Magnet driving power supply, magnet driving method and system, and fusion reaction system

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a magnet driving power supply, a magnet driving method and system, and a fusion reaction system. The magnet driving power supply comprises a capacitor unit and a plurality of groups of control modules, wherein each group of control modules comprises two control modules, all the control modules are connected in parallel, and each control module comprises two power units; in each control module, a first end of one power unit is connected to a positive electrode of the capacitor unit, a second end of the power unit and a first end of the other power unit are both connected to an auxiliary node, and a second end of the other power unit is connected to a negative electrode of the capacitor unit; auxiliary nodes in the two control modules in each group of control modules are respectively connected to the two ends of a magnet in a fusion reaction apparatus; and on the basis of current parameters, the power units in each control module are controlled to switch on or off, enabling the staggered start-up of the plurality of groups of control modules, thereby driving the capacitor unit to transmit a current to the magnet. Thus, the magnet driving power supply achieves better performance in transmitting a current to a magnet.

Description

Magnet drive power supply, magnet drive method and system, fusion reaction system

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410930438.3, filed on July 11, 2024, entitled "Magnet-driven power supply, magnet-driven method and system, fusion reaction system", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of power electronics technology, and in particular to a magnet drive power supply, a magnet drive method and system, and a fusion reaction system. Background Technology

[0003] In a fusion reactor, multiple magnets are required to form different magnetic fields, which in turn control the plasma in the fusion reactor to induce a fusion reaction.

[0004] The magnet receives a driving current through a connected power supply. For the magnet to generate the required magnetic field, the rate of change of the driving current must meet certain requirements. Therefore, precise control of the driving current is crucial for generating the desired magnetic field. In related technologies, after the power supply is connected to the magnet, it releases the driving current through natural discharge.

[0005] In this method, the fluctuation range of the current received by the magnet is large, and the actual current transmitted by the magnet driving power supply to the magnet differs greatly from the required current. This results in a poor effect of the magnet driving power supply transmitting current to the magnet, and the required magnetic field cannot be formed.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides a magnet driving power supply, a magnet driving method and system, and a fusion reaction system. The magnet driving power supply can transmit a current with a small fluctuation amplitude to the magnet, ensuring that the current transmitted to the magnet is closer to the current required by the magnet, thereby improving the effect of transmitting current to the magnet.

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a magnet driving power supply is provided, including: a capacitor unit and multiple sets of control modules, each set of control modules including two control modules, the multiple sets of control modules being connected in parallel, and the two control modules in each set being connected in parallel, each control module including two power units;

[0009] In each control module, the first end of a power unit is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit, the second end of the power unit and the first end of the other power unit are both connected to an auxiliary node, and the second end of the other power unit is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit; the auxiliary nodes in the two control modules in each group of control modules are respectively connected to the two ends of the magnet in the fusion reactor.

[0010] The power units in each control module are turned on or off in a controlled manner based on current parameters, causing the multiple control modules to start in a time-sharing manner and drive the capacitor unit to transmit current to the magnet; wherein, the current parameters include: the required current of the magnet, the actual current transmitted in each control module, and the actual current received by the magnet.

[0011] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a magnet driving method is provided, applied to the above-mentioned magnet driving power supply, the method comprising:

[0012] During the process of the capacitor unit in the magnet driving power supply transmitting current to the magnet, the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet driving power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet are obtained.

[0013] Based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet, drive signals are transmitted to the power units in each group of control modules to drive the power units to turn on or off, so that each group of control modules can start in a time-sharing manner, driving the capacitor units in the magnet drive power supply to transmit current to the magnet.

[0014] According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application, a magnet driving system is provided, including: a power control unit and at least one magnet driving power supply, wherein the magnet driving power supply includes the magnet driving power supply described above.

[0015] The power control unit is used to execute the above-described magnet driving method and control each power unit in the magnet driving power supply to drive the magnet driving power supply to transmit current to the connected magnet.

[0016] According to another aspect of this application, a fusion reaction system is provided, comprising: a fusion reaction device and the above-described magnet drive system;

[0017] In the magnet drive system, at least one magnet drive power supply is connected to at least one magnet in the fusion reactor, and each magnet drive power supply is used to transmit pulse current to the connected magnet; wherein, the at least one magnet includes at least one of a central solenoid magnet, a poloidal field magnet, and a circumferential field magnet.

[0018] In the magnet drive power supply provided in this application, each of the multiple control modules includes two control modules connected in parallel. Each control module includes two power units connected in series. The auxiliary nodes between the two control modules in each control module are connected to both ends of the magnet, meaning the two control modules are located at opposite ends of the magnet. The power units in each control module are controlled to turn on or off, causing the multiple control modules to start in a time-sharing manner. Consequently, the phases of the current waveforms output by different control modules are interleaved. This allows the current output to the magnet from all control modules to be a superposition of currents under different phases, ensuring a smaller fluctuation in the overall current output to the magnet and a more stable current output to the magnet. Furthermore, each power unit is controlled to turn on or off based on the magnet's required current and the actual current in the circuit. This ensures that the current output to the magnet is closer to the magnet's required current, improving the current transmission effect of the magnet drive power supply and ensuring that the magnet effectively forms a magnetic field. Consequently, the magnetic field formed by the magnet can effectively control the plasma, improving the fusion reaction effect of the fusion reactor. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a magnet driving power supply provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another magnet driving power supply provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 is a waveform diagram of a pulse current transmitted to a magnet using natural discharge, provided by related technologies;

[0022] Figure 4 is a waveform diagram of a pulse current transmitted to a magnet according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another magnet driving power supply provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 is a waveform diagram of voltage change across a capacitor unit before adding a filter circuit, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 7 is a waveform diagram of voltage change across a capacitor unit after adding a filter circuit according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a magnet driving method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the current waveform that can be output by a magnet drive power supply according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the current waveform that can be output by another magnet drive power supply according to an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 11 is a simplified schematic diagram of a process for generating drive signals for each power unit according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this application; therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0031] The terminology used in one or more embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the one or more embodiments of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in one or more embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” used in one or more embodiments of this application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items. The term “at least one” in one or more embodiments of this application means “one or more,” and “a plurality of” means “two or more.” The term “comprising” is an open-ended description and should be understood as “including but not limiting,” and may include other content in addition to what has been described.

