The net effect is to transport energy from the hot core to the wall. An unavoidable diffusion of energy across the magnetic field lines will occur from the collisions between the particles. If the plasma energy loss is too large, then ignition cannot be achieved. In contrast, an unstable plasma would likely depart from its equilibrium state and rapidly (perhaps in less than one-thousandth of a second) escape the confining magnetic field following any small perturbation.Ī plasma in stable equilibrium can be maintained indefinitely if the leakage of energy from the plasma is balanced by energy input.
This equilibrium must be stable, which is to say that the plasma will return to its original state following any small perturbation, such as continual random thermal “noise” fluctuations.
For the plasma to be in equilibrium, the magnetic force acting on the electric current within the plasma must balance the pressure force at every point in the plasma. Simultaneously, the thermal energy of all the particles exerts an expansive pressure force on the plasma.
It is necessary that these particle trajectories do not intersect the bounding wall. A successful configuration must meet three criteria: (1) the plasma must be in a time-independent equilibrium state, (2) the equilibrium must be macroscopically stable, and (3) the leakage of plasma energy to the bounding wall must be small.Ĭharged particles tend to spiral about a magnetic line of force. A large part of the problem of fusion has been the attainment of magnetic field configurations that effectively confine the plasma. Magnetic confinement of plasmas is the most highly developed approach to controlled fusion. Development of fusion reactor technology.
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