Adiabatic compression of a closed-field-line configuration by a centimeter-size liner

The paper considers adiabatic compression of a pre-formed closed field line configuration by an imploding liner. Three configurations are discussed: the field-reversed configuration, the spheromak and the Z-pinch. It is shown that, by employing a 2D-compression, one can reach a break-even condition with an energy input as low as 100 kJ. It is emphasized that the possibility of performing crucial experiments on small-to-medium-scale experimental devices may considerably shorten the development path for the system under consideration.