[0032] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of this application, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, "first" may also be referred to as "second" without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this application, and similarly, "second" may also be referred to as "first." Depending on the context, the word "if," as used herein, may be interpreted as "when," "in response to a determination," or "when," or "in the event of a determination."

[0033] In the field of electronics, all electronic devices require power supplies, and the power requirements vary between different devices. Fusion reactors (such as tokamak devices) typically require various magnets, such as central solenoid (CS) magnets, poloidal field (PF) magnets, and toroidal field (TF) magnets, each of which can be a type of coil. Each magnet in a fusion reactor is connected to a corresponding magnet drive power supply, receiving current from that power supply. Based on this current, a corresponding magnetic field is formed, which is used to control the displacement, magnitude, and direction of the plasma in the reaction chamber, inducing a nuclear fusion reaction. The magnetic field formed by each magnet determines the effectiveness of the nuclear fusion reaction, and the magnetic field formed by each magnet is determined by the current it receives. Therefore, precise control of the magnet drive power supply is crucial in a nuclear fusion scenario.

[0034] In fusion reactors based on multi-stroke operation, each type of magnet requires the transmission of pulsed current, and the current requirements vary for each magnet, with each having high current requirements. For example, the CS magnet requires positive and negative pulsed current, the PF magnet requires pulsed current with controllable slope, and the TF magnet requires pulsed current that can be maintained for a period of time (e.g., about 1 second). Typically, different magnet drive power supplies are designed for these different magnets. This approach results in low power supply reuse and high design and implementation costs. Furthermore, current magnet drive power supplies connect the energy storage unit to the load (i.e., the magnet) via an electronic switch and then use natural discharge to allow the energy storage unit to instantaneously release current to the load. This method has fewer adjustable parameters for the output current of the magnet drive power supply, making it difficult to meet the magnet's requirements for controlling the rise and fall rates of the required current, and also making it difficult to meet the requirement of low ripple in the flat-top segment of the pulsed current, i.e., minimizing the fluctuation amplitude of the pulsed current over a period of time.

[0035] The following embodiments of this application provide a magnet driving power supply that can output a current with small fluctuations to a magnet and achieve precise control of the output current, ensuring that the current output to the magnet better meets the magnet's requirements. This, in turn, enables effective control of the plasma in the fusion reactor, improving the fusion reaction effect. Furthermore, this magnet driving power supply can be reused for different magnets, reducing power supply design and implementation costs. This application also relates to a magnet driving method and a magnet driving system, as well as a fusion reaction system, which will be described in detail below.

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a magnet driving power supply according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another magnet driving power supply according to an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the magnet driving power supply 10 includes a capacitor unit C and multiple sets of control modules, each set of control modules including two control modules. Figure 1 illustrates an example where the magnet driving power supply 10 includes four control modules: a first control module 101, a second control module 102, a third control module 103, and a fourth control module 104, with the first control module 101 and the second control module 102 belonging to the same set of control modules, and the third control module 103 and the fourth control module 104 belonging to the same set of control modules. Figure 2 illustrates an example where the magnet driving power supply 10 includes eight control modules, divided into four sets of control modules. Only the first control module 101, the second control module 102, the third control module 103, and the fourth control module 104 are shown in Figure 2.

[0037] The multiple control modules in the magnet drive power supply 10 are connected in parallel, and the two control modules in each group are also connected in parallel. Each control module is connected to both ends of the capacitor unit C. In one embodiment, the capacitor unit C can be a supercapacitor bank, which can consist of multiple supercapacitor cells or multiple supercapacitor modules connected in series to ensure that the output voltage of the capacitor unit C is high, such as 500 volts.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 2. Each control module includes two power units connected in series. For example, the first control module 101 includes a first power unit T11 and a second power unit T12, and the second control module 102 includes a third power unit T13 and a fourth power unit T14. For other groups of control modules, please refer to the relevant descriptions of the first control module 101 and the second control module 102; they will not be repeated here. In this embodiment, the number of control modules in the magnet drive power supply can also be two, three, or even more groups; this is not limited here.

