JPH02276989A - Nuclear fusion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily obtain heat by putting electrodes in a container which contains heavy water and providing a power source which supplies a current between the electrodes, a means which circulates the heavy water between the container and a heat exchanger, and a heat medium system which couples the heat exchanger and a power output part with each other. CONSTITUTION:When the power source 5 applies a voltage between the electrodes 3 and 4 placed in the container 1, plus heavy hydrogen ions gather at the cathode 4, some of them turn into heavy hydrogen gas, and the remainders enter metal crystal of palladium constituting the cathode 4. The heavy hydrogen ions in the metal are further compressed in the presence of the voltage to cause nuclear fusion reaction shown by a specific formula eventually, and consequently the cathode 4 is heated to conduct its heat to the heavy water 2. The high-temperature heavy water 2 is discharged from the container 1 by a pump 7 and sent to the heat medium system 9 as a secondary medium by the heat exchanger 8. Gaseous oxygen and heavy hydrogen which are produced at the electrode part are separated and collected by collectors 15a and 15b.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to the invention of nuclear fusion or nuclear fusion-like phenomena,
In particular, it relates to so-called room-temperature nuclear fusion, which does not require the high-temperature environment conventionally required.

[Conventional technology]

It was previously known that nuclear fusion reactions occur by heating plasma to a high temperature.

However, forming and maintaining this high temperature region is extremely difficult.

However, Professor Martin Fleischmann of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, Professor Stan Ponzija of the University of Utah in the United States, and Professor Stephen Jones of Brigham University in the United States have developed so-called room-temperature fusion, which does not require the formation and sustainment of such a high-temperature region. (Asahi Shimbun, March 24, 1989, 13th edition, morning edition, page 3; also March 30, 13th edition, morning edition, page 3; Yomiuri Shimbun, April 3, 1989, 12th edition. (See page 25).

These newly developed nuclear fusion processes are simple and revolutionary, as they are created by using palladium as the negative electrode and platinum as the positive electrode, filling a container with heavy water, and passing an electric current between the two electrodes.

Regarding the concept of a nuclear fusion reactor using conventional thermonuclear fusion, see Plasma and Nuclear Fusion, edited by Koji Fushimi (Imori Publishing, 1972).
(published in 2013).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the generated energy is still less than the applied energy, and the critical condition has not been achieved. Achieving criticality requires even larger facilities and costs for magnetic confinement, plasma heating, etc.

An object of the present invention is to obtain the heat generated by the above-mentioned room temperature nuclear fusion using a simple device. In the following explanation, we will take into consideration the fact that it cannot be said that it is the same principle as the so-called nuclear fusion that has been proposed in the past, and we will also refer to it as a phenomenon similar to nuclear fusion.
For convenience of explanation, it will be included in the term nuclear fusion. In any case, it is a breakthrough in terms of obtaining thermal energy using deuterium as a raw material.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following device.

(1) Electrodes are installed in a container for storing heavy water, a power source for passing current between the electrodes, a means for circulating the heavy water between the container and the heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger and a power extraction section. The main component is a heating medium system that connects the

(2) A system is provided in which the oxygen and deuterium gas generated at the electrode portion in the container are collected, guided to the fuel cell, and the generated heavy water is returned to the container.

(3) A device is attached to collect, separate and purify the gas generated in the container.

(4) The electrodes are rod-shaped bodies arranged in a grid in the container.

(5) The electrode is a plate-shaped body in which cathodes and anodes are arranged in alternating layers in the container.

[Effect]

Metal salts and the like are added to the heavy water in the container to increase electrical conductivity. Palladium is used as the cathode and platinum is used as the anode.
When a direct current is passed between these electrodes, heavy water is electrolyzed,
Deuterium bubbles are generated on the surface of the cathode. Palladium incorporates large amounts of deuterium ions into its metal crystals. The voltage between the electrodes enhances this effect. When deuterium (written as D) approaches each other against atomic repulsion, they fuse in the following reaction.

D+D-)n+3He+3.27MeV-f(1)
D+D-+P+T+4.03MeV/((2)
Here, n is a neutron, p is a proton, 3He is a He isotope with a mass number of 3, T is tritium, and M e V is 106 electron volts.

This reaction heats the cathode and transfers that heat to the surrounding heavy water.

High-temperature heavy water circulates between the heat exchanger and the heat transfer system, which includes the power take-off section.

Oxygen and deuterium gases are generated at the electrodes by electrolysis of heavy water. They are collected separately, sent to a fuel cell powered by oxygen and deuterium, and returned to the container as heavy water again.

In addition, fusion products such as δHe and T are also collected.
Separated and purified.

In addition, in order to increase the arrangement density, the electrodes may have rod-shaped cathodes and anodes arranged alternately in a triangular or square lattice pattern, or
The cathodes and anodes of the plate-like bodies are alternately stacked. Note that it is also effective to use high-resistance pure water in order to apply a high voltage.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is a container containing heavy water 2, a positive electrode 3, and a negative electrode 4; 5 is a power source. Heavy water 2 contains small amounts of iron sulfate, nickel chloride,
Mix metal salts such as palladium chloride and calcium carbonate, or single or composite materials such as nitric acid and lithium chloride.

