PROTON E-LAYER ASTRON FOR PRODUCING CONTROLLED FUSION REACTIONS

• US 3,664,921 A
• Filed: 10/16/1969
• Issued: 05/23/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nicholas C. Christofilos
• Original Assignee: Nicholas C. Christofilos
• Inventors: Christofilos, Nicholas C.
• Application Number:
  US04/868,287
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• US Class Current: 376/126
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/22 for injection heating G21B1/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

High energy charged particles (molecular ions) are injected and trapped in a linear axial magnetic mirror containment field to produce a cylindrical E-layer of relativistic ions, e.g., protons rotating about the axis of said field. The magnetic field of said E-layer interacts with the mirror field to produce a pattern of closed magnetic field lines defining a charged particle containment zone into which neutral fuel materials may be introduced to be ionized by interaction with the E-layer particles forming a high temperature gas or plasma therein.

Claims

2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said positively charged light nuclide ions comprise a material selected from the group consisting of H , D , T , He3 and He4 , and said E-layer has an aspect ratio in the range of about 1:

1 to about 5;

1 length to diameter.

3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said molecular ions are a material selected from the group consisting of H2 , D2 , TD and T2 , wherein the relativistic light nuclide ions are selected from the group consisting of H , D , and T and said light nuclide ions have an energy above about 50 MeV. 4. A process as defined in claim 3 wherein said fuel material comprises an electrically neutral form of material including a fusionable light nuclide element and the plasma produced is a controlled fusion plasma.

5. A process as defined in claim 4 wherein said central magnetic field region has an intensity in the range of about 50 kilogauss to about 250 kilogauss, wherein said molecular ions have an energy of above about 1 BeV, and said E-layer produces a magnetic potential well ( Delta B/B ) which has a depth of at least about 0.25 for equivalent electron-ion temperatures in the plasma.

6. Apparatus for producing a high temperature plasma comprising:

a. means including an elongated generally cylindrical vessel defining an evacuated chamber;

b. means including a solenoidal coil having a central region of substantially uniform ampere turns distribution and terminal regions of increased ampere turns distribution disposed about said vessel to produce an axially symmetric magnetic mirror field having a central region of uniform field intensity bounded by end regions of intensified magnetic field strength in said chamber;

c. means for directing a beam of high energy light nuclide molecular ions tangent to a circle coaxially disposed within the uniform intensity magnetic field region and at a slight angle to a plane perpendicular to the field axis in said chamber including means operable within said magnetic field to dissociate said molecular ions to produce high energy positively charged ions having a charge to mass ratio higher than those in the initial particle beam which are then trapped in the magnetic field to produce a generally cylindrical positive ion E-layer rotating about the axis in the central linear portion of said magnetic field with the magnetic field of said E-layer interacting with the axially symmetric magnetic field to produce a system including closed magnetic field lines defining a magnetic potential well charged particle containment zone; and

d. means for introducing a fuel material into said containment zone to be ionized and heated by interaction with the high energy charged particles of the E-layer to produce a high temperature plasma confined in said containment zone.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said molecular ions are dissociable to produce high energy ions selected from the group consisting of H , D , T , He3 and He4 to form said E-layer and wherein said fuel material includes at least one fusionable light nuclide component so that a plasma including fusionable ions is produced and confined in said containment zone.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said high energy ions have an energy of at least about 50 MeV.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said magnetic field has an intensity of at least about 150 kilogauss in the region whereat said molecular ions are injected and therefore effecting dissociation thereof by a Lorentz force mechanism.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including means for providing a background gas atmosphere of sufficient density to provide a background plasma density of at least about 108 particles per cc in said magnetic field providing said means for dissociating said high energy molecular ions.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein means are provided for introducing a light nuclide gas or vapor into the magnetic field region in said chamber whereat said beam of high energy molecular ions are injected to interact to dissociate said molecular ions to produce said positive ions which form said E-layer.