polywell
Sign in to saveThe polywell is a proposed design for a fusion reactor using an electric and magnetic field to heat ions to fusion conditions.
Key facts
- Company.name
- Energy Matter Conversion Corporation (EMC2)
- Company.industry
- fusion power
- Company.predecessor
- Directed Technologies
- Company.founders
- Robert W. Bussard
- Company.hq_location_city
- San Diego, California
- Company.hq_location_country
- United States
- Company.num_employees
- 5
- Company.num_employees_year
- 2025
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
51 sectionsContents
- Mechanism
- Fusor heating
- Diamagnetic plasma trapping
- Other trapping mechanisms
- Magnetic mirror
- Cusp confinement
- Beta in magnetic traps
- Design
- Other behavior
- Single-electron motion
- Plasma recirculation
- Models of energy distribution
- Considerations for net power
- Fuel type
- Lawson criterion
- Criticism
- Rider critique
- Energy capture
- History
- HEPS
- EMC2, Inc.
- WB-6
- Efforts to restart funding
- Bridge funding 2007–2009
- Reassembling team
- WB-7
- 2008
- 2009 to 2014
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- Going public
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2018
- University of Sydney experiments
- Related projects
- Prometheus Fusion Perfection
- University of Sydney
- Iranian Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute
- University of Wisconsin
- Convergent Scientific, Inc.
- Radiant Matter Research
- ProtonBoron
- Progressive Fusion Solutions
- Fusion One Corporation
- See also
- References
- External links
The polywell is a proposed design for a fusion reactor using an electric and magnetic field to heat ions to fusion conditions.
The design is related to the fusor, the high beta fusion reactor, the magnetic mirror, and the biconic cusp. A set of electromagnets generates a magnetic field that traps electrons. This creates a negative voltage, which attracts positive ions. As the ions accelerate towards the negative center, their kinetic energy rises. Ions that collide at high enough energies can fuse.