System and method for generating and containing a plasma
View Patent ↗A novel plasma generation and containment system includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a power source, and an electromagnet. The first electrode and the second electrode are electrically coupled via a wire to form an open circuit. The voltage is asserted on the open circuit to form a spark between the first electrode and the second electrode to form a closed circuit. Then, a current is asserted on the closed circuit to form a plasma between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electromagnet provides a magnetic field to contain and compress the plasma.
1 . 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;
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
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, after said spark is formed, to
provide said current through a conductive path provided by said spark,
provide a DC voltage across said annular electrode and said second electrode, and
superimpose an AC voltage on said DC voltage, whereby said high energy plasma is maintained.
2 . The system of claim 1 , 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.
3 . The system of claim 1 , 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.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said magnet includes a plurality of circumferential windings around said annular electrode.
5 . The system of claim 1 , 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.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fuel system configured to introduce fuel into said plasma.
7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a heat exchanger disposed to absorb thermal energy generated by said plasma and configured to transfer said thermal energy to another system.
8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a generator operative to utilize said thermal energy to generate electrical power.
9 . The system of claim 8 , 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.
10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said fuel is a waste product.
11 . The system of claim 1 , 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.
12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fluid inlet disposed to introduce a gas flow into said space.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said plasma generator includes a transformer, said transformer capable of providing 40 kV at 1 amp.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said transformer includes a single primary winding.
15 . The system of claim 1 , 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.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein said capacitor set is capable of supplying at least 1000 V at 200 amps.
17 . The system of claim 15 , 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.
18 . The system of claim 15 , 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.