Patents by Inventor Stephen James Howard
Stephen James Howard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20250191790Abstract: Examples of a plasma compression system are disclosed. The system includes a metallic vessel configured to receive and contain a plasma. The system further includes a metallic liquid liner in the vessel and at least partially bounding a plasma compression region having a longitudinal axis, and means for moving the liquid liner inwardly towards the longitudinal axis to compress the plasma in the plasma compression region. The system further includes a plurality of electrically conductive coils outside the plasma compression region and configured to generate a poloidal magnetic field in the liquid liner and the plasma compression region. At least some of the poloidal magnetic field within the plasma compression region extends along the longitudinal axis, and at least some of the poloidal magnetic field in the liquid liner moves inwardly towards the longitudinal axis with the liquid liner as the liquid liner moves towards the longitudinal axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2023Publication date: June 12, 2025Inventors: Stephen James HOWARD, Meritt Wayne REYNOLDS, Michel LABERGE, Alexander Douglas MOSSMAN, David PLANT, Celso RIBEIRO
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Patent number: 11404174Abstract: A system for generating magnetized plasma and sustaining plasma's magnetic field comprises a plasma generator for generating magnetized plasma and a flux conserver in which the generated magnetized plasma is injected and confined. A central conductor comprises an upper central conductor and a lower central conductor that are electrically connected forming a single integrated conductor. The upper central conductor and an outer electrode form an annular plasma propagating channel. The lower central conductor extends out of the plasma generator and into the flux conserver such that an end of the inner electrode is electrically connected to a wall of the flux conserver. A power system provides a formation current pulse and a sustainment current pulse to the central conductor to form the magnetized plasma, inject such plasma into the flux conserver and sustain plasma's magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: General Fusion Inc.Inventors: Michel Georges Laberge, Kelly Bernard Epp, Blake Kenton Rablah, Meritt Wayne Reynolds, Alexander Douglas Mossman, Stephen James Howard
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Patent number: 11399425Abstract: A method and system for stably generating and accelerating magnetized plasma comprises ionizing an injected gas in a plasma generator and generating a formation magnetic field to form a magnetized plasma with a closed poloidal field, generating a reverse poloidal field behind the magnetized plasma and having a same field direction as a back edge of the closed poloidal field and having an opposite field direction of the formation magnetic field, and generating a pushing toroidal field that pushes the reverse poloidal field against the closed poloidal field, thereby accelerating the magnetized plasma through a plasma accelerator downstream from the plasma generator. The reverse poloidal field serves to prevent the reconnection of the formation magnetic field and closed poloidal field after the magnetized plasma is formed, which would allow the pushing toroidal field to mix with the closed poloidal field and cause instability and reduced plasma confinement.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: General Fusion Inc.Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Michel Georges Laberge, Meritt Wayne Reynolds, Aaron Matthew Froese, Kelly Bernard Epp, Martin Clifford Wight, Yakov Gofman
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Publication number: 20220151054Abstract: A method and system for stably generating and accelerating magnetized plasma comprises ionizing an injected gas in plasma generator and generating a formation magnetic field to form a magnetized plasma with a closed poloidal field, generating a reverse poloidal field behind the magnetized plasma and having a same field direction as a back edge of the closed poloidal field and having an opposite field direction of the formation magnetic field, and generating a pushing toroidal field that pushes the reverse poloidal field against the closed poloidal field, thereby accelerating the magnetized plasma through a plasma accelerator downstream from the plasma generator. The reverse poloidal field serves to prevent the reconnection of the formation magnetic field and closed poloidal field after the magnetized plasma is formed, which would allow the pushing toroidal field to mix with the closed poloidal field and cause instability and reduced plasma confinement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Michel Georges Laberge, Merritt Wayne Reynolds, Aaron Matthew Froese, Kelly Bernard Epp, Martin Clifford Wight, Yakov Gofman
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Publication number: 20210217536Abstract: A system for generating magnetized plasma and sustaining plasma's magnetic field comprises a plasma generator for generating magnetized plasma and a flux conserver in which the generated magnetized plasma is injected and confined. A central conductor comprises an upper central conductor and a lower central conductor that are electrically connected forming a single integrated conductor. The upper central conductor and an outer electrode form an annular plasma propagating channel. The lower central conductor extends out of the plasma generator and into the flux conserver such that an end of the inner electrode is electrically connected to a wall of the flux conserver. A power system provides a formation current pulse and a sustainment current pulse to the central conductor to form the magnetized plasma, inject such plasma into the flux conserver and sustain plasma's magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2018Publication date: July 15, 2021Inventors: Michel Georges LABERGE, Kelly Bernard EPP, Blake Kenton RABLAH, Meritt Wayne REYNOLDS, Alexander Douglas MOSSMAN, Stephen James HOWARD
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Patent number: 10811144Abstract: Examples of a system for generating and compressing magnetized plasma are disclosed. The system comprises a plasma generator with a first closed end and an outlet, and a flux conserving chamber that is in tight fluid communication with the outlet of the plasma generator such that the generated plasma is injected into an inner cavity of the flux conserving chamber. An elongated central axial shaft is also provided such that the central shaft extends through the outlet of the plasma generator into the flux conserver. The end of the central shaft in connected to the flux conserver. A power source that comprises a formation power circuit and a shaft power circuit is provided to provide a formation power pulse to the plasma generator to generate magnetized plasma, and a shaft power pulse to the central axial shaft to generate a toroidal magnetic field into the plasma generator and the flux conserving chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: General Fusion Inc.Inventors: Michel Georges Laberge, Meritt Wayne Reynolds, Alexander Douglas Mossman, Stephen James Howard, Blake Kenton Rablah, Peter Joseph Larkin O'Shea, Donald James Froese, Charles Beaufort Eyrich
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Publication number: 20190139650Abstract: Examples of a system for generating and compressing magnetized plasma are disclosed. The system comprises a plasma generator with a first closed end and an outlet, and a flux conserving chamber that is in tight fluid communication with the outlet of the plasma generator such that the generated plasma is injected into an inner cavity of the flux conserving chamber. An elongated central axial shaft is also provided such that the central shaft extends through the outlet of the plasma generator into the flux conserver. The end of the central shaft in connected to the flux conserver. A power source that comprises a formation power circuit and a shaft power circuit is provided to provide a formation power pulse to the plasma generator to generate magnetized plasma, and a shaft power pulse to the central axial shaft to generate a toroidal magnetic field into the plasma generator and the flux conserving chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Michel Georges Laberge, Meritt Wayne Reynolds, Alexander Douglas Mossman, Stephen James Howard, Blake Kenton Rablah, Peter Joseph Larkin O'Shea, Donald James Froese, Charles Beaufort Eyrich
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Publication number: 20160150627Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2016Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
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Patent number: 9271383Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: General Fusion, Inc.Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
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Publication number: 20150036777Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
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Patent number: 8891719Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: General Fusion, Inc.Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
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Publication number: 20110243292Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: GENERAL FUSION, INC.Inventors: Stephen James HOWARD, Michel Georges LABERGE, Lon MCILWRAITH, Douglas Harvey RICHARDSON, James GREGSON
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Publication number: 20110026658Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: General Fusion, Inc.Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson