Beam fusion device and method

• US 4,894,199 A
• Filed: 06/11/1987
• Issued: 01/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. (UCAP Power, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rostoker, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Behrend, Harvey E.
• Application Number:
  US07/051,899
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 376/107, 376/139, 376/140, 376/128, 376/130, 376/143, 376/133, 376/137
• US Class Current: 376/107
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 1/15 Particle injectors for producing thermonuclear fusion reactions, e.g. pellet injectors
• CPC Class Codes: G21B 3/006 Fusion by impact, e.g. cluster/beam interaction, ion beam collisions, impact on a target
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

A fusion device provides for the reaction of atomic nuclei, preferably deuterons and tritons, to generate reaction products with kinetic energies convertible to useful energy. First and second sources of first and second positive ions provide such ions at temperatures in a range where the ions have a substantially optimum cross section for mutual reaction. The respective ions are accelerated to substantially the same mean velocity and formed into respective beams. The beams are neutralized and directed into a portion of a reaction chamber substantially orthogonally of a substantially constant unidirectional magnetic field as first and second polarized beams of respective first and second positive hot ions. The polarization of the first and second polarized beams is drained, preferably by a plasma created in the portion of the reaction chamber, to separate the neutralizing electrons from the respective first and second positive hot ions. The strength of the magnetic field and the velocities of the separated first and second positive hot ions provide centripetal force on the respective first and second positive hot ions to confine the ions to respective orbits within the portion of the reaction chamber. The directions and relative velocities of the separated first and second positive hot ions make the respective orbits for the first and second positive hot ions substantially coextensive. The ions orbit in the same direction at substantially the same mean velocity. The first and second ions are preferably deuterons and tritons, respectively, having a temperature of about 50 keV. The deuterons are preferably accelerated to about 400 keV, and the tritons are accelerated to about 600 keV. The ions have substantially drifted Maxwell distributions of energy.

Claims

1. A fusion device wherein atomic nuclei react to generate reaction products with kinetic energies convertible to useful energy, said device comprising

wall means defining and confining a reaction chamber,

means for generating a substantially constant unidirectional magnetic field of predetermined strength in at least a portion of said reaction chamber,

first and second source means for providing respective first and second positive hot ions at temperatures in a range where said first and second positive hot ions have substantially optimum cross sections for their mutual fusion reaction to generate said reaction products,

first and second means for accelerating said first and second positive hot ions, respectively, to predetermined velocities,

means for neutralizing said accelerated positive hot first and second positive ions by electrons,

means for directing said first and second positive hot ions neutralized by electrons into said portion of said reaction chamber substantially orthogonally of said magnetic field utilizing self-polarization, and

means for draining the polarization of said neutralized and polarized first and second positive hot ions to separate the neutralizing electrons from the respective first and second positive hot ions, the predetermined strength of the magnetic field and the predetermined velocities to which said first and second positive hot ions are accelerated being such as to provide centripetal force on the respective separated first and second positive hot ions to confine the ions to respective orbits within said portion of said reaction chamber, and the directions and relative ions being such as to make the respective said orbits for said first and second positive hot ions substantially coextensive, with the first and second positive hot ions moving in substantially the same direction at substantially the same mean velocity.

4. A fusion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means for draining comprises means for creating plasma within said portion of said reaction chamber.

5. A fusion device according to claim 4 wherein said means for creating plasma comprises a plasma gun.

6. A fusion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising means for limiting said orbits in the direction of said magnetic field.

7. A fusion device according to claim 6 wherein said means for limiting said orbits comprises means for increasing the intensity of said magnetic field outside said portion of said reaction chamber in the axial direction.

8. A fusion device according to claim 7 wherein said means for limiting includes magnetic mirrors.

9. A fusion device according to either one of claims 1 and 3 wherein said source means provide respective first and second positive hot ions of substantially drifted Maxwell distribution.

10. A fusion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said first positive hot ions are deuterons, said second positive hot ions are tritons, and said temperatures are about 50 keV.

11. A fusion device according to claim 10 where said first beam generating means accelerates said deuterons to about 400 keV, and said second beam generating means accelerates said tritons to about 600 keV.

12. A fusion device according to either one of claims 1 and 3 wherein said first and second means for accelerating are pulsed.

13. A fusion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means for generating said magnetic field generates a field azimuthally symmetrical in said portion of said reaction chamber.

2. A fusion device wherein atomic nuclei react to generate reaction products with kinetic energies convertible to useful energy, said device comprising

wall means defining and confining a reaction chamber,

means for generating a substantially constant unidirectional magnetic field of predetermined strength in at least a portion of said reaction chamber,

first and second means for directing respective first and second neutralized beams of respective first and second positive hot ions neutralized by electrons into said portion of said reaction chamber at substantially the same predetermined mean velocity substantially orthogonally of said magnetic field as first and second polarized beams of respective first and second positive hot ions, the first and second positive hot ions in said respective first and second neutralized beams being provided at temperatures in a range where said first and second positive hot ions have substantially optimum cross sections for their mutual fusion reaction to generate said reaction products, and

means for draining the polarization of said first and second polarized beams to separate the neutralizing electrons from the respective first and second positive hot ions, the predetermined strength of the magnetic field and the predetermined velocities of the separated first and second positive hot ions being such as to provide centripetal force on the respective separated first and second positive hot ions to confine the ions to respective orbits within said portion of said reaction chamber, the directions and relative velocities of said separated first and second positive hot ions being such as to make the respective said orbits for said first and second positive hot ions substantially coextensive, with the first and second positive hot ions moving in substantially the same direction at substantially the same mean velocity.

