Plasma generation and heating via magnetic reconnection in an enclosed linear ring cusp

Abstract

In one embodiment, a fusion reactor includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure, one or more encapsulated magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils, one or more mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, and one or more magnetic reconnection coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and positioned to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields within the enclosure when pulsed by a power source. The reconfiguration or magnetic reconnection of the one or more magnetic fields is positioned to increase energy in the magnetic fields, thereby facilitating conditions operable to generate a plasma, and further releasing energy into the plasma when the magnetic fields collapse.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates generally to nuclear fusion reactors, and more specifically to plasma generation and heating via magnetic reconnection in an enclosed linear ring cusp. [Background technology]

[0002] Fusion power is power generated by the process of nuclear fusion, in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speeds and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus. A fusion reactor is a device that produces fusion power by confining and controlling a plasma. Typical fusion reactor designs are large, complex, and cannot be mounted on a vehicle. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] According to an embodiment, a fusion reactor may include an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure, one or more encapsulated magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils, one or more mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, and one or more magnetic reconnection coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and positioned to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields within the enclosure when pulsed by a power source. The reconfiguration or magnetic reconnection of the one or more magnetic fields may be used to generate and / or excite a plasma to a fusion condition.

[0004] According to another embodiment, a method of generating a plasma includes exciting one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure; exciting one or more encapsulated magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coils; exciting one or more mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure; pulsing one or more magnetic reconnection coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, the pulsing of the one or more magnetic reconnection coils operable to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields from a baseline position within the enclosure, thereby increasing energy in the one or more magnetic fields to generate at least one magnetic field null in the one or more magnetic fields; introducing a fusion gas into the enclosure; and generating a plasma in the at least one magnetic field null.

[0005] According to yet another embodiment, a method of generating plasma fusion energy includes exciting an internal magnetic coil suspended within an enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure, wherein each of the two internal magnetic coils has a toroidal shape; exciting a plurality of encapsulated magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a diameter larger than the internal magnetic coils; exciting two mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure; pulsing one or more magnetic reconnection coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, the pulsing of the one or more magnetic reconnection coils operable to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields from a baseline position within the enclosure, thereby increasing energy in the one or more magnetic fields and generating at least one magnetic field null in the one or more magnetic fields; introducing a plasma into the enclosure, the plasma configured to collect at the at least one magnetic field null; and collapsing the one or more magnetic fields to reduce energy in the one or more magnetic fields and releasing the energy into the plasma.

[0006] Technical advantages of certain embodiments may include providing a compact fusion reactor that is less complex and expensive to build than typical fusion reactor designs. Some embodiments may provide a fusion reactor that is small enough to be mounted on or in a vehicle such as a truck, airplane, ship, train, spacecraft, or submarine. Some embodiments may provide a fusion reactor that may be utilized in a desalination plant or power plant. Other technical advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, description, and claims. Additionally, while certain advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include all, some, or none of the enumerated advantages. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary application for a nuclear fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 illustrates another exemplary application for a nuclear fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1 illustrates another exemplary application for a nuclear fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 1D] FIG. 1 illustrates another exemplary application for a nuclear fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary aircraft system utilizing a fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 3A] 1 is an external view of an exemplary fusion reactor utilizing magnetic reconnection coils in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 3B] 1 is an internal view of an exemplary nuclear fusion reactor utilizing magnetic reconnection coils in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 3C] FIG. 1 illustrates a magnetic reconnection coil for use with a fusion reactor in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 3D] 1A-1C illustrate access ports for use with magnetic reconnection coils in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 3E]1A-1C illustrate connection blocks for use with magnetic recoupling coils according to certain embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates a magnetic field line image of a nuclear fusion reactor utilizing magnetic reconnection coils in accordance with certain embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an example calculation of energy generated in a fusion reactor using magnetic reconnection coils in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system in accordance with certain embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Fusion reactors generate power by containing and controlling the plasma used in the fusion process. Typical fusion reactor designs are directed to extremely large and complex devices. Due to their prohibitive size, it would not be feasible to mount them on vehicles. As a result, the usefulness of typical fusion reactors is limited.

[0009] The teachings of the present disclosure recognize that it is desirable to provide a compact fusion reactor that is small enough to be mounted on or in vehicles such as trucks, trains, airplanes, ships, submarines, and spacecraft. For example, it may be desirable to provide a truck-mounted compact fusion reactor that can provide a distributed power system. As another example, it may be desirable to provide a compact fusion reactor for aircraft that significantly extends the range and operational time of the aircraft. In addition, it may be desirable to provide a fusion reactor that can be utilized for power plants and desalination plants. The following describes an encapsulated linear ring cusp fusion reactor for providing these and other desirable benefits associated with a compact fusion reactor.

[0010] 1A-1D illustrate applications of a fusion reactor 110 according to certain embodiments. As an example, in FIG. 1A, one or more embodiments of the fusion reactor 110 may be utilized by an aircraft 101 to provide heat to one or more engines (e.g., turbines) of the aircraft 101. A particular example of utilizing one or more fusion reactors 110 in an aircraft is discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2. In another example, in FIG. 1C, one or more embodiments of the fusion reactor 110 may be utilized by a vessel 102 to provide electrical and propulsion power. Although an aircraft carrier is illustrated in FIG. 1C for the vessel 102, any type of vessel (e.g., cargo ship, cruise ship, etc.) may utilize one or more embodiments of the fusion reactor 110. As another example, in FIG. 1B, one or more embodiments of the fusion reactor 110 may be mounted on a flatbed truck 103 to provide distributed power or to provide power to remote locations in need of electricity. As another example, in Figure 1D, one or more embodiments of the fusion reactor 110 can be utilized by a power plant 104 to provide electricity to a power grid. Although Figures 1A-1D illustrate a particular application of the fusion reactor 110, the disclosure is not limited to the application illustrated. For example, the fusion reactor 110 can be utilized in other applications, such as trains, desalination plants, spacecraft, submarines, and the like.