[0039] In each control module, the first terminal of one power unit is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit, and the second terminal of this power unit and the first terminal of another power unit are both connected to an auxiliary node, which is the point between the two power units in the control module; the second terminal of the other power unit is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit. Each auxiliary node in each control module is connected to the magnet in the fusion reactor, and the auxiliary nodes in the two control modules of each group are respectively connected to the two ends of the magnet. Thus, each control module is equivalent to a half-bridge circuit, and the two control modules in each group form a full-bridge circuit. The magnet drive power supply can include multiple parallel full-bridge circuits, and each full-bridge circuit includes two parallel half-bridge circuits located at the two ends of the magnet.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, in the first control module 101, the first end of the first power unit T11 is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit C. The second end of the first power unit T11 and the first end of the second power unit T12 are both connected to the first auxiliary node F1. The second end of the second power unit T12 is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit C. The first power unit T11 and the second power unit T12 can form a half-bridge circuit. The connection method of each component in the second control module 102 is the same as that in the first control module 101. The third power unit T13 and the fourth power unit T14 also form a half-bridge circuit. The first auxiliary node F1 in the first control module 101 and the second auxiliary node F2 in the second control module 102 are respectively connected to the two ends of the magnet 105 in the fusion reactor, such that these two ends correspond to the two electrodes of the magnet 105. Similar to the connection method of the first control module 101 and the second control module 102, the power units in other control modules also form half-bridge circuits, and the power units in each control unit form a full-bridge circuit. Accordingly, the magnet drive power supply 10 may include four parallel full-bridge circuits. Each full-bridge circuit outputs current to magnet 105, and the current received by magnet 105 can be the total current transmitted by the four full-bridge circuits.

[0041] Each power unit in the magnet drive power supply 10 (such as the first power unit T11, the second power unit T12, the third power unit T13, and the fourth power unit T14 described above) can be a full-power device with a switching time on the order of microseconds. The power unit can withstand relatively high voltages, such as up to 1200 volts. For example, the power unit may include an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). The first terminal of the power unit is the collector, and the second terminal is the emitter. In some embodiments, the power unit may also include an integrated gate converter thyristor (IGCT) or a gate turn-off thyristor (GTO).

[0042] In this embodiment, the power units in each control module can be controlled to turn on or off, causing each group of control modules in the magnet drive power supply 10 to start in a time-sharing manner to drive the capacitor unit C to transmit current to the magnet 105. The time-sharing start of each group of control modules allows the capacitor unit C to start transmitting current to the magnet 105 through different groups of control modules at different times. This method is equivalent to interleaving the control modules in the magnet drive power supply 10. The current received by the magnet 105 is obtained by combining the currents transmitted by multiple groups of control modules. This starting method can cause the phases of the current waveforms output by different groups of control modules to interleave, thus the current received by the magnet 105 can be a superposition of currents at different phases transmitted by multiple groups of control modules. This avoids the superposition of peak or valley values ​​of current transmitted to the magnet 105 by different groups of control modules, preventing large fluctuations in the current received by the magnet 105 and ensuring a stable current received by the magnet 105. When the magnet 105 needs to receive pulse current, the requirement of low ripple in the flat-top segment of the pulse current can be met.

[0043] For example, Figure 3 is a waveform diagram of a pulse current transmitted to a magnet using natural discharge, provided by related technologies, and Figure 4 is a waveform diagram of a pulse current transmitted to a magnet according to an embodiment of this application. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, using natural discharge, the current will experience a certain degree of continuous decrease during the current plateau phase. However, using the current transmission method to the magnet provided in this embodiment, the current fluctuation amplitude is smaller during the current plateau phase, and the current can remain basically stable, meeting the current requirements of the magnet.

[0044] In this embodiment, the power units in each control module can be controlled to turn on or off based on current parameters, including the magnet's required current, the actual current transmitted in each control module, and the actual current received by the magnet. Therefore, the power units in each control module can be adaptively controlled based on the magnet's required current and the actual current in the magnet drive power supply. This control method for the magnet drive power supply is more flexible, and adjusting the actual current received by the magnet according to the required current allows the received current to be closer to the magnet's required current, ensuring better current transmission to the magnet. In this embodiment, the output current of each control module can be controlled separately, resulting in better current sharing among the control modules and suppressing circulating current in the circuit to a certain extent. The specific method of controlling the power units based on current parameters will be described in detail in the later section on magnet driving methods, and will not be elaborated here.

[0045] The magnet 105 connected to the magnet drive power supply 10 can be any type of magnet in a fusion reactor, such as a central solenoid magnet, a poloidal field magnet, or a toroidal field magnet. Since the magnet drive power supply 10 can flexibly control each control module, allowing it to transmit the required current to the magnet, the current provided by the magnet drive power supply 10 in this embodiment can be used to supply current to different magnets. This results in a high reusability of the magnet drive power supply 10, eliminating the need to design and manufacture different magnet drive power supplies for different magnets, reducing costs, and simplifying the magnet driving process.

[0046] The process of the magnet drive power supply 10 transmitting current to the magnet 105 using its capacitor unit C can include multiple control cycles. For example, the capacitor unit C can continuously transmit current to the magnet 105 for two seconds, and the duration of each control cycle can be 200 microseconds. In each control cycle, the power units in each control module are controlled to ensure that current is transmitted to the magnet according to the corresponding demand current in each control cycle. Multiple control modules in the magnet drive power supply 10 can be started at equal intervals in each control cycle, and the start-up time interval between any two sets of control modules can be equal. This start-up time interval can be the duration obtained by equally dividing the control cycle among the multiple control modules; that is, the start-up time interval can be equal to the duration of the control cycle divided by the number of control modules. The duration for which each control module is in the on-state can be determined based on the demand current of the magnet.

[0047] The multiple control modules can be started sequentially. As shown in Figure 2, the four control modules can be started sequentially within one control cycle, with the start-up time interval between two adjacent control modules being one-quarter of the control cycle length. Thus, the current output by each control module can be phase-shifted by 90 degrees relative to the current output by the previously started control module. In some embodiments, if the magnet drive power supply 10 includes three control modules, the current output by two sequentially started control modules can be phase-shifted by 120 degrees. In some embodiments, the start-up time interval between different control modules may also differ, or the control cycle may not be evenly divided among the control modules; this is not limited here.