The positive electrode 3 uses platinum or gold, and the negative electrode 4 uses palladium or titanium. 6 is a system for circulating high-temperature heavy water 2 to a heat exchanger 8 by a pump 7. 9 is a heat medium system that receives heat in a heat exchanger 8, performs work in a power extraction section 10, and then passes through a cooler 11 and a pump 12 to form a circulation path. The medium in the heat transfer system 10 includes water, fluorocarbon, and the like.

The power extraction section 10 includes a turbine and the like. 13 is a generator connected to the power take-off section. A part of the electric power generated here is converted by the converter 14 into electric power suitable for supplying power to the power source 5. At the electrode, oxygen (on the positive electrode 3 side) and deuterium (on the negative electrode) generated by water electrolysis rise as bubbles, and the gases captured by the collectors 15a and 15b are sent to the fuel cell 16. Then, it becomes heavy water again through a chemical reaction and returns to the container 1 through the recovery system 17. At this time, voltage is generated at the electrodes of the fuel cell 16 and stored in the storage battery 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes a preparative purification device for recovering impurity gases such as helium and tritium collected in the container 1 or the fuel cell 16.

According to this device, a voltage g5 is applied between electrodes 3 and 4 placed in a container 1, and positive deuterium ions gather at the negative electrode 4, some of which become deuterium gas, and portion is incorporated into the palladium metal crystal constituting the negative electrode 4. A variety of metals, compounds, and alloys known as hydrogen storage metals may be used as the negative electrode. In this way, the deuterium ions incorporated into the metal are further compressed under voltage, and it is thought that fusion as shown in equations (1) and (2) will finally occur. the result.

The negative electrode 4 is heated and the heat is transferred to the heavy water 2. The neutrons generated at this time can also serve as a heating source.

The high-temperature heavy water turns into pump liquid or steam7.
The heat is taken out of the container 1 by a heat exchanger 8 and transferred to a heat medium system 9 which is a secondary medium. When the heat medium is water, the steam heated and vaporized in the heat exchanger 8 is sent to the turbine (power extraction section).
Turn 10 and return to water with cooler 11. Oxygen and deuterium gas generated in the electrode section are separated and collected by the collectors 15a and 15b, and burned to become heavy water, which can be returned to the original container 1. The electric power generated from the fuel cell 16 can be efficiently used to power the power source 5. The chain line in FIG. 1 indicates the power supply system.

Alternatively, both electrodes 3 and 4 may be made of hydrogen storage metal, and the polarity may be reversed at regular intervals. In this way, it is possible to prevent the concentration of electrolyte from being biased toward the electrode collection side.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of electrodes in the cross section of the container 1.
Rod-shaped negative electrodes 21 and positive electrodes are arranged in a triangular lattice. Since a large number of picture electrodes are arranged close to each other, it is effective in making the energy generation density uniform and increasing.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of a rod-shaped negative electrode 3o. It has a star shape, increases the electrode surface area, and can increase the amount of deuterium ions taken up.

FIG. 4 shows a portion in which plate-shaped charge eliminating vi 40 and positive electrodes 41 are alternately laminated. 42a and 42b are conducting wires, 43a,
43b is a collector, 44a and 44b are gas recovery pipes, and 45 is a large number of small holes around the electrode. Gas generated near the electrode becomes electrically resistive when it accumulates in that area, so
It is covered with collectors 43a and 43b having small holes 45, and a circulating flow of heavy water from the lower part is guided into the gap between the collectors 43a and 43b and the electrodes 40 and 41, thereby preventing gas from accumulating. The small hole 45 is a passage for ions.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a simple energy conversion device using room temperature nuclear fusion, which has great industrial effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the concept of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing still another embodiment of the invention. 1... Container, 2... Heavy water, 3, 4... Electrode, 5...
・Electrode, 7... Pump (circulation means), 8... Heat exchanger, 9... Heat medium system, 10... Power extraction part, 16...
・Fuel cell, engraving of 18 drawings (no changes in content) y Ward number? Drawing procedure amendment form) % formula % 1, Indication of incident 1999 patent application No. 2, Title of invention Nuclear fusion device 3, Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Electrodes are installed in a container for storing heavy water, and a power source for passing a current between the electrodes, a means for circulating the heavy water between the container and the heat exchanger, and a connection between the heat exchanger and the power extraction section. A nuclear fusion device characterized by having a heating medium system as a main component. 2. Claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a system for collecting oxygen and deuterium gas generated in the electrode portion in the container, guiding them to the fuel cell, and returning the generated heavy water to the container.
Nuclear fusion device as described in section. 3. The nuclear fusion device according to claim 1, further comprising a device for collecting, separating and purifying the gas generated in the container. 4. 2. The nuclear fusion device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are rod-shaped bodies arranged in a grid in the container. 5. 2. The nuclear fusion device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is a plate-shaped body in which cathodes and anodes are arranged in alternating layers in the container.