US5160695A — Method and apparatus for creating and controlling…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 165 words

Apparatus of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising: a) a plasma, made up of ions and electrons, contained with a core region having a core radius; b) means for directing said ions and electrons of said plasma to converge toward said core region which includes one of (1) a central axis of a cylindrical system and (2) a center of a generally spherical system; c) means for recirculation said plasma in generally radial motion outwards from said core region and returning thereto by the action of the directing means on the ions and electrons of the plasma, and; d) means for enhancing the density of said plasma in the core region so as to increase nuclear fusion reactions by generating ion-acoustic electrostatic waves therein, said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves reducing the collisional mean free path of said ions to dimensions set by the wavelength of the said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves creater therein, thus enhancing density by collision-diffusion trapping of said ions to thereby enhance nuclear fusion reactions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 165 words

Apparatus of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising: a) a plasma, made up of ions and electrons, contained with a core region having a core radius; b) means for directing said ions and electrons of said plasma to converge toward said core region which includes one of (1) a central axis of a cylindrical system and (2) a center of a generally spherical system; c) means for recirculation said plasma in generally radial motion outwards from said core region and returning thereto by the action of the directing means on the ions and electrons of the plasma, and; d) means for enhancing the density of said plasma in the core region so as to increase nuclear fusion reactions by generating ion-acoustic electrostatic waves therein, said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves reducing the collisional mean free path of said ions to dimensions set by the wavelength of the said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves creater therein, thus enhancing density by collision-diffusion trapping of said ions to thereby enhance nuclear fusion reactions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 89 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said directing means comprises: a first, inner electrode structure and a second outer electrode structure spaced apart form one another; said first and second electrode structures being permeable to ions and electrons and being generally spherical and centered about said center of said generally spherical system, and means for providing a potential difference between said first and second electrode structures so as to accelerate positive ions located outside said first electrode structure inwardly, through said first electrode structure and toward said center.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second electrode structures are enclosed in an electron reflective boundary wall.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise sets of grid wires.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise sheet conductors.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise point or button-like electrodes.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 87 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said directing means comprises: a first, inner electrode structure and a second outer electrode structure spaced apart form one another; said first and second electrode structures being permeable to ions and electrons and being generally cylindrical about said central axis of said cylindrical system; means for providing a potential difference between said first and second electrode structures so as to accelerate positive ions located outside said first electrode structure inwardly, through said first electrode structure and toward said central axis.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said first and second electrode structures are enclosed in an electron reflective boundary wall.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise sets of grid wires.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise sheet conductors.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said first and second electrode structures comprise point or button-like electrodes.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 128 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said directing means comprises two concentric spherical arrays of conducting electrodes having electrode elements thereon, said elements of each array positioned with spherical angular coordinates so as to generally correspond to those of one another and energized to electric potentials so as to accelerate ions inwardly with energies in the range of 5 keV to 150 keV for the collisional-compression of ions of deuterium (D) with ions of D and/or tritium (T) and/or helium-3 ( 3 He), and to 35 keV to 700 keV for the collisional compression of ions of hydrogen (protons, p) with ions of lithium-6,7 ( 6 Li, 7 Li), beryllium-9 ( 9 Be), boron-11 ( 11 B), or other suitable combinations capable of undergoing nuclear fusion reactions.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 60 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said directing means comprises wires or sheet strip conductors oriented so that their small dimension (thickness) is arranged to be circumferential and their large dimension (width) is arranged to be radial, said conductors arranged in a spherical geometric pattern to lie in centrally-fixed planes containing the edges of any regular or irregular polyhedron.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 70 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said directing means comprises wires or sheet strip conductors oriented so that their small dimension (thickness) is arranged to be circumferential and their large dimension (width) is arranged to be radial, said conductors arranged in a spherical geometric pattern to lie along the path of any curvilinear winding that circumscribes a sphere with approximately equal areas between adjacent elements of the geometric pattern.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said spherical geometric pattern is selected from the group of a curvilinear cube, tetrahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, or "tennis ball seam" winding.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said directing means comprises conductors arranged in a spherical geometric pattern to lie in centrally-fixed planes containing the edges of any regular or irregular polyhedron figure, said conductors in the form of a "button", point or rod electrodes placed at the vertices of said polyhedral figures.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and second electrode structures include means for minimizing magnetic fields due to current flow within said electrode structures, thus avoiding magnetic influences on ion/electron motion within said region, and thus allowing the electric fields resulting from said potential difference to effect and control the motion and collisional-compression of ions within the spherical system.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 85 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said minimizing means includes means for passing current through said first electrode structure in pairs of opposing current paths so as to null effects of any magnetic field resulting from current flowing in a single current path, and further includes means in said second electrode structure for passing current through said second electrode structure in pairs of opposing current paths so as to null effects of any magnetic field resulting from current flowing in a single current path.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said first and second electrode structures include means for minimizing magnetic fields due to current flow within said electrode structures, thus avoiding magnetic influences on ion/electron motion within said region, and thus allowing the electric fields resulting from said potential difference to effect and control the motion and collisional-compression of ions within the cylindrical system.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 85 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said minimizing means includes means for passing current through said first electrode structure in pairs of opposing current paths so as to null effects of any magnetic field resulting from current flowing in a single current path, and further includes means in said second electrode structure for passing current through said second electrode structure in pairs of opposing current paths so as to null effects of any magnetic field resulting from current flowing in a single current path.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 63 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for directing comprises an inner grid array (g1) whose radius (rg1) is in the range of 20 cm rg1<200 cm, and an outer concentric grid array (g2) larger than and separated from the inner grid array by a radial spacing (δr12) in a range limited by electrical arc breakdown between the concentric grid arrays.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein the minimum practical arc-breakdown-limited radial spacing (in cm) is given by the formula δr12≧E g /20, where E g is the electric potential difference between the inner grid array (g1) and its surrounding outer grid array (g2), in thousands of volts (kilovolts, kV).

