Plasma Confinement Support Stalks With Gradient Magnetic Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Components within plasma confinement systems, such as electromagnetic coils, face challenges due to plasma exposure, leading to plasma losses and instability, which existing shielding methods like levitation and magnetic field geometries fail to adequately address, limiting the exploration of certain fusion concepts.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of supports with electrical conducting material that generates a magnetic field with a non-zero gradient along its length, superimposed over existing magnetic fields, to shield components from plasma impacts while allowing plasma to pass through specific slots, thereby reducing plasma losses and maintaining system stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components are immersed in plasma to enable certain fusion concepts, then the adaptability and versatility of fusion designs are improved, but plasma losses increase and system stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic field shielding structure acts as an intermediary between plasma and internal components. The shielding structure includes magnetic field generating elements that create a protective magnetic field, preventing direct plasma-component interactions while allowing the components to remain immersed in plasma for functional operation
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical support structures that physically contact plasma are replaced with magnetic field-based shielding. The shielding structure uses electromagnetic fields rather than physical barriers to protect components, eliminating direct mechanical plasma-component interactions that cause losses
2Ease of operation
If traditional support structures are used to hold internal magnetic coils, then the ease of operation and structural support are improved, but plasma losses increase due to ion and electron collection at obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates magnetic field generating elements as intermediaries that create a protective magnetic environment around the support itself, preventing plasma particles from directly contacting the support structure while maintaining its mechanical function
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for internal magnetic coils, generates protective magnetic fields to reduce plasma losses, and maintains structural integrity within the plasma environment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate shielding components
3Reliability
If magnetic field shielding is implemented to reduce plasma losses, then plasma confinement stability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional magnetic field generating elements
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding function is merged with existing structural components such as support stalks and mounting structures. By integrating magnetic field generating elements into components that already provide mechanical support, the patent avoids adding separate shielding structures, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining shielding effectiveness
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 effectively minimizes plasma interactions with internal components, reducing plasma losses and enhancing the stability of plasma confinement systems, allowing for more robust and efficient operation of fusion reactors.
Implementation Method 1
The electrical conducting material is configured to, when supplied with one or more electrical currents, generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient that varies along the support from the first end to the second end
Implementation Method 2
generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient that varies along the support from the first end to the second end
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A plasma confinement system includes an enclosure, one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure in a plasma region, and one or more supports configured to support the one or more internal magnetic coils suspended within the enclosure. Each support of the one or more supports includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end is coupled to an interior portion of the enclosure and the second end is coupled to a component disposed within the plasma region. Each support further includes electrical conducting material disposed between the first end and the second end. The electrical conducting material is configured to, when supplied with one or more electrical currents, generate a magnetic field having a magnetic field gradient that varies along the support from the first end to the second end.