RU2520856C2 - Facility for moving in outer space - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to jet-propelled moving facilities, predominantly in free outer space. Proposed moving facility contains body (1), payload (2), control system and at least one ring system of superconductive focusing-deflecting magnets (3). Each magnet (3) is attached to body (1) by load-bearing element (4). It is preferable to use two described ring systems located in parallel planes ("one above the other"). Each ring system is designed for long-term storage of highest-energy electrically charged particle flux (5) (relativistic proton flux) circulating in this system. Fluxes in ring systems are mutually antithetical and are inserted in these systems before flight (on launch orbit). To output of one of the magnets (3) of "upper" ring system a device (6) for part of flux (7) extraction to outer space is attached. Similarly, part of flux (9) is extracted via device (8) of one of the magnets of "lower" ring system. Fluxes (7) and (9) create jet propulsion. Devices (6) and (8) can be made in the form of deflecting magnetic system, neutraliser of flux electric charge and undulator.

EFFECT: higher energy-conversion efficiency of working medium creating thrust.

4 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The proposed technical solution relates to astronautics, and in particular to means designed to move in free space.

A technical solution is known for moving payloads in free space, including a body, a payload block, tanks (containers) for thermonuclear fuel, radiation screens, a superconducting magnet (acting as a “magnetic mirror”), a laser for initiation thermonuclear microexplosions (in the inertial confinement mode) in the zone of action of the magnetic field of the superconducting magnet and emitters (in the zone of fusion of the fusion reaction with the laser beam) of the microcapsules of the mixture Nuclear Fuel: See VISTA Project Report - “VISTA-A Vehicle for Interplanetary Space Transport Application Powered by Inertial Confinement Fusion”, written by C. D. Orth, May 16, 2003, LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY, University of California · Livermore, California 94551-0808, Original Manuscript Number: UCRL-LR-110500. (See also the publication in Russian (about this, in particular, development) “Rocket engine based on inertial laser synthesis”, available (laid out) on 16_LFR.html /).

The disadvantages of the analogue are the low (20-30 percent) efficiency of using thermonuclear fuel, the low specific thrust impulse and the small achievable characteristic speeds.

Closest to the claimed technical solution is a means for moving payloads in free space, which includes a housing, payload blocks, storage media of at least two different compositions, a toroidal superconducting electromagnet (acting as a “magnetic mirror”), constituting integral with the body, electromagnetic accelerators for the emission of accelerated ions of the working fluid of different compositions, located at equal distances from each other along external surface of a toroidal superconducting electromagnet, whose axes are oriented to a point spaced from the center of the electromagnet at a distance equal to 0.5-3 its diameters, and located on the axis of the toroidal superconducting electromagnet, see the book “Hypotheses. Forecasts ”(international yearbook), issue 24, Moscow, Znanie publishing house, 1991, pp. 124-131.

The disadvantage of this tool for moving in free space is the low utilization of the working fluid, which is determined by the low probability of effective interaction of ions of the working fluid of different compositions at the point of intersection of the beams, due to the fact that they will have to enter into interaction reactions in open space (i.e. e. without the use of a special reaction chamber). As a result, this mover has a low efficiency, low efficiency and very significant (up to 30-70 percent) useless losses of the working fluid.

The aim of the proposed technical solution is to increase the efficiency of use of the working fluid that creates traction.

This goal is achieved as a result of the fact that the composition of the means for moving in outer space containing the body and the payload includes at least one superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system, each of which contains at least 12 superconducting magnets located at equal distances from each other along the annular perimeter of each of the systems, and in each of which a stream of high-energy electrically charged particles circulates, power elements connecting each to a superconducting magnet with a housing, and at least one - for each superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system - a device for converting the energy of high-energy electrically charged particles circulating in the rings into the energy of a jet stream, with each device for converting energy attached to the output bell of one of superconducting magnets.

A device for converting the energy of streams of high-energy electrically charged particles circulating in rings into jet jet energy can be made in the form of a magnet connected to a control system and, in accordance with control signals, carries out a part of the stream of particles circulating in the ring systems to the external space.

A device for converting the energy of flows of high-energy electrically charged particles circulating in rings into jet jet energy can be made in the form of an electric charge neutralizer (for example, by irradiating a beam with electrically charged particles of the opposite sign) of particles circulating in superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems, and connected communication channel with the control system.

A device for converting the energy of high-energy electrically charged particles circulating in the rings into the energy of a jet stream can be made in the form of a magnetic undulator and is connected by a communication channel to the control system.

