Apparatus for producing and purifying plasma

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND CONTAINING A VERY PURE MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC PLASMA, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED APART COAXIAL FIELD COILS PRODUCING A FIRST MAGNETIC FIELD HAVING A PLASMA CONTAINMENT CONFIGURATION, SAID FIRST FIELD BEING SYMMETRICAL AOUT A LINEAR AXIS, A PAIR OF SPACED APART ELECTRODES DISPOSED IN PROXIMITY TO SAID AXID AT A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID FIRST MAGNETIC FIELD WHEREBY A PLASMA DRIFT SPACE IS PROVIDED THEREBETWEEN, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A VACUUM IN THE REGION OF SAID FIRST FIELD AND SAID ELECTRODE AND THE DRIFT SPACE THEREBETWEEN, MEANS PROVIDING A SECOND MAGNETIC FILED IN THE REGION OF SAID ELECTRODES AND SAID DRIFT SPACE, SAID SECOND FIELD BEING DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS AND BEING OF GREATEST INTENSITY IN THE REGION OF SAID ELECTRODES, MEANS FOR ADMITTING GAS TO THE REGION BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, AN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY CONNECTED ACROSS SAID ELECTRODES, A THIRD MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATING MEANS SITUATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST FIELD AND SAID DRIFT SPACE, AND A PULSED POWER SUPPLY COUPLED TO SAID THIRD FIELD MEANS TO ENERGIZE SAID THIRD FIELD MEANS AFTER SAID PLASMA HAS PASSED THERETHROUGH AND PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF TRAILING IMPURITIES THEREAT.