Thermonuclear Plasma Confinement with Thermomagnetic Currents Generated by Nuclear Reactions from Fusion Neutrons

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed in which neutrons released from a thermonuclear (fusion) plasma (e.g., D-T or D-D) are used to drive thermomagnetic currents in a plasma corona, via neutron-induced nuclear reactions occurring in a fission plasma surrounding the thermonuclear plasma. The thermomagnetic currents can be sufficiently large to confine the fusion plasma. The thermomagnetic currents are also able to reduce magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in the thermonuclear plasma. Because the neutron-reaction cross sections are larger for slow neutrons, neutrons are slowed in a moderator separated from the plasma of the corona. This separation makes possible an autocatalytic amplification of thermomagnetic currents by an increase of the fusion-reaction rate through a rise of the plasma pressure by the magnetic pressure of the thermomagnetic currents. Exemplary fission reactions in the fission plasma can involve “light nuclei” such as 10 B and/or 6 Li, or actinides such as 238 U or 232 Th.