Patent Application
20110200153
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for energy production and spacecraft propulsion from nuclear fusion reactions and in particular to a controlled nuclear fusion reactor relying on electrostatic and magnetic confinement.
Nuclear fusion takes place when light atomic nucleus with sufficient kinetic energy collides with each other to combine, overcoming electrostatic force repulsion, to form a heavier atomic nucleus releasing a tremendous amount of energy.
Nuclear fusion reactions have an energy density many times greater than nuclear fission. The nuclear fission involving uranium-235 and plutonium-239 produce more radiation hazards and radioactive waste than the conventional neutronic nuclear fusion involving deuterium and tritium. Both release millions of times more energy than the chemical reactions.
The development of a workable, self-sustaining, highly efficient and controlled nuclear fusion reactor for energy production has been tried for several decades.
To date, no practical nuclear fusion reactor was able to, at the same time, confine and keep the reactants with enough kinetic energy until they fuse at expressive rates and, mainly, release more energy than they consume.
Some reactors with different approaches have been tried: Tokamak, Levitated Dipole, Riggatron, Field-Reversed Configuration, Reversed Field Pinch, Magnetic Mirror Fusion Reactor, Spheromak, Laser Fusion, Z-machine, Focus Fusion, Farnsworth-Hirsch Fusor, Bussard Polywell, Muon-catalyzed Fusion, Heavy Ion Fusion, Magnetized Target Fusion, Colliding Plasma Toroid Fusion, Cold Fusion, Sonofusion, Pyroelectric Fusion and others.
The most promising nuclear fusion reactor design currently being developed and tested is a Tokamak type called ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) which relies on toroidal magnetic field to confine usually a mix of deuterium and tritium. The Tokamak reactors are giants and require a considerable amount of energy, much more than it produces, to maintain the magnetic field and the reactants with enough kinetic energy to fuse. The toroidal magnetic fields confines efficiently in two dimensions, i.e. only radially, allowing plasma rotate longitudinally in a closed path generating loss by electromagnetic radiation (synchrotron radiation) decreasing the plasma kinetic energy lowering the probability of fusion reactions and generates a plasma instability problem due to centrifugal force of particles moving along the curved toroidal magnetic field. Thus, it is inefficient for now due to its technical feasibility, high investment costs and long development time. Most of that one skilled in the area states that, likely, it will not be available before 2050.
The other types of reactor generate nuclear fusion at inexpressive rates (e.g., Cold Fusion) or consume more energy than they produce (e.g., Laser Fusion).
Most of the conventional reactors, e.g. Tokamak, usually are designed to fuse a mix of deuterium and tritium, which gives off 80% of its energy in the form of fast neutrons making the apparatus relatively radioactive. The energy of fast neutrons is collected by converting their thermal energy to electric energy, which is very inefficient (less than 30%).
The Field-Reversed Configuration or Magnetic Mirror Reactor have an unburned fuel leakage problem and the method of direct energy conversion to electricity (e.g.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,628,740, 6,664,740 and 6,888,907), although the best at moment, is relatively very complex and inefficient.
The Farnsworth-Hirsch Fusor (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,258,402, 3,386,883, 3,530,036, 3,530,497, 3,533,910, 3,655,508 and 3,664,920) take advantage of electrostatic acceleration consuming low energy to reach great kinetic energy about 170 KeV (2 billion ° C.) against 10 KeV (100 million ° C.) of Tokamaks which uses inefficient methods like ohmic heating. The Farnsworth-Hirsch Fusor, which relies on electrostatic fields for acceleration and confinement, has an unsolvable grid-loss problem, where injected ions form a positively charged cloud around the negative central grid obstructing the remaining of positive ions to reach full kinetic energy leading to a saturation of the reactor.
The magnetic cusps is a common technology among some plasma confinement devices: Magnetic well for plasma confinement (U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,392), Multicusp plasma containment apparatus—Limpaecher (U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,537), Plasma confining device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,290), Bussard Polywell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,646) and others.
The Bussard Polywell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,646) is similar to the Multicusp plasma containment apparatus—Limpaecher (U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,537) in injecting charged particles through magnetic cusps.
