US3174068A - Plasma confining device - Google Patents

Plasma confining device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3174068A
US3174068A US23209A US2320960A US3174068A US 3174068 A US3174068 A US 3174068A US 23209 A US23209 A US 23209A US 2320960 A US2320960 A US 2320960A US 3174068 A US3174068 A US 3174068A
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United States
Prior art keywords
plasma
envelope
enclosure
magnetic
walls
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US23209A
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English (en)
Inventor
Leboutet Hubert
Dolique Jean-Michel
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Thales SA
Original Assignee
CSF Compagnie Generale de Telegraphie sans Fil SA
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Application filed by CSF Compagnie Generale de Telegraphie sans Fil SA filed Critical 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
    • H05H1/16—Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma using externally-applied electric and magnetic fields
    • H05H1/18—Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma using externally-applied electric and magnetic fields wherein the fields oscillate at very high frequency, e.g. in the microwave range, e.g. using cyclotron resonance
    • 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 in 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 insulate the same 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 accepted practices to produce the confinement is to place the interior space of the enclosure or vessel filled within plasma within a magnetic field of an intensity which is constant in time at each point, and of which the lines of force are essentially parallel to the walls from which the plasma has to be insulated.
  • a primary object of the present invention to provide a device of the type described hereinabove including an annularly-shaped enclosure provided with magnetic mirrors in which the transverse escape of the particles is substantially eliminated or at least considerably reduced.
  • Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of means in connection with an annularlyshaped confining device provided with so-called magnetic mirrors which reduces the losses of energy in the plasma due to escape or impingement against the walls of the enclosure or envelope.
  • Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a particle confining device having all the advantages described hereinabove which is both simple in structure, relatively inexpensive in manufacture and which nonetheless provides a high degree of efiiciency for the intended purposes.
  • the plasma contained within an annular enclosure or vessel provided with magnetic mirrors is confined therein, not only by the static magnetic field, but also by an electromagnetic field of a high-frequency wave propagating in a closed circuit or loop within the conduit formed between the plasma and the walls of the enclosure.
  • reference numeral 1 designates therein a tore, for example made of aluminum and constituting the envelope or enclosure.
  • a longitudinal magnetic field provided with constrictions in the lines of force 3 thereof at spaced points along the extent of the tore 1 is provided therein which is obtained by any suitable conventional means known in the prior art.
  • these means are constituted in part by six magnetic coils 2 regularly spaced along the extent of the annulus which are supplied from a suitable source or suitable sources (not shown) in such a manner as to produce lines of force directed in the same direction along the circular axis of the toric enclosure.
  • the lines of force 3 present thereby constrictions at 4 within the region or locations of the windings 2 and diverge intermediate these regions or locations of windings 2 in such a manner as to constitute effectively six magnetic bottles forming a closed chaplet.
  • Reference numeral 5 designates in the single figure the pumping means while reference numeral 6 designates the means for admitting the plasma which is confined within the magnetic bottles by the lines of force 3. Since the pumping means 5 and the particle injecting means 6 may be of any suitable type, known in the prior art, they are shown only schematically herein.
  • high-frequency energy is injected into the coaxial space formed by the wall of the enclosure or vessel 1 and the plasma confined within the magnetic bottles which high-frequency energy propagates in closed circuit in the direction of arrows 7.
  • the high-frequency energy is thereby injected into the space in accordance with well known techniques used with ultrahigh-frequency circulators, for example, across a directional coupler including a wave guide 8 disposed tangentially to the tore 1 and terminated by means of a matched load 9.
  • the wave guide 8 communicates with the enclosure 1 through coupling apertures 10 which are so spaced as to produce the desired directional coupling effect whereby the interior space of the wave guide 8 is connected or coupled with the evacuated enclosure 1.
  • the wave guide 8 itself is excited with a predetermined high-frequency electromagnetic wave energy from an amplifier 11 itself fed from an oscillator 12 both of which are of conventional construction and are, therefore, shown only schematically.
  • the frequency of the oscillator 12 is thereby adjusted to produce optimum effect of the realized confinement.
  • the operation of the confining device in accordance with the present invention may be readily explained from the fact that the high-frequency field exercises on the plasma a transverse force or pressure which opposes the transverse diffusion of the particles and therefore the escape thereof across the walls of the magnetic bottles.
  • a plasma confinement device comprising an evacuated essentially toroidally-shaped envelope, means for effectively filling said envelope with plasma, means for producing in said envelope a steady magnetic plasmaconfining field extending essentially over the entire tore, and means for injecting into said envelope ultra-highfrequency waves in such a manner as to propagate substantially in closed circuit and substantially in a single direction within the space comprised between the plasma and the walls of said toroidal envelope to thereby exert by the high frequency field produced by said waves transverse forces on the plasma and therewith prevent the escape of plasma particles across the Walls of the plasmaconfining field.
  • a plasma confinement device comprising an evacuated essentially toroidally-shaped envelope, means for ef fectively filling said envelope with plasma, means for producing in said envelope a steady magnetic plasma-confining field extending essentially over the entire tore and having constricted lines of force at substantially equidistant cross-sections of said tore, and means for injecting into said envelope ultra-high-frequency waves in such a manner as to propagate substantially in closed circuit and substantially in a single direction within the space comprised between the plasma and the walls of said toroidal envelope to thereby exert by the high frequency field produced by said waves transverse forces on the plasma and therewith prevent the escape of plasma particles across the walls of the plasma-confining field.
  • a plasma confinement device includes a wave guide and a directional coupler for said ultra-high frequency waves operatively connecting said wave guide to said envelope, and means for supplying said ultra-high-frequency waves to said wave guide through said directional coupler.
  • a particle confining device comprising an evacuated enclosure of substantially toroidal shape, means effectively constituting within said enclosure at least one magnetic bottle, means eifectively filling said enclosure with said particles, and means for reducing the escape of said particles through the walls of said magnetic bottle including means for supplying high-frequency electromagnetic energy into said enclosure in such a manner as to propagate substantially in closed circuit and substantially in a single direction within the space comprised between the plasma and the walls of said toroidal enclosure to thereby exert by the high frequency field produced thereby transverse forces on the plasma and therewith prevent the escape of lasma particles across the walls effectively formed by said magnetic bottle.
  • a plasma particle confining device comprising an evacuated enclosure having a substantially endless shape, means for establishing within said enclosure a plasmaconfining magnetic field effectively forming a magnetic bottle, means for efiectively filling said enclosure with said plasma, and means for reducing the escape of the plasma particles through the walls of said magnetic bottle including means for supplying high-frequency electromagnetic energy to said enclosure in such a manner as to propagate substantially in closed circuit and substantially in a. single direction within the space comprised between the plasma and the walls of said enclosure to thereby exert by the high frequency field produced thereby transverse forces on the plasma and therewith prevent the escape of the plasma particles across the walls effectively formed by said magnetic bottle.
  • a particle confining device according to claim 5, wherein said last-mentioned means includes a directional coupler.
  • a plasma confining device comprising an evacuated enclosure of approximately annular shape, means effectively constituting within said enclosure at least one magnetic bottle, means for effectively filling said enclosure with said plasma, and means for reducing energy losses in said plasma including means for supplying high-frequency electromagnetic energy to said enclosure in such a manner as to propagate substantially in closed circuit and substantially in a single direction within the space comprised between the plasma and the walls of said enclosure to thereby exert by the high frequency field produced thereby transverse forces on the plasma and therewith prevent the escape .of plasma particles across the walls effectively formed by said magnetic bottle.
  • a particle confining device wherein a plurality of magnetic bottles are effectively formed in said enclosure.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Plasma Technology (AREA)
US23209A 1959-05-14 1960-04-19 Plasma confining device Expired - Lifetime US3174068A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR794668A FR1234271A (fr) 1959-05-14 1959-05-14 Perfectionnements aux dispositifs de confinement de plasma dans une enceinte annulaire

