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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorMichael J. Schaffer
Estimating the term…
An electric field plasma pump includes a toroidal ring bias electrode (56) positioned near the divertor strike point of a poloidal divertor of a tokamak (20), or similar plasma-confining apparatus. For optimum plasma pumping, the separatrix (40) of the poloidal divertor contacts the ring electrode (56), which then also acts as a divertor plate. A plenum (54) or other duct near the electrode (56) includes an entrance aperture open to receive electrically-driven plasma. The electrode (56) is insulated laterally with insulators (63,64), one of which (64) is positioned opposite the electrode at the entrance aperture. An electric field E is established between the ring electrode (56) and a vacuum vessel wall (22), with the polarity of the bias applied to the electrode being relative to the vessel wall selected such that the resultant electric field E interacts with the magnetic field B already existing in the tokamak to create an E.times.B/B.sup.2 drift velocity that drives plasma into the entrance aperture. The pumped plasma flow into the entrance aperture is insensitive to variations, intentional or otherwise, of the pump and divertor geometry. Pressure buildups in the plenum or duct connected to the entrance aperture in excess of 10 mtorr are achievable.
An electric field plasma pump for use within a plasma-confining apparatus, said plasma-confining apparatus including a vacuum vessel having electrically conductive walls, and having means for generating magnetic fields B to confine a plasma to the interior of said vacuum vessel, said plasma-confining apparatus including divertor means for diverting plasma confined within the interior of said vacuum vessel to a strike zone on at least one divertor target, said plasma pump comprising:
A plasma pump for use in a plasma-confining device, said plasma-confining device including means for generating a magnetic field B to confine a plasma to a prescribed volume within said plasma-confining device, said plasma pump comprising:
A method for removing plasma exhaust from a tokamak system, said tokamak system including a vessel and means for generating a magnetic field B that confines plasma within a toroidal volume within said vessel;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.