The Bussard Polywell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,646—Oct. 29, 1985) wherein method steps, in summary, are generating magnetic cusps, injecting electrons through the magnetic cusps to create a negative potential, injecting positively charged particles toward the negative potential, and maintaining the number of electrons greater than the number of positively charged particles. The required excess of electrons leads to a saturation of the reactor limiting its energy production, also the excess of electrons causes excessive electromagnetic radiation (bremsstrahlung) lowering the kinetic energy of the plasma decreasing the nuclear fusion rate.
In a summary, most of the current nuclear fusion reactor approaches have no technical feasibility; some of them are giant and expensive; most of them are relatively radioactive due of using exclusively deuterium-tritium as fuel; most of them consume more energy than it produces; some of them generate fusion at inexpressive rates; some of them are relatively very complex and inefficient; therefore, no practical solution and no foreseeable end in sight to a practical power plant for all of them at present moment.
The present invention was made in view of the prior art drawbacks described above, and the object of the present invention is to provide a workable method and apparatus to fuse charged particles releasing more energy than it consumes in a way to become self-sustainable.
To solve the problem, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for confining and fusing charged particles. The charged particles comprise positive and negative ions from neutronic and aneutronic fuels. For confining radially the charged particles, at least two, preferably six, magnetic fields to form a cusp region for a continuous injection of charged particles. An electric field (first electric potential) at the cusp region for accelerating the charged particles during the injection, and an opposite electric field (second electric potential) for trapping longitudinally the charged particles allowing only charged products to escape. The charged products are worthwhile for spacecraft propulsion and direct electricity conversion. The electric field (second electric potential) acts as an electrostatic lens focusing (converging) the particles as they approach to it. The magnet, preferably comprised by independent winding groups, act as a set of magnetic lens achieving a best focal length. At the magnetic cusp region, the charged particles are confined by the magnetic reconnection phenomenon, and the continuous injection becomes the confinement more efficient yet. The electrostatic acceleration method can reach great kinetic energy, about 600 KeV (7 billion ° C.), at low energy consumption. The preferred embodiment achieves a true three-dimensional confinement plus a three-dimensional charged particles injection giving a higher probability of fusion reactions. Further comprising an elementary resonance method for increasing the fusion rate, a high efficient direct electricity conversion by neutralization process, and a system for recycling magnets bore heat energy for generating electricity, becoming self-sustaining.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for fusing charged particles releasing more energy than it consumes becoming self-sustaining.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for confining radially charged particles in magnetic fields and trapping them longitudinally in electrostatic fields, allowing or not the charged products of nuclear fusion escape longitudinally overcoming the electrostatic fields, thereby represents a true three-dimensional confinement with an adequate escape mechanism.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a method or apparatus for fusing either positive ions or negative ions allowing a choice between reducing bremsstrahlung radiation and increasing energy production.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for accelerating ions in an electrostatic way to reach great kinetic energy at inexpressive energy consumption.
It is another object of this invention to provide a preferred embodiment comprised by six magnets representing the true three-dimensional confinement plus a three-dimensional ion injection, and a basic embodiment comprised by two magnets representing the true three-dimensional confinement plus a bi-dimensional ion injection.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting energy of charged products from aneutronic nuclear fusion directly to electricity with efficiency exceeding 95%.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for focusing the charged particles by a set of built-ins magnetic lens increasing fusion rate.
It is another object of this invention to provide an elementary resonance method for increasing fusion rates by oscillations on magnetic flux transferring energy radially to plasma and by oscillations on confinement electric voltage transferring energy longitudinally to plasma, the elementary resonance plus the escape mechanism and keeping plasma in a quasi-neutral state solve the saturation problem.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus allowing a multidirectional energy flow which can, for example, be used to recycle energy stored in magnets back to a battery bank.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for bending exhausting charged products from nuclear fusion which will be useful for spacecraft propulsion.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for cooling the magnets and recycling its heat energy for electric energy generation using a steam turbine, a coolant, a condenser, a heat sink, a pump and an electrical generator.
It is another object of this invention that the method and apparatus are able to fuse aneutronic fuels, in special boron hydrides and helium-3, which represents low radiation hazards and efficient conversion of their charged products to electricity.
It is another object of this invention to provide a workable nuclear power plant suitable for a feasible spacecraft.
