US3143477A - Plasma confining device - Google Patents

Plasma confining device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3143477A
US3143477A US29693A US2969360A US3143477A US 3143477 A US3143477 A US 3143477A US 29693 A US29693 A US 29693A US 2969360 A US2969360 A US 2969360A US 3143477 A US3143477 A US 3143477A
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United States
Prior art keywords
plasma
vessel
magnetic
force
lines
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Expired - Lifetime
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US29693A
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English (en)
Inventor
Dolique Jean-Michel
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Thales SA
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CSF Compagnie Generale de Telegraphie sans Fil SA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05H—PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
    • H05H1/00—Generating plasma; Handling plasma
    • H05H1/02—Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma
    • H05H1/10—Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma using externally-applied magnetic fields only, e.g. Q-machines, Yin-Yang, base-ball
    • H05H1/12—Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma using externally-applied magnetic fields only, e.g. Q-machines, Yin-Yang, base-ball wherein the containment vessel forms a closed or nearly closed loop
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • 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
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/10—Nuclear fusion reactors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to devices utilizing an annular enclosure or vessel within which a plasma of a light element such as deuterium is confined within the interior of the space enclosed by the vessel in order to effectively insulate the plasma from the walls so that the particles of the plasma cannot impinge thereagainst and thereby cause energy losses.
  • a light element such as deuterium
  • One of the most widely used manners for producing such confinement is to place the interior space of the vessel, filled with plasma, within a magnetic field of time constant intensity at every point, of which the lines of force are essentially parallel to the walls from which the plasma must be insulated. It is also conventional in such devices having vessels of linear form to produce toward the extremities of the vessel constrictions of the lines of force, so-called magnetic mirrors or throats of magnetic bottles by means of additional magnetic coils producing a more intense magnetic field at the places of the throats or plugs of the magnetic bottles.
  • the present invention aims at improving the tightness in such a manner as to render the movements of the plasma within the inside of each magnetic bottle as autonomous as possible.
  • velocity vector of transport of the mass An alternating vector which is perpendicular to the locus of the centers of the meridian sections of the annular enclosure or vessel, called velocity vector of transport of the mass, is associated with these waves. It is known that such a vector is generated by the Velocity vectors of the particles, and when this vector is transverse, the distribution of particle velocities is modified to the benefit of the transverse velocity vectors which opposes the flow of the plasma through the throats of the magnetic bottles.
  • the transverse hydromagnetic waves are generated by applying a high frequency electromagnetic field between a pair of electrodes located face to face at the level or within the area of each mirror.
  • Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of means associated with an annular confining system provided with magnetic bottles which enhances the maintenance of the very high temperatures within the system and therewith the possibility of obtaining nuclear energy due to the impacts and collisions between particles of the plasma.
  • Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an annular confining system for a plasma consisting of particles carried at high temperatures which utilizes, in addition to so-called magnetic bottles, an auxiliary system producing transverse standing hydromagnetic waves to increase the tightness of the system.
  • a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a system which effectively minimizes or precludes cyclic movements of the plasma as a whole within a confining space which is of endless configuration.
  • FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional plan view of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1.
  • reference numeral 1 designates therein a toroidally shaped vessel or enclosure, shown in cross-sectional plan view and made, for example, of Pyrex.
  • a longitudinal magnetic field 3 provided with constrictions in the lines of force at spaced points along the extent of the tore 1 is produce by any suitable known means within the interior of the toroidally shaped enclosure or vessel 1.
  • these means may be constituted by six magnetic coils or windings 2 regularly spaced along the tore 1 which are supplied from suitable sources of power (not shown) insuch a manner as to produce'lines' of force 3 directed in the same direction along the circular axis of the toroidal enclosure 1.
  • the lines of force 3 thereby present constrictions at points 4 thereof located at the level or within the area of the coils 2 and diverge between coils 2 in such a manner as to effectively constitute six magnetic bottles forming.
  • a closed chapelet designates a conventional pump means and reference numeral 6 a conventional means for I density of said tightened magnetic lines of force.
  • the admission of'plasma whereby the pump'means and r the means for the admission of the plasma may be of any conventional known construction and are therefore shown only schematically in FIGURE 1 of the drawing.
  • the plasma admitted orsupplied from the plasma supply means 5 is confined within the magnetic bottles by the lines of force 3 thereof.
  • a pair of electrodes 7 and 8 is provided at the level of each coil 2 which face one another in the radial direction of the tore 1 and, for example, are encased or embedded in the walls of the vessel or enclosure 1.
  • An electromagnetic field is applied between'each pair of electrodes 7 and 8'by means of a source 9 of suitable construction which is connected to the electrodes 7 and 8 in phase opposition. All the electrodes 7, on the one hand, and all the electrodes 8, on the other, are excited in phase by the same source 9. If the frequency of the source. 9 is suitably chosen, a transverse electromagnetic field is established between each pair of electrodes 7 and 8 which excites within the plasma standing transverse hydromagnetic waves having the antinodes thereof at the levels of the constrictions 4.
  • a plasma confining device comprising a ring-shaped vessel, magnetic field generating means associated with said vessel for establishing on the-inside thereof a magnetic field having lines of force essentially parallel to the 2.
  • said lastmentioned means includes, substantially within the region of each said'rnagnetic mirror, a pair of mutually facing electrodes having their surfaces essentially parallel to the walls of said vessel, and a high frequency source operatively connected with the respec tive electrodes of eachof said pairs for energizing the same in phase opposition.
  • An endless plasma confining device comprising means-forming an endless confining space, means for producing a magnetic field within the confining device having lines of force provided with periodically spaced constrictions and constituting a chapelet closed on itself of so-called magnetic bottles, and means for increasing the tightness of said magnetic bottles and preventing cyclic movement of the plasma as a whole in said endless confining space including means located substantially within the regions of maximum density of said lines of force for producing standing transverse hydromagnetic waves within said plasma.
  • An endless plasma confining device comprisingmeans forming an endless confining space, means for producing a magnetic field within the confining device having lines of force provided with substantially periodically spaced constrictions and effectively constituting a chapelet closed on itself of so-called magnetic bottles, and means for increasing the tightness of said magnetic bottles and preventing cyclic movement of the plasma as a whole in the endless confining space including essentially oppositely disposed electrode means located within the areas of maximum density of said lines of force, and means including said electrode means for producing standing transverse hydromagnetic waves within said plasma along said endless confining space.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Plasma Technology (AREA)
US29693A 1959-06-02 1960-05-17 Plasma confining device Expired - Lifetime US3143477A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR796319A FR1236034A (fr) 1959-06-02 1959-06-02 Perfectionnements aux dispositifs de confinement de plasma dans une enceinte annulaire

