Converging beam fusion system

• US 4,202,725 A
• Filed: 03/08/1978
• Issued: 05/13/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William S. Jarnagin
• Original Assignee: William S. Jarnagin
• Inventors: Jarnagin, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle, Samuel W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cangialosi, S. A.
• Application Number:
  US05/884,482
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 315/111.4, 315/111.7, 328/233, 313/62, 176/1, 176/2, 176/3, 176/5
• US Class Current: 376/107
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/05 with magnetic or electric plasma confinement
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

This invention consists of a system which generates clean inexpensive electrical power by fusing isotopes of hydrogen or other lightweight material. Not unlike a cyclotron "turned wrong-side out" ions are accelerated each time they cross a gap between two perforated "bowls" across which is placed high frequency-high voltage. Accelerated ions leave the bowls and go into magnetic gaps or mirror-tubes arranged radially thereon and are generally reflected back through the center of the system between the bowls. By controlled leakage highly energetic ions go out the ends of the mirror tubes and into Return Tubes surrounded by sector or other magnets. Ions are recirculated rapidly and repeatedly through the center of the system. Densities are anticipated to be at least 10¹⁵ and perhaps 10^20'"'"'s ions per cc. Probabilities of head-on collision are greatly enhanced by converging the beams of ions or jets of plasma head-on. Head-on collision allows ALL the kinetic energy of an ion pair to go into a reaction because the center-of-mass of colliding ions need not be shifted. (Shifting the CM wastes energy as heat.) The effect is nonlinear; hence spectacularly higher energy yields can accompany head-on collision of ions at relativistic velocities.

Claims

1. A converging beam nuclear fusion system comprising a plurality of diametrically opposed wedges joined to form a spherical reaction chamber, said wedges having an interior surface positioned at a predetermined fixed distance from the center of said chamber so as to form an interior spherical space;

a first plurality of said wedges containing electromagnet means of C-shape cross section, a second plurality of said wedges containing magnetic mirror means, two hemispherical electrically conductive bowls located in the interior spherical space so as to form a gap therebetween, said bowls each having at least one perforation;

a high frequency high voltage power source connected across said bowls;

at least one ion injection means operatively connected to at least one of said bowls, at least one output means operatively connected to at least one of said bowls, a vacuum pump means connected to said reaction chamber, wherein ions are injected into said bowls, therein accelerated across the gap of said bowls toward one of said spherical wedges whereupon said ions are deflected and returned to one of said bowls, accelerated across said gap to the diametrically opposed wedge where it is again deflected to return to other of said bowls so as to form a plurality of beams having figure eight pathways, and where the intersection of each FIG. 8 pathway is located at the center of the reaction chamber for the purpose of enhancing the density and probability of head-on collision of the ions.