Improved tandem mirror fusion reactor

Abstract

An improved version of the tandem mirror fusion reactor is presented in which a power gain factor Q approx. 10 to 20 can be obtained at a few 100 MWe electrical output with much simpler technology in the end plugs. The improvement is obtained by raising the electron temperature in the end plugs well above that in the central cell (which would be ignited). The heating power required to maintain the high electron temperature is greatly reduced - to 20 to 40 MW per plug - by creating negative depressions in the potential that serve to thermally insulate electrons in the end plugs from those in the central cell. The overall concept and several proposed methods for creating the thermal barriers are discussed. A reactor example is then discussed.