[0011] In general, a fusion reactor 110 is a device that generates power by containing and controlling the plasma used in the fusion process. The fusion reactor 110 generates a large amount of heat from the fusion process that can be converted into various forms of power. For example, the heat generated by the fusion reactor 110 can be used to generate steam to drive turbines and generators, thereby producing electricity. As another example, and as discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2, the heat generated by the fusion reactor 110 can be used directly by the turbine of an aircraft turbofan or fan jet engine instead of a combustor.

[0012] The fusion reactor 110 can be scaled to have any desired power output for any desired application. For example, one embodiment of the fusion reactor 110 can be approximately 10 m by 7 m and can have a total thermal power output of approximately 100 MW. In other embodiments, the fusion reactor 110 can be larger or smaller and can have higher or lower thermal power output depending on the application. For example, the fusion reactor 110 can be scaled in size to have a total thermal power output in excess of 200 MW.

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary aircraft system 200 utilizing one or more fusion reactors 110 in accordance with certain embodiments. The aircraft system 200 includes one or more fusion reactors 110, a fuel processor 210, one or more auxiliary power units (APUs) 220, and one or more turbofans 230. The fusion reactor 110 supplies hot coolant 240 to the turbofans 230 using one or more heat transfer lines (e.g., directly or via the fuel processor 210). In some embodiments, the hot coolant 240 is FLiBe (i.e., a mixture of lithium fluoride (LiF) and beryllium fluoride (BeF2)) or LiPb. In some embodiments, the hot coolant 240 is further supplied to the APU 220. After use by the turbofans 240, the return coolant 250 is returned to the fusion reactor 110 to be heated and used again. In some embodiments, the return coolant 250 is delivered directly to the fusion reactor 110. In some embodiments, the return coolant 250 may be further delivered to the fusion reactor 110 from the APU 220.

[0014] In general, the aircraft system 200 utilizes one or more fusion reactors 110 to provide heat to the turbofan 230 via a hot coolant 240. Typically, a turbofan utilizes a combustor that burns jet fuel to heat the inlet air, thereby generating thrust. However, in the aircraft system 200, the combustor of the turbofan 230 is replaced by a heat exchanger that utilizes the hot coolant 240 provided by the one or more fusion reactors 110 to heat the inlet air. This can provide many advantages over a typical turbofan. For example, by operating the turbofan 230 without a combustor that burns jet fuel, the range of the aircraft 101 can be significantly extended. Additionally, the need for jet fuel can be significantly reduced or eliminated, thereby significantly reducing the operating costs of the aircraft 101.

[0015] 3A and 3B show a fusion reactor 300 that can be utilized in the exemplary application of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 according to certain embodiments. In general, the fusion reactor 300 can comprise an enclosed linear ring cusp fusion reactor in which an enclosed magnetic coil is used to prevent the expansion of the plasma generated using the internal cusp magnetic coil. In some embodiments, the fusion reactor 300 can include an enclosure 320 with a central axis 310 extending down the length of the center of the enclosure 320 as shown. In some embodiments, the enclosure 320 can include a vacuum chamber. The fusion reactor 300 can further include an internal coil 340 (e.g., the internal coil 340 shown in FIG. 3B is also known as a "cusp" coil), an enclosed coil 350, and a mirror coil 360. The internal coil 340 can be suspended by any suitable means within the enclosure 320 and can be centered on the central axis 310. The encapsulating coil 350 may also be centered on the central axis 310 and may be either internal or external to the enclosure 320. For example, in some embodiments, the encapsulating coil 350 may be suspended within the enclosure 320. In other embodiments, the encapsulating coil 350 may be external to the enclosure 320, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B.

[0016] In general, the fusion reactor 300 can be powered by controlling and confining the plasma 310 in the enclosure 320 for the fusion process. The inner coil 340, the encapsulation coil 350, and the mirror coil 360 are energized to create a magnetic field that confines the plasma 370 in a shape such as that shown in FIG. 3B. Certain gases, such as deuterium and tritium gases, can then react to produce energetic particles that heat the plasma 370 and the walls of the enclosure 320. The generated heat can then be used, for example, to power a vehicle. For example, a liquid metal coolant, such as FLiBe or LiPb, can carry the heat from the walls of the fusion reactor 300 to the engine of an aircraft. In some embodiments, the combustor in the gas turbine engine can be replaced with a heat exchanger that utilizes the generated heat from the fusion reactor 300. In some embodiments, power can be extracted from the fusion reactor 300 through a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) process.

[0017] The fusion reactor 300 may comprise an encapsulated linear ring cusp fusion device. Primary plasma confinement may be achieved in some embodiments by two central linear ring cusps (e.g., central coil 330) with two spindle cusps (e.g., inner coil 340) positioned axially on either side. These confinement regions may then be encapsulated (e.g., with encapsulation coil 350) within a coaxial mirror magnetic field provided by mirror coil 360.

[0018] The magnetic field of the fusion reactor 300 is provided by coaxially positioned magnetic field coils of various sizes and currents. Ring cusp losses in the central region are mitigated by recirculation into the spindle cusps. This recirculation flow can be made stable and compact by the containment magnetic field provided by the containment coils 350. Outward diffusion losses and axial losses from the main containment region are mitigated by the strong mirror field of the containment magnetic field provided by the containment coils 350. To function as a fusion energy generating device, the confined plasma 370 can undergo fusion reactions to produce heat. This heat can then be harvested to produce useful heat, work, and / or power.

[0019] The fusion reactor 300 is an improvement over existing systems in part because it can retain long-range MHD stability and losses through successive containment zones are significantly decoupled due to scattering of particles moving along the null line. This feature means that particles moving along the central axis are less likely to immediately exit the system and will require multiple scattering events to leave the system. This extends the lifetime of these particles within the device and enhances the ability of the fusion reactor to generate advantageous fusion power.

