RU2407678C2 - Drone plate with nuclear engine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to aircraft engineering. Proposed drone plane features normal aerodynamic configuration and comprises fuselage, high-set three-spar wing, two-fin vertical unit and all-moving tailplane with differential control. Rear edge of every outer wing accommodates flaps, ailerons and stall fence. Landing gear is a tricycle landing gear type. Main legs are retracted into fuselage and incorporate one large-diametre wheel. Nuclear engine represents power plant made up of low-temperature nuclear synthesis reactor incorporating neutron generator with lithium-7 isotope, a reagent, to generate steam for turbine coupled with compressor wherein air is compressed and heated for nozzle to generate thrust.

EFFECT: expanded operating performances.

7 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

As you know, all material substances are composed of atoms and molecules. Huge natural energy is concentrated in the atomic nuclei, the receipt of which allows the powerful development of energy, economy, defense industry and the entire national economy. However, obtaining nuclear energy is a difficult technical task. Scientists and nuclear specialists learned how to produce nuclear energy by splitting some heavy atomic nuclei into smaller fragments. In this case, part of the stored nuclear energy is released. But an obstacle to the further development of this energy field is the significant pollution of the environment by radioactive nuclear waste.

The second significant drawback for the use of nuclear energy implemented on heavy atomic nuclei for mobile vehicles is the need to have heavy radiation protection equipment.

Attempts to master controlled thermonuclear reactions for the use of nuclear energy in the national economy have not yet yielded the desired positive result.

I proposed a third way of nuclear energy production, called “low-temperature nuclear fusion”, promising great prospects (patents No. 2128374, 2123730, 2163808, 2176114, 3180866, 2276286, 2292304). The proposed method is neither a repetition nor continuation of studies of a phenomenon that turned out to be unrealizable, called “cold” nuclear fusion. for example, harmless, non-radioactive, cheap, etc.) and irradiate this target with slow neutrons. The target nuclei intensely capture slow neutrons, and nuclear energy is liberated. Some of the excess neutrons captured by the reagent nucleus are converted into protons. The resulting proton inside the nucleus is part of the nucleus, and synthesis takes place, which increases the mass and electric charge of the nucleus. As a result, the binding energy of the nucleus and the corresponding nuclear energy is released.

Unlike the well-known “cold" nuclear fusion, which is not feasible, the proposed method is simple to implement without high costs.

The well-known “cold" fusion, in contrast to the proposed low-temperature fusion, is not such, since it essentially represents one of the options for thermonuclear fusion, as a result of which it was supposed to combine the nuclei of heavy metal atoms of palladium and titanium with hydrogen nuclei when deuterium is saturated with crystal lattices of heavy metals .

The proposed method of low-temperature nuclear fusion, in contrast to the known “cold” nuclear fusion, is based on the capture by the target nucleus of positive particles and neutral particles of neutrons, for which there is no potential barrier to the target nuclei.

This project proposes a variant of an unmanned aircraft with a nuclear engine, therefore, the project relates to aircraft construction.

The prior art unmanned aircraft with a nuclear engine, made according to the normal aerodynamic design and includes a fuselage, landing gear, wing and tail; flaps and ailerons are installed on the trailing edge of each wing console; The nuclear engine is made in the form of a power plant, consisting of a nuclear reactor producing steam for a turbine, which is connected to a compressor in which air is compressed and heated for nozzles, where traction is generated.

(U.S. Patent 3,547,380. 1970)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An unmanned aircraft with a nuclear engine, made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme and designed to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage missions behind enemy lines, including the fuselage, a highly located three-winged wing, a two-keel vertical tail unit and an all-turning stabilizer with differential control; flaps, ailerons, and an aerodynamic ridge are installed on the trailing edge of each wing console; the tricycle landing gear, the main struts are retracted into the fuselage and have one large-diameter wheel; a nuclear engine made in the form of a power plant consisting of a low-temperature nuclear fusion nuclear reactor made with a neutron generator for the lithium-7 isotope as a reagent and producing steam for a turbine that is connected to a compressor in which air is compressed and heated for nozzles, where traction is generated.

The heat generated energy is transmitted via steam to a turbine connected to a compressor, in which air is compressed and heated, and traction is generated in the nozzles of the engine.