Figure 1 and 2 shows the drawings of the proposed means for moving in outer space, and figure 1 shows its top view, and figure 2 is a side view.

The means for moving in outer space contains a housing 1, a payload 2 enclosed inside it, a complex of superconducting focusing-deflecting magnets (magnetic systems) 3, each of which is attached to the housing 1 with power (fastening) elements 4 of the same length radially extending from case 1. In this embodiment, the proposed object, each magnet 3 is attached to the case 1 by a separate power element 4. In total, the proposed tool for moving in outer space in the considered a particular embodiment of it comprises 24 superconducting focusing-deflecting magnets (magnetic systems) 3, which are combined into two, located parallel and on top of each other, separate superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems (in other words, in two separate storage rings), each of which contains 12 superconducting focusing-deflecting magnets (magnetic systems) 3. Each superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system is designed for long-term sweat number of beams (beams) of high-energy electrically charged particles, the trajectories of which are shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines 5. In one of the storage rings (in other words, in one of the superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems), we assume, conditionally, that in the top one is charged particles move (circulate) in a counterclockwise direction, and in the second (conditionally, lower) - clockwise. A device 6 is attached to the output bell of one of the magnets 3 of the upper superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system (upper storage ring) to remove part of the flow of charged particles circulating in this ring into outer space. The stream 7 of particles removed from this (upper) ring freely and rectilinearly goes into outer space. A device 8 is attached to the output socket of a magnet related to the lower superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system (to the lower storage ring) and diametrically opposite to the device 6, for removing part of the stream of charged particles circulating in the lower ring to outer space. The stream 9 of particles removed from the lower ring freely and linearly goes into outer space. Obviously, both streams (stream 7 and stream 9) propagate in the same direction. It should be especially noted that the device 8 shown (visible) in FIG. 1 does not belong to the upper one (like device 6), but to the lower storage ring (this is an obvious feature of the top view). Devices 6 and 8 are designed to convert the energy of charged particles circulating in the storage rings into the energy of jet jets 7 and 9.

Devices 6 and 8 can be made in the form of a magnetic system introduced into the external boundary (peripheral) region of the cross sections of flows (beams).

Devices 6 and 8 can be made in the form of converters of electric charges of particles, for example in the form of electron emitters.

Devices 6 and 8 can be made in the form of magnetic undulators.

Consider the workflow carried out in the proposed facility, which allows to achieve the main purpose of this technical solution (to ensure the possibility of its movement with high speeds in free space), and the stated purpose.

First of all, it should be noted that the proposed technical solution does not contain any devices for accelerating charged particles to the required energies.

Bringing the used charged particles circulating in the storage rings to the required values of their energies is carried out outside the declared means even when it is prepared for flight in near-Earth or near-solar orbit in conjunction with an accelerator complex, which will accelerate electrically charged particles in the required amount to the required energy.

In preparation for flight, both the specified accelerator complex and the proposed object are combined in such a way that accelerator modules (elements) of the accelerator complex are located in the gaps between the superconducting focusing-deflecting magnets (3) of the latter. Then they include all their systems (and the proposed means for moving in outer space, and the accelerator complex) and accelerate the required number of charged particles to the necessary (selected in advance depending on the purpose of the upcoming flight) energy. The main feature of such a combination will be a clear separation of functions: an accelerator complex containing only elements for accelerating charged particles will only accelerate them, and the proposed tool containing only superconducting focus-deflecting magnets of ring systems (if there are several of them - systems) will be only deflect the beams (flows) of charged particles. After accelerating a predetermined number of charged particles in all rings to the required energy, all the components of the accelerator complex are removed from the location of the proposed means for moving in outer space. After completion of the indicated tap, the proposed object is orientated as necessary in space, and then devices 6 and 8 are turned on. As a result of their work, jets (flows) of matter 7 and 9 begin to flow out of the storage rings. These jets create reactive thrust, which ensures the very possibility of moving the claimed means in free space.

The necessity (expediency) of using in this embodiment of the claimed object two ring-shaped superconducting focusing-deflecting systems (storage rings) is determined by the need to compensate for spurious rotating (twisting) mechanical moments from the off-center outflow of flows 7 and 9.

High-energy electrically charged particles circulating in superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems act as a working fluid.

The proposed means for moving in outer space does not perform any accelerating functions. It performs only the role of a storage device and a keeper of the kinetic energy of accelerated particles. In fact, the proposed tool for moving in outer space is a kind of super-flywheel - but with magnetic retention of matter dispersed to almost light speeds.

