Radial Magnetization Annular Plasma Confinement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plasma confinement technologies, such as multipolar magnetic confinement, face limitations in achieving efficient plasma production and confinement across a wide pressure range, particularly at higher pressures, and often result in reduced plasma volume and inefficient electron collection.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring an annular magnet with radial magnetization, positioned close to the enclosure wall, ensures that magnetic field lines do not intersect the wall, allowing for efficient plasma confinement and production across a broad pressure range from 10^-2 to 10^3 pascals, using either electron cyclotron resonance or collisional absorption coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If permanent magnets are placed at the periphery of the confinement volume with alternating polarities (multipolar magnetic confinement), then plasma density and uniformity are improved, but the plasma volume is reduced and electron collection efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the peripheral magnet arrangement into multiple discrete magnets arranged in a specific pattern (e.g., alternating polarities at corners or edges) rather than a continuous multipolar structure. This segmentation allows the magnetic field to confine plasma effectively while leaving the central region open, thereby maintaining both high plasma density and adequate plasma volume.
2Reliability
If permanent magnets are placed close to the enclosure wall, then magnetic confinement effectiveness is improved, but the reactor's useful volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs an asymmetric magnet placement strategy where magnets are positioned at specific locations (e.g., corners or edges) rather than uniformly distributed around the periphery. This asymmetric arrangement creates effective magnetic confinement zones where needed while preserving maximum central volume for plasma production, thus resolving the contradiction between confinement effectiveness and useful volume.
3Reliability
If continuous line structures of magnets are used, then plasma confinement is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies the magnet arrangement by segmenting the continuous line structure into discrete magnets placed at key positions (e.g., corners or edges of the enclosure). This segmentation maintains the essential confinement function while dramatically reducing the complexity of magnet installation, alignment, and maintenance compared to continuous line structures.
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 configuration enables the production and confinement of dense plasmas with improved efficiency, maintaining plasma confinement in the low-pressure range and extending the operational scale without reducing the reactor's useful volume, allowing for uniform plasma production over large surfaces or volumes.
Implementation Method 1
at least one annular magnet (30) with radial magnetization... arranged close to a wall (1) defining an envelope (15)... such that the trajectories (6) of charged particles (5, 6) originating from the plasma (10) and trapped around a field line (5) do not encounter a wall (1) of the enclosure (13)
Implementation Method 2
the charged particles which enter the region of influence of a multipolar magnetic field: 1) either are reflected by this magnetic field and are returned to the region free of magnetic field from which they originated
Implementation Method 3
the electrons 6 oscillate between two mirror points M (where the intensity of the magnetic field is identical). The mirror points M are located opposite two opposite magnetic poles of the magnets 3. The electrons 6 oscillate between the points M by winding around a mean field line 5
Implementation Method 4
using either electron cyclotron resonance or collisional absorption coupling
Implementation Method 5
using either electron cyclotron resonance or collisional absorption coupling
Data Source
Figure 1~3B
Figure 4A~5C
Figure 6A~7A
AI summary
The invention concerns a device for producing and/ or confining a plasma (10), comprising a recipient (13) within the volume of which the plasma is produced or confined, wherein said recipient comprises a wall (1) defining a lining (15) at the inside of the recipient and encompassing the volume, characterized in that it comprises at least one annular magnet (30), centered around a normal (14) with respect to the lining, having radial magnetization direction, such that the magnetization direction is significantly perpendicular to said normal to the lining. The invention also concerns a method for producing and/ or confining a plasma.