Direct Conversion of the Energy of Laser and Fusion Plasma Clouds to Electrical Energy During Expansion in a Magnetic Field

The paper deals with the physical and electrotechnical principles of the promising method of direct conversion of the kinetic energy of an expanding plasma cloud to electrical energy by inductive generation of currents in short–circuited load coils that enclose the plasma and are oriented across the external magnetic field. An analysis of plasma deceleration by a magnetic field and transfer of plasma energy to an inductive load gave a solution of the problem in general form and the dimensionless parameters of the problem that determine the deceleration radius, the coil current, and the theoretical conversion efficiency. The role of the basic physical effects, including parasitic ones (plasma instabilities and Joule heating), influencing the real efficiency is assessed. A comparison of the results with data of experiments with laser–produced plasma clouds on a KI–1 facility and with available numerical results shows that in the optimized version of the method for conversion of inertial confinement fusion energy, a 30% efficiency can be achieved.