Patent Number: H00006270
Section: claims

1. A toroidal plasma confining device, comprising: a toroidal field generating means including a plurality of toroidal field coils disposed about said torodial plasma for generating a toroidal magnetic confinement field about said toroidal plasma;  a poloidal field generating means including at least one electrical current conducting coil encircling said toroidal plasma adjacent the outer radius of said toroidal plasma for generating only a vertical magnetic field component within said toroidal plasma which together with said toroidal magnetic confinement field defines a toroidal plasma confinement region for confining said toroidal plasma concentrically about a main vertical axis thereof having an aspect ratio less than 2 and a natural elongation of about 2 such that said toroidal plasma exists in the form of a compact, generally-spherical, toroidal shape; and  a vacuum containment means for encapsulating said toroidal plasma in a vacuum environment.  a toroidal field generating means including a plurality of toroidal field coils disposed about said toroidal plasma for generating a toroidal magnetic confinement field about said toroidal plasma;  a poloidal field generating means including at least one electrical current conducting coil encircling said fusion region torus adjacent the outer radius of said torus for generating only a vertical magnetic field component within said torodial plasma which together with said toroidal magnetic confinement field defines a toroidal plasma confinement region for confining said toroidal plasma in said fusion region torus having an aspect ration less than 2 and a natural elongation of at least 2 such that said toroidal plasma exists in the form of a compact, generally-spherical, toroidal shape;  a vacuum containment means for encapsulating said toroidal plasma in a vacuum enviroment; and  a radiation shielding means disposed over said fusion region for intercepting neutrons irradiating from the outer surface of said fusion region torus. 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of toroidal field coils includes a straight inner segment positioned adjacent the inner side of said toroidal plasma and extending parallel to said main vertical axis to points above and below the elongated extent of said toroidal plasma and an outer segment. 3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of toroidal field coils are formed of a solid electrically conductive material. 4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said straight inner segments of said plurality of toroidal field coils are formed of electrically insulated segments of pie-shaped cross section which wedge together about said main axis to provide a substantially free-standing toroidal field coil arrangement in which the radially inward magnetic forces acting on said inner segments of said toroidal field coils are reacted by the wedged orientation thereof about said main axis. 5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said straight inner segments of said toroidal field coils form a substantially circular cross section center conductor post disposed coaxially with said main axis. 6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said toroidal field coils are rectangular in configuration about said toroidal plasma. 7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said vacuum containment means includes a toroidal vacuum casing surrounding said toroidal plasma immediately adjacent thereto forming a first wall relative to said plasma. 8. A compact toroidal fusion reactor having a toroidal plasma containing fusion region torus concentrically disposed about a main vertical axis, comprising: 9. A compact toroidal fusion reactor as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of toroidal field coils is a generally rectangular field coil formed of a solid conductor and each having a straight inner segment positioned immediately adjacent the inner side of said toroidal plasma and extending parallel to said main vertical axis to points above and below the elongated extent of said plasma and each of said inner segments of said toroidal field coils formed of electrically insulated segments of pie-shaped cross section which wedge together to form a composite circular center conductor post concentric with said with said main vertical axis. 10. A compact toroidal fusion reactor as set forth in claim 9 wherein said vacuum containment means includes a toroidal vacuum casing surrounding said fusion region and disposed within said plurality of toroidal field coils forming a plasma first wall and including a support means for supporting said plurality of toroidal field coils. 11. A compact toroidal fusion reactor as set forth in claim 10 wherein said radiation shielding means is disposed outboard of said plurality of toroidal field coils and wherein said at least one poloidal field coil includes first and second poloidal field coils disposed in a spaced apart relationship above and below the equatorial midplane of said fusion region torus, respectively, and form an integral part of said radiation shielding means. 12. A compact toroidal fusion reactor as set forth in claim 11 wherein said toroidal plasma has a major radius of 1.5 meters and a toroidal magnet field B.sub.o of 2 tesla and an aspect ratio of 1.5, thereby providing a plasma beta of 24%.