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein said potential difference E g is in the range of 5 kV <E g <600 kV.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 46 words

Apparatus as reoited in claim 23 wherein E g =400 kV corresponding to a grid spacing of δr12 ≧20 cm, and wherein said potential difference is selected to be greater than the desired mean ion energy E w of said ions at said grid array (gl).

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 62 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said directing means further includes an additional grid array placed outside the inner and outer grid arrays, and means for supplying an alternating electric potential to said additional grid array outside the region of the inner and outer grid arrays in order to control the motion of electrons between said outer and additional grid arrays.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 75 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein said additional grid array is disposed spherically symmetrically around the inner and outer grid arrays, conforms to the shape and angular position of the outer grid array and is energized oppositely to the voltage difference between said inner and outer grid arrays so that electrons accelerated in an outward direction between grids g1 and g2 will be decelerated and returned inward in the region between g2 and g3.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 93 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for directing comprises an inner grid array (g1) having a radius (rg1), and an outer concentric grid array (g2) larger than and separated from the inner grid array by a radial spacing (δr12), and an additional grid array placed outside the inner and outer grid arrays, and means for supplying an alternating electric potential to said additional grid array outside the region of the inner and outer grid arrays in order to control the motion of electrons between said outer and additional grid arrays.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 75 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said additional grid array is disposed spherically symmetrically around the inner and outer grid arrays, conforms to the shape and angular position of the outer grid array and is energized oppositely to the voltage difference between said inner and outer grid arrays so that electrons accelerated in an outward direction between grids g1 and g2 will be decelerated and returned inward in the region between g2 and g3.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 96 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said additional grid array is formed of a plurality of conducting wires arranged in a rectangular pattern to form rectangular cells, as in a wire mesh screen, and wherein each wire carries current in such a manner that each rectangular cell is surrounded by a loop of current producing a central magnetic field within the cell such that each adjacent cell is of opposite magnetic polarity, said central magnetic fields reflecting outgoing electrons at the radial position of the additional grid array and returning them on inwardly directed trajectories.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: a) forming a plasma, made up of ions and electrons, with a core region; b) directing ions and electrons of said plasma to converge toward one of (1) a central axis of a cylindrical system and (2) a center of a generally spherical system; c) recirculation said plasma in generally radial motion outwards from said core region and returning thereto by the action of the directing means on the ions and electrons of the plasma, and; enhancing the density of said plasma in the core region so as to increase fusion reactions by generating ion-acoustic electrostatic waves therein, said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves reducing the collisonal means free path of said ions to dimensions set by the wavelength of the said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves created therein, thus enhancing density by collision-diffusion trapping of said ions to thereby enhance nuclear fusion reactions.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: a) forming a plasma, made up of ions and electrons, with a core region; b) directing ions and electrons of said plasma to converge toward one of (1) a central axis of a cylindrical system and (2) a center of a generally spherical system; c) recirculation said plasma in generally radial motion outwards from said core region and returning thereto by the action of the directing means on the ions and electrons of the plasma, and; enhancing the density of said plasma in the core region so as to increase fusion reactions by generating ion-acoustic electrostatic waves therein, said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves reducing the collisonal means free path of said ions to dimensions set by the wavelength of the said ion-acoustic electrostatic waves created therein, thus enhancing density by collision-diffusion trapping of said ions to thereby enhance nuclear fusion reactions.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein the step of directing includes providing an inner grid array (g1) having a radius (rg1), and an outer concentric grid array (g2) larger than and separated from the inner grid array by a radial spacing (δr12).