[0048] In some implementations, the power units in each control module of the magnet drive power supply can be controlled based on the actual current transmitted in the control module and the actual current transmitted in the magnet in the previous control cycle, as well as the required current of the magnet in the next control cycle, so that the actual current of the magnet in the next control cycle can be as close as possible to its required current.

[0049] This application uses a magnet drive power supply with the structure shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 as an example. In some embodiments, the circuit structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 may only be one power module in the magnet drive power supply. The magnet drive power supply may include multiple power modules connected in parallel, which together transmit current to the magnet to increase the current transmitted to the magnet. This modular design can improve the applicability of the magnet drive power supply and reduce costs.

[0050] In summary, the magnet drive power supply provided in this application includes multiple control modules, each of which comprises two control modules connected in parallel. Each control module includes two power units connected in series. The auxiliary nodes between the two control modules in each control module are connected to both ends of the magnet, meaning the two control modules are located at opposite ends of the magnet. The power units in each control module are controlled to turn on or off, causing the multiple control modules to start in a time-sharing manner. This results in the phases of the current waveforms output by different control modules interleaving, allowing the current output to the magnet from all control modules to be a superposition of currents at different phases. This ensures a smaller fluctuation in the overall current output to the magnet, resulting in a more stable current output. Furthermore, each power unit is controlled to turn on or off based on the magnet's required current and the actual current in the circuit. This ensures that the current output to the magnet is closer to the magnet's required current, improving the current transmission efficiency of the magnet drive power supply. Consequently, the magnetic field formed by the magnet can effectively control the plasma, enhancing the fusion reaction efficiency of the fusion reactor.

[0051] The foregoing description only covers some of the essential components in the magnet drive power supply 10. Based on the aforementioned structure, the magnet drive power supply 10 may also include other additional components. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another magnet drive power supply provided in an embodiment of this application. The following description, with reference to Figure 5, describes the case where the magnet drive power supply 10 includes other additional components.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, the magnet drive power supply 10 also includes multiple current-sharing inductors. Each auxiliary node in the control module is connected to the magnet 105 through a current-sharing inductor. The inductance value of this current-sharing inductor can be relatively large. The control modules and current-sharing inductors in the magnet drive power supply 10 can form a power converter to adjust the current transmitted to the magnet 105. Figure 5 uses an example of the magnet drive power supply 10 including eight current-sharing inductors, and these eight inductors are sequentially represented by L1 to L8. For example, the first auxiliary node F1 in the first control module 101 is connected to one end of the magnet 105 through the first current-sharing inductor L1, and the second auxiliary node F2 in the second control module 102 is connected to the other end of the magnet 105 through the second current-sharing inductor L2. For other control modules, please refer to the relevant descriptions of the first control module 101 and the second control module 102; they will not be elaborated here. By introducing appropriate inductance values ​​into each control module through current sharing inductors, unbalanced current flow in each control module can be suppressed, making the current more uniform in each control module. This avoids situations where some branches are overloaded while others are underutilized, thereby improving the overall efficiency, stability, and reliability of the magnet drive power supply.

[0053] Referring to Figure 5, the magnet drive power supply 10 may further include a filter circuit composed of a filter inductor L and a filter capacitor Cr. The filter inductor L may be located between the capacitor unit C and each control module, and the filter capacitor Cr may be connected in parallel with each control module. In each control module, the first terminal of a power unit is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit C through the filter inductor L; the first terminal of the filter inductor L is connected to the first terminal of the power unit and the positive terminal of the filter capacitor Cr; the second terminal of the filter inductor L is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit C; and the negative terminal of the filter capacitor Cr is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit C. For example, in Figure 5, the two ends of the filter inductor L are respectively connected to the first terminal of the first power unit T11 in the first control module 102 and the positive terminal of the capacitor unit C; the positive terminal of the filter capacitor Cr is connected to the first terminal of the filter inductor L and the first terminal of the first power unit T11; and the negative terminal of the filter capacitor Cr is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit C and the second terminal of the second power unit T12.

[0054] The magnet drive power supply 10 uses a supercapacitor as an energy storage element (i.e., capacitor unit C). Because the equivalent series resistance (ESR) and equivalent series inductance (ESL) of the supercapacitor bank are relatively large, when capacitor unit C outputs a large current, a high voltage spike will be generated across capacitor unit C at the moment of turn-off by the subsequent converter composed of control modules and current-sharing inductors, which may damage capacitor unit C. Figure 6 is a waveform diagram of the voltage change across capacitor unit before adding a filter circuit according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 7 is a waveform diagram of the voltage change across capacitor unit after adding a filter circuit according to an embodiment of this application. As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, after adding the filter circuit, a significant voltage spike absorption effect can be achieved, thus reducing the impact of voltage changes on the capacitor unit when the subsequent converter turns off, reducing the risk of damage to the capacitor unit, and improving the operational reliability of the capacitor unit.

[0055] Referring to Figure 5, the magnet drive power supply 10 may further include a rectifier bridge module 106, a current-limiting resistor R, and a charging switch K. The rectifier bridge module 106 is connected to the capacitor unit C via the current-limiting resistor R and the charging switch K. The current-limiting resistor R and the charging switch K can both be located between the positive terminal of the capacitor unit C and each control module. The rectifier bridge module 106 is also connected to an external power supply. When the charging switch K is closed, the capacitor unit C can receive current from the external power supply through the rectifier bridge module 106 and the current-limiting resistor R.