It is another object of this invention to provide consistent calculations to consolidate its technical feasibly.
It is another object of this invention to provide an example of bore coating capable to reflect back to plasma most of the electromagnetic radiation (bremsstrahlung) recycling its energy and increasing the fusion rate and keeping low the bore temperature.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description in connection with the appended drawings illustrating preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that these are given by way of illustration and not of limitation and that changes may be made in the detailed construction, materials, form and size of the parts, without affecting the scope of the invention.
In the following will be described at least two different practical workable embodiments of this invention.
A preferred embodiment, comprised by six magnets, is shown in
The ideal structure is illustrated in
In the ion injector 4, several types of ion sources can be used (e.g., RF ion source due to its long life), however, it is preferably a duoplasmatron ion source having a low beam angle dispersion in order to produce either positive or negative ions in a well focused beam. A measurement of electron current between the ion source and the ground electric potential (common electric potential), using a conventional ammeter plus a fuel flow meter, can be used to determine specific ionization of the plasma. The output of the ion injector is comprised by an electrical insulated material preferably boron nitride. In case of using solid fuels, like decaborane (200° C.), then a pre-heating mechanism must be provided for heating the fuel until it vaporizes. Both the circular injector belt 3 and arc-shaped injector belt 12 can have its ion injectors as described above.
The magnet coils can be wound as a conventional magnet in a single multilayer winding of enameled copper wire, however,
A continuation of the preferred embodiment of
The magnet bending is useful to bend the exhausting products of nuclear fusion, the magnet bending top 23 has a bending angle of (90°+(arccos (⅓)/2))≈125.26439°, and the magnet bending bottom 33 has a bending angle of (90°−(arccos (⅓)/2))≈54.73561°. The magnet bending coils can be a single multilayer superconducting magnet winding, much simpler than aforesaid for magnet 9.
Continuing with the embodiment shown in
The electrical insulators for the present invention can be made from several materials types like polytetrafluoroethylene (60MV/m), acrylic glass, ceramic, porcelain, nylon (14 MV/m), polyester, polystyrene (24MV/m), neoprene rubber (12MV/m), but the two recommended is boron nitride due to its excellent thermal properties and a dielectric strength of 6MV/m, and the polycarbonate due to its physics properties and dielectric strength of 15MV/m.
A continuation of the preferred embodiment of
A continuation of the preferred embodiment of
The electrical transformer 36 is illustrated in
The heat exchange system is illustrated in
A continuation of the preferred embodiment of
A spacecraft (weigh: 500000 Kg, height: 22 m, diameter: 15 m) using the preferred embodiment of
A continuation of the basic or alternative embodiment of
A continuation of the alternative embodiment of
A basic operation can be better understood from the
For trapping positively charged particles (positive ions) the acceleration electric potential (first electric potential) must have a negative voltage, and the confinement electric potential (second electric potential) must have a positive voltage. Otherwise, for trapping negatively charged particles (negative ions) the acceleration electric potential (first electric potential) must have a positive voltage, and the confinement electric potential (second electric potential) must have a negative voltage. The confinement electric potential can be adjusted for trapping only the reactants allowing the charged products of the nuclear fusion to escape longitudinally overcoming the confinement electric potential.
The ion injectors 4 of the circular injector belt 3, ionizes a nuclear fusion fuel exchanging electrons with the ground electric potential (common electric potential), and the ionized fuel, that is charged particles or ions, is accelerated in a electrostatic way towards the intersection (region of magnetic cusps) reaching the interior of the magnets after passing through the region of magnetic cusps. The charged particles become confined radially by magnetic fields and trapped longitudinally along the axis of the magnets by the electric fields generated by the first and second electric potentials. The armature electric fields, of same polarity of the charged particles, act as an electrostatic lens focusing (converging) the particles as they approach to it and defocusing (diverging) them as they move away from it. The magnetic fields act as a magnetic lens focusing (converging) the charged particles. If the magnets are similar as the previously described in
The charged particles move longitudinally describing a circular and helical orbit around the magnetic field lines keeping away from the magnet walls. At the region of the magnetic cusps, the magnetic field lines are curved forcing the charged particles to describe a more elliptical and eccentric orbit increasing electrostatic pressure at the region of the magnetic cusps creating a great difficulty to them to escape overcoming this region (magnetic reconnection phenomenon), and the continuous injection of the charged particles by the ion injector belt become it more difficult yet.
