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The Physics: Field Reversed Configuration
An FRC is a high-beta compact toroid. Unlike Tokamaks, which rely on toroidal field coils penetrating the center, the FRC is a self-organized plasmoid. The plasma current (toroidal) creates a poloidal magnetic field that wraps around itself, confining the particle pressure.
Physics Detail
Beta (β) ≈ 1.0: This means the internal plasma pressure is roughly equal to the external magnetic pressure. This creates an incredibly efficient use of magnetic energy compared to low-beta devices (β ≈ 0.05).