US3663360A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Conversion of high temperature plasma energy into electrical energy
Assignee: United States Atomic Energy Commission
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Filing: 1970-08-13
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1990-08-13
Abstract
Abstract High temperature plasma is produced in a containment zone of a controlled fusion reactor defined by a magnetic containment field from which field plasma emerges as a beam. The plasma beam is directed through the magnetic field of an expander which expander field is coupled to the containment field and diminishes in intensity therethrough so that rotational energy of the plasma ions is converted to translational kinetic energy. An arrangement is provided at the outlet of the expander to separate electrons from the high energy ions which ions are then directed into a collector structure. The collector structure comprises a plurality of stages maintained at progressively higher positive potentials wherein the ions are progressively decelerated so that successive fractions of the ions passes residual kinetic energies less than the differential potential between successive collector stages. The collector stages are provided with a deflector means which selectively deflects the ions with low residual kinetic energies to impinge upon collector plates to create electrical current at the stage potential. In one disclosed embodiment the selective deflector means utilizes a vapor jet charge exchange arrangement, in a second, the selective deflector means is an arrangement using crossed electric and magnetic fields, and, in a third, the selective deflector means utilizes particle focussing lenses. Electrical circuitry means are provided for combining and/or converting the individual collector currents for delivery to an electrical distribution system with means to establish the initial decelerating or retarding potentials.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard F Post
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:24
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02N; H02N3/00; G; G21; G21B; G21B1/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said beam of charged particles comprises a plasma beam of energetic positive ions and electrons, wherein a means is provided between said expander means and said collector means for deflecting electrons from said beam, and said electrical potential effective to retard charged particles is a positive polarity potential.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said plasma source means comprises a controlled fusion reactor including means for producing a magnetic field defining a zone for the containment of a high temperature plasma together with means for introducing and trapping fusionable light nuclides in said containment zone to form a high temperature plasma in said zone at a temperature and density at which an appreciable fusion reaction rate is attained and wherefrom said plasma beam emanates to discharge through said magnetic field region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said magnetic field defining the plasma containment zone includes at least one magnetic mirror field region, wherein said beam of energetic charged plasma particles is discharged through said magnetic mirror field region to enter said expander, and wherein means are provided for conducting and converting the electrical current generated in said collector electrode to a form appropriate foR delivery to a distribution system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including vacuum vessel means defining an evacuable chamber wherein said magnetic field defining said containment zone is established, said vacuum vessel means further including extensions thereof enclosing said expander and collector means, and vacuum pumping means for evacuating said evacuable chamber to a pressure of below about 10 6 mm Hg and the interior of said extensions of said vacuum vessel means to pressures below about 10 5 mm Hg.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said fusionable light nuclides comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of P, D, T, He3 and Li6 and the plasma temperature is in the range of about 30 Kev to above about 700 Kev.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said magnetic mirror field region of said magnetic field defining a containment zone is a curved magnetic mirror field region and said plasma beam emerges therefrom along an angularly distributed fan-like path, wherein the expander and collector extensions of said vacuum vessel means have an annular arcuate configuration, and wherein said means disposed between said expander and collector means for deflecting electrons from said beam comprises a relatively abrupt diminishing intensity region of the magnetic field in said expander.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said collector means comprises a plurality of charge exchange collector stages each including a first annular section plate electrode disposed to one side of said positively charged fan-like particle beam, a second annular section plate electrode disposed in coextensive opposing relation at the second side of said beam, and means for directing a medium, having a relatively high charge exchange cross section for positive ions of relatively lower energies in said beam, transversely across the path of said beam between said electrode plates, to undergo a preferential charge exchange reaction with relatively low residual kinetic particles in said beam and wherein the ion formed by charge exchange travels to impinge upon one of said plate electrodes serving as said collector electrode to generate an electrical current therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said charge exchange medium is a material selected from the group consisting of Mg, Na and Li, having an enhanced selective cross-section for charge exchange below about 15 Kev, wherein means are provided for establishing a potential difference between said plate electrodes effective for collecting charged particles and electrons produced in said charge exchange reaction on said plate electrodes, and wherein the retarding potential increments applied to said collector stages are less than about 15 Kev.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said collector means comprise a plurality of electrostatic focusing energy sensitive stages arranged sequentially along said positive particle beam path, said stages comprising first and second pairs of curved collector electrode plate electrodes mounted in edgewise opposing relation across the path of said positively charged particle beam at spaced concentric intervals therealong together with electrode means having convexly curved faces in juxtaposition across the beam path and disposed in symmetric relation with respect to the first paired electrode members and in the spaces between adjacent electrode pairs, said convexly curved electrodes being adapted for application of negative and positive focusing potentials relative to said first paired electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said focusing potentials applied to said curved electrodes juxtaposed across the beam path are of like polarity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said focusing potentials applied to said curved electrodes juxtaposed across the beam path are of opposite polarity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as defined in cLaim 10 wherein said convexly curved electrode means comprise convexly curved conductor sheet members.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said convexly curved electrode means comprise a convexly curved open gridwork or meshwork sheet electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said convexly curved electrode means comprises a circular bar electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
178 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said collector means comprises a plurality of E X B particle energy selective charged particle collector stages, said stages each comprising a plurality of paired first plate electrode members disposed in parallel coextensive spaced relation across said fan-like beam of positive particles and in sequential concentric rows therealong, second plate electrode members disposed at right angles to said first plate electrode members transecting said beam path and with said first plate electrode member, defining a plurality of cubical cells along said concentric rows, with the cells of said rows being in radial alignment, means for providing a magnetic field, -> B, along said beam path through said cubical cells, means for applying an electrostatic potential, E, between one pair of said plate electrodes disposed on opposite sides of said cell, wherefor an E X B field is established in said cell effective to divert selected low residual energy charged particles from said beam to impinge upon the second pair of electrodes to be collected thereon to generate an electrical current therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein electromagnetic deflection means are disposed at the entrance to the collector section to divide the fan-like positive particle beam into segments which are directed through said cubical cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |