TLDR: We tried something and it worked and is stable. Now we can feed this into a reactor and scale to the size needed.
ABSTRACT:
We report evidence of successful generation of field-reversed configuration plasmas by neutral beam injection. This is achieved by trapping the steady-state beams in an initial seed plasma, hence providing a direct source of toroidally directed energetic ion current and increase plasma density and temperature until plasma and magnetic pressures become comparable. Magnetic flux trapping occurs gradually, and the change in topology from open field line to fully a formed field-reversed configuration is complete within ~ 10 ms. Field reversal is first established using a traditional metric and complemented by advanced reconstruction algorithms of the magnetic topology and plasma pressure profiles; observations of characteristic changes to fast-ion orbits inferred from magnetic fluctuations; and an experimentally validated model of field reversal by neutral beam injection. These results establish a field-reversed configuration formation method which may offer technological and economic advantages on a path to a future fusion energy system.
Good summary. Key related variables appear to be as follows:
Plasma density
Magnetic field containment
As plasma density gets higher, the magnetic field containment appears to become more challenging. Improve the tech in #2 to allow higher #1 and smaller size to get similar output, OR daisy-chain a bunch together to get the target powerplant output level (or scale up at same plasma density to get output). Not entirely different concept from natgas turbine daisy-chained to get a specific overall powerplant output using multiple units.
Direct to PDF (11 pgs): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58849-5.pdf
TLDR: We tried something and it worked and is stable. Now we can feed this into a reactor and scale to the size needed.
ABSTRACT:
So "Norm" the current Configuration, is about half the size of Norman, the previous configuration.
The Next configuration will be called Copernicus.
A number of fairly simple equations describe the magnetic field and Plasma envelope.
Several numerically modeled projections based upon validated empirical measure btw are presented.
Good summary. Key related variables appear to be as follows:
Plasma density
Magnetic field containment
As plasma density gets higher, the magnetic field containment appears to become more challenging. Improve the tech in #2 to allow higher #1 and smaller size to get similar output, OR daisy-chain a bunch together to get the target powerplant output level (or scale up at same plasma density to get output). Not entirely different concept from natgas turbine daisy-chained to get a specific overall powerplant output using multiple units.
Compared to fission reactor, it is supposed to be 4x more output with smaller footprint according to Promethean Action: https://rumble.com/v739vxa-trumps-fusion-gamble-the-move-that-terrifies-globalists.html
They can also daisy chain SMRs together to get target output, but Boron and Helium are much more abundant than enriched Uranium.