[0020] The fusion reactor 300 has a novel magnetic field configuration that exhibits wide-area MHD stability, has minimal particle losses through open magnetic field lines, uses all of the available magnetic field energy, and has a significantly simplified engineering design. The efficient use of the magnetic field means that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be an order of magnitude smaller than typical systems, thereby significantly reducing capital costs for the power plant. Furthermore, this lower cost allows the concept to be developed quickly, as each design cycle can be completed much faster than typical systems. In general, the embodiments of the present disclosure have a simpler and more stable design with much lower physical risks than existing systems.

[0021] The enclosure 320 may include any suitable chamber or device for containing a nuclear fusion reaction. In some embodiments, the enclosure 320 may be a vacuum chamber that is generally cylindrical in shape. In other embodiments, the enclosure 320 may be a shape other than cylindrical. In some embodiments, the enclosure 320 may have a central axis 310 that extends along the center of its length as shown. In some embodiments, the enclosure 320 may include a first end 322 and an opposing second end 324. In some embodiments, the enclosure 320 may include an axial midpoint 326 that is substantially equidistant between the first end 322 and the second end 324. The term axial midpoint 326 need not be limited to a single point on the enclosure, but may refer to any point on the exterior, interior, or interior of the enclosure 320 that is substantially equidistant between the first end 322 and the second end 324 of the enclosure 320.

[0022] Some embodiments of the fusion reactor 300 may include two central coils 330. The central coils 330 may be positioned approximately equidistant on either side of a midpoint 326 of the enclosure 320. In some embodiments, the central coils 330 may be centered on the central axis 310 relative to one another and may be coaxial with the inner coil 340. The central coils 330 may be internal or external to the enclosure 320, may be positioned at any suitable axial location relative to the midpoint 326, may have any suitable radius, may carry any suitable current, and may have any suitable ampere-turns.

[0023] The internal coil 340 may be any suitable magnetic coil suspended or otherwise disposed within the enclosure 320. In some embodiments, the internal coil 340 is a superconducting magnetic coil. In some embodiments, the internal coil 340 is toroidal in shape, as shown in FIG. 3B. In some embodiments, the internal coil 340 is centered on the central axis 310. In some embodiments, the internal coil 340 may include two coils, a first internal coil positioned between the midpoint 326 and the first end 322 of the enclosure 320, and a second internal coil positioned between the midpoint 326 and the second end 324 of the enclosure 320. The internal coil 340 may be positioned at any suitable axial location relative to the midpoint 326, may have any suitable radius, may carry any suitable current, and may have any suitable ampere-turns.

[0024] The encapsulating coil 350 is any suitable magnetic coil and generally has a larger diameter than the inner coil 340. In some embodiments, the encapsulating coil 350 is centered on the central axis 310 and is coaxial with the inner coil 340. In general, the encapsulating coil 350 can encapsulate the inner coil 340 and can operate to close the original magnetic field lines of the inner coil 340 inside the magnetosphere. Closing these lines can reduce the extent of open magnetic field lines and reduce losses due to recirculation. The encapsulating coil 350 can preserve MHD stability by maintaining a domain wall that prevents the plasma 370 from expanding. The encapsulating coil 350 has any suitable cross-section, such as a square or round shape. In some embodiments, the encapsulating coil 350 is suspended within the enclosure 320. In other embodiments, the encapsulating coil 350 can be external to the enclosure 320 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The encapsulating coil 350 may be positioned at any suitable axial location relative to the midpoint 326, may have any suitable radius, may carry any suitable current, and may have any suitable ampere-turns.

[0025] The fusion reactor 300 may include any number and arrangement of encapsulated coils 350. In some embodiments, the encapsulated coils 350 may include at least one encapsulated coil 350 disposed on each side of the midpoint 326 of the enclosure 320. For example, the fusion reactor 300 may include two encapsulated coils 350, a first encapsulated coil positioned between the midpoint 326 and the first end 322 of the enclosure 320, and a second encapsulated coil positioned between the midpoint 326 and the second end 324 of the enclosure 320. In some embodiments, the fusion reactor 300 may include 2, 4, 6, 8, or any other even number of encapsulated coils 350. In certain embodiments, the fusion reactor 300 may include a first set of two encapsulated coils 350 positioned between the internal coil 340 and the first end 322 of the enclosure 320, and a second set of two encapsulated coils 350 positioned between the internal coil 340 and the second end 324 of the enclosure 320. Although a particular number and arrangement of encapsulated coils 350 has been disclosed, the fusion reactor 300 may utilize any suitable number and arrangement of encapsulated coils 350.

[0026] The mirror coils 360 are magnetic coils generally positioned near the ends of the enclosure 320 (i.e., the first end 322 and the second end 324). In some embodiments, the mirror coils 360 may be centered on the central axis 310 and are coaxial with the inner coil 340. In general, the mirror coils 360 may function to reduce axial cusp losses and satisfy an average minimum β for all recirculating magnetic field lines under conditions that are not met based on other existing recirculation concepts. In some embodiments, the mirror coils 360 may include a first mirror coil positioned near the first end 322 of the enclosure 220 and a second mirror coil positioned near the second end 324 of the enclosure 220. The mirror coils 360 may be either internal or external to the enclosure 320, may be positioned at any suitable axial location relative to the midpoint 326, may have any suitable radius, may carry any suitable current, and may have any suitable ampere-turns.

[0027] In some embodiments, coils 330, 340, 350, and 360 are designed or selected according to certain constraints. For example, coils 330, 340, 350, and 360 can be designed according to constraints including high current requirements (approximately 10 megaampere-turns maximum in some embodiments), steady-state continuous operation, vacuum design (protection from plasma impingement), toroidal shape, outgassing limitations, materials compatible with 150 C bakeout, heat buildup, and cooling between shots.