The aircraft consists of the following parts and compartments:

Fuselage, wings, tail, tail, chassis; and compartments: head part, cargo compartment, control unit compartment, transport part compartment.

The head part serves as a container for additional cargo.

Cargo compartment for placement of warheads, cargo and to stabilize the flight.

The control unit compartment is used to accommodate:

a) flight control computers and the generation of command signals to the mechanisms of the aircraft nodes,

b) stabilization systems for angles of rotation, pitch, yaw,

c) orientation systems,

g) guidance systems,

d) control systems

e) command signal generation systems,

g) power supply systems,

h) other auxiliary and service systems.

Transport compartment

In the transport compartment of the aircraft are located: a reactor that produces nuclear energy, steering and corrective installations, systems for starting and stopping engines, cooling systems and stocks of nuclear fuel.

NUCLEAR ENGINE

The nuclear engine for an unmanned aircraft consists of a nuclear reactor, a neutron generator, a turbine, and a compressor.

A nuclear reactor designed to perform low-temperature nuclear fusion reactions runs on thermal neutrons with a graphite moderator. The nuclear fuel (reagent) is the stable isotope lithium-7, which produces nuclear energy when the reagent is irradiated with slow neutrons by radiation capture of neutrons by the reagent core.

In the reagent nuclei irradiated with slow neutrons, a nuclear reaction occurs:

;

;

,

,

as a result of which two positively charged alpha particles are formed and 17.3 MeV energy is emitted, emitted by a 2-MeV gamma-ray quantum and a 15.31-MeV beta-minus radiation flux, which are used to create engine traction, spending 1 kg of reagent per second, which corresponds to the energy consumption of 2.38 × 10 ^14/3 × 10 ⁸ = 795 · t s / kg.

As a result, one of the neutrons turns into a proton and the formation of the second alpha particle ends. The resulting beryllium-8 core is unstable and breaks up into two alpha particles within 1 · 10 ^-16 s and does not participate in the further reaction.

Thus, 1 kg of the reacted initial lithium-7 reagent releases energy of 6 · 10 ²⁶ · 17.4 / 7 = 14.9 · 10 ²⁶ MeV or 5.67 · 10 ¹⁰ kcal, which is 2.8 times more than at spent 1 kg of uranium-235.

This is equivalent to burning 5.14 thousand tons of gasoline.

For the analogue (Mig-25 aircraft), the fuel supply is 14570 kg.

Flight range - 1920 km, flight time - 2 h 5 min.

For the proposed nuclear engine, the consumption of 1 kg of the starting reagent is equivalent to burning 5.14 thousand tons of gasoline, from which we have 5140000/14570 = 352.8; 1000 / 352.8 = 2.83 g. Therefore, for 2 hours of flight only 3 grams of fuel will be required, and for 100 hours of flight 150 g of lithium-7 will be consumed.

ADVANTAGES OF THE NUCLEAR ENGINE:

1) Nuclear fuel for low-temperature nuclear fusion is one million times more caloric than gasoline.

2) The starting materials and reaction products are non-radioactive, non-hazardous and harmless, do not produce radioactive waste during the reaction, and in the event of an accident do not pollute the surrounding area with radioactive waste.

3) The cost of fuel is hundreds of times cheaper than the cost of fissile materials for currently used nuclear reactors.

4) The stockpiles of raw materials for nuclear reactions are practically unlimited

and etc.

In the proposed method for producing energy by low-temperature nuclear fusion, the Coulomb barrier of the atomic nucleus is not subjected to preliminary force impacts characteristic of thermonuclear fusion and “cold” nuclear fusion, and atomic nuclei do not change their energy state. The mechanism for overcoming the Coulomb barrier is that one of the reagents (lithium-7) is made in the form of a target and placed in the reactor core. The second reagent is presented in the form of neutrons emitted by a special generator. Neutrons are slowed down, irradiate the reagent, and there is radiation capture of neutrons by the reagent nuclei. Slow neutrons freely pass through the Coulomb barrier, without requiring a change in the energy state or force acting on the Coulomb barrier. Then the neutrons captured by the nucleus are partially converted into protons with the emission of high-energy electrons, merge with the original nucleus and form a new beryllium-8 nucleus, which immediately decays into two alpha particles.

Check the validity of the result.

