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Title: Thermomagnetic burn control for magnetic fusion reactor

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for controlling the plasma energy production rate of a magnetic-confinement fusion reactor, by controlling the magnetic field ripple. The apparatus includes a group of shield sectors (30a, 30b, etc.) formed of ferromagnetic material which has a temperature-dependent saturation magnetization, with each shield lying between the plasma (12) and a toroidal field coil (18). A mechanism (60) for controlling the temperature of the magnetic shields, as by controlling the flow of cooling water therethrough, thereby controls the saturation magnetization of the shields and therefore the amount of ripple in the magnetic field that confines the plasma, to thereby control the amount of heat loss from the plasma. This heat loss in turn determines the plasma state and thus the rate of energy production.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
GA Technologies Inc., San Diego, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
864338
Patent Number(s):
4349506
Application Number:
06/164989
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21B - FUSION REACTORS
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:  
AT03-76ET51011
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1980 Jul 01
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
thermomagnetic; burn; control; magnetic; fusion; reactor; apparatus; provided; controlling; plasma; energy; production; rate; magnetic-confinement; field; ripple; shield; sectors; 30a; 30b; etc; formed; ferromagnetic; material; temperature-dependent; saturation; magnetization; lying; 12; toroidal; coil; 18; mechanism; 60; temperature; shields; flow; cooling; water; therethrough; controls; amount; confines; heat; loss; determines; reactor apparatus; production rate; confinement fusion; heat loss; cooling water; magnetic field; fusion reactor; toroidal field; magnetic material; field coil; ferromagnetic material; energy production; plasma energy; energy product; field ripple; magnetic shield; magnetic fusion; /376/

Citation Formats

Rawls, John M., and Peuron, Unto A. Thermomagnetic burn control for magnetic fusion reactor. United States: N. p., 1982. Web.
Rawls, John M., & Peuron, Unto A. Thermomagnetic burn control for magnetic fusion reactor. United States.
Rawls, John M., and Peuron, Unto A. Fri . "Thermomagnetic burn control for magnetic fusion reactor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864338.
@article{osti_864338,
title = {Thermomagnetic burn control for magnetic fusion reactor},
author = {Rawls, John M. and Peuron, Unto A.},
abstractNote = {Apparatus is provided for controlling the plasma energy production rate of a magnetic-confinement fusion reactor, by controlling the magnetic field ripple. The apparatus includes a group of shield sectors (30a, 30b, etc.) formed of ferromagnetic material which has a temperature-dependent saturation magnetization, with each shield lying between the plasma (12) and a toroidal field coil (18). A mechanism (60) for controlling the temperature of the magnetic shields, as by controlling the flow of cooling water therethrough, thereby controls the saturation magnetization of the shields and therefore the amount of ripple in the magnetic field that confines the plasma, to thereby control the amount of heat loss from the plasma. This heat loss in turn determines the plasma state and thus the rate of energy production.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Toroidal magnet system for fusion reactors with good accessibility.
journal, January 1976


New Toroidal coil System for Tokamaks
journal, January 1979