The device consists of a gas-confining ceramic container surrounded by a single circumferential coil having a shape such as to produce a magnetic mirror geometry. A sinusoidally-oscillating, exponentially-damped current is passed circumferentially around the container, through the coil, inducing a circumferential current in the gas. Maximum compression and plasma temperature are obtained at the peak of the current oscillations, coinciding with maximum magnetic field intensity. Enhanced temperatures are obtained in the second and succeeding half cycles because the thermal energy accumulates from one half cycle to the next. (AEC)
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4836875
- Patent Number(s):
- 3006835
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-031763
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- PHYSICS; CERAMICS; COILS; CONFINEMENT; CONTAINMENT; GASES; MAGNETIC FIELDS; NEUTRON SOURCES; OSCILLATIONS; PINCH; PLANNING; PLASMA; PRESSURE; STABILITY; TEMPERATURE; THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
Citation Formats
Quinn, W E, Elmore, W C, Little, E M, Boyer, K, and Tuck, J L. NEUTRON SOURCE USING MAGNETIC COMPRESSION OF PLASMA. United States: N. p., 1961.
Web.
Quinn, W E, Elmore, W C, Little, E M, Boyer, K, & Tuck, J L. NEUTRON SOURCE USING MAGNETIC COMPRESSION OF PLASMA. United States.
Quinn, W E, Elmore, W C, Little, E M, Boyer, K, and Tuck, J L. Tue .
"NEUTRON SOURCE USING MAGNETIC COMPRESSION OF PLASMA". United States.
@article{osti_4836875,
title = {NEUTRON SOURCE USING MAGNETIC COMPRESSION OF PLASMA},
author = {Quinn, W E and Elmore, W C and Little, E M and Boyer, K and Tuck, J L},
abstractNote = {A fusion reactor is described that utilizes compression and heating of an ionized thermonuclear fuel by an externally applied magnetic field, thus avoiding reliance on the pinch effect and its associated instability problems. The device consists of a gas-confining ceramic container surrounded by a single circumferential coil having a shape such as to produce a magnetic mirror geometry. A sinusoidally-oscillating, exponentially-damped current is passed circumferentially around the container, through the coil, inducing a circumferential current in the gas. Maximum compression and plasma temperature are obtained at the peak of the current oscillations, coinciding with maximum magnetic field intensity. Enhanced temperatures are obtained in the second and succeeding half cycles because the thermal energy accumulates from one half cycle to the next. (AEC)},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1961},
month = {Tue Oct 31 00:00:00 EST 1961}
}