[0056] The rectifier bridge module 106 may include four diodes, which are divided into two groups of diodes connected in parallel, with two diodes in each group connected in series. The two electrodes of the external power supply can be connected to the nodes between the two diodes in each group. This external power supply can be an AC power source (such as the power grid). The rectifier bridge module 106 can convert the AC power transmitted from the external power supply into DC pulse power, which is then transmitted to the capacitor unit C. After the capacitor unit C is charged to the required voltage value, the charging switch K can be turned off to stop the external power supply from charging the capacitor unit C, thus disconnecting the external power supply from the magnet drive power supply. Afterwards, the control units can be controlled to transmit current from the capacitor unit C to the magnet 105, driving the magnet 105 to operate. Because the magnet in the fusion reactor requires a large transient pulse power, directly connecting the current input terminal of the magnet to the external power supply may cause an impact on the external power supply. Therefore, by charging the capacitor unit first and then using the capacitor unit to power the magnet of the fusion reactor, the impact on the external power supply can be avoided.

[0057] This application also provides a magnet driving system for driving at least one magnet in a fusion reactor. The at least one magnet includes at least one of a central solenoid magnet, a poloidal field magnet, and a circumferential field magnet. The magnet driving system may include a power control unit and at least one of the aforementioned magnet driving power supplies 10. Each magnet driving power supply 10 can be connected to one of the magnets in the fusion reactor to transmit current to that magnet and drive it to operate. The power control unit can control each magnet driving power supply 10, such as controlling each power unit within the magnet driving power supply to ensure that each magnet driving power supply 10 transmits a suitable current to the connected magnet. In some embodiments, the power control unit can also control the charging switch K in the magnet driving power supply 10 to control the charging process of the capacitor unit C in each magnet driving power supply 10.

[0058] In some embodiments, the magnet drive system may further include a monitoring unit. This monitoring unit can monitor the current or voltage at various locations within the magnet drive power supply, such as the current transmitted in each control module, and the current transmitted on the magnet connected to the magnet drive power supply, and transmit the monitored information to the power control unit. This allows the power control unit to selectively control the magnet drive power supply based on the actual current transmission status in the circuit.

[0059] This application also provides a magnet driving method, which can be executed by a power control unit to control the magnet driving power supply to transmit current to the connected magnet, thereby driving the magnet to perform corresponding operations. Figure 8 is a flowchart of a magnet driving method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 8, the method may include the following steps:

[0060] Step 702: During the process of the capacitor unit in the magnet driving power supply transmitting current to the magnet, the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet driving power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet are obtained.

[0061] The power control unit can monitor the current transmitted at various locations in the circuit through a monitoring unit during the process of current transmission from the capacitor unit to the magnet in the magnet drive power supply, so as to obtain the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet drive power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet. In this embodiment, the power control unit acquiring current actually refers to acquiring current information, such as the current value. For example, for the magnet drive power supply 10 shown in Figure 5, the power control unit can acquire the first actual current transmitted by the eight control modules (e.g., I0 ... a1 I b1 I c1 I d1 I a2 Ib2 I c2 I d2 ), and obtain the load current I on the magnet 105. load This is the second actual current.

[0062] Step 704: Based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet, transmit drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules to drive the power units to turn on or off, so that each group of control modules can start in a time-sharing manner, and drive the capacitor units in the magnet drive power supply to transmit current to the magnet.

[0063] Different control module groups have different startup times; for example, each control module group may have a pre-set startup time. The power control unit can transmit drive signals to the power units within each control module group at its corresponding startup time to activate the power units and start the control module group. After activating each control module group, the power control unit continues to transmit drive signals to each power unit based on the acquired first actual current of the control module group, the second actual current of the magnet, and the magnet's required current. This controls the duration for which each power unit remains in the conducting state, ensuring that the actual current of the magnet is as close as possible to its required current. Since the magnet's required current may differ at different times, the power control unit needs to continuously control the power units of each control module accordingly.

[0064] The process of the capacitor unit transferring current to the magnet can be divided into multiple control cycles. In each control cycle, the power control unit can control the magnet drive power supply based on the required current for that control cycle, ensuring that the magnet receives the necessary current. This guarantees that the capacitor unit transfers the required current to the magnet at all times, ensuring good current transfer efficiency. For example, the power control unit can acquire the first actual current transmitted by each control module and the second actual current transmitted by the magnet in each control cycle, and based on the actual current in that control cycle and the required current in the next control cycle, perform corresponding control on the magnet drive power supply in the next control cycle.

[0065] Taking the process of the capacitor unit transmitting current to the magnet as an example, which includes n control cycles (n≥2), in step 702 above, the power control unit can acquire the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet drive power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet in the i-th control cycle (1≤i≤n-1). The power control unit can also continuously acquire the required current of the magnet in each control cycle, or it can acquire the required current of the magnet in each control cycle in advance. In step 704 above, based on the acquired first actual current, second actual current, and the required current of the magnet in the (i+1)-th control cycle, the power control unit can transmit drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules in the (i+1)-th control cycle, driving the power units to turn on or off.

[0066] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the current waveform that can be output by a magnet drive power supply according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the current waveform that can be output by another magnet drive power supply according to an embodiment of this application. In the embodiments of this application, the magnet drive power supply can output a current with small and non-dropping current ripple in the flat-top segment as shown in Figure 4, or it can output a current with adjustable current rise and fall rates as shown in Figure 9, or it can output a positive and negative pulse current as shown in Figure 10. Different waveforms of current can be applied to different magnets. The current shown in Figures 4, 9, or 10 can also represent the current demand of the magnet, such as the current demand in multiple control cycles from the start to the end of power supply from the capacitor unit. The power control unit can determine the current demand in each control cycle based on the waveform diagram, and then control the magnet drive power supply accordingly.

