System and method for generating and containing a plasma

1. A method comprising:

providing an annular electrode;

providing a second electrode disposed within an interior of said annular electrode, said annular electrode and said second electrode defining a space therebetween;

generating a magnetic field that permeates said space;

forming a high energy plasma within said space, said magnetic field at least partially confining said plasma within said space; and

providing electrical current between said annular electrode and said second electrode and through said plasma to maintain said plasma; and wherein

said plasma saturates a volume defined by an outer radius smaller than an internal radius of said annular electrode, an inner radius larger than a radius of said second electrode, and a height parallel with an axis of symmetry of said annular electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of forming said plasma within said space includes:

asserting an initiating voltage across said annular electrode and said second electrode sufficient to form a spark between said annular electrode and said second electrode; and

providing said electrical current through a conductive path generated by said spark.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of providing said electrical current includes:

providing a DC voltage across said annular electrode and said second electrode; and

superimposing an AC voltage on said DC voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of providing electrical current between said annular electrode and said second electrode includes allowing electrical noise from said plasma to feedback into a circuit providing said electrical current.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of generating a magnetic field that permeates said space includes orienting the magnetic field to cause said plasma to rotate within said space.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing fuel to said plasma.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein providing fuel to said plasma includes:

using said second electrode as fuel; and

gradually feeding said second electrode into said space as said second electrode is consumed.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

capturing thermal energy generated by said plasma; and

converting said thermal energy to electrical energy.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said step of converting said thermal energy to electrical energy includes generating more electrical energy than is necessary to sustain said plasma.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said step of providing fuel to said plasma includes providing a waste product to said plasma.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using said plasma to subject a target to high energy particles from said plasma.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing a gas flow into said space.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing a strength of said magnetic field, thereby replacing said volume saturated by said plasma with a new volume, said new volume being at least partially defined by a new height, said new height being smaller than said height.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing said current electrical current and a corresponding voltage between said annular electrode and said second electrode, thereby increasing a temperature and a density of said plasma.

15. A system comprising:

an annular electrode;

a second electrode disposed within an interior of said annular electrode, said annular electrode and said second electrode defining a space therebetween;

a plasma generator configured to initiate a high energy plasma within said space;

a magnet configured to generate a magnetic field that permeates said space and at least partially confines said plasma within said space; and

a current source coupled to provide electrical current between said annular electrode and said second electrode and through said plasma to maintain said plasma; and wherein

said plasma saturates a volume defined by an outer radius smaller than an internal radius of said annular electrode, an inner radius larger than a radius of said second electrode, and a height parallel with an axis of symmetry of said annular electrode.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a voltage source coupled to assert a voltage across said annular electrode and said second electrode, said voltage being sufficient to form a spark between said annular electrode and said second electrode; and wherein

said current source is operative to provide said current through a conductive path provided by said spark.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said current source is operative to:

provide a DC voltage across said annular electrode and said second electrode; and

superimpose an AC voltage on said DC voltage.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein said current source is coupled to provide said current in a manner that facilitates feedback of noise from said plasma into said current source.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein said magnetic field is aligned with an axis passing through said space, said axis being perpendicular to a transverse plane of said annular electrode.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein said magnet includes a plurality of circumferential windings around said annular electrode.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein said annular electrode includes a plurality of cylindrical elements arranged in side-by-side fashion around the inner surface of said annular electrode, with central axes of said cylindrical elements oriented parallel to one another.

22. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a fuel system configured to introduce fuel into said plasma.

23. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a heat exchanger disposed to absorb thermal energy generated by said plasma and configured to transfer said thermal energy to another system.

24. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a generator operative to utilize said thermal energy to generate electrical power.

25. The system of claim 24 , further comprising an electrical storage system, coupled to receive said electrical power, store at least a portion of said electrical power, and provide said electrical power to said current source.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein said fuel is a waste product.

27. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a sample chamber disposed with respect to said plasma such that material within the sample chamber is exposed to high energy particles from said plasma.

28. The system of claim 15 , further comprising at least one fluid inlet disposed to introduce a gas flow into said space.

29. The system of claim 15 , wherein said plasma generator includes a transformer, said transformer capable of providing 40 kV at 1 amp.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein said transformer includes a single primary winding.

31. The system of claim 15 , wherein said current source includes a capacitor set coupled to discharge across said space when a conductive path is provided between said annular electrode and said second electrode.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein said capacitor set is capable of supplying at least 1000 V at 200 amps.

33. The system of claim 31 , wherein said current source further comprises:

a rectifier for providing DC power to said capacitor set; and

a low pass filter coupled between said rectifier and said capacitor set.

34. The system of claim 31 , wherein said current source further comprises an RLC (resistor-inductor-capacitor) circuit coupled to assert an AC voltage on said DC voltage provided by said capacitor set.

35. The method of claim 15 , wherein increasing a strength of said magnetic field replaces said volume saturated by said plasma with a new volume, said new volume being at least partially defined by a new height, said new height being smaller than said height.

36. The method of claim 15 , wherein increasing said electrical current and a corresponding voltage between said annular electrode and said second electrode increases a temperature and a density of said plasma.