Steady state compact toroidal plasma production
Abstract
Apparatus and method for maintaining steady state compact toroidal plasmas. A compact toroidal plasma is formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and held in close proximity to the gun electrodes by applied magnetic fields or magnetic fields produced by image currents in conducting walls. Voltage supply means maintains a constant potential across the electrodes producing an increasing magnetic helicity which drives the plasma away from a minimum energy state. The plasma globally relaxes to a new minimum energy state, conserving helicity according to Taylor's relaxation hypothesis, and injecting net helicity into the core of the compact toroidal plasma. Controlling the voltage so as to inject net helicity at a predetermined rate based on dissipative processes maintains or increases the compact toroidal plasma in a time averaged steady state mode.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 865933
- Patent Number(s):
- 4601871
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- 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:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- steady; compact; toroidal; plasma; production; apparatus; method; maintaining; plasmas; formed; magnetized; coaxial; gun; held; close; proximity; electrodes; applied; magnetic; fields; produced; image; currents; conducting; walls; voltage; supply; means; maintains; constant; potential; producing; increasing; helicity; drives; minimum; energy; globally; relaxes; conserving; according; taylor; relaxation; hypothesis; injecting; net; core; controlling; inject; predetermined; rate; based; dissipative; processes; increases; time; averaged; mode; supply means; compact toroidal; voltage supply; close proximity; toroidal plasma; magnetic field; magnetic fields; predetermined rate; plasma gun; applied magnetic; time average; coaxial plasma; toroidal plasmas; rate based; increasing magnetic; image currents; axial plasma; /376/
Citation Formats
Turner, William C. Steady state compact toroidal plasma production. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Turner, William C. Steady state compact toroidal plasma production. United States.
Turner, William C. Wed .
"Steady state compact toroidal plasma production". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865933.
@article{osti_865933,
title = {Steady state compact toroidal plasma production},
author = {Turner, William C},
abstractNote = {Apparatus and method for maintaining steady state compact toroidal plasmas. A compact toroidal plasma is formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and held in close proximity to the gun electrodes by applied magnetic fields or magnetic fields produced by image currents in conducting walls. Voltage supply means maintains a constant potential across the electrodes producing an increasing magnetic helicity which drives the plasma away from a minimum energy state. The plasma globally relaxes to a new minimum energy state, conserving helicity according to Taylor's relaxation hypothesis, and injecting net helicity into the core of the compact toroidal plasma. Controlling the voltage so as to inject net helicity at a predetermined rate based on dissipative processes maintains or increases the compact toroidal plasma in a time averaged steady state mode.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1986},
month = {1}
}