[0067] In one embodiment, the step 704 above, which transmits drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules in a time-division manner based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the demand current of the magnet, may include the following steps 7042 to 7048.

[0068] Step 7042: Determine the overall current of the magnet based on the first actual current and the second actual current.

[0069] The power control unit can first determine the total current of the control modules connected to both ends of the magnet based on the first actual current of each control module, thus obtaining two total currents corresponding to each end. Then, if at least two of the two total currents have a difference less than a current threshold, the average of any two currents with a difference less than the current threshold can be determined as the overall current of the magnet. For example, the first and second actual currents can be the currents acquired in the i-th control cycle.

[0070] For example, for the magnet drive power supply shown in Figure 5, the power control unit can determine the first actual current I transmitted by the eight control modules based on the acquired data.a1 I b1 I c1 I d1 I a2 I b2 I c2 and I d2 Calculate the total current across magnet 105. For example, the total current I1 of the four control modules on the left side of magnet 105 is I... a1 +I b1 +I c1 +I d1 The total current I2 of the four control modules on the right side of magnet 105 is I a2 +I b2 +I c2 +I d2 The power control unit can control the second actual current I of the magnet. load The two total currents I1 and I2 are compared to determine whether at least two of the three currents differ by less than a current threshold. For example, the current threshold is 1% of the current value, meaning it determines whether at least two currents differ by less than 1%. If so, any two currents with a difference less than the current threshold are taken and their average is calculated as the overall current I of the collected magnet.

[0071] In this embodiment, two currents are selected from the three currents to determine the overall current of the magnet. This reduces the impact of single current sampling errors. Controlling the magnet drive power supply based on the overall current obtained in this way can improve control reliability.

[0072] In some other ways, the power control unit may also directly determine the second actual current of the magnet as the overall current of the magnet, or directly take the average of the total current at both ends of the magnet as the overall current of the magnet, or take the average of the second actual current of the magnet and the total current of any segment of the magnet as the overall current of the magnet.

[0073] Step 7044: Determine the first compensation voltage of the magnet based on the first current difference between the required current of the magnet and the overall current.

[0074] The power control unit can obtain the required current I of the magnet. ref and the required current I ref The required current I is obtained by comparing it with the current overall current I of the current magnet. ref The current difference e = I with respect to the overall current I ref-I. In this embodiment, the current difference e is referred to as the first current difference. The first current difference is the current value that should be adjusted based on the current currently output by the magnet drive power supply. The power control unit can determine the corresponding first compensation voltage based on the first current difference, and adjust the magnet drive power supply based on the compensation voltage.

[0075] The power control unit can use a proportional-integral (PI) controller to calculate the first compensation voltage. For example, for a magnet connected to the magnet drive power supply, the proportional coefficient K corresponding to that magnet in the PI controller can be preset. p and integral coefficient K i The power control unit can determine the proportional coefficient K corresponding to the magnet in the proportional-integral controller based on the first current difference e between the magnet's required current and the overall current. p and integral coefficient K i The first compensation voltage ΔV of the magnet is determined by the duration of current transfer from the capacitor unit to the magnet. The power control unit can feed back the calculated first current difference e to the PI controller, which then calculates the first compensation voltage. For example, a formula can be used... The first compensation voltage is calculated, where s refers to the value obtained by integrating the first current difference e with respect to the current transmission time.

[0076] In this embodiment, the power control unit controls the magnet drive power supply according to a control cycle. In step 7044, a first compensation voltage can be calculated based on the first current difference between the magnet's required current in the (i+1)th cycle and the magnet's overall current in the ith cycle. The duration for which the capacitor unit transmits current to the magnet, upon which the power control unit calculates the first compensation voltage, can be the duration of one control cycle. Accordingly, the integral s of the first current difference in the ith cycle can be calculated, and then the first compensation voltage can be calculated based on this integral s using the above formula.

[0077] Step 7046: Determine the second compensation voltage for each control module based on the second current difference between the required current of each control module and the first actual current transmitted in each control module.

[0078] In this embodiment, the current transmitted by each group of control modules is required to be as uniform as possible. Therefore, each group of control modules also has a corresponding current requirement, and the current requirement of each group of control modules is the same. Since the current received by the magnet is the sum of the currents transmitted by multiple groups of control modules, the current requirement of each group of control modules can be determined based on the current requirement of the magnet. The current requirement of each group of control modules is obtained by dividing the current requirement of the magnet by the number of control modules. For the magnet control power supply shown in Figure 5, the current requirement of each group of control modules is I. ref / 4, the current requirement for each control module is also correspondingly I. ref / 4. The following description uses a group of control modules, including the first control module 101 and the second control module 102, as an example.

[0079] The power control unit can compare the required current of each control module with its first actual current to obtain a second current difference between the required current and the first actual current. This second current difference represents the current value that should be adjusted based on the current currently transmitted by the control module. The power control unit can determine a corresponding second compensation voltage based on this second current difference to adjust the control module accordingly. For example, for the first control module 101 in Figure 5, its required current I can be determined. ref1 With the first actual current I a1 The second current difference e1 = I ref1 -I a1 For the second control module 102 in Figure 5, its required current I can be determined. ref1 With the first actual current I a2 The second current difference between them is e2 = I ref1 -I a2 For other control modules, the same method as the first and second control modules is used to determine the second current difference and the second compensation voltage, and to control the power unit. The operation of other control modules will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0080] The power control unit can calculate the second compensation voltage in conjunction with a PI controller. For example, for each control module in the magnet drive power supply, the proportional coefficient corresponding to that control module in the proportional controller (also called a P controller) can be preset. The power control unit can determine the second compensation voltage of each control module based on the second current difference and the proportional coefficient. This second compensation voltage can be the product of the second current difference and the proportional coefficient. For example, if the proportional coefficient corresponding to the first control module 101 is K... p1 The second compensation voltage ΔV1 of the first control module 101 is K p1 ·e1; The proportional coefficient corresponding to the second control module 102 is K p2 The second compensation voltage ΔV2 of the second control module 102 is K p2 ·e2.