In accordance with the law of conservation of energy, the released energy as a result of an exothermic nuclear reaction must correspond to an increase in the binding energy of the nucleus.

It is known that the binding energy of the lithium-7 nucleus is 39.57 MeV.

The beryllium-8 binding energy is 56.86 MeV.

Hence, E _CB = 56.86-39.57 = 17.29 MeV. The binding energy has changed by 17.29 MeV. Here, 0.1 MeV corresponds to the expansion energy of alpha particles.

Thus, the obtained results correspond to the calculated ones.

Functionally, the operation of the reactor consists in the fact that the plates of the initial reagent are irradiated with a stream of slow neutrons emitted by the neutron generator. Before reacting, the neutrons formed by the generator pass through the moderator, where the neutron flux slows down to the required energy, corresponding to the maximum cross section of radiation capture of neutrons in a nuclear reactor, by the nucleus of the initial reagent.

Under the influence of radiation capture of neutrons in a nuclear reactor, low-temperature nuclear fusion and energy release occurs due to an increase in the binding energy between the nucleons of the target. During the reaction of low-temperature nuclear fusion, neutrons are consumed, but new generations of neutrons are not born, as is the case with the fission of heavy atomic nuclei in the reactors of modern nuclear power plants. Neutrons are forced to deliver using a special generator. One of the possible ways to obtain a sufficiently powerful neutron flux, without resorting to the use of fissile materials using heavy nuclei, is to convert the proton flux into neutrons using an accelerator, which requires an energy expenditure of 2 MeV to produce one neutron. To do this, use a proton accelerator using cyclotrons (Figure 5).

To implement the proton accelerator in this way, many protons are obtained by heating hydrogen gas to a temperature at which the hydrogen nuclei, i.e. individual protons are freed from their electron shell. Since all protons are positively charged, the electric field will accelerate them in a straight line while the magnetic field bends the paths of the protons, turning them into circles.

By combining the electric and magnetic fields, it is possible to accelerate protons moving in a circle to the required energy and direct them in the right direction (for example, from the output of the proton to neutron conversion unit, unreacted protons can be returned to the proton accelerator input, accelerate them to the required energy and repeat reactions repeatedly, increasing the neutron yield). When the protons acquire sufficient energy (2.5 meV), they are sent to the target, which can be played by a plate of lithium-7, boron-11, etc. The reaction (p, n) is that the protons and neutrons change places. Reaction examples:

₃ Li ⁷ (p, n) ₄ Be ⁷ ; ₅ B ¹¹ (p, n) ₆ C ¹¹ et al.

To increase the yield of the reaction, a feedback circuit is used (Figure 4). Protons that did not react in the first cycle and lost some of the kinetic energy to excitation of the electron shell of the nuclei are isolated from the block for converting protons into neutrons under the influence of electric and magnetic fields and are sent back to the accelerator input, where they are accelerated to the required energy and sent back to the block conversion to neutrons. So repeat many times, which increases the yield of the reaction (see figure 4)

CYCLOTRON (Figure 5)

A significant part of the cyclotron is two hollow metal boxes called duants. Duants are slightly apart in diameter from each other and are connected to an RF generator operating at a frequency of approximately 10 ⁶ Hz.

Duants are placed in an evacuated vacuum space between the poles of a powerful magnet, which creates a magnetic field with induction up to several tesla. The charged particle flies out from the proton source (1) and is directed to the center between the dees at a speed of V _o . The magnetic field acts on the particle with force

Applying Newton’s second law, we obtain

where m is the mass of the particle.

Therefore, the particle moves in a semicircle of radius z _o

The trajectory of the particle inside the duants forms a certain untwisting spiral. Acceleration continues to a certain maximum radius.

After this, the particle is removed from the cyclotron with an energy that is equivalent to the energy obtained by passing the potential difference, much larger than that created by the radio-frequency generator during a single acceleration of the particle. The particle revolution frequency in the cyclotron is:

Максимальная кинетическая энергия частицы, когда она покидает циклотрон, равна:It does not depend on the radius r and the velocity

The maximum kinetic energy of a particle when it leaves the cyclotron is:

NUCLEAR REACTOR OF LOW-TEMPERATURE NUCLEAR SYNTHESIS.

From the output of the block for converting protons into neutrons, neutrons through a thin membrane separating them from protons enter the region of the reactor where the reagent is located and where low-temperature synthesis takes place.