[0028] Continuing with reference to FIG. 3A in conjunction with FIG. 3B, the nuclear fusion reactor 300 may further include one or more magnetic reconnection coils 380. The magnetic reconnection coils 380 of FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B may comprise one or more low inductance magnetic coils of high voltage (HV) insulated wire. The magnetic reconnection coils 380 may be wound around the periphery of the enclosure 320 substantially at or near the axial midpoint 326 of the enclosure 320 and may be coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure. Although the magnetic reconnection coils 380 are described and depicted as being near the axial midpoint 326 of the outer surface of the enclosure 320 and coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, it is understood that the present disclosure should not be so limited. For example, in an embodiment (not shown), the magnetic reconnection coils 380 may be positioned inside the enclosure 320 near the axial midpoint 326 of the enclosure and at a radial distance greater than that of the internal coils 340. Similarly, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be positioned at one or more other locations on the exterior of the enclosure or at one or more other locations within the enclosure. In yet other embodiments, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be integrated with one or more of the other magnetic coils 330, 340, 350, 360 of the fusion reactor 300. Alternatively, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be separate from one or more of the other magnetic coils 330, 340, 350, 360 of the fusion reactor 300. In some embodiments, the positioning of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be based on the effect of mutual inductance caused by other coils in the fusion reactor 300, i.e., it may be positioned to minimize the effect of mutual inductance to facilitate the process of magnetic reconnection. In this regard, the distance between the magnetic reconnection coil 380 and the other magnetic coils 330, 340, 350, 360 may be adjusted to reduce the mutual inductance effect. In other embodiments, a magnetic shield may be positioned around the magnetic recoupling coil 380 to reduce mutual inductance effects.

[0029] Reference is now made to Figures 3C, 3D, and 3E, which illustrate an embodiment of a magnetic reconnection coil 380 according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 3C and 3D, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can comprise two magnetic coils of HV insulated wire routed around one or more access ports 382. Figure 3D illustrates an embodiment of an access port 382 for use with the magnetic reconnection coil 380. The access ports 382 can function as an adapter to protect the magnetic reconnection coil 380 from sharp or abrasive surfaces as well as to maintain the magnetic reconnection coil 380 at the axial midpoint 326 of the face of the enclosure 320. Each access port 382 can include a central opening 384 that corresponds to a circular window in the enclosure 320 when the magnetic reconnection coil 380 is wrapped around the enclosure 320, thereby allowing for observation of the plasma inside the enclosure 320. 3C illustrates the magnetic recoupling coil 380 with two magnetic coils, it is understood that the configuration can include any number of coils that allows for low inductance and still allows the magnetic recoupling coil 380 to be rapidly pulsed, thereby producing the results described in this disclosure. Additionally, in some embodiments, the configuration can include any number of access ports 382 or no access ports 382 and can be attached to or within the enclosure 320 by other means.

[0030] Continuing with reference to FIG. 3C in conjunction with FIG. 3E, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be coupled to a connection block 386 that can maintain the coil at two turns without significant overlap or underlap. The magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be further coupled to a capacitor-based power source (not shown), such as a solenoid magnet pulser, that can be powered to pulse it. In some embodiments, the solenoid magnet pulser can be pulsed at 1 kV, 35 kA. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, these values ​​can be scaled based on the fusion reactor and can be of higher or lower order accordingly. Each pulse of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can include a rise time (the time it takes the leading edge of the pulse (voltage or current) to rise from its minimum value) and a fall time (the time it takes the pulse to fall from its maximum value back to its minimum value). In some embodiments, the rise time of the pulse of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be about 0.5 ms. The rise time of the pulse can be modified and / or optimized to improve plasma response and increase energy transferred to the plasma. When pulsed, the direction of the current in the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be the same as the direction of the magnetic field in the internal coil 340 .

[0031] The magnetic reconnection coil 380 can utilize the principle of magnetic reconnection to convert magnetic energy into plasma fusion energy within the fusion reactor 300. In other words, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 applying the magnetic reconnection process can by itself provide the energy and heat to drive the fusion reactor 300 into a fusion condition without the addition of external sources of these energies and heat.

[0032] In general, magnetic reconnection refers to the breaking and reconnection of opposing magnetic field lines in a plasma, thereby converting magnetic energy into kinetic and thermal energy. Specifically, the magnetic field in a plasma is composed of magnetic field lines. Electrons and ions are trapped in circular orbits around these invisible magnetic field lines. When two sets of magnetic field lines with magnetic fields pointing in opposite directions get too close, they collide. When opposing magnetic field lines cross to form an "X," these sets of magnetic field lines break and reconnect with the other set of magnetic field lines coming from the opposite direction, forming a U-shape that pushes each other aside. This process, called magnetic reconnection, results in a rearrangement of the magnetic field, converting magnetic energy into particle energy.

[0033] In accordance with the present disclosure, as described below with respect to FIG. 4, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can provide at least two functions within the fusion reactor 300: 1) exciting a magnetic field to generate a plasma, and 2) collapsing the magnetic field of the plasma to derive fusion energy.

[0034] Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which shows frames 1-4 of magnetic field line images depicting the time-dependent movement of magnetic field lines in a fusion reactor 300 utilizing a magnetic reconnection coil 380 according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 4, the white rectangular blocks in these frames correspond to the energized external magnetic coils (center coil 330, outer coil 350, and mirror coil 360), and the white circles correspond to the energized internal magnetic coil 340. Magnetic field lines surround each of these energized coils. It is further noted that frames 1-4 show cross-sectional views of the magnetic field lines. In other words, these magnetic field lines are rotationally symmetric about the lower edge of each frame. Additionally, although FIG. 4 illustrates that the central coil 330, the inner coil 340, the encapsulating coil 350, and the mirror coil 360 are all energized prior to pulsing of the magnetic recombination coil 380, it is understood that it may not be necessary to energize one or more of these coils 330, 340, 350, 360 to perform the functions described herein with respect to the magnetic recombination coil 380.