[0081] Step 7048: Based on the first compensation voltage, the second compensation voltage, and the input voltage of each control module, transmit drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules.

[0082] The power control unit can determine the total compensation voltage of each control module based on the first compensation voltage and the second compensation voltage of each control module, and control the power unit in the control module based on the total compensation voltage. As shown in Figure 5, the total compensation voltage V1 of the first control module 101 is ΔV + ΔV1, and the total compensation voltage V2 of the second control module 102 is ΔV + ΔV2.

[0083] The power control unit can also acquire the input voltage of each control module, such as by monitoring the input voltage of the control module through a monitoring unit. Then, based on the ratio of the total compensation voltage of the control module to its input voltage, the duty cycle of each power unit in the control module is determined. Based on this duty cycle, a drive signal is transmitted to each power unit in the control module to drive the power unit to turn on or off, so that the ratio of the duration of each power unit in the on state to the total duration equals the duty cycle. For example, the ratio of the duration of each power unit in the on state to the total duration of the control cycle in one control cycle is made equal to the duty cycle.

[0084] The power control unit can use a modulation module to determine the drive signals for each power unit in the control module based on the total compensation voltage and input voltage of each control module. For example, it can generate drive signals for the first power unit T11 and the second power unit T12 based on V1, and generate drive signals for the third power unit T13 and the fourth power unit T14 based on V2, and then transmit the drive signals to the corresponding power units to achieve control of the power units.

[0085] Figure 11 is a simplified schematic diagram of a process for generating drive signals for each power unit according to an embodiment of this application, with the first control module 101 and the second control module 102 as examples. As shown in Figure 11, the power control unit can generate drive signals for each power unit based on the required current I of the first control module 101 and the second control module 102. ref1 and the first actual current I a1 and I a2 The first current difference e and the second current differences e1 and e2 are obtained. Next, the first compensation voltage ΔV is calculated using a PI controller, and the second compensation voltages ΔV1 and ΔV2 are calculated using a P controller, thus obtaining the total compensation voltage V1 of the first control module 101 and the total compensation voltage V2 of the second control module 102. The modulation module can then generate drive signals for the first power unit T11 and the second power unit T12 based on V1, and drive signals for the third power unit T13 and the fourth power unit T14 based on V2.

[0086] In some embodiments, prior to step 702, the power control unit may also close the charging switch in the magnet drive power supply to allow the external power supply to charge the capacitor unit in the magnet drive power supply. During charging, the power control unit may monitor the voltage value of the capacitor unit, and if the voltage value reaches a specified voltage value, it may open the charging switch to stop charging the capacitor unit. Step 702 can then be executed to allow the capacitor unit to transfer current to the magnet.

[0087] In summary, in the magnet driving method provided in this application, the power control unit controls the power units in each control module based on the magnet's required current and the actual current in the circuit. This causes the multiple control modules to start in a time-sharing manner, resulting in the phases of the current waveforms output by different control modules interleaving. Consequently, the current output to the magnet by the multiple control modules can be a superposition of currents under different phases, ensuring a smaller fluctuation range in the overall current output to the magnet and a more stable current output to the magnet. Furthermore, it ensures that the current output to the magnet is closer to the magnet's required current, improving the current transmission effect of the magnet driving power supply to the magnet. Consequently, it ensures that the magnetic field formed by the magnet can effectively control the plasma, improving the fusion reaction effect of the fusion reactor.

[0088] This application also provides a fusion reaction system, which may include a fusion reaction device and the aforementioned magnet drive system. The fusion reaction device includes a reaction chamber, and a central solenoid magnet, a poloidal magnet, and a circumferential magnet located around the reaction chamber. The magnet drive system drives the various magnets in the fusion reaction device to operate, thereby forming plasma in the reaction chamber and causing the plasma to reach the fusion reaction conditions to occur.

[0089] Because the magnet drive power supply in the magnet drive system can output a relatively stable current to the magnets in the fusion reactor, and can control the power supply based on the magnet's required current, it ensures that the current output to the magnet is closer to the magnet's required current, enabling the magnet to effectively form a magnetic field. Correspondingly, this ensures that the magnetic field formed by the magnet can effectively control the plasma, improving the fusion reaction effect of the fusion reactor. Furthermore, all magnets can use the same type of magnet drive power supply, thus simplifying the magnet drive process and consequently simplifying the nuclear fusion reaction process in the fusion reactor.

[0090] The foregoing has described specific embodiments of this application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than that shown in the embodiments and may still achieve the desired results. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0091] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application. In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses, and for parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0092] The preferred embodiments disclosed above are merely illustrative of this application. The optional embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit this application to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this application. These embodiments are selected and specifically described in this application to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize this application.

