Encapsulating Magnetic Fields for Plasma Confinement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018261335-A1
Application number	US-201815965181-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 3, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, an open-field magnetic system comprising one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure, and one or more encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the one or more internal magnetic coils of the open-field magnetic system. The one or more encapsulating magnetic coils form a magnetosphere around the open-field magnetic system. The open-field magnetic system and the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils, when supplied with electrical currents, form magnetic fields for confining plasma within the enclosure.

First claim

1 .- 29 . (canceled)

30 . A system comprising:
an enclosure comprising: a first end and a second end that is opposite from the first end; and a midpoint that is substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure; at least two internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure and co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure, the two internal magnetic coils comprising:
a first internal magnetic coil located between the midpoint and first end of the enclosure; and
a second internal magnetic coil located between the midpoint and the second end of the enclosure;
a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure, the encapsulating magnetic coils having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils; at least two mirror magnetic coils co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure and comprising:
a first mirror magnetic coil located proximate to the first end of the enclosure; and
a second mirror magnetic coil located proximate to the second end of the enclosure; and
one or more coil systems configured to supply the at least two internal magnetic coils, the plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils, and the at least two mirror magnetic coils with electrical currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within a magnetized sheath in the enclosure, wherein the magnetized sheath and plasma confined within the magnetized sheath encircle each of the at least two internal magnetic coils.

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the one or more coil systems comprise:
an encapsulating coil system configured to supply first electrical currents flowing in a first direction through each of the plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils; and a mirror coil system configured to supply second electrical currents flowing in the first direction through each of the at least two mirror magnetic coils, an internal coil system configured to supply third electrical currents flowing in a second direction through each of the at least two internal magnetic coils.

32 . The system of claim 30 , further comprising a center magnetic coil co-axial with a center axis of the enclosure and located proximate to the midpoint of the enclosure;
wherein the one or more coil systems are further configured to supply the center magnetic coil with electrical currents.

33 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the enclosure comprises an outer blanket and an inner blanket, the outer blanket comprising steel or iron and the inner blanket comprising beryllium or a mixture of lithium fluoride (LiF) and beryllium fluoride (BeF2) (FLiBe),

34 . The system of claim 30 , wherein each of the at least two internal magnetic coils comprise;
a core comprising a plurality of coil windings; an inner shield surrounding the core; a protective layer surrounding the inner shield; and an outer shield surrounding the protective layer.

35 . The system of claim 30 , wherein each of the at least two internal magnetic coils comprise at least a first shielding surrounding the internal magnetic coil and each of the at least two internal magnetic coils are suspended within the enclosure by at least one support.

36 . A system comprising:
an enclosure comprising: a first end and a second end that is opposite from the first end; and a midpoint that is substantially equidistant between the first and second ends of the enclosure; two internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure, each internal magnetic coil positioned on an opposite side of the midpoint of the enclosure from the other internal magnetic coil; one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure, the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils each having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils and each encapsulating magnetic coil being coaxial with the internal magnetic coils; and two mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, each mirror magnetic coil positioned on an opposite side of the midpoint of the enclosure from the other mirror magnetic coil; and one or more coil systems configured to supply the two internal magnetic coils, the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils, and the two mirror magnetic coils with electrical currents, to form magnetic fields for confining plasma within a magnetized sheath in the enclosure, wherein the magnetized sheath and plasma confined within the magnetized sheath encircle each of the two internal magnetic coils.

37 . The system of claim 36 , further comprising a center magnetic coil located proximate to the midpoint of the enclosure, the center magnetic coil being coaxial with the internal magnetic coils.

38 . The system of claim 37 , wherein the center magnetic coil is disposed outside the interior of the enclosure.

39 . The system of claim 36 , wherein:
the two internal magnetic coils comprise: a first internal magnetic coil located between the center magnetic coil and the first end of the enclosure; and a second internal magnetic coil located between the center magnetic coil and the second end of the enclosure; the one or more encapsulating magnetic coils positioned on each side of the midpoint of the enclosure comprises:
a first set of two encapsulating magnetic coils located between the first internal magnetic coil and the first end of the enclosure; and
a second set of two encapsulating magnetic coils located between the second internal magnetic coil and the second end of the enclosure; and
the two mirror magnetic coils comprise:
a first mirror magnetic coil located proximate to the first end of the enclosure; and
a second mirror magnetic coil located proximate to the second end of the enclosure.

40 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the enclosure comprises an outer blanket and an inner blanket, the outer blanket comprising steel or iron and the inner blanket comprising beryllium or a mixture of lithium fluoride (LiF) and beryllium fluoride (BeF2) (FLiBe).

41 . The system of claim 36 , wherein each of the two internal magnetic coils comprises:
a core comprising a plurality of coil windings; an inner shield surrounding the core; a protective layer surrounding the inner shield; and an outer shield surrounding the protective layer.

42 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the one or more coil systems comprise:
an encapsulating coil system configured to supply first electrical currents flowing in a first direction through each of the plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils; a mirror coil system configured to supply second electrical currents. flowing in the first direction through each of the two mirror magnetic coils; an internal coil system configured to supply third electrical currents flowing in a second direction opposite the first direction through each of the two internal magnetic coils.

43 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the encapsulating magnetic coils are external to the enclosure.

44 . The system of claim 36 , wherein each of the two internal magnetic. coils comprise at least a first shielding surrounding the internal magnetic coil and each of the two internal magnetic coils is suspended within the enclosure by at least one support stalk.

45 . A system comprising:
two internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of an enclosure; a plurality of encapsulating magnetic coils coaxial with the internal magnetic coils, the encapsulating magnetic coils configured to enhance the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of the fusion reactor by maintaining a magnetized sheath tha

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Mcguire Thomas John

Classifications

• G21B1/05 Primary

  with magnetic or electric plasma confinement · CPC title

• H05H1/14

  wherein the containment vessel is straight and has magnetic mirrors · CPC title

• G21B1/057

  Tokamaks · CPC title

• G21B1/052 Primary

  reversed field configuration · CPC title

• Y02E30/10

  Nuclear fusion reactors · CPC title