[0035] The first function of the magnetic reconnection coil is to excite a magnetic field to generate a plasma. Generally, plasma is generated when a neutral gas is heated or exposed to a strong electromagnetic field, which causes the gas to become progressively conductive and break down into ions and free electrons. The resulting material is a plasma, an ionized gas with enough energy to allow both ions and electrons to coexist. The magnetic reconnection coil 380 can generate these conditions to generate a plasma. Frame 1 of FIG. 4 illustrates the baseline of the magnetic field before pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380, i.e., at zero pulse coil current. As shown, at the baseline, two adjacent magnetic fields 410 and 420 can be generated by the internal magnetic coil 340, with a single magnetic field null 430 between them. The magnetic field null point is where the magnetic field strength is equal to zero.

[0036] Referring to frame 2 of FIG. 4, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be rapidly energized (pulsed) in less than 1 ms. In some embodiments, the rise time of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 pulse can be about 0.5 ms. The rise time can be adjusted based on the specifications and / or parameters of the fusion reactor 300. The power (voltage or current) provided by the magnetic reconnection coil 380 pulse can be rapidly changed during the rise time of the pulse to reconfigure the magnetic fields 410 and 420. The magnetic fields 410, 410 can be energized and their magnetic field lines can be pulled up along the longitudinal axis 460. The magnetic field lines of the magnetic fields 410 and 420 can then push against each other since they are in opposite directions. As a result, the single magnetic field null 430 can be forced apart to create two distinct magnetic field nulls 440a, 440b or "X points". The movement of magnetic field null 430 and the creation of X-points 440a, 440b results in magnetic reconnection.

[0037] In an embodiment (not shown), a single magnetic field null or X point can be generated. Specifically, when the magnetic reconnection coil 380 is rapidly energized (or pulsed), the power (voltage or current) provided by the pulse of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can change rapidly during the rise time of the pulse to reconfigure the magnetic fields 410 and 420. The magnetic field lines can be pushed up along the longitudinal axis 460, and the opposing magnetic field lines of the magnetic fields 410 and 420 can push against each other to generate a single X point (rather than two X points). It is to be understood that the present disclosure should not be limited to the generation of any particular number of X points. Although the present disclosure describes the generation of a single X point and / or a dual X point, any number of X points can be generated based on the principles of magnetic reconnection.

[0038] In an embodiment, the fusion reactor 300 can be filled with fusion gas at or before the rise time of the pulse of the magnetic reconnection coil 380. The rapid change in the magnetic field caused by the pulse during the rise time results in a high inductive azimuthal electric field, forcing the fusion gas to break down into its constituent ions and free electrons, thereby essentially generating a plasma. The resulting plasma can gather as two "plasma rings" at the magnetic field nulls (X-points) 440a, 440b (or as a single "plasma ring" if only one X-point were generated). The plasma is attracted to one or more of the X-points since these points comprise the regions of lowest magnetic pressure. In other words, as the electric field forces and other microturbulences act on the plasma, the plasma reorganizes and is naturally drawn to the X-points.

[0039] In another embodiment, pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can result in the formation of one or more magnetic field nulls on one or more faces of the inner coil 340. In other words, when the fusion reactor 300 is filled with fusion gas, pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can cause the magnetic field to change rapidly during the rise time, creating a null on the face of the inner coil 340. The change in the magnetic field can induce a strong electric field, resulting in the formation of a plasma on the face of the inner coil 340, much like the glazing of a donut.

[0040] It is to be understood that various aspects of the above-described process of generating plasma by pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be adapted or modified without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. For example, although the present disclosure describes the magnetic reconnection coil 380 having two coils, any number of coils having any turns may be used. Similarly, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be pulsed at any rate and / or frequency and may have any corresponding rise and / or fall time. Additionally, plasma may be formed at one or both locations described in the present disclosure (i.e., at one or more X points and / or on one or more faces of the inner coil 340), as well as other locations or faces within the enclosure 320.

[0041] The magnetic reconnection coil 380 can then be used to derive fusion energy using the principles of magnetic reconnection. According to some embodiments, the process of deriving fusion energy can continue after the above-described process of generating a plasma (i.e., the plasma generated by pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can still be used to derive energy). In this case, the process would continue as shown in and described with respect to Frame 3 below. Alternatively, the plasma can be separately introduced into the fusion reactor 300 before pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380.

[0042] When the plasma is introduced into the fusion reactor 300 separately, the process begins by energizing the magnetic coils 330, 340, 350, 360 in the fusion reactor 300. Then, the plasma is introduced into the fusion reactor 300, and the charged particles of the plasma can swirl around the magnetic field lines in the direction of the magnetic fields 410, 420 shown in frame 1 of FIG. 4. A single magnetic field null 430 can exist between the magnetic fields 410, 420 of the plasma. Next, as shown in frame 2, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be rapidly energized (pulsed) as fast as less than 1 ms. Pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can rapidly reposition or reconfigure the magnetic field on a time scale of approximately 1 ms. Specifically, during the rise time of the pulse, the magnetic fields 410, 420 can be energized and the magnetic field lines can be pulled up along the longitudinal axis 460. Since the magnetic field lines of magnetic field 410 and 420 extend in opposite directions, they push against each other and converge. The convergence of magnetic fields 410, 420 can force the single magnetic field null 430 to separate, thereby generating two magnetic field nulls (or X-points) 440a, 440b. In another embodiment (not shown), a single X-point can be generated during the magnetic reconnection process. The generation of one or more X-points begins to weaken the magnetic fields 410, 420, allowing the excited plasma to swirl around the magnetic field lines and be pulled up along the longitudinal axis 460 to collect as two plasma rings at the two X-points 440a, 440b (or as a single plasma ring at the single X-point). The reconfiguration of magnetic field null 430 to create one or more X-points results in magnetic reconnection. This process of magnetic reconnection exponentially increases the total plasma energy in the fusion reactor as the magnetic field energy decreases.

