Evaluation of environmental control technologies for magnetic fields

The peripheral magnetic fields of several energy-related technologies are calculated, and shielding options are studied for three field intensities as possible exposure levels: 200 G, 10 G, and 0.3 G. Seven fusion reactor designs are studied. For a 200-G field level, shielding is not required. For the 10- and 0.3-G levels, land is the most economical shielding method, with shield coils an acceptable alternative at 0.3 G. Nonnuclear technologies studied are superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electric generators, magnetically levitated vehicles, superconducting ac generators, and underground transmission lines. Superconducting ac generators and underground transmission lines require no shielding. The superconducting magnetic energy storage coil requires no shielding for 200 G. Both a shield coil and land are needed to meet 10 G or 0.3 G. The MHD generator needs no shielding to 200 G and 10 G. Land is the most economical means of meeting the 0.3 G level. Most of the magnetically levitated vehicles require no shielding to 200 G. The field on-board can be reduced from 200 to 25 G, depending upon the vehicle design, with shield coils. The use of iron, or another permeable material, is necessary to reduce the field to 10 G or 0.3 G. However, iron introduces too much added weight to allow efficient operation