Art Carlson wrote:
The idea itself is old, so the question is how they deal with the known difficulties. One of these is that FRCs, when scaled to reactor sizes, are supposed to be unstable. (Actually they are supposed to be unstable at laboratory size, which they are not, but it will probably get worse when scaling up.)
But, from
http://www.physicsessays.com/doc/s2005/ ... -Final.pdf:
Quote:
Most importantly, the FRC remains in a stable regime with regard to MHD modes such as the tilt from formation through burn.
and
Quote:
Finally, in the reactor scenario outlined for PHD, the FRC at no time exceeds the empirical regime where stability and good confinement has been observed throughout the entire formation process through burn.
Other tit/tid/teat bits from
http://hifweb.lbl.gov/ICC2000/Magnetize ... 1_Oral.pdf:
Quote:
Given the observed scaling with size and density, the required radius at a density of 1024 m-3 for a DT fusion burn with a gain > 1 is found to be ~ 1 cm.
and
Quote:
The PHD fusion envisioned also provides for a simple direct conversion of the plasma into directed thrust. Of all fusion reactor embodiments, only the magnetically confined plasma in the Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) has the linear geometry, low confining field, and high plasma pressure required for the direct conversion of fusion energy into high specific impulse and thrust, and would thus have direct applicability to deep space flight.
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