[0043] Now, referring to frame 3 of FIG. 4, immediately after the magnetic field is repositioned and energized, the magnetic field can collapse with the plasma concentrated at two X points. In particular, when the pulse current of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 falls (i.e., during the fall time of the pulse), the magnetic fields 410, 420 can be collapsed abruptly and these magnetic fields can transition to a lower energy state. The magnetic field nulls 440a, 440b of frame 2 with the plasma ring can follow the downward transition of the magnetic fields 410, 420 and collide with each other to form a single magnetic field null 450. The single magnetic field null 450 can accelerate downward to a baseline position at the central axis 310 of the fusion reactor 300. The sudden change in the magnetic field can induce an electric field and generate a large amount of energy and heat in the plasma, potentially on the order of tens of kilovolts (kV) to hundreds of tens of kilovolts (kV).

[0044] Collapsing the magnetic fields 410, 420 when the plasma is focused at a single X point or on the surface of one or more of the internal coils 340 can produce substantially similar results. Specifically, when the pulse current of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 falls (i.e., during the fall time of the pulse), the magnetic fields 410, 420 can be collapsed abruptly and the magnetic fields can transition to a low energy state. When the plasma ring is focused at a single X point, it can accelerate downward to a baseline position at the central axis 310 of the fusion reactor 300. Similarly, when the plasma is focused on the surface of one or more of the internal coils 340, it can also accelerate downward to a baseline position at the central axis 310. When the magnetic field changes abruptly, an electric field can be induced, generating a large amount of energy and heat in the plasma.

[0045] Referring now to Frame 4 of FIG. 4, as the magnetic field lines return to their baseline position, the total energy in the magnetic field is reduced (or released), resulting in free energy in the system. The plasma in the single magnetic field null 430 can also return to the central axis 310, and the energy released by the magnetic field (from Frame 2) is transferred to the plasma. The resulting plasma can be excited and heated to the point where neutral beams and / or external heat injection mechanisms are no longer required to heat it to fusion conditions. This fusion energy in the plasma can then be extracted using means known in the art.

[0046] Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which illustrates an example calculation 500 of the released energy based on testing of the magnetic reconnection induced by the magnetic reconnection coil 380 of the present disclosure. As shown numerically in chart 510 and graphically in graph 520, as the current in the magnetic reconnection coil 380 (in kiloamperes, kA) increases, the total derived energy (in Joules, J) can also increase. Thus, when the current in the magnetic reconnection coil 380 is pulsed at 50 kA, approximately 5 kJ of energy is released, which corresponds to approximately 5 MW of heating. It is understood that the above values ​​were obtained under test conditions. It is expected that in a nuclear fusion reactor, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 can be pulsed at a higher order, resulting in the transfer of several megajoules of energy, which corresponds to heating of several thousand megawatts or more.

[0047] In essence, by rapidly reconfiguring the magnetic fields of the plasma through magnetic reconnection and then allowing those fields to collapse, the magnetic reconnection coil 380 of the present disclosure provides an efficient means for generating energy. More specifically, a magnetic field is excited when a pulse of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 briefly reconfigures the magnetic fields in the fusion reactor 300. When that field is collapsed, the magnetic field energy is reduced and the energy released from the magnetic field can be transferred to the plasma.

[0048] There are various advantages to using the magnetic reconnection coil disclosed herein. First, the process used with the magnetic reconnection coil is very efficient, with some experiments calculating 90% efficiency in terms of delivered energy. Furthermore, the process allows the plasma ions to become hotter than the electrons. This is ideal for advanced fusion fuels, since fusion occurs with heated ions, while radiation losses are proportional to electron temperature. Second, the process can continue to drive a fusion reactor up to a fusion ignition condition, resulting in the production of more energy than it consumes. Similarly, the process provides flexibility, allowing for continuous operation with first generation deuterium-tritium fuels, or pulsed operation with advanced fuels.

[0049] Additional benefits of magnetic reconnection coils include the ability to be disconnected after the plasma has been generated, thereby ensuring reduced power loss from the plasma. Similarly, magnetic reconnection coils provide the ability to generate and heat the plasma, whereas many existing systems provide only one of these functions. The technology used for magnetic reconnection coils works over a wide range of gas densities because it does not rely on collisions between particles to exchange energy. This allows for higher plasma temperatures to be achieved in low density plasmas than would be possible in neutral beam heated plasmas, which rely on collisions to transfer energy between plasma constituents.

[0050] It is to be understood that the above-described process of deriving energy by pulsing the magnetic reconnection coil 380 may be adapted or modified without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. For example, while a single pulse is described in this disclosure, it is to be understood that the magnetic reconnection coil may be pulsed any number of times to add heat and / or to avoid cooling the plasma, and / or the process may be repeated any number of times. Furthermore, the repetition of the process may correspond to the pulse time of the magnetic reconnection coil 380 (i.e., for a pulse time of 1 ms, the process may be repeated at a frequency of 1 kHz).

[0051] Reference is now made to Figure 6, which illustrates an exemplary computer system 500. In certain embodiments, one or more computer systems 600 are utilized by the fusion reactor 300 for any aspect requiring computer processing control. Certain embodiments include one or more portions of one or more computer systems 600. As used herein, references to a computer system may include computing devices, and vice versa, where appropriate. Additionally, references to a computer system may include one or more computer systems, where appropriate.

