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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 estalish 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 inthe plasma.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Arlington, MA
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
864005
Patent Number(s):
4292125
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; estalish; 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; inthe; 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

Bers, Abraham. System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Bers, Abraham. System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor. United States.
Bers, Abraham. Thu . "System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864005.
@article{osti_864005,
title = {System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor},
author = {Bers, Abraham},
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 estalish 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 inthe 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}
}