Systems and methods for FRC plasma position stability
AssigneeTae Technologies, Inc.
InventorJesus Antonio Romero Gonzalez
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided that facilitate stability of an FRC plasma in both radial and axial directions and axial position control of an FRC plasma along the symmetry axis of an FRC plasma chamber. The systems and methods exploit an axially unstable equilibria of the FRC plasma to enforce radial stability, while stabilizing or controlling the axial instability. The systems and methods provide feedback control of the FRC plasma axial position independent of the stability properties of the plasma equilibrium by acting on the voltages applied to a set of external coils concentric with the plasma and using a non-linear control technique.
Claims19
A method for stabilizing a field reversed configuration (FRC) plasma comprising the steps of:
- forming an FRC plasma positioned along a longitudinal axis of a confinement chamber adjacent a mid-plane of the confinement chamber by forming an FRC magnetic field about a rotating plasma in the confinement chamber;
- stabilizing the FRC plasma in a radial direction normal to the longitudinal axis to position the FRC plasma axisymmetric about the longitudinal axis by adjusting an applied magnetic field to induce radial stability and axial instability in the FRC plasma;
- and
- stabilizing the FRC plasma in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis by adjusting first and second radial magnetic fields, wherein the first and second radial magnetic fields interact with the FRC magnetic field to axially move the FRC plasma to position the FRC plasma axisymmetric about the mid-plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.