[0052] This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems 600. This disclosure contemplates computer system 600 taking any suitable physical form. By way of example and not limitation, computer system 600 may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, a computer-on-module (COM) or a system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computer system, a laptop computer system or a notebook computer system, a kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh computer system, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a tablet computer system, an augmented reality / virtual reality device, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, computer system 600 may include one or more computer systems 600 that are single or distributed, or that reside in a cloud that may include one or more cloud components across multiple locations or across multiple machines, or across multiple data centers, or in one or more networks. Where appropriate, one or more computer systems 600 may perform one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein without substantial spatial or temporal limitations. By way of example and not limitation, one or more computer systems 600 may perform one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein using real-time or batch mode. One or more computer systems 600 may perform one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein at different times or in different locations.

[0053] In a particular embodiment, computer system 600 includes a computer 602, a memory 604, storage 606, an input / output (I / O) interface 608, a communication interface 610, and a bus 612. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular computer systems having particular numbers of particular components in particular arrangements, this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having any suitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement.

[0054] In particular embodiments, the processor 602 includes hardware for executing instructions, such as those that make up a computer program. By way of example and not limitation, to execute instructions, the processor 602 may retrieve (or fetch) instructions from an internal register, an internal cache, memory 604, or storage 606, decode and execute them, and then write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory 604, or storage 606. In particular embodiments, the processor 602 may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates the processor 602 including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. By way of example and not limitation, the processor 602 may include one or more instruction caches, one or more data caches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in an instruction cache may be copies of instructions in memory 604 or storage 606, and the instruction cache may speed up retrieval of these instructions by the processor 602. Data in the data cache may be a copy of data in memory 604 or storage 606 for instructions executing on processor 602 to operate on, for example, results of previous instructions executed by processor 602 or other suitable data, for access by subsequent instructions executing on processor 602 or for writing to memory 604 or storage 606. The data cache may speed up read or write operations by processor 602. The TLB may speed up virtual address translation for processor 602. In certain embodiments, processor 602 may include one or more internal registers for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 602 including any suitable number of any suitable internal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor 602 may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs) or be a multi-core processor or include one or more processors 602.Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, this disclosure contemplates any suitable processor.

[0055] In a particular embodiment, memory 604 includes a main memory for storing instructions for processor 602 to execute or data on which processor 602 operates. By way of example and not limitation, computer system 600 may load instructions from storage 606 or another source (such as, for example, another computer system 600) into memory 604. Processor 602 may then load the instructions from memory 604 into an internal register or internal cache. To execute instructions, processor 602 may retrieve instructions from the internal register or internal cache and decode them. During or after execution of instructions, processor 602 may write one or more results (which may be intermediate or final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor 602 may write one or more of these results to memory 604. In particular embodiments, the processor 602 executes only instructions in one or more internal registers or internal caches or memory 604 (and not in storage 606 or any other location) and operates only on data in one or more internal registers or internal caches or memory 604 (and not in storage 606 or any other location). One or more buses (each of which may include an address bus and a data bus) may couple the processor 602 to the memory 604. The bus 612 may include one or more memory buses as described below. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units (MMUs) are present between the processor 602 and the memory 604 to facilitate accesses to the memory 604 requested by the processor 602. In particular embodiments, the memory 604 includes random access memory (RAM). This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate. Where appropriate, this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Further, where appropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 604 may include one or more memories 604, where appropriate.Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosure contemplates any suitable memory.

[0056] In certain embodiments, storage 606 includes mass storage for data or instructions. By way of example and not limitation, storage 606 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, or a universal serial bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. Storage 606 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, where appropriate. Storage 606 may be internal or external to computer system 600, where appropriate. In certain embodiments, storage 606 is a non-volatile semiconductor memory. In certain embodiments, storage 606 includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), an erasable re-writeable ROM (EAROM), or a flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage 606 taking any suitable physical form. Storage 606 may include, where appropriate, one or more storage control units that facilitate communications between processor 602 and storage 606. Where appropriate, storage 606 may include one or more storages 606. Although particular storage is described and illustrated in this disclosure, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage.

[0057] In certain embodiments, I / O interface 608 includes hardware, software, or both that provide one or more interfaces for communication between computer system 600 and one or more I / O devices. Computer system 600 may include one or more of these I / O devices, where appropriate. One or more of these I / O devices may enable communication between a person and computer system 600. By way of example and not limitation, an I / O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet, touch screen, trackball, video camera, another suitable I / O device, or a combination of two or more of these. An I / O device may include one or more sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I / O device and any suitable I / O interface 608 thereto. Where appropriate, I / O interface 608 may include one or more devices or software drives that enable processor 602 to drive one or more of these I / O devices. I / O interface 608 may include one or more I / O interfaces 608, where appropriate. Although particular I / O interfaces are described and illustrated in this disclosure, this disclosure contemplates any suitable I / O interface.

[0058] In certain embodiments, the communication interface 610 includes hardware, software, or both that provide one or more interfaces for communication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) between the computer system 600 and one or more other computer systems 600 or one or more networks. By way of example and not limitation, the communication interface 610 may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network, or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. This disclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitable communication interface 610 thereto. By way of example and not limitation, the computer system 600 may communicate with an ad-hoc network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or a combination of two or more of these. One or more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired or wireless. As an example, computer system 600 may communicate with a wireless PAN (WPAN) (such as, for example, a Bluetooth WPAN), a WI-FI network, a WI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, or a 5G network), or other suitable wireless network, or a combination of two or more of these. Computer system 600 may include any suitable communication interface 610 for any of these networks, as appropriate. Communication interface 610 may include one or more communication interfaces 610, as appropriate. Although particular communication interfaces are described and illustrated in this disclosure, this disclosure contemplates any suitable communication interface.