Claims

1. A magnet driving power supply, comprising: The capacitor unit and multiple control modules, among which, Each group of control modules includes two control modules, the multiple groups of control modules are connected in parallel, and the two control modules in each group are connected in parallel. Each control module includes two power units. In each control module, the first end of a power unit is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit, the second end of the power unit and the first end of the other power unit are both connected to an auxiliary node, and the second end of the other power unit is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit; the auxiliary nodes in the two control modules in each group of control modules are respectively connected to the two ends of the magnet in the fusion reactor. The power units in each control module are configured to be turned on or off in a controlled manner based on current parameters, so that the multiple control modules are started in a time-sharing manner to drive the capacitor unit to transmit current to the magnet; wherein, the current parameters include: the required current of the magnet, the actual current transmitted in each control module, and the actual current received by the magnet.

2. The magnet driving power supply according to claim 1, wherein, The power units in each control module are also configured to be controlled to be turned on or off in each of the multiple control cycles, so that the multiple control modules are started in a time-sharing manner in each control cycle, and the start-up time interval is the duration obtained by dividing the control cycle equally among the multiple control modules.

3. The magnet drive power supply according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The magnet drive power supply also includes multiple current-sharing inductors, and the auxiliary node in each control module is connected to the magnet through a current-sharing inductor.

4. The magnet drive power supply according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The magnet drive power supply also includes a filter inductor and a filter capacitor; in each control module, the first terminal of a power unit is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit through the filter inductor; The first end of the filter inductor is connected to the first end of the power unit and the positive terminal of the filter capacitor, the second end of the filter inductor is connected to the positive terminal of the capacitor unit, and the negative terminal of the filter capacitor is connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor unit.

5. The magnet drive power supply according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The magnet drive power supply also includes a rectifier bridge module, a current limiting resistor, and a charging switch; The rectifier bridge module is connected to the capacitor unit through the current-limiting resistor and the charging switch, and the rectifier bridge module is also connected to an external power supply; When the charging switch is closed, the capacitor unit receives the current transmitted by the external power supply through the rectifier bridge module and the current limiting resistor.

6. A magnet driving method, applied to the magnet driving power supply according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the method comprising: During the process of the capacitor unit in the magnet driving power supply transmitting current to the magnet, the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet driving power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet are obtained. Based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet, drive signals are transmitted to the power units in each group of control modules to drive the power units to turn on or off, so that each group of control modules can start in a time-sharing manner, driving the capacitor units in the magnet drive power supply to transmit current to the magnet.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, During the process of transmitting current from the capacitor unit in the magnet driving power supply to the magnet, acquiring the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet driving power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet includes: In the i-th control cycle during the process of the capacitor unit in the magnet driving power supply transmitting current to the magnet, the first actual current transmitted in each control module of the magnet driving power supply and the second actual current transmitted in the magnet are obtained; wherein, the process of the capacitor unit transmitting current to the magnet includes n control cycles, 1≤i≤n-1, n≥2; The step of transmitting drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet includes: Based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet in the (i+1)th control cycle, drive signals are transmitted to the power units in each group of control modules in the (i+1)th control cycle.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The step of transmitting drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules based on the first actual current, the second actual current, and the required current of the magnet includes: The overall current of the magnet is determined based on the first actual current and the second actual current; The first compensation voltage of the magnet is determined based on the first current difference between the required current of the magnet and the overall current. The second compensation voltage of each control module is determined based on the second current difference between the required current of each control module and the first actual current transmitted in each control module. Based on the first compensation voltage, the second compensation voltage, and the input voltage of each control module, drive signals are transmitted to the power units in each group of control modules.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, Determining the overall current of the magnet based on the first actual current and the second actual current includes: Based on the first actual current, the total current of the control modules connected to the two ends of the magnet is determined, and two total currents corresponding to the two ends are obtained respectively. If at least two of the second actual current and the two total currents have a difference less than a current threshold, the average of any two currents with a difference less than the current threshold is determined as the overall current of the magnet.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, Determining the first compensation voltage of the magnet based on the first current difference between the required current of the magnet and the overall current includes: Based on the first current difference between the required current of the magnet and the overall current, the proportional coefficient and integral coefficient corresponding to the magnet in the proportional-integral controller, and the duration for which the capacitor unit transmits current to the magnet, the first compensation voltage of the magnet is determined.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The determination of the second compensation voltage for each control module based on the second current difference between the required current of each control module and the first actual current transmitted in each control module includes: Based on the second current difference between the required current of each control module and the first actual current transmitted in each control module, and the proportional coefficient of each control module in the proportional controller for the magnet, the second compensation voltage of each control module is determined.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The step of transmitting drive signals to the power units in each group of control modules based on the first compensation voltage, the second compensation voltage, and the input voltage of each control module includes: Based on the first compensation voltage and the second compensation voltage, the total compensation voltage of each control module is determined; Based on the ratio of the total compensation voltage to the input voltage of each control module, the duty cycle of each power unit in each control module is determined. Based on the duty cycle, drive signals are transmitted to the power units in each group of control modules.

13. A magnet drive system, comprising: A power control unit and at least one magnet drive power supply, the magnet drive power supply comprising the magnet drive power supply according to any one of claims 1 to 5; The power control unit is configured to perform the magnet driving method according to any one of claims 6 to 12, controlling each power unit in the magnet driving power supply to drive the magnet driving power supply to transmit current to the connected magnet.

14. A fusion reaction system, comprising: Fusion reactor and magnet drive system as claimed in claim 13; In the magnet drive system, at least one magnet drive power supply is connected to at least one magnet in the fusion reactor, and each magnet drive power supply is configured to transmit pulse current to the connected magnet; wherein, the at least one magnet includes at least one of a central solenoid magnet, a poloidal field magnet, and a circumferential field magnet.

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