Experimental verification of FRC scaling behavior in Trenta

Helion Energy aims to provide clean, abundant energy via commercial fusion generators based on pulsed compression of field reversed configuration plasmas (FRCs). FRCs are self-organized, closed-field, high-beta plasma configurations in a cylindrical geometry that follow flux conservation and radial and axial pressure balance relations. These relations can be solved to express fusion yield as a function of magnetic field, flux trapped in the FRC, drive coil radius, and elongation (the ratio of FRC length to diameter). Helion used organic scintillators and activation detectors to measure the neutron yield of its sixth-generation prototype, Trenta, as it varied magnetic field and trapped flux over several deuterium-deuterium fusion campaigns. This presentation derives and uses experimental neutron yield measurements to verify the fundamental FRC scaling laws.