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3143477A true US3143477A (en) 1964-08-04

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US29693A Expired - Lifetime US3143477A (en) 1959-06-02 1960-05-17 Plasma confining device

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US (1) US3143477A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)
CH (1) CH383512A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)
DE (1) DE1115845B (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)
FR (1) FR1236034A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)
GB (1) GB883707A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)
NL (1) NL252154A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3291715A (en) * 1963-08-19 1966-12-13 Litton Systems Inc Apparatus for cathode sputtering including a plasmaconfining chamber
US3523206A (en) * 1967-10-31 1970-08-04 Entropy Ltd Plasma containment means
US4229679A (en) * 1974-06-05 1980-10-21 Lode Tenny D Plasma control system
US4240873A (en) * 1978-09-22 1980-12-23 Linlor William I Solenoidal fusion system
WO1982001457A1 (en) * 1980-10-20 1982-04-29 Tenny D Lode Plasma control system
US4663109A (en) * 1984-03-06 1987-05-05 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Helical axis stellarator with noninterlocking planar coils

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2868991A (en) * 1957-10-08 1959-01-13 Josephson Vernal High energy gaseous plasma containment device
US2927232A (en) * 1958-07-15 1960-03-01 John S Luce Intense energetic gas discharge
US2956195A (en) * 1959-08-14 1960-10-11 John S Luce Hollow carbon arc discharge
US2961557A (en) * 1957-06-12 1960-11-22 Commissariat Energie Atomique Apparatus for creating by induction an electric discharge in a gas at low pressure
US2961558A (en) * 1959-01-29 1960-11-22 John S Luce Co-axial discharges
US3024182A (en) * 1959-11-12 1962-03-06 Harold P Furth Plasma energization
US3029361A (en) * 1958-08-19 1962-04-10 Rca Corp High temperature plasma confinement using a travelling electromagnetic field

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2961557A (en) * 1957-06-12 1960-11-22 Commissariat Energie Atomique Apparatus for creating by induction an electric discharge in a gas at low pressure
US2868991A (en) * 1957-10-08 1959-01-13 Josephson Vernal High energy gaseous plasma containment device
US2927232A (en) * 1958-07-15 1960-03-01 John S Luce Intense energetic gas discharge
US3029361A (en) * 1958-08-19 1962-04-10 Rca Corp High temperature plasma confinement using a travelling electromagnetic field
US2961558A (en) * 1959-01-29 1960-11-22 John S Luce Co-axial discharges
US2956195A (en) * 1959-08-14 1960-10-11 John S Luce Hollow carbon arc discharge
US3024182A (en) * 1959-11-12 1962-03-06 Harold P Furth Plasma energization

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3291715A (en) * 1963-08-19 1966-12-13 Litton Systems Inc Apparatus for cathode sputtering including a plasmaconfining chamber
US3523206A (en) * 1967-10-31 1970-08-04 Entropy Ltd Plasma containment means
US4229679A (en) * 1974-06-05 1980-10-21 Lode Tenny D Plasma control system
US4240873A (en) * 1978-09-22 1980-12-23 Linlor William I Solenoidal fusion system
WO1982001457A1 (en) * 1980-10-20 1982-04-29 Tenny D Lode Plasma control system
US4663109A (en) * 1984-03-06 1987-05-05 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Helical axis stellarator with noninterlocking planar coils

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1115845B (de) 1961-10-26
GB883707A (en) 1961-12-06
NL252154A (US07968547-20110628-C00004.png) 1964-02-25
CH383512A (fr) 1964-10-31
FR1236034A (fr) 1960-07-15

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