To reduce the overhead of neutrons, the reactor core is limited by neutron reflectors 8 (Fig.2), which are used as graphite plates and graphite coating. The energy produced by the unit of low-temperature nuclear synthesis of energy produced by modern nuclear power plants is 400-700 times.

The cooling of the reactor and heat transfer is carried out according to the dual-circuit scheme (figure 3). This further ensures that no radioactivity is released into the environment. In the first circuit, distilled water is used, which is driven through tubes 3 (FIG. 2) using pumps 18 (FIG. 3), cools the reagent and neutron reflector. Heated to a temperature of 280 ° C, distilled water at 10 MPa enters the heat exchanger 17 (figure 3), where it gives off heat to the secondary circuit.

In the second circuit, the water is heated in a heat exchanger to a temperature of 260-270 ° C under a pressure of 1.25 MPa and evaporates. Steam passes through the turbine nozzles, driving the compressor drive. The exhaust steam condenses and returns to the second heat exchanger circuit.

The compressor compresses and heats the air stream, which creates traction.

LITERATURE:

1. Magazine ”Aviation and Cosmonautics".

2. V. Ilyin, M. Levin. Modern aviation. Fighters. M., 1996.

3. Melkumov TM and other rocket engines.

4. Barrer and other rocket engines. Oborongiz, 1962, p.29.

5. W. Corlis. "Rocket engines for space flights". M: Publishing house of literature., 1962.

6. P.E. Kolpakov. Fundamentals of nuclear physics. M., 1969.

7. Evsyukov G.A. Patent No. 2128374.

8. Evsyukov G.A. Patent No. 2133730.

9. Evsyukov G.A. Patent No. 2276286.

10. US patent No. 3547380, 1970

LIST OF FIGURES, DRAWINGS AND OTHER MATERIALS

Figure 1 Scheme of the aircraft.

Figure 2 Nuclear reactor.

1) Plates of the starting reagent,

2) neutron moderator,

3) tubes through which the coolant circulates,

4) the output of the neutron generator,

5) control rods,

6) elements of a neutron generator,

7) reactor vessel,

8) neutron reflector.

Figure 3 diagram of the coolant.

16) Nuclear Reactor

17) heat exchanger

18) circulation pumps

19) turbine

20) capacitor

21) intake pump

Figure 4 Scheme of the proton to neutron converter.

31) proton accelerator,

32) scheme for converting protons to neutrons,

33) proton extraction scheme,

34) feedback scheme.

Figure 5 Scheme of the cyclotron neutron generator.

51) capacity with hydrogen,

52) heater

53) the path of movement of low-energy hydrogen,

54, 55) a scheme for separating electrons from hydrogen nuclei in an electric field,

56) cyclotron,

57) duants,

58) radio frequency generator,

59) the target of the proton to neutron converter,

60) proton reflector.

6 is a diagram of a heat exchanger.

Fig. 7 Turbine diagram.

a) Steam turbine design;

b) The location of the guide vanes (a) and rotor blades (b), mounted on the turbine shaft.

INFORMATION CONFIRMING THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT WITH A NUCLEAR ENGINE.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANE DESIGN.

An unmanned aircraft with a nuclear engine, designed to carry out reconnaissance and sabotage missions behind enemy lines, including a fuselage made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme with a high wing, two-keel vertical tail and an all-turning stabilizer with differential control; three-spar wing, flaps and ailerons are installed at the trailing edge, an aerodynamic ridge on each console; the tricycle landing gear, the main struts are retracted into the fuselage, have one large-diameter wheel, providing patency on unpaved airfields; the power plant consists of a nuclear reactor of low temperature nuclear fusion, a neutron generator, a compressor; nuclear energy is produced by the reagent’s capture of slow neutrons produced by a neutron generator and the conversion of part of the excess neutrons into protons, followed by their connection with the reagent nuclei, this provides an increase in the binding energy of the target nuclei, which is used as the lithium-7 isotope.

A nuclear engine consists of the following structural units:

1) Nuclear reactor (Figure 2)

2) Schemes for the conversion of protons into neutrons (Figs. 4, 5).

In the initial state, all constituent components are non-radioactive, stable and harmless substances that do not pose a danger to maintenance personnel and the environment.

