GB846547A - Improvements relating to thermo nuclear reactors for producing fusion reactions - Google Patents

Abstract

846,547. Nuclear fusion reactors ; discharge apparatus. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO. Ltd. May 27, 1957 [April 19, 1956]. No. 11984/56. Classes 39(1) and 39(4). A method of producing a thermonuclear reaction consists in locating an ionised light gas near the axis of an elongated container in the presence of an axial magnetic field, and applying magnetic shock waves to the ionised gas so as to compress the gas adiabatically and to raise the gas to a high temperature. Fig. 3 shows part of a suitable apparatus comprising a discharge tube provided with heatable electrodes 3 at each end (only one of which is shown in the fig.). An electric discharge between the electrodes ionises the gas, which may be hydrogen, denterium, helium, tintium or a mixture thereof at a pressure such as to produce about 10<SP>14</SP> to 10<SP>17</SP> particles per c.c. The plasma is subjected to successive adiabatic magnetic axial compressions by means of coils 7 which are coupled together with condensers (not shown) to form an artificial line ; similar compressions are impressed on the plasma at the other end of the tube so that the two masses of compressed ions meet and react in the central space 2 of the tube. The tube may be provided with parallel plate electrodes 8 between which an R.F. field is established to feed energy to the ions by a cyclotion action between successive compressions. Coils 13 may be provided to produce a final radial compression.