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 86 words

A method as recited in claim 31 including the step of providing a potential difference between said inner and outer grid arrays such that ions in the space between grid arrays g1 and g2 will be accelerated with nearly pure radial motion towards the system center at energies E i that are in the range E i ≦E g , resulting in an increase in ion density as the system center is approached more closely, where E g represents the ion maximum energy at the center.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 71 words

A method as recited in claim 32 further comprising the step of decelerating said inward-moving ions, inside grid array g1, by converting ion kinetic energy of radial motion into electrostatic energy of repulsion due to the buildup of positive ion density at the system center, and into increasing kinetic energy of transverse (angular) motion with decreasing radial distance from the center, whereby a virtual anode is formed around the system center.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 66 words

A method as recited in claim 33 further including the step of attracting electrons from the grid array g1 and from the space within g1, toward the system center, following said ions, said electrons tending to neutralize the buildup of repulsive positive charge of said ions near the system center, thus permitting the ions to continue their radial inward motion, with continuing increase in ion density.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as recited in claim 34 wherein the ratio of ion current to electron current in the region of the system center is controlled to fall in the range of 0.5 to 0.02.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 66 words

A method as recited in claim 32 further including the step of selecting the initial density of ions of said plasma in the region between g1 and g2 such that the mean free path for electron/atom ionization collisions in this region, under the influence of the potential difference is E g is comparable to or less than the spacing between said inner and outer grid arrays.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 71 words

A method as recited in claim 33 further including the step of ceasing radial inward motion of said ions at a momentum-convergence-limited radius r o , given by r o ≈(E t /E w ) 0 .5, where E t is the transverse energy of the ion at the position of grid array g1 and E w is the mean energy of the ions at the position of grid array (gl).

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 70 words

A method as recited in claim 36 further including the step of ceasing radial inward motion of said ions at a momentum-convergence-limited radius r o , given by r o ≈(E t /E w ) 0 .5, where E t is the transverse energy of the ion at the position of grid array g1, and E w is the energy of the ions at the position of grid array (gl).

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 122 words

A method as recited in claim 38 further including the step of applying a grid potential difference [E i ] E g ≧E w and increasing ion density towards and within the central core near to and inside of r o , by adjusting ion density within the region between the inner and outer grid arrays to sufficiently large values that the total current density in the core region within said inner grid array exceeds a critical value for the given ion energy such that the converging ion current will initiate and resonantly maintain ion acoustic waves those wavelength is small compared to the momentum-limited convergence radius, r o , at a critical core radius r c comparable to r o .

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 84 words

A method as recited in claim 31 further including the step of generating ion acoustic waves within the region interior to said critical core radius r c and tapping incoming ions within said critical core region by reflecting and scattering said ions from the boundaries of said ion acoustic waves, whereby said ions move diffusively through and within the said critical core region with mean free paths between such reflections and scatterings that are much smaller than the dimensions of said critical core region.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 54 words

A method as recited in claim 40 wherein the step of generating ion acoustic waves includes injecting said ions with an injection power greater than 10-100 kw, with rg1 between 50-100 cm, with ion current recirculation ratios of 10-30, and with a potential difference between said inner and outer grid arrays between 10-400 keV.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as recited in claim 41 wherein injection power is in the range 100-500 kw with radius g1 at 40-80 cm, ion recirculation ratio of 10-20 and potential difference energy of 15-30 keV for use with DT fuels.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 147 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system, (c) accelerating said ions along said radial paths with a speed and flux density such as to produce ion acoustic waves at a core radius r c wherein the wavelength of said ion acoustic waves is less than r c and such that the ratio of change of the ion acoustic wavelengths with change in radial position of the ions is directly proportional to the ion radial position.

Claim 46

Independent Claim 147 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system, (c) accelerating said ions along said radial paths with a speed and flux density such as to produce ion acoustic waves at a core radius r c wherein the wavelength of said ion acoustic waves is less than r c and such that the ratio of change of the ion acoustic wavelengths with change in radial position of the ions is directly proportional to the ion radial position.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method as recited in claim 43 wherein said accelerating step includes adjusting the ion density and ion flow such that the ion acoustic wavelength is at least approximately an integer divisor of the circumference of the sphere having said core radius r c .

