G21B1/11

NUCLEAR FUSION APPARATUS
20230051124 · 2023-02-16 ·

A controlled nuclear fusion system includes a vacuum chamber, an electrode cage shaped in a first closed-loop tube in the vacuum chamber, wherein the electrode cage comprises electrically conductive wires configured to confine ions and electrons in the electrode cage and a toroidal electromagnetic coil coiled around outside of the electrode cage and configured to produce a closed-loop magnetic flux in the electrode cage.

Bifilar winding system for manufacture of poloidal field superconducting magnets for nuclear fusion

A bifilar winding system for the manufacture of poloidal field superconducting magnets for nuclear fusion includes two superconducting coil winding production lines which are symmetrically arranged, a dropping fixture, a rotary platform and a winding mold, and an automatic control system. Each of the two winding production lines includes a conductor unwinding device, a straightener, an ultrasonic cleaning machine, a sandblasting and cleaning machine, a bending machine, an inter-turn insulation taping machine. During the winding of a coil, a superconducting conductor is unwound by the conductor unwinding device under the control of the automatic control system, then straightened, ultrasonically cleaned, sandblasted and cleaned, and bent into a desired radius, then wrapped with multiple layers of insulating tape by the inter-turn insulation taping machine, and finally fixed, by the dropping fixture, precisely on the rotary platform at a correct position within a profile of the winding mold.

IN SITU RENEWABLE ELECTRODE FOR Z-PINCH PLASMA CONFINEMENT SYSTEM
20230238154 · 2023-07-27 ·

Methods and systems are provided for Z-pinch plasma and other plasma confinement utilizing various electrode compositions and configurations. In one example, a plasma confinement system includes a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes arranged coaxially with respect to an assembly region of the plasma confinement system and positioned so as to be exposed to the assembly region, wherein one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes includes an electrode material which releases hydrogen gas above a threshold temperature. In an additional or alternative example, a plasma confinement system includes an electrode body including a nosecone, and a liquid metal, a portion of the liquid metal forming a protective film between a surface of the nosecone and an exterior of the nosecone during operation of the plasma confinement system.

LAYERED NEUTRON SHIELDING
20230025227 · 2023-01-26 ·

Neutron shielding. The neutron shielding comprises a plurality of absorption layers (201, 203), and at least one moderating layer (202). The plurality of absorption layers each comprise tungsten boride or tungsten carbide. The at least one moderating layer comprises a metal hydride. Each moderating layer is between at least two absorption layers.

ION BEAM EXTRACTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREATING AN ION BEAM

An ion beam extraction apparatus (100), being configured for creating an ion beam (1), in particular adapted for a neutral beam injection apparatus of a fusion plasma plant, comprises an ion source device (10) being arranged for creating ions, and a grid device (20) comprising at least two grids (21, 22) being arranged adjacent to the ion source device (10) and having a mutual grid distance d along a beam axis z, wherein the grids (21, 22) are electrically insulated relative to each other, the grids (21, 22) are arranged for applying different electrical potentials for creating an ion extraction and acceleration field (3) along the beam axis z, and he ion source device (10) and the grid device (20) are arranged in an evacuable ion beam space (30) extending along the beam axis z, wherein at least one of the grids is a movable grid (21), which can be shifted along the beam axis z, and the grid device (20) is coupled with a grid drive device (40) having a drive motor (41), which is arranged for moving the movable grid (21) along the beam axis z and setting the grid distance d between the movable grid (21) and another one of the grids (21, 22). Furthermore, applications of the ion beam extraction apparatus and a method of creating an ion beam along a beam axis z are disclosed.

ION BEAM EXTRACTION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREATING AN ION BEAM

An ion beam extraction apparatus (100), being configured for creating an ion beam (1), in particular adapted for a neutral beam injection apparatus of a fusion plasma plant, comprises an ion source device (10) being arranged for creating ions, and a grid device (20) comprising at least two grids (21, 22) being arranged adjacent to the ion source device (10) and having a mutual grid distance d along a beam axis z, wherein the grids (21, 22) are electrically insulated relative to each other, the grids (21, 22) are arranged for applying different electrical potentials for creating an ion extraction and acceleration field (3) along the beam axis z, and he ion source device (10) and the grid device (20) are arranged in an evacuable ion beam space (30) extending along the beam axis z, wherein at least one of the grids is a movable grid (21), which can be shifted along the beam axis z, and the grid device (20) is coupled with a grid drive device (40) having a drive motor (41), which is arranged for moving the movable grid (21) along the beam axis z and setting the grid distance d between the movable grid (21) and another one of the grids (21, 22). Furthermore, applications of the ion beam extraction apparatus and a method of creating an ion beam along a beam axis z are disclosed.

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR FORMING AND MAINTAINING HIGH ENERGY AND TEMPERATURE FRC PLASMA VIA SPHEROMAK MERGING AND NEUTRAL BEAM INJECTION
20220400546 · 2022-12-15 ·

A high performance field reversed configuration (FRC) system includes a central confinement chamber, two divertor chambers coupled to the chamber, and two diametrically opposed spheromak injectors coupled to the divertor chambers. A magnetic system includes quasi-dc coils axially positioned along the FRC system components.

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR FORMING AND MAINTAINING HIGH ENERGY AND TEMPERATURE FRC PLASMA VIA SPHEROMAK MERGING AND NEUTRAL BEAM INJECTION
20220400546 · 2022-12-15 ·

A high performance field reversed configuration (FRC) system includes a central confinement chamber, two divertor chambers coupled to the chamber, and two diametrically opposed spheromak injectors coupled to the divertor chambers. A magnetic system includes quasi-dc coils axially positioned along the FRC system components.

ELECTRODE CONFIGURATION FOR EXTENDED PLASMA CONFINEMENT
20220394840 · 2022-12-08 ·

Methods and systems are provided for plasma confinement utilizing various electrode and valve configurations. In one example, a device includes a first electrode positioned to define an outer boundary of an acceleration volume, a second electrode arranged coaxially with respect to the first electrode and positioned to define an inner boundary of the acceleration volume, at least one power supply to drive an electric current along a Z-pinch plasma column between the first second electrodes, and a set of valves to provide gas to the acceleration volume to fuel the Z-pinch plasma column, wherein an electron flow of the electric current is in a first direction from the second electrode to the first electrode. In additional or alternative examples, a shaping part is conductively connected to the second electrode to, in a presence of the gas, cause a gas breakdown of the gas to generate a sheared flow velocity profile.

Mitigating plasma instability
11515050 · 2022-11-29 · ·

A system for reducing plasma instability is disclosed. The system includes: an outer electrode having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end; and an inner electrode disposed inside of a void defined within the outer electrode and arranged coaxial with the outer electrode. The inner electrode includes: a base end defined by the first end of the outer electrode; and an apical end spaced from the base end. The system includes a fiber injector configured to inject a frozen fiber into the void from the apical end of the inner electrode; an electrode power source configured to energize the outer electrode and the inner electrode, and thereby, cause a plasma contained within the outer electrode to flow axially along the frozen fiber; and a frozen fiber power source configured to drive an electrical pulse to the frozen fiber.