The charged particles are confined radially by magnetic fields and trapped longitudinally by first and second electric field in the interior of the magnetic fields and confined by magnetic cusp by magnetic reconnection phenomenon, until the charged particles fuse and their charged products may escape longitudinally overcoming the second electric field. Thereby represents a true three-dimensional confinement with an adequate escape mechanism.
Inducing variations preferably by pulses on electrical current of the magnets results in oscillations on magnetic flux transferring radially energy to plasma (pinch effect) increasing the fusion rate.
If the magnets are similar as the previously described in
Inducing oscillations on electric voltage of the first or second potentials, preferably both, most of the energy of the electric oscillations will be transferred longitudinally to the charged particles increasing the fusion rate.
The oscillations described above can be comprised by a modulation and multiplexing of frequencies: a cyclotron rotation at frequency ω+, a magnetron rotation at frequency ω−, and an axial “trapping” oscillation at frequency ωz. The higher frequency is the cyclotron that can be estimated f=qB/(2πm), and the others is by measuring energy production and adjusting the oscillations to reach a maximum synchronization of phase and frequency with the plasma resulting in an increase of the fusion rate. For that, can be a conventional RF generator via a pulse transformer connected in series with the power supplies. Adjusting and measuring the energy production is a simple way to determine the frequencies and can be understood as an elementary resonance method. An excess of electric charge in the reactor chamber can lead to a saturation wasting fuel and reducing the energy production, however, using oscillations for increasing the fusion rate will decrease the electric charge in the reactor chamber allowing injection of more of the charged particles increasing the energy production.
Thoughtfulness about the preferable polarity of the magnetic fields at the intersection between the magnets forming the magnetic cusps region: an electric current on magnet windings develops an electric voltage on its terminals due to resistivity, and a pulse, positive or negative, on electric current develop an electric voltage on its terminals due to inductive reactance. The electric voltage due to resistivity can be too little to take some advantage. Thus the magnetic south polarity is only a predilection, but could be magnetic north polarity if desirable.
The most efficient method of transferring kinetic energy to the charged particles is by electrostatic acceleration, doing this from a ground potential (common electric potential) and allowing the charged particles fall to the acceleration electric potential (first electric potential) exchanging its potential energy to kinetic energy, represents great kinetic energy at low energy consumption (P=V×I; V=0→P=0). A measurement of electron current between the ion source and the ground electric potential can be used to determine specific ionization of the plasma. A duoplasmatron is one of the ion sources that can be used in the ion injector 4, and its advantage is to produce either positive or negative ions. For ionizing the nuclear fusion fuels to the positively charged particles is by extracting electrons from them and sending electrons to the common electric potential, otherwise for ionizing to the negatively charged particles is by extracting electrons from the common electric potential and adding the electrons to the nuclear fusion fuel.
Fusing positively charged particles represents a normal energy production and low bremsstrahlung radiation, otherwise fusing negatively charged particles represents a high energy production and high bremsstrahlung radiation, however, for a highest energy production, the specific ionization must keep as low as possible, that is the plasma charged particles must be a quasi-neutral plasma resulting in a high density, which implies in a higher magnetic flux and a higher acceleration and confinement voltage, as will be further understood by calculations.
The nuclear fusion fuel can be composed of light atomic nucleus like hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, and their various isotopes. Some isotopes like hydrogen-1, helium-3, lithium-6, lithium-7 and boron-11 are the interest for aneutronic nuclear fusion (low neutron production), in special boron hydrides and helium-3. The fuel specific energy and specific ionization are essential for dimensioning the magnet bore, magnetic flux and electric voltages, as will be further understood by calculations.
The injector belt 3 of the basic embodiment (
The six magnet bending 23 and 33 is useful to bend the exhausting products of the nuclear fusion, as previously described for the preferred embodiment in
The base 39 (
The neutralization is essential to prevent that the charged products, after passing through the outputs, turn around and collide back eroding the base and others components, for that, the sum of the electron current of the neutralizers 25, 28, 29, 30, 32 and so forth (
A special power supply system is required to generate voltages for the acceleration electric potential (first electric potential), the confinement electric potential (second electric potential), and for the other components of the nuclear fusion reactor. Its main feature is to allow a multidirectional energy flow used to recycle energy stored in magnets (E=½LI2) and capacitors (E=½CV2) back to a battery bank or to the others power supplies.