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3174068A true US3174068A (en) 1965-03-16

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US23209A Expired - Lifetime US3174068A (en) 1959-05-14 1960-04-19 Plasma confining device

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US (1) US3174068A (el)
CH (1) CH362768A (el)
DE (1) DE1110336B (el)
FR (1) FR1234271A (el)
NL (1) NL251552A (el)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4661304A (en) * 1984-01-10 1987-04-28 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Resonant-cavity antenna for plasma heating

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1241004B (de) * 1961-10-13 1967-05-24 Ernest Lagelbauer Verfahren zur Erzeugung eines Hochtemperatur-plasmas unter Verwendung eines magnetischen Spiegelsystems

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2826708A (en) * 1955-06-02 1958-03-11 Jr John S Foster Plasma generator
US2927232A (en) * 1958-07-15 1960-03-01 John S Luce Intense energetic gas discharge

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2826708A (en) * 1955-06-02 1958-03-11 Jr John S Foster Plasma generator
US2927232A (en) * 1958-07-15 1960-03-01 John S Luce Intense energetic gas discharge

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4661304A (en) * 1984-01-10 1987-04-28 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Resonant-cavity antenna for plasma heating

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1234271A (fr) 1960-10-17
NL251552A (el) 1964-02-25
CH362768A (fr) 1962-06-30
DE1110336B (de) 1961-07-06

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