Plasma extrusion dynamo and methods related thereto

Abstract

Featured is a plasma extrusion dynamo and methods related thereto. Also featured are fusion reactors using such dynamos and methods. In the methodology of the present invention, a steady-state stream of conductive plasma is forced by pressure or momentum to flow into a magnetic extrusion nozzle made up of converging magnetic field lines so as to form a closed, steady-state current loop within the plasma. The plasma current loop in turn forms a closed set of poloidal field lines which interact with the plasma current to compress and confine a portion of the plasma in a toroidal volume. Such pressure and confinement establish the conditions for magnetically confining controlled nuclear fusion reactions for power generation. A fusion reactor using the plasma extrusion dynamo methodology includes a source of high pressure or high velocity plasma, one or more converging magnetic extrusion nozzles, and a plasma exhaust area at low pressure. In a preferred embodiment, a reactor includes two magnetic extrusion dynamos back-to-back with shared field lines. Neutral material is inserted into the common space between the nozzles and ionized to form the plasma that flows through both nozzles to form two steady-state plasma current loops wherein conditions conducive to fusion are established. A magnetic coil is disposed between the dynamos to separate and stabilize the two plasma current loops.