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 77 words

The method as recited in claim 44 maintaining said ion acoustic waves so as to cause collisional interactions of said ions with said ion acoustic waves, said collisional interactions occurring on the scale of said ion acoustic wavelength and within said core radius r c , and increasing the density of said ions within said core by injecting ions or a neutral gas within or near said core and by confining said ions utilizing said collisional interactions.

Claim 49

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system, (c) accelerating ions along said radial paths such that their density within said core and their injection power are related such as to fall within the region 1000 of FIG. 7.

Claim 50

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system, (c) accelerating ions along said radial paths such that their density within said core and their injection power are related such as to fall within the region 1000 of FIG. 7.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as recited in claim 46 wherein said accelerating step includes accelerating said ions such that their density and injection power are related such as to fall within the region 1000 of FIG. 7 excluding the region 1010.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method as recited in claim 46 wherein r c is in the range of 0.1-2 cm, and E w is in the range of 10 4 -10 5 eV.

Claim 53

Independent Claim 228 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system so as to circulate through a core region having a core radius, (c) accelerating ions along said radial paths such that their density within said core region and their injection power are related such as to satisfy the following two relationships: n.sub.c >(2πE.sub.w /Z.sup.2 e.sup.2 r.sub.c.sup.2)(a.sub.ij) (1) P.sub.inj ≧5.21E-3(a.sub.ij)(E.sub.w.sup.2.5 /Z.sup.2 G.sub.j) (watts) (2) wherein: n c is the ion density at the core radius; E w is the energy of the ions at the core radius; r c is the critical radius at which ion-acoustic waves are generated; a ij is 1 for ion/ion acoustic waves and (m c /m i ) 0 .5 for ion/electron acoustic waves wherein m c and m j are the mass of the electron and ion respectively; P inj is the ion injection power; G j is the electron recirculation ratio; and Z is the ionic charge in units of electronic charge e.

Claim 54

Independent Claim 228 words

A method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions comprising the steps of: (a) generating a spherically symmetric electrostatic field in a spherical system having a center or a cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field in a cylindrical system having a central axis, (b) producing a plasma of ions and electrons in said spherically symmetric or cylindrically symmetric electrostatic field for accelerating said ions in a radial direction toward the center of said spherical system or the central axis of said cylindrical system so as to circulate through a core region having a core radius, (c) accelerating ions along said radial paths such that their density within said core region and their injection power are related such as to satisfy the following two relationships: n.sub.c >(2πE.sub.w /Z.sup.2 e.sup.2 r.sub.c.sup.2)(a.sub.ij) (1) P.sub.inj ≧5.21E-3(a.sub.ij)(E.sub.w.sup.2.5 /Z.sup.2 G.sub.j) (watts) (2) wherein: n c is the ion density at the core radius; E w is the energy of the ions at the core radius; r c is the critical radius at which ion-acoustic waves are generated; a ij is 1 for ion/ion acoustic waves and (m c /m i ) 0 .5 for ion/electron acoustic waves wherein m c and m j are the mass of the electron and ion respectively; P inj is the ion injection power; G j is the electron recirculation ratio; and Z is the ionic charge in units of electronic charge e.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 110 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said enhancing means comprises means for injecting said ions into said core region so that ion injection power, P inj satisfies at least one of the following relationships: P.sub.inj ≧5.21E-3(a.sub.inj)(E.sub.w.sup.2.5 /Z.sup.2 G.sub.j) (watts) (1) P.sub.inj ≧5.9E-3(a.sub.inj)(E.sub.w.sup.2.5 /Z.sup.2 G.sub.j) (watts) (2) wherein: E w is the energy of the ions at the core radius; a ij is 1 for ion/ion acoustic waves and m c /m i ) 0 .5 for ion/electron acoustic waves wherein m c and m i are the mass of the electron and ion respectively; P inj is the ion injection power; and G j is the electron recirculation ratio.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 50 wherein the density within the core radius satisfies the following relationship: n.sub.c >(2πE.sub.w /Z.sup.2 e.sup.2 r.sub.c.sup.2)(a.sub.ij) wherein: n c is the ion density at the core radius; r c is the critical radius at which ion-acoustic waves are generated; and Z is the ionic charge in units of electronic charge e.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-11-03	1996-05-04	1996-11-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-11-03	2000-05-04	2000-11-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-11-03	2004-05-04	2004-11-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for creating and controlling nuclear fusion reactions

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