Abstract: Module-based energy systems are provided having multiple converter-source modules. The converter-source modules can each include an energy source and a converter. The systems can further include control circuitry for the modules. The modules can be arranged in various ways to provide single phase AC, multi-phase AC, and/or DC outputs. Each module can be independently monitored and controlled.

Abstract: Module-based energy systems are provided having multiple converter-source modules. The converter-source modules can each include an energy source and a converter. The systems can further include control circuitry for the modules. The modules can be arranged in various ways to provide single phase AC, multi-phase AC, and/or DC outputs. Each module can be independently monitored and controlled.

Abstract: A non-resonance photo-neutralizer for negative ion-based neutral beam injectors. The non-resonance photo-neutralizer utilizes a nonresonant photon accumulation, wherein the path of a photon becomes tangled and trapped in a certain space region, i.e., the photon trap. The trap is preferably formed by two smooth mirror surfaces facing each other with at least one of the mirrors being concave. In its simplest form, the trap is elliptical. A confinement region is a region near a family of normals, which are common to both mirror surfaces. The photons with a sufficiently small angle of deviation from the nearest common normal are confined. Depending on specific conditions, the shape of the mirror surface may be one of spherical, elliptical, cylindrical, or toroidal geometry, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems, devices, and methods relating to a beam system. An example beam system includes a charged particle source configured to generate a beam of charged particles, a pre-accelerator system configured to accelerate the beam, and an accelerator configured to accelerate the beam from the pre-accelerator system. The pre-accelerator system can cause the beam to converge as it is propagated from the source to an input aperture of the accelerator. The pre-accelerator system can further reduce or eliminate source disturbance or damage caused by backflow traveling from the accelerator toward the source.

Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing multi-scaled capture type vacuum pumping.

Abstract: A high performance field reversed configuration (FRC) system includes a central confinement vessel, two diametrically opposed reversed-field-theta-pinch formation sections coupled to the vessel, and two divertor chambers coupled to the formation sections. A magnetic system includes quasi-dc coils axially positioned along the FRC system components, quasi-dc mirror coils between the confinement chamber and the formation sections, and mirror plugs between the formation sections and the divertors. The formation sections include modular pulsed power formation systems enabling static and dynamic formation and acceleration of the FRCs. The FRC system further includes neutral atom beam injectors, pellet injectors, gettering systems, axial plasma guns and flux surface biasing electrodes. The beam injectors are preferably angled toward the midplane of the chamber.

Abstract: A negative ion-based beam injector comprising a negative ion source and an accelerator. The ions produced by the ion source are pre-accelerated before injection into a high energy accelerator by an electrostatic multi-aperture grid pre-accelerator, which is used to extract ion beams from the plasma and accelerate to some fraction of the required beam energy. The beam from the ion source passes through a pair of deflecting magnets, which enable the beam to shift off axis before entering the high energy accelerator. The negative ion-based beam injector can be combined with a neutralizer to produce about a 5 MW neutral beam with energy of about 0.50 to 1.0 MeV. After acceleration to full energy, the beam enters the neutralizer where it is partially converted into a neutral beam. The remaining ion species are separated by a magnet and directed into electrostatic energy converters. The neutral beam passes through a gate valve and enters a plasma chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems, devices, and methods relate to an electrode standoff isolator. An example electrode standoff isolator includes a plurality of adjacent insulative segments positioned between a proximal end and a distal end of the electrode standoff isolator. A geometry of the adjacent insulative is configured to guard a surface area of the electrode standoff isolator against deposition of a conductive layer of gaseous phase materials from a filament of an ion source.

Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing neutral beam injection and high harmonic fast wave electron heating.

