Thermoelectric rotating torus for fusion.

Abstract

A plasma toroid is rotated toroidally to supersonic speeds by external means. The input power maintains the rotation and also heats the plasma. The thermoelectric effect from the resulting temperature gradient creates and maintains a poloidal magnetic field against resistive decay, confining the plasma in steady state. The shear in the rotation keeps the plasma stable to MHD kinks and interchanges. Such a system has two novel advantages as a fusion device: there are no strong electromagnets needed to create the confining magnetic field, and there is effectively no limit on the field strength and, hence, no limit on the plasma pressure contained. The system has to be of a large aspect ratio, to minimize centrifugal effects, and a weak, external vertical magnetic field is needed to balance the radial hoop force.