Magnetic Flux Compression by Expanding Plasma Sphere

Abstract

A conceptual study of magnetic flux compression inside an electrical conductor by an expanding inertial
fusion plasma sphere across the magnetic field is performed numerically using a two dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The concept may find application in inertial fusion energy (IFE) system as a
direct energy conversion scheme to convert a part of fusion plasma kinetic energy into pulsed electrical energy. This
paper will report the details of the numerical algorithm developed to study this phenomena. Preliminary theoretical
analysis is given for the analysis of MHD interchange instabilities of expanding plasma across magnetic field. Overall
efficiency of the system is determined numerically for a typical set of initial plasma and system parameters. The
efficiency of the proposed system is found to be greater than 50 % for a typical set of initial parameters used.