3. A fusion device according to claim 2 wherein

said first means for directing comprises first source means for providing first positive hot ions at a said temperature, first beam generating means for accelerating said first positive hot ions to substantially said predetermined mean velocity and forming said first positive hot ions into a first ion beam, and first neutralizing means for neutralizing said first positive hot ions in said first ion beam by adding electrons thereto to produce a first neutralized beam of said first positive hot ions at substantially said predetermined mean velocity;

and

said second means for directing comprises second source means for providing second positive hot ions at a said temperature, second beam generating means for accelerating said second positive hot ions to substantially said predetermined mean velocity and forming said second positive hot ions into a second ion beam, and second neutralizing means for neutralizing said second positive hot ions in said second ion beam by adding electrons thereto to produce a second neutralized beam of said second positive hot ions at substantially said predetermined mean velocity.

14. A method for causing atomic nuclei to react to generate reaction products with kinetic energies convertible to useful energy, said method comprising

generating a substantially constant unidirectional magnetic field of predetermined strength in at least a portion of a reaction chamber,

providing first and second positive hot ions at temperatures in a range where said first and second positive ions have substantially optimum cross sections for their mutual fusion reaction to generate said reaction products,

accelerating said first and second positive hot ions to predetermined velocities,

neutralizing said accelerated first and second positive hot ions by electrons,

directing said first and second positive hot ions neutralized by electrons into said portion of said reaction chamber substantially orthogonally of said magnetic field utilizing self-polarization, and

draining the polarization of said neutralized and polarized first and second positive hot ions to separate the neutralizing electrons from the respective first and second positive hot ions in said portion of said reaction chamber, the predetermined strength of the magnetic field and the predetermined velocities to which said first and second positive hot ions are accelerated being such as to provide centripetal force on the respective separated first and second positive hot ions to confine the ions to respective orbits within said portion of said reaction chamber, and the directions and relative velocities of said separated first and second positive hot ions being such as to make the respective said orbits for said first and second positive hot ions substantially coextensive, with the first and second positive hot ions moving in substantially the same direction at substantially the same mean velocity.

17. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said polarization is drained by creating plasma in said portion of said reaction chamber.

18. A method according to either one of claims 14 and 16 further comprising limiting said orbits in the direction of said magnetic field.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said orbits are limited by the convergence of the field lines of said magnetic field outside said portion of said reaction chamber.

20. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said first and second positive hot ions are generated with substantially drifted Maxwell distribution.

21. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said first positive hot ions are deuterons, said second positive hot ions are tritons, and said temperatures are about 50 keV.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said deuterons are accelerated to about 400 keV, and said tritons are accelerated to about 600 keV.

23. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said first and second beams of positive hot ions are generated in pulses.

24. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said magnetic field is azimuthally symmetrical in said portion of said reaction chamber.

25. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16 wherein said orbiting first and second positive hot ions create poloidal fields around said orbiting ions for keeping said orbits substantially coextensive.

15. A method for causing atomic nuclei to react to generate reaction products with kinetic energies convertible to useful energy, said method comprising

generating a substantially constant unidirectional magnetic field of predetermined strength in at least a portion of a reaction chamber,

directing first and second neutralized beams of respective first and second positive hot ions neutralized by electrons into said portion of said reaction chamber at substantially the same predetermined mean velocity substantially orthogonally of said magnetic field as first and second polarized beams of respective first and second positive hot ions, the first and second positive hot ions in said respective first and second neutralized beams having temperatures in a range where said first and second positive hot ions have substantially optimum cross sections for their mutual fusion reaction to generate said reaction products,

draining the polarization of said first and second polarized beams to separate the neutralizing electrons from the respective first and second positive hot ions in said portion of said reaction chamber, the predetermined strength of the magnetic field and the predetermined velocities of the separated first and second positive hot ions being such as to provide centripetal force on the respective separated first and second positive hot ions to confine the ions to respective orbits within said portion of said reaction chamber, and the directions and relative velocities of said separated first and second positive hot ions being such as to make the respective said orbits for said first and second positive hot ions substantially coextensive with the first and second positive hot ions moving in substantially the same direction at substantially the same mean velocity.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said step of directing said first and second neutralized beams comprises

generating said first and second positive hot ions at substantially said temperatures,

separately accelerating said generated first and second positive hot ions to substantially said predetermined mean velocity to produce said first and second neutralized beams.