PRINCIPLE OF ACTION OF THE ENGINE.

To start the engine, you must:

1. Turn on the power supply of the electromagnets of the accelerating cyclotrons (Figure 5).

2. Turn on the power of the RF generator 58 (Figure 5).

3. Turn on the power to the hydrogen heater 52 (Figure 5).

4. Turn on the hydrogen supply to the proton acceleration unit 31 (Figure 4).

The flow of hydrogen is heated to a temperature at which protons separate from the electron shell and accelerate under the influence of an electric field. The magnetic field causes the charged particles to move in a spiral. In this case, the particle energy increases with each revolution. Upon reaching an energy of particles of the order of 2.5 MeV, the charged particles are directed to the target 59 (Figure 5), converting protons into neutrons. The reaction (p, n) consists in the fact that protons and neutrons seem to change places. Examples of such reactions:

₃ Li ⁷ (p, n) ₄ Be ⁷ ; ₅ B ¹¹ (p, n) ₆ C ¹¹ et al.

To increase the yield of reactions, a feedback circuit is used (Figure 4). Protons that did not react in the first cycle and lost some of the ergia to the excitation of the electron shell of nuclei having kinetic energy below the reaction threshold level (p, n) are emitted by the proton 3 emission circuit (Fig. 4) and returned to the input by the action of electric and magnetic fields proton acceleration unit for a repeated reaction cycle (p, n), thereby increasing the yield of the reaction. The neutron flux generated in the block converting protons into neutrons enters the reactor core to a low-temperature nuclear fusion reagent. In the active zone of a nuclear reactor (Fig. 2), incoming neutrons are slowed down by a neutron moderator 2 (Fig. 2), which is used as graphite, and radiation capture by reagent 1 (Fig. 2) of slow neutrons occurs. In the nuclei of a reagent irradiated with slow neutrons, a nuclear reaction occurs

as a result of which two positively charged alpha particles and an energy of 17.2 MeV and a stream of β-particles and γ-radiation are released, which transfer thermal energy with the help of a coolant (Fig. 3) to a turbine and compressor for heating and compressing the atmospheric air captured by the intake , which creates the traction of the engine in the nozzles.

To regulate the thrust of the engine, it is necessary to change the flow of hydrogen entering the block converting protons into neutrons, the greater the intensity of the flow of neutrons entering the nuclear reactor, the greater the thrust of the engine.

To turn off the engine:

1. Switch the hydrogen supply to the proton to neutron conversion circuit.

In this case, the nuclear reaction of low-temperature nuclear fusion will immediately cease.

2. Turn off the power to the hydrogen heater.

3. Turn off the power to the RF generator.

4. Turn off the power to the electromagnets of the accelerating cyclotrons.

EMERGENCY MODE.

Monitoring and control of engine power is carried out using an automatic system that maintains normal hydrogen consumption at a given level. In the event of a failure of the monitoring and control equipment and the occurrence of a threatening situation, emergency hydrogen shutdown means are used. This will stop nuclear reactions.

COMPARISON WITH ANALOGUE

Existing aircraft analogues are significantly inferior to a nuclear engine using low-temperature nuclear fusion.

Its advantages are:

1. High calorific value of the combustible material (target) - lithium-7, a million times higher than the calorific value of chemical fuels.

2. The starting materials and products of nuclear reactions are non-radioactive, not hazardous and harmless, do not produce radioactive waste in the process, and in the event of an accident they do not pollute the surrounding area with radioactive waste.

3. The cost of fuel is hundreds of times cheaper than the cost of fissile materials for currently used nuclear reactors.

4. Stocks of raw materials for nuclear reactions are practically unlimited, etc.

Claims (1)

An unmanned aircraft with a nuclear engine, made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme and comprising a fuselage, a highly located three-spar wing, a two-keel vertical tail unit and an all-turning stabilizer with differential control; flaps, ailerons, and an aerodynamic ridge are installed on the trailing edge of each wing console; the tricycle landing gear, the main struts are retractable into the fuselage and have one large-diameter wheel, and a nuclear engine made in the form of a power plant consisting of a low-temperature nuclear fusion nuclear reactor made with a neutron generator for the lithium-7 isotope as a reagent and generating steam for a turbine that is connected to a compressor in which air is compressed and heated for nozzles, where traction is generated.

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