Polywell - "Polyhedral Magnetic Fields + Potential Well"

Power of the Sun
Here on Earth

Polywell.

 A rapid and cost-effective path to developing nuclear fusion technology.

Magnetic Cusp Confinement - Uniquely Stable

Compact Device

Permits cost-effective iterative development.

The Polyhedral configuration of magnetic coils in a Polywell device provides a naturally stable cusp magnetic field to confine the plasma.

Polywell is unique in combining electric fields and magnetic cusp fields to control plasma at high density and pressure. It provides a compact, reliable, and cost-effective mechanism for confining energetic particles to produce fusion reactions at a high efficiency.
Fusion power replaces the sun on earth
x1,000
It can deliver a 1,000X Increase in Neutron Flux compared with existing commercial neutron generators.
HPC computer simulation of a Polywell IEC device
β~100%
High Beta plasmas dramatically improve fusion output. Polywell operates at β ~ 100%, a theoretical maximum for all magnetic fusion approaches.

Our Technologies

Nuclear Fusion Device

Polywell

A uniquely stable plasma confinement.

Polywell is a fundamentally simple and stable plasma confinement approach. It has many advantages when operating at high plasma pressure. These provide a more compact device, leading to faster and cheaper iteration.

It is inherently compact due to high beta operation. It employs a simple, modular magnet configuration to confine fusion-grade plasmas. The intrinsic plasma stability and engineering simplicity are the core of EMC2’s fast and cost-efficient R&D roadmap.

‍
‍
  • Compact Fusion Device
  • High Beta Plasma
  • Electron Beam Heating
High Flux Neutron Sources

Neutron Sources

Crucial for the future Fusion supply chain

Key requirements for the future Fusion Industry include reactor materials testing and the development of Tritium breeding technology for a D-T fusion cycle.

A Polywell-based neutron source with a dense plasma target can produce 1,000 times higher neutron yields than commercially available generators for both applications.

With the development of the most efficient and compact neutron source, EMC2 can become a key component of the emerging fusion industry supply chain.
‍
‍
  • High Flux Sources
  • Commercial Applications
  • Simplified Engineering
Advanced Simulation

Particle-in-Cell

Simulation-driven R&D.

EMC2 has extended an Energy Conserving Particle-in-Cell ("ECsim PIC") model to reflect  and optimize the unqiue operating principles of a Polywell fusion device.

Billions of particles are simulated with electromagnetic fields in a fully non-linear code to develop a deep-level understanding of the Polywell device.
‍
EMC2 has been developing analytics tool kits using AI-assistance to speed up Polywell development and analyse other fusion approaches.

‍
‍
  • Supercharge Product Development
  • AI-Assisted Analytics
  • Application to Multiple Fusion Technologies

Polywell - FAQ

Fusion community misunderstanding of Polywell.

Our FAQ page

 addresses fundamental misunderstandings about the Polywell approach.


EMC2 has been advancing Polywell fusion technology for nearly 50 years, building on the original ideas from Dr. Robert Bussard (US Patent 4826646A, 1989). Over the decades, we have explored various embodiments of the Polywell technology, achieving many successes.

Within the Fusion community there is a perception that the Polywell approach has been tried and found wanting. This is based on certain academic papers written in the mid 1990s and further experimental work carried out at the Univ of NSW from 2010 to 2018.

EMC2 fundamentally disagrees with these conclusions and our answers to criticisms of the Polywell approach are outlined in the section 'Polywell - FAQs'.

Fusion - Finally Delivering

Fusion Energy

Clean Limitless Energy.

 Rapid progress is being made on the path to delivering limitless clean fusion energy. Learn more about industry developments.

Fusion delivering on promise of clean electricity

Collaboration Partners


EMC2 has Collaborated with Institutions at the Forefront of Fusion Science and Technology

University of Wisconsin MadisonLos Alamos National LaboratoryKU Leuven
EMC2 - Subscribe to our Newsletter
Keep up to date on Polywell technology and EMC2.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.