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Title: Method and apparatus to produce and maintain a thick, flowing, liquid lithium first wall for toroidal magnetic confinement DT fusion reactors

Abstract

A system for forming a thick flowing liquid metal, in this case lithium, layer on the inside wall of a toroid containing the plasma of a deuterium-tritium fusion reactor. The presence of the liquid metal layer or first wall serves to prevent neutron damage to the walls of the toroid. A poloidal current in the liquid metal layer is oriented so that it flows in the same direction as the current in a series of external magnets used to confine the plasma. This current alignment results in the liquid metal being forced against the wall of the toroid. After the liquid metal exits the toroid it is pumped to a heat extraction and power conversion device prior to being reentering the toroid.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Hillsborough, NJ
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874547
Patent Number(s):
6411666
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department (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:  
AC02-76CH03073
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; produce; maintain; thick; flowing; liquid; lithium; wall; toroidal; magnetic; confinement; dt; fusion; reactors; forming; metal; layer; inside; toroid; containing; plasma; deuterium-tritium; reactor; presence; serves; prevent; neutron; damage; walls; poloidal; current; oriented; flows; direction; series; external; magnets; confine; alignment; results; forced; exits; pumped; heat; extraction; power; conversion; device; prior; reentering; metal layer; fusion reactor; conversion device; inside wall; magnetic confinement; toroidal magnet; flowing liquid; /376/

Citation Formats

Woolley, Robert D. Method and apparatus to produce and maintain a thick, flowing, liquid lithium first wall for toroidal magnetic confinement DT fusion reactors. United States: N. p., 2002. Web.
Woolley, Robert D. Method and apparatus to produce and maintain a thick, flowing, liquid lithium first wall for toroidal magnetic confinement DT fusion reactors. United States.
Woolley, Robert D. Tue . "Method and apparatus to produce and maintain a thick, flowing, liquid lithium first wall for toroidal magnetic confinement DT fusion reactors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874547.
@article{osti_874547,
title = {Method and apparatus to produce and maintain a thick, flowing, liquid lithium first wall for toroidal magnetic confinement DT fusion reactors},
author = {Woolley, Robert D},
abstractNote = {A system for forming a thick flowing liquid metal, in this case lithium, layer on the inside wall of a toroid containing the plasma of a deuterium-tritium fusion reactor. The presence of the liquid metal layer or first wall serves to prevent neutron damage to the walls of the toroid. A poloidal current in the liquid metal layer is oriented so that it flows in the same direction as the current in a series of external magnets used to confine the plasma. This current alignment results in the liquid metal being forced against the wall of the toroid. After the liquid metal exits the toroid it is pumped to a heat extraction and power conversion device prior to being reentering the toroid.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2002},
month = {1}
}