A continuation of the
The energy stored in capacitor C2 can be sent back to battery bank 42 and capacitor C1 if circuit C12 switches between on and off states the MOSFET transistors T5 and T8, T6 and T7, alternating the electric current to the electrical transformer 36, and the diode bridge, comprised by diodes D1 and D4, D3 and D2, convert the alternating electric current from transformer 36 to direct current to supply battery bank 42 and capacitor C1 restoring the energy to it.
The power supplies 45 and 46 have a bidirectional energy flow between them, the transformer 36 have others power supplies attained to it, and, with a suitable control, perform the multidirectional energy flow.
To invert the output polarity of the power supply 46, worthwhile for confining and fusing either positively or negatively charged particles from a duoplasmatron ion source, a circuit CI3 switch on the relays K2 and K3, and switch off the relays K1 and K4, then the terminal V1 have a positive voltage relative to V2, otherwise will have a negative voltage.
To achieve high voltages for acceleration and confinement potentials, several power supplies, similarly as described above, must be connected in series from the ground electric potential (common electric potential). Some power supplies have a high electric voltage between them (millions Volts). For that, and to control and monitor the whole system, an optical fiber 80 is the most recommended due to its high electrical insulation and immunity to an electromagnetic interference. The control system 81 controls and monitors the power supplies and other reactor components via the optical fiber 80, as well 31 and 35 (
Before explaining the electricity conversion from the charged products, is useful to remember some physics electric concepts: extracting electrons from a positive terminal of a charged capacitor will increase its voltage and consequently increase its stored energy (E=½CV2), otherwise extracting electrons from a negative terminal of the charged capacitor will decrease its voltage and consequently decrease its stored energy. Another way to think is allowing electrons towards to the positive terminal of the charged capacitor will decrease its voltage and consequently decrease its stored energy (E=½CV2), otherwise pushing electrons towards to the negative terminal of the charged capacitor will increase its voltage and consequently increase its stored energy.
The method of converting kinetic energy from charged products in electricity is by neutralization process, where neutralizer particles comprise either electrons or positive ions. If the products of the nuclear fusion reaction are positively charged then the positive confinement electric potential forces the positively charged products to exchange its kinetic energy to potential energy, and the positively charged products attract easily electrons from the neutralizer 25 (
Otherwise, if the products of the nuclear fusion reaction are negatively charged then the negative confinement electric potential forces the negatively charged products to exchange its kinetic energy to potential energy, and the negatively charged products attract easily positive ions from the neutralizer 25 (
The method of transferring electric energy to increase the kinetic energy of the charged products is also by ion neutralization. This method is useful for spacecraft propulsion purposes like stabilization. If the products of the nuclear fusion reaction are positively charged then a negative electric potential, can be applied to the deflector 27 (
Otherwise, if the products of the nuclear fusion reaction are negatively charged then a positive electric potential, can be applied to the deflector 27 (
After accomplished desired conversions of energy as described above, which can excess 95% of efficiency using aneutronic fuels like boron hydrides and helium-3, the remaining of the charged products must be fully neutralized, for that, there are neutralizer like 29 and 32 (
The heat exchange system, previously described in
The operation of the alternative embodiment
As aforesaid, the nuclear fusion fuel for this disclosure can be composed of light atomic nucleus like hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, and their various isotopes. Some isotopes like hydrogen-1, helium-3, lithium-6, lithium-7 and boron-11 are the interest for aneutronic nuclear fusion (low neutron radiation hazards), as example:
1H+26Li→4He+(3He+6Li)→34He+1H+20.9 MeV (153TJ/Kg≈42GWh/Kg)
1H+7Li→24He+17.2 MeV (204TJ/Kg≈56GWh/Kg)
3He+3He→4He+21H+12.9 MeV (205TJ/Kg≈57GWh/Kg)
1H+11B→34He+8.7 MeV (66TJ/Kg≈18GWh/Kg)
Boron hydrides (plentiful in the Earth) and helium-3 (plentiful in the lunar regolith) are special aneutronic fuels, due to its primary reaction produce less than 0.2% of the total energy as fast neutrons, meaning that a minimum of radiation shield is required for a spacecraft, and the products kinetic energy is directly convertible to electricity with a high efficiency, more than 95%, as previously described.
