Open-Field-Line Plasma Traps for Ultra-High DC Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies are limited by material breakdown and high dissipation in producing large voltage drops in open-field-line magnetic confinement devices, restricting the achievable voltage drops due to the interaction of field lines with plasma-facing components.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating an electric field parallel to magnetic field lines within a plasma device, reducing electric field strength near the walls by increasing plasma resistivity, modifying magnetic field geometry, and using wave-particle interactions or neutral beams to generate voltage drops within the plasma interior, avoiding reliance on external electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If large voltage drops are produced in the interior of a magnetic confinement device, then the voltage production capability is improved, but material breakdown and high dissipation occur at the boundaries where field lines impinge on plasma-facing components
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct regions: a plasma interior region where large voltage drops are produced, and boundary regions where field lines impinge on walls. The magnetic field configuration creates separate flux surfaces that isolate the high-voltage interior from the material boundaries, allowing voltage production without direct transmission of electrical stress to plasma-facing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field acts as an intermediary that couples the plasma interior to the boundary walls without direct electrical contact. Field lines serve as flux surfaces that guide and constrain the electric field, allowing voltage drops to occur in the plasma while the magnetic field topology prevents direct transmission of electrical stress to the material walls, thus avoiding material breakdown.
2Power
If electric field strength is increased in the plasma interior, then voltage drop capability is improved, but dissipation and damage at the walls increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electric field distribution is made non-uniform with distinct local characteristics: strong electric fields are localized in the plasma interior where voltage production is needed, while the magnetic field topology and field line geometry are configured to reduce electric field strength at the boundaries. This local differentiation allows high voltage drops without proportionate increases in wall dissipation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for ultra-high DC voltage production with minimal dissipation and damage by containing the voltage drop within the plasma, decoupling it from material constraints and enabling applications like fusion technologies and mass filtration.
Implementation Method 1
generating, within a plasma device having at least one outer boundary that defines walls, at least one magnetic field including an axially directed magnetic field in an open field line configuration. The axially directed magnetic field may confine a plasma in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field.
Implementation Method 2
The method may further include generating at least a part of a voltage drop using wave-particle interactions so as to avoid or reduce reliance on contact with external electrodes.
Implementation Method 3
The method may further include generating at least a part of a voltage drop using torque from neutral beams.
Implementation Method 4
In some embodiments, the method may further include reducing electric field strength near the walls by increasing resistivity of the plasma.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may be provided for producing a voltage across a magnetized plasma. The techniques may include generating, within a plasma device having at least one outer boundary that defines walls, at least one magnetic field including an axially directed magnetic field in an open field line configuration. The axial-directed magnetic field may confine a plasma in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. The techniques may also include generating at least one electric field within the plasma device.