Thanks to Bob Greeyer for posting this link to a patent application from the US Department of the Navy published on September 26, 2019 for a “Plasma Compression Fusion Device”.
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/1a/2e/a3/0df9bcb37c0593/US20190295733A1.pdf
Here is the abstract:
A plasma compression fusion device which includes a hollow duct and at least one pair of opposing counter spinning dynamic fusors . The hollow duct includes a vacuum chamber disposed within the hollow duct . Each dynamic fusor has a plurality of orifices and an outer surface which is electrically charged . In combination, the pair(s) of dynamic fusors create a concentrated magnetic energy flux and electromagnetic radiation within the vacuum chamber, whereby the concentrated magnetic energy flux compresses a mixture of gases that are injected through the orifices to the vacuum chamber such that a plasma core is created, and the to electromagnetic radiation heats the plasma core, while
produced magnetic fields confine the plasma core between the dynamic fusors, such that when an additional mixture of gases is introduced into the plasma core through the orifices, an energy gain is created .
In the description section of the application it explains:
All these methods of plasma confinement have grave issues, such as an extremely large size ( commensurate to that of an aircraft carrier ) requirement, plasma instabilities for tokamaks, and power losses and short confinement times for magnetic mirror / cusp machines. None of these confinement methods to date have been able to achieve break-even fusion reactions, namely the condition for fusion power output to equal the power input, let alone achieve the ignition condition whereby a fusion plasma burn is self sustained, without need for external power input. As a result, there is a need for an effective plasma compression fusion device, which creates an energy gain.
So it seems that this invention is intended to self-sustain without the need for energy input, an achievement that would of course be a huge breakthrough in the fusion field. We don’t know, however, if here is any experimental evidence that this method actually works, or whether this is just an idea that researchers think could work.
UPDATE: Thanks to Axil for posting a link to this article in Popular Mechanics about this patent:
“The Navy’s Patent for a Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is Wild : The designs seemingly stretch the limits of science”
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a29427713/navy-compact-fusion-reactor/https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a29427713/navy-compact-fusion-reactor/https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a29427713/navy-compact-fusion-reactor/
