6212311
Executive Summary
System Metadata
Source ID
DOC-LANL_FRX
Process Date
2/3/2026
Integrity Hash
SHA256-t49rwy2f5fa...
Indexer Status
COMPLETE
INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS
Layman's Executive Summary
This document details the engineering and construction of the FRX-C/T, an experimental device designed to move high-temperature plasma rings through a long magnetic tube. By modifying an existing fusion experiment at Los Alamos, researchers created a six-meter-long translation region to study how these plasmas behave while in motion.
Document Origin
The document was authored by D.J. Rej of the CTR Division (Group CTR-3) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Research Purpose
The research was conducted to study the axial translation of hot, compact toroid plasmas (CTPs) within a Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC). The goal was to understand how to launch and stabilize these plasmas as they move from a formation coil into a separate confinement or translation region.
Relevancy Analysis
" This document is a critical technical baseline for Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) research, which is a primary candidate for both compact fusion power and advanced plasma propulsion in aerospace applications. It documents the transition from stationary plasma formation to translation, a key milestone for any 'black program' or commercial effort seeking to utilize compact toroids for high-energy density applications or mobile reactor designs. The involvement of LANL's CTR division links this to a long lineage of controlled thermonuclear research that intersects with modern advanced energy initiatives. "
Extracted Verifiable Claims
- › The FRX-C/T device was located in Building SM-105, Room 189 at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- › The experiment utilized a 2.5-MW, dc-powered, water-cooled solenoid magnet capable of producing an axial magnetic field of up to 10 kG.
- › The 'pancake' magnets used in the device were built around 1963 by Pacific Electric Motor in Oakland, California.
- › The translation region consists of a metallic vacuum chamber with a 0.4-meter inner diameter and a length of up to 6 meters.
- › The magnet system consists of up to 42 individual pancake coils, each containing two separate 16-turn copper conductor windings.
Technical Contribution
This report provides the specific technical blueprints, electrical specifications for the 2.5-MW magnet system, and vacuum hardware dimensions required to convert the static FRX-C device into the mobile FRX-C/T experiment.