Fundamental limitations on plasma fusion systems not in thermodynamic equilibrium

Abstract

Analytical Fokker–Planck calculations are used to accurately determine the minimum power that must be recycled in order to maintain a plasma out of thermodynamic equilibrium despite collisions. For virtually all possible types of fusion reactors in which the major particle species are significantly non-Maxwellian or are at radically different mean energies, this minimum recirculating power is substantially larger than the fusion power. Barring the discovery of methods for recycling the power at exceedingly high efficiencies, grossly nonequilibrium reactors will not be able to produce net power.