With hydrogen, boron forms a series of chemical compounds called borane or boron hydrides, as example, decaborane (B10H14) which have low toxicity and high density (950 Kg/m3), and relatively inexpensive taking account that it is clean and its specific energy is higher than the fossil fuels (18×106 KWh/Kg versus 13 KWh/Kg).
The following calculations take decaborane (B10H14) as example:
1H+11B+123 KeV→34He+8.68 MeV (66TJ/Kg≈18GWh/Kg)
Electronvolt (eV) is a unit of energy and a Volt (V) is a unit of electric voltage.
Electronvolt to Joule: 1 eV=1.60218×10−19J
Electronvolt to temperature: 1 eV=11604.505 Kelvin→1 eV=11604.505 K−273.15=11331.355° C.
Electronvolt to mass: 1 eV=1.782662×10−36 Kg→1 MeV=1.782662×10−30 Kg
Charge: proton=+1.60218×10−19 C, electron=−1.60218×10−19 C
Particles mass: proton=1.67262×10−27 Kg, neutron=1.67493×10−27 Kg, electron=0.00091×10−27 Kg
11B mass=5 protons+5 electrons+6 neutrons=5×1.67262×10−27+5×0.00091×10−27+6×1.67493×10−27=18.41723×10−27 Kg
1H mass=1 proton+1 electron=1×1.67262×10−27+1×0.00091×10−27=1.67353×10−27 Kg
Decaborane (B10H14) mass: 10×18.41723×10−27+14×1.67353×10−27=207.60172×10−27 Kg
Specific energy of decaborane (eV/Kg):
10×(8.68 MeV−123 KeV)/(207.60172×10−27 Kg)=4.12183×1032 eV/Kg
Specific energy of decaborane (J/Kg):
4.12183×1032×1.60218×10−19=66.03921×1012 J/Kg
Specific energy of decaborane (GWh/Kg):
66.03921×1012/(3.6×106)=18.34422×106 KWh/Kg=18.34422 GWh/Kg
Extracting 14 electrons from decaborane to produce positively charged particles:
207.60172×10−27−14×0.00091×10−27=207.58898×10−27 Kg
Specific ionization of decaborane (C/Kg) after extracting 14 electrons:
14×1.60218×10−19/207.58898×10−27=+10.80525×106 C/Kg
The specific energy and specific ionization are essential parameters to define the magnetic flux and electrical potentials.
Using the specific energy to find velocity of products from nuclear reaction:
E=½mv2→=((E/m)×2)0.5→v=((66.03921×1012 J/Kg)×2)0.5→v=11.49254×106 m/s
Specific impulse: 11.49254×106/9.80665=1.17191×106 s
Defining the magnet bore about 1 meter (0.5 meter of internal radius) and using the specific ionization to find magnetic flux:
r=mv/qB→r=(v/B)×(m/q)→r=(v/B)/(q/m)→B=v/(r×(q/m))→B=11.49254×106/(0.5×10.80525×106)=2.12721 Tesla
A superconducting magnet of 4.5 Tesla or higher and about 1 meter of bore is sufficient to confine radially the plasma (reactants and products).
The reactants (1H+11B) needs at least 123 KeV of kinetic energy for fusing, however 600 KeV is considered the best, nevertheless, in theory, only 123 KeV is consumed by the reaction. Losses caused by electromagnetic radiation (bremsstrahlung) are considered a fail of the coating of the magnet bore responsible to reflect the electromagnetic radiation back to plasma.
Calculation of a negative electric potential (first electric potential) for electrostatic acceleration of the positively charged particles to gain enough kinetic energy to fuse:
E=q×V→V=E/q→V=(E/m)/(q/m)→V=((10×600 KeV×1.60218×10−19)/207.58898×10−27)/10.80525×106=428.57165×103 Volts
Temperature: 600×103×(11604.505 K−273.15)=6.79881 billion ° C.
An electric potential (first electric potential) of −430 KV is enough to the charged particles gain the required energy kinetic of about 7 billions ° C.
