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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMALL, CLEAN, STEADY-STATE FUSION REACTORS

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This patent describes systems and methods for operating small, clean, steady-state field-reversed configuration (FRC) fusion reactors. It details mechanisms for widening and densifying the scrape-off layer (SOL) using a gas-box divertor to rapidly extract fusion ash (such as tritium and helium-4) and capture energy, thereby reducing neutron power load, suppressing unwanted radiation, and producing helium-3 to sustain advanced fusion fuel cycles.
Analysis Confidence: High
ST_CODE: 322265

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Page 1 - Front Matter & Abstract

US011322265B2 (12) United States Patent Cohen et al. (10) Patent No.: US 11,322,265 B2 (45) Date of Patent: May 3, 2022 (54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMALL, CLEAN, STEADY-STATE FUSION REACTORS (71) Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, Princeton, NJ (US) (72) Inventors: Samuel A. Cohen, Princeton, NJ (US); Matthew K. Chu Cheong, Austin, TX (US) (73) Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, Princeton, NJ (US) (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. (21) Appl. No.: 17/167,187 (22) Filed: Feb. 4, 2021 (65) Prior Publication Data: US 2021/0158977 A1 May 27, 2021 Related U.S. Application Data (62) Division of application No. 17/011,400, filed on Sep. 3, 2020, now Pat. No. 10,923,236, which is a division of application No. 15/552,665, filed on Aug. 22, 2017, now abandoned, which is a U.S. national stage of PCT/US2016/019238 on Feb. 24, 2016. (60) Provisional application No. 62/120,211, filed on Feb. 24, 2015, provisional application No. 62/120,206, filed on Feb. 24, 2015, provisional application No. 62/120,195, filed on Feb. 24, 2015. (51) Int. Cl. G21B 1/05 (2006.01) F03H 1/00 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. CPC: G21B 1/052 (2013.01); F03H 1/0081 (2013.01); F03H 1/0093 (2013.01); Y02E 30/10 (2013.01) (58) Field of Classification Search CPC: G21B 1/052 See application file for complete search history. (56) References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,774,065 A * 9/1988 Penzhorn ... G21B 1/115 423/210 4,817,832 A * 4/1989 Nagy ... B65D 47/063 222/529 (Continued) FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS WO 2013191779 A2 12/2013 WO 2014031190 A2 2/2014 OTHER PUBLICATIONS International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2016/019238, dated Jul. 26, 2016. (Continued) Primary Examiner — Lily C Garner (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Meagher Emanuel Laks Goldberg & Liao, LLP (57) ABSTRACT According to some embodiments, a system for widening and densifying a scrape-off layer (SOL) in a field reversed configuration (FRC) fusion reactor is disclosed. The system includes a gas box at one end of the reactor including a gas inlet system and walls of suitable heat bearing materials. The system further includes an exit orifice adjoining the gas box, wherein the exit orifice has a controllable radius and length to allow plasma to flow out from the gas box to populate the SOL with the plasma. The system may also include fusion products, which decrease in speed in the plasma in the SOL, allowing energy to be extracted and converted into thrust or electrical power and further allowing ash to be extracted to reduce neutron emissions and maintain high, steady-state fusion power. 11 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets

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This patent describes systems and methods for operating small, clean, steady-state field-reversed configuration (FRC) fusion reactors. It details mechanisms for widening and densifying the scrape-off layer (SOL) using a gas-box divertor to rapidly extract fusion ash (such as tritium and helium-4) an...