Electrostatic-inertial plasma confinement

Summary form only given. Electrostatic-inertial confinement offers several significant advantages, including a highly non-Maxwellian plasma which is capable of burning advanced fuels, a relatively simple structure capable of high power density, and a natural connection to direct energy conversion. The plasma is confined in an electrostatic well that is created by injecting electrons through a semitransparent, high-voltage, grid-type anode in spherical geometry. Oscillation of the electrons about the anode forms a negative potential well that provides effective confinement of injected high-energy ions. As the ions pass back and forth on trajectories through the center of the device, a very-high-density central reaction core region is formed. The experimental apparatus consists of a spherical, stainless steel vacuum vessel 61 cm in diameter; mounted concentric is a 51 cm anode that is approximately 95% transparent, operating at a maximum voltage of 30 kV. Several electron guns mounted on the outside of the vessel will supply electrons with an energy of 1.5 kV, and a total current of 10 A