[0059] In particular embodiments, bus 612 includes hardware, software, or both that couple components of computer system 600 together. By way of example and not limitation, bus 612 may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a Front Side Bus (FSB), a HyperTransport (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an InfiniBand interconnect, a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a MicroChannel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI Express (PCIe) bus, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association Local (VLB) bus, or another suitable bus, or a combination of two or more of these. Bus 612 may include one or more buses 612, where appropriate. Although a particular bus is described and illustrated in the present invention, this disclosure contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

[0060] As used herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may include, where appropriate, one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid hard drives (HHDs), optical disks, optical disk drives (ODDs), magneto-optical disks, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppy disk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid state drives (SSDs), RAM drives, secure digital cards or secure digital drives, any other computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination of two or more of these. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, where appropriate.

[0061] As used herein, "or" is non-exclusive unless expressly indicated otherwise or the context dictates otherwise. Thus, as used herein, "A or B" means "A, B, or both," unless expressly indicated otherwise or the context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, "and" is both jointly and severally, unless expressly indicated otherwise or the context dictates otherwise. Thus, as used herein, "A and B" means "A and B, jointly or severally," unless expressly indicated otherwise or the context dictates otherwise.

[0062] The scope of this disclosure includes all exchanges, substitutions, variations, changes, and modifications to the exemplary embodiments described or illustrated herein that would be understood by a person skilled in the art. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described or illustrated herein. Furthermore, although this disclosure describes and illustrates each embodiment herein as including certain components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may include any combination or permutation of any of the components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that would be understood by a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, references within the scope of the claims to devices or systems, or components of devices or systems, being adapted, arranged, having, configured, enabled, operable, or operative to perform a particular function, include such devices, systems, or components, or such particular functions, whether or not they are activated, turned on, or unlocked, so long as such devices, systems, or components are so adapted, arranged, having, configured, enabled, operable, or operative. In addition, although this disclosure describes or illustrates particular embodiments as providing certain advantages, the particular embodiment may provide none, some, or all of these advantages.

[0063] The embodiments disclosed herein are merely examples, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Particular embodiments may include all, some, or none of the components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps of the embodiments disclosed herein. The embodiments according to this disclosure, particularly those related to methods, storage media, systems, and computer program products, disclose any feature described in one claim category, and may also be claimed in another claim category, e.g., system. Dependency or retroactivity in the claims is merely selected for formal reasons. However, any subject matter resulting from intentional retroactivity (especially multiple dependency) to any preceding claims may be claimed, as any combination of claims and their features may be disclosed and claimed regardless of the dependency selected in the claims. Subject matter that may be claimed includes not only the combination of features provided in the claims, but also any other combination of features within the claims, and each feature described in the claims may be combined with any other feature or combination of other features within the claims. Furthermore, any of the embodiments and features described or illustrated in this specification may be claimed in an individual claim and / or in any combination with any of the embodiments or features described or illustrated in this specification or with any of the features within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An enclosure; one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of the enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure; one or more encapsulated magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coil; one or more mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure; a magnetic recoupling coil coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and positioned to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields within the enclosure when pulsed by a power source; A system comprising:

2. the one or more magnetic fields are reconfigured from a baseline position during a rise time of a pulse of the one of the magnetic reconnection coils; the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields is arranged to increase energy in the one or more magnetic fields to induce an electric field. The system of claim 1 .

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields generates at least one magnetic field null in the one or more magnetic fields.

4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein when a fusion gas is introduced inside the enclosure, the electric field decomposes the fusion gas to cause the generation of a plasma, the plasma being positioned to collect at the at least one magnetic field null.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein a plasma is positioned such that when introduced inside the enclosure, the plasma will focus at the at least one magnetic field null.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the energy in the one or more magnetic fields decreases during a fall time of the pulse of the one magnetic reconnection coil.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the decrease in the energy in the one or more magnetic fields accelerates the at least one magnetic field null to the baseline position.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the energy in the one or more magnetic fields is emitted into the plasma.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plasma emits heat.

10. energizing one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of an enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of said enclosure; energizing one or more enclosed magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a larger diameter than the internal magnetic coil; energizing one or more mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure; pulsing a magnetic reconnection coil coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, the pulsing of the magnetic reconnection coil operable to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields from a baseline position within the enclosure, thereby increasing energy in the one or more magnetic fields and generating at least one magnetic field null in the one or more magnetic fields; introducing a fusion gas into the enclosure; generating a plasma in the at least one magnetic field null; The method includes:

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields comprises magnetically reconnecting the one or more magnetic fields.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields occurs during a rise time of the pulse of the one magnetic reconnection coil.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields induces an electric field.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electric field causes the fusion gas to break down and induces the generation of the plasma, the plasma being positioned to collect at the at least one magnetic field null.

15. exciting two internal magnetic coils suspended within an interior of an enclosure and coaxial with a central axis of the enclosure, each of the two internal magnetic coils having a toroidal shape; energizing a plurality of enclosed magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure and having a diameter greater than that of the internal magnetic coil; energizing two mirror magnetic coils coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure; pulsing a magnetic reconnection coil coaxial with the central axis of the enclosure, the pulsing of the magnetic reconnection coil operable to reconfigure one or more magnetic fields from a baseline position within the enclosure, thereby increasing energy in the one or more magnetic fields and generating at least one magnetic field null in the one or more magnetic fields; introducing a plasma into the enclosure, the plasma being positioned to collect at the at least one magnetic field null; collapsing the one or more magnetic fields to reduce the energy in the one or more magnetic fields and release the energy into the plasma; The method includes:

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields comprises magnetically reconnecting the one or more magnetic fields.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reconfiguration of the one or more magnetic fields occurs during a rise time of the pulse of the one of the magnetic reconnection coils.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the collapsing occurs during a fall time of the pulse of the one of the magnetic reconnection coils.

19. The disintegrating step comprises: accelerating the at least one magnetic field null to the baseline position; The method of claim 15 further comprising:

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the collapsing step heats the plasma.

Images