Calculation of a positive potential (second electric potential) to confine longitudinally the reactants allowing the charged products (helium-4) escaping. A kinetic energy choice between reactants 600 KeV and products 8.68 MeV would be something about 1.4 MeV:
E=q×V→V=E/q→V=(E/m)/(q/m)
V=((10×1.4 MeV×1.60218×10−19)/207.58898×10−27)/10.80525×106=928.57191×103 Volts
V=928.57191×103−430 KV=498.57191×103 Volts
A positive electric potential (second electric potential) of +500 KV is enough to confine the reactants allowing the products to escape.
As aforesaid, fusing positively charged particles represents a normal energy production and low bremsstrahlung radiation, otherwise fusing negatively charged particles represents a high energy production and high bremsstrahlung radiation, however, for highest energy production, the specific ionization must keep as low as possible, that is the plasma charged particles must be a quasi-neutral plasma resulting in a high density, which implies in a higher magnetic flux and a higher acceleration and confinement voltage. The consumption of the reactor at power of 200MWatts using a fuel with specific energy of 66.03921×1012 J/Kg:
200 MW=200×106 J/s→200×106 J/s/66.03921×1012 J/Kg=3.02850×10−6 Kg/s
A fuel consumption of 3.03 milligrams per second is enough for producing 200MWatts.
Ion source current: 3.02850×10−6 Kg/s×10.80525×106 C/Kg=32.72374 C/s
The ion injector belt must provide a current of at least 32.8 Amperes for producing 200MWatts.
Cyclotron frequency: f=qB/(2πm)=(q/m)×(B/2π)=10.80525×106×4.5/(2×3.14159)=7.73869 MHz
Magnetic pressure: pm=B2/2μ°=4.52/(2×4π×107)=8.05721×106 J/m3 8.05721×106/101325=79.51848 atmospheres
Acceleration of a spacecraft of 500000 Kg (500 tons) at power of 200MWatts:
200 MWatts in 1 s→200×106 Joule→E=½mv2→200×106=½×500000×v2→v=28.28427 m/s
a=Δv/Δt→a=28.28427 m/s2→g-force=28.28427/9.80665=2.88419 g
f=ma→f=500000×28.28427→f=14.14223×106N
The formula E=½mv2 refers to the action and reaction (Newton's third law) between the spacecraft and the exhausting products and not between the spacecraft and the origin point or launching site.
In the outer space, half of the energy goes to the exhausting products:
½E=½ mv2→E=mv2→200×106=500000×v2→v=20 m/s→a=Δv/Δt→a=20 m/s2→g-force=2.0 g
A power of 200MWatts is enough for a spacecraft of 500000 Kg (500 tons) reach an acceleration of 28.2 m/s2 (2.8 g-force) in the Earth's atmosphere and 20 m/s2 (2 g-force) in the outer space.
A travel between Earth and Mars (closest=55758006 km and farthest=400000000 km) at an acceleration of 20 m/s2 (2 g-force):
Midway: s=(103×(55758006+400000000)/2)/2=113.93950×109m
s=s
0
+v
0
t+½at2→113.93950×109=0+0+½×20×t2→t=106.74244×103 s→t×2≈3 days
v=v
0+at→v=0+20×106.74244×103→v=2.13485×106 m/s→v=7.68546×106 Km/h
v
2
=v
0
2+2aΔs→v2=0+2×20×113.93950×109→v=2.13485×106 m/s→v=7.68546×106 Km/h
Fuel consumption: 3.02850×10−6×(2×106.74244×103)=0.64653 Kg
Mass converted into energy: 4.12183×1032×0.64653×1.782662×10−36=0.000475 Kg (0.073%)
The travel between Earth and Mars, including acceleration and deceleration, will take 3 days and a decaborane consumption of 0.647 Kg, reaching a maximum velocity of 7.68×106 Km/h at the midway.
