Apparatus and method for extracting power from energetic ions produced in nuclear fusion
Abstract
An apparatus and method of extracting power from energetic ions produced by nuclear fusion in a toroidal plasma to enhance respectively the toroidal plasma current and fusion reactivity. By injecting waves of predetermined frequency and phase traveling substantially in a selected poloidal direction within the plasma, the energetic ions become diffused in energy and space such that the energetic ions lose energy and amplify the waves. The amplified waves are further adapted to travel substantially in a selected toroidal direction to increase preferentially the energy of electrons traveling in one toroidal direction which, in turn, enhances or generates a toroidal plasma current. In an further adaptation, the amplified waves can be made to preferentially increase the energy of fuel ions within the plasma to enhance the fusion reactivity of the fuel ions. The described direct, or in situ, conversion of the energetic ion energy provides an efficient and economical means of delivering power to a fusion reactor.
- Inventors:
-
- Princeton, NJ
- Paris, FR
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 869663
- Patent Number(s):
- 5375149
- 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:
- AC02-76CH03073
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- apparatus; method; extracting; power; energetic; produced; nuclear; fusion; toroidal; plasma; enhance; respectively; current; reactivity; injecting; waves; predetermined; frequency; phase; traveling; substantially; selected; poloidal; direction; diffused; energy; space; lose; amplify; amplified; adapted; travel; increase; preferentially; electrons; enhances; generates; adaptation; fuel; described; direct; situ; conversion; provides; efficient; economical; means; delivering; reactor; toroidal direction; nuclear fusion; plasma current; toroidal plasma; fusion reactor; predetermined frequency; extracting power; acting power; /376/
Citation Formats
Fisch, Nathaniel J, and Rax, Jean M. Apparatus and method for extracting power from energetic ions produced in nuclear fusion. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Fisch, Nathaniel J, & Rax, Jean M. Apparatus and method for extracting power from energetic ions produced in nuclear fusion. United States.
Fisch, Nathaniel J, and Rax, Jean M. Sat .
"Apparatus and method for extracting power from energetic ions produced in nuclear fusion". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869663.
@article{osti_869663,
title = {Apparatus and method for extracting power from energetic ions produced in nuclear fusion},
author = {Fisch, Nathaniel J and Rax, Jean M},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method of extracting power from energetic ions produced by nuclear fusion in a toroidal plasma to enhance respectively the toroidal plasma current and fusion reactivity. By injecting waves of predetermined frequency and phase traveling substantially in a selected poloidal direction within the plasma, the energetic ions become diffused in energy and space such that the energetic ions lose energy and amplify the waves. The amplified waves are further adapted to travel substantially in a selected toroidal direction to increase preferentially the energy of electrons traveling in one toroidal direction which, in turn, enhances or generates a toroidal plasma current. In an further adaptation, the amplified waves can be made to preferentially increase the energy of fuel ions within the plasma to enhance the fusion reactivity of the fuel ions. The described direct, or in situ, conversion of the energetic ion energy provides an efficient and economical means of delivering power to a fusion reactor.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {1}
}