Abstract: A high performance field reversed configuration (FRC) system includes a central confinement vessel, two diametrically opposed reversed-field-theta-pinch formation sections coupled to the vessel, and two divertor chambers coupled to the formation sections. A magnetic system includes quasi-dc coils axially positioned along the FRC system components, quasi-dc mirror coils between the confinement chamber and the formation sections, and mirror plugs between the formation sections and the divertors. The formation sections include modular pulsed power formation systems enabling static and dynamic formation and acceleration of the FRCs. The FRC system further includes neutral atom beam injectors, pellet or CT injectors, gettering systems, axial plasma guns and flux surface biasing electrodes. The beam injectors are preferably angled toward the midplane of the chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that facilitate stability of an FRC plasma in both radial and axial directions and axial position control of an FRC plasma along the symmetry axis of an FRC plasma chamber. The systems and methods exploit an axially unstable equilibria of the FRC plasma to enforce radial stability, while stabilizing or controlling the axial instability. The systems and methods provide feedback control of the FRC plasma axial position independent of the stability properties of the plasma equilibrium by acting on the voltages applied to a set of external coils concentric with the plasma and using a non-linear control technique.

Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing multi-scaled capture type vacuum pumping.

Abstract: Systems and methods utilizing successive, axially symmetric acceleration and adiabatic compression stages to heat and accelerate two compact tori towards each other and ultimately collide and compress the compact tori within a central chamber. Alternatively, systems and methods utilizing successive, axially asymmetric acceleration and adiabatic compression stages to heat and accelerate a first compact toroid towards and position within a central chamber and to heat and accelerate a second compact toroid towards the central chamber and ultimately collide and merge the first and second compact toroids and compress the compact merge tori within the central chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multilevel hysteresis current control for a cascaded multilevel converter having a plurality of power cells connected in series with a positive integer number of output voltage levels, and to control any shape of AC/DC current in the load, transfer electrical power from energy storage elements of the power cells to that load and recover the energy back to the storage elements. Systems and methods for voltage balancing on energy storage elements of the power cells to determine whether to inject energy into or extract energy from a selected storage element, and for zero switching state rotation technique of switching elements in each power cell of cascaded multilevel converter.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing neutral beam injectors with tunable beam energy capabilities.

Abstract: Module-based energy systems are provided having multiple converter-source modules. The converter-source modules can each include an energy source and a converter. The systems can further include control circuitry for the modules. The modules can be arranged in various ways to provide single phase AC, multi-phase AC, and/or DC outputs. Each module can be independently monitored and controlled.

Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate multilevel hysteresis voltage control methods for cascaded multilevel voltage modulators having a plurality of power cells connected in series and has any positive integer number of output voltage levels to control any unipolar voltage on the load of the voltage modulator, and transfer electrical power from an electrical grid via AC/DC converters or directly from energy storage elements of the power cells to that load. A method of operational rotation of the power cells of a multilevel voltage modulator, which ensures an equal power sharing among the power cells and voltage balancing of the energy storage elements of the power cells of the modulator.

Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce the amplitude of undesirable eddy currents in conducting structures, e.g., induced by the translation of an FRC into a confinement chamber, while leaving beneficial eddy currents unaffected. This is achieved by inducing opposing currents in the same conducting structures prior to plasma translation into the confinement chamber.

Abstract: A combination flux loop and B-dot probe comprising a single mineral insulated cable having an outer sheath of, e.g., stainless steel or the like, and three (3) conductors positioned within the sheath and embedded in a mineral insulator such as, e.g., MgO. One of the conductors forms a flux loop having a single loop and second and third conductors forming a B-dot probe comprises a single wire having a double loop. The combination probe is configured to prevent twisting of the conductors along a curved bend as the combined probe is fashioned into a curved shape. To prevent twisting, the conductors may be formed as ribbon wires having a generally flat, rectangular shaped cross-section and/or the sheath may have a generally oval or rectangular shaped cross-section.

Abstract: A negative ion-based beam injector comprising a negative ion source and an accelerator. The ions produced by the ion source are pre-accelerated before injection into a high energy accelerator by an electrostatic multi-aperture grid pre-accelerator, which is used to extract ion beams from the plasma and accelerate to some fraction of the required beam energy. The beam from the ion source passes through a pair of deflecting magnets, which enable the beam to shift off axis before entering the high energy accelerator. The negative ion-based beam injector can be combined with a neutralizer to produce about a 5 MW neutral beam with energy of about 0.50 to 1.0 MeV. After acceleration to full energy, the beam enters the neutralizer where it is partially converted into a neutral beam. The remaining ion species are separated by a magnet and directed into electrostatic energy converters. The neutral beam passes through a gate valve and enters a plasma chamber.