A travel between Earth and Moon (perigee=348200 km and apogee=402100 km):
Midway: s=(103×(348200+402100)/2)/2=187.575×106m
s=s
0
+v
0
t+½at2→187.575×106=0+0+½×20×t2→t=4.33099×103 s→t×2≈3 hours
v
2=v02+2aΔs→v2=0+2×20×187.575×106→v=86.61986×103 m/s→v=311.83149×103 Km/h
Fuel consumption: 3.02850×10−6×(2×4.33099×103)=0.026232 Kg
Mass converted into energy: 4.12183×1032×0.026232×1.782662×1036=0.0000193 Kg (0.073%)
The travel between Earth and Moon, including acceleration and deceleration, will take 3 hours and a decaborane consumption of 0.027 Kg, reaching a maximum velocity of 311.83×103 Km/h at the midway. Time to overwhelm the speed of light barrier (299792458 m/s) at an acceleration of 20 m/s2 (2 g-force):
v=v
0+at→299792458=0+20×t→t=14.98963×106 s→t≈5 months and 25 days
Fuel consumption: 3.02850×10−6×14.98963×106=45.39072 Kg
Mass converted into energy: 4.12183×1032×45.39072×1.782662×10−36=0.033356 Kg (0.073%)
The time for overwhelming the speed of light barrier is about 5 months and 25 days at an acceleration of 20 m/s2 with decaborane consumption about of 45.4 Kg.
A travel between Earth and Alpha Centauri star (4.365 light years≈1.338 parsec≈41.28666×1015 m):
Midway: s=41.28666×1015/2=20.64333×1015 m
s=s
0
+v
0
t+½ at2→20.64333×1015=0+0+½×20×t2→t=45.43493×106 s→t×2≈2 years and 11 months
v
2
=v
0
2+2aΔs→v2=0+2×20×20.64333×1015→v=908.69862×106 m/s→v=3.27131×109 Km/h≈3.031c
Fuel consumption: 3.02850×10−6×(2×4.33099×103)=275.19937 Kg
Mass converted into energy: 4.12183×1032×275.19937×1.782662×10−36=0.202212 Kg
The travel between Earth and Alpha Centauri star, including acceleration and deceleration, will take 2 years and 11 months and a decaborane consumption of 275.2 Kg, reaching a maximum velocity of 3.27131×109 Km/h, about three times the speed of light, at the midway.
World energy consumption per year is about 500 EJ (500×1018 Joule 138.889 TWh)
Specific energy of the fossil fuels: 13 KWh/Kg=46.9×106J/Kg
Fossil fuel consumption: 500×1018/46.9×106=10.66098×1012 Kg
That is about 10.66 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other toxic gases going to atmosphere each year increasing the greenhouse effect.
Specific energy of the decaborane: 18×106 KWh/Kg=66×1012J/Kg
Decaborane consumption: 500×1018/66×1012=7.57575×106 Kg
That will be only 7576 tons of clean, inert, safe and light helium gas ascending above the ozone layer per year. Some helium gas may escape to the outer space and be swept by the solar wind.
For save the biodiversity and to reduce the destruction of forested areas to be used as arable land and pasture for food production. This disclosure as energy source and an improvement in food technology is possible to synthesize carbohydrates, monounsaturated fats, proteins and vitamins, using electrochemical process, without toxic elements (e.g., mercury, lead), without radioactive elements (e.g., carbon-14, potassium-40), without animal corpse consumption (e.g., foot-and-mouth disease, mad-cow disease, avian influenza). The electrochemical food production will be worthwhile for outer space travels too.
This disclosure has no technical drawbacks, no environmental damage, and is more feasible than any other renewable energy like wind power, solar energy, hydroelectricity, and biofuels; all of them have low energy density requiring a lot of hectares.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the nuclear fusion reactor of this invention evolve an improved fusion energy concept, that can be used to generate electricity at high efficiency; to thrust a spacecraft at very high performance levels, exceeding conventional means by specific impulse (propellant efficiency) factors of 2600-4680 at an inexpressive radiation hazards requiring insignificant shielding; most of fusion product is the helium that is safe and a non toxic waste; and as alternative source of energy can reduce the global warming problem; and also is relatively inexpensive and have abundant fuel supply, has scalability of size and power, easier engineering and maintainability.
While my above description contains a lot of specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, it can be comprised by two, three, four, five, six, seven, height magnets, and so on, varying form and size of the parts. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes can be made in the parts and steps of the apparatus and method without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB08/54254 | 10/16/2008 | WO | 00 | 4/15/2011 |
