Direct energy converter for axisymmetric mirror fusion reactor
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsCary Brett Forest, Jeremiah Kirch, Douglass A Endrizzi, Jan Egedal, Jay Anderson
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Abstract
A direct converter for an axisymmetric mirror confinement system provides a set of radially symmetric vanes charged to capture ions escaping along the axis of the confinement system and to convert their energy to electrical power. An electron trap positioned before the charged vanes uses a magnetic field to divert and collect electrons, separating them from the ions, and may support a radial electric field providing plasma control. The charged vanes may be constructed of or have a coating of a getter material absorbing neutrals derived from those ions after capture.
Claims14
An apparatus for producing plasma comprising:
- a housing defining a containment volume holding the plasma;
- Helmholtz magnets positioned about the containment volume to provide a magnetic mirror generating a confinement field providing magnetic flux lines extending along an axis, the flux lines converging at opposed first and second ends of the confinement volume holding plasma;
- a fuel beam delivery system communicating with the housing for injecting fusion fuel into the confinement field;
- and
- a direct energy converter positioned adjacent to the housing along the axis, the direct energy converter being outside of the containment volume, the direct energy converter comprising multiple arrays of charged plates,
- wherein, for each of the arrays of charged plates, each of the charged plates has an annular shape extending around the axis and is spaced apart from other charged plates in the respective array in a radial direction with respect to the axis, the charged plates spaced apart from each other in the radial direction by gaps aligned with trajectories of ions escaping from the containment volume, and
- wherein the charged plates are configured to generate electrical power from the ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.