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Title: System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor

Abstract

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, themore » fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated in the plasma.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Cambridge, MA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864004
Patent Number(s):
4292124
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
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
DOE Contract Number:  
EG-77-C-01-4107
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; 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; /376/

Citation Formats

Fisch, Nathaniel J. System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Fisch, Nathaniel J. System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor. United States.
Fisch, Nathaniel J. Thu . "System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864004.
@article{osti_864004,
title = {System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor},
author = {Fisch, Nathaniel J},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}