As charged particles in the claimed tool can be used protons, nuclei of any stable or long-lived atoms (and their isotopes), ionized atoms and molecules, and electrically charged micro-particles of matter.

When using magnetic undulators 6 and 8 as devices, the energy of the flows (beams) of charged particles circulating in the storage rings will be converted to electromagnetic synchrotron radiation. In this case, the proposed means for moving in outer space will become, in fact, a photon starship.

By adjusting the second flow rate of the beams extracted from the superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems (from the storage rings), or by changing the generation intensity in the undulators of synchrotron radiation, it is possible to change the thrust developed by the proposed means for moving in outer space within the necessary limits.

To achieve high efficiency of the claimed means for moving in outer space (the very possibility of using it as a means of moving in space), it is necessary that the energy of charged particles in terms of one nucleon is equal to 10 ¹⁵ -10 ¹⁸ eV (electron-volt); the total initial (before the start) rest mass of charged particles circulating in the rings (storage rings) was not less than 1-100 grams; the total starting mass of the entire structure (which, of course, will not change during the flight) of the declared object was approximately 10 ⁴ -10 ⁸ tons (depending on the tasks assigned to each specific implementation option of the proposed object). The radius of the superconducting focusing-deflecting systems (storage rings) should be selected (determined) based on the following:

1) the need to reduce the emitted spurious synchrotron radiation to a value that leads to a decrease in the energy of the particles circulating in the storage rings by no more than one to five percent of their initial (starting) energy in one year;

2) highly effective deflection of charged particles at a given (maximum achieved) magnetic field strength in superconducting magnetic systems of focusing-deflecting elements of the storage rings;

3) the mechanical strength characteristics of the power elements fastening these magnets with the body of the proposed object.

The parameters of charged particle beams currently achieved at the most modern accelerators are as follows:

1. Received proton beams with energies up to the order of 10 ¹³ eV = 10 TeV (European LHC accelerator) with luminosity, which is planned to be brought up to 5 ּ 10 ³⁴ cm ^-2 ּ s ^-1 .

2. The total resting mass of all particles circulating in the accelerator ring is up to about 10 ^-12 -10 ^-14 grams.

To achieve the parameters necessary for creating flight samples of the proposed means for moving in outer space, it is necessary to increase the beam energy by 10 ² -10 ⁵ times, and the total initial rest mass of all particles circulating in the storage rings by 10 ¹² -10 ¹⁵ times (up to values equal to 1-100 grams).

There are practical possibilities for a substantial (radical!) Increase in the achieved parameters mentioned above - see, for example, the article “High Energy Particle Colliders: the Past 20 Years, the Next 20 Years, and the Distant Future” in issue 10 of the journal Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 2012, pp. 1042-1046. For example, protons in crystalline accelerators using x-ray lasers to accelerate the energy of accelerated particles over a 10-kilometer stretch can be accelerated to 10 ³ -10 ⁵ TeV (i.e., 10 ¹⁵ -10 ¹⁷ eV), and their maximum energy can be brought to 10 ⁶ TeV = 10 ¹⁸ eV.

будет равна скорости света (с).It is obvious that the velocity of the expiration of the working fluid (part of the beam or the produced mass-equivalent flow especially for producing traction of the generated synchrotron radiation) with a second flow rate $$\dot{m}$$

will be equal to the speed of light (s).

The traction developed at the same time $$F=\dot{m}\cdot c.$$

To calculate the characteristic velocity (V _x ), which can be achieved using the proposed means for moving in outer space, it is necessary to use a variant of the Tsiolkovsky formula written for relativistic rockets. Using the formula (38.15) in the section “Photonic rockets” in the book “Mechanics and Theory of Relativity” (author A. Matveev; Higher School Publishing House; Moscow; 1986; p. 217) and solving it with respect to speed (v = v _x ), we obtain

$$V_x=c\frac{\mathrm{one}-{\left(\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}\right)}^2}{\mathrm{one}+{\left(\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}\right)}^2},\left(\mathrm{one}\right)$$

where c is the speed of light; M _K is the mass of the structure (including the mass of the payload, body, magnets of the focusing-deflecting systems (FOS), power elements of the fastening of the FOS and devices for emitting a jet stream); M _PNO - total initial (starting) rest mass of the beam; γ - relativistic factor of each particle in the beam

$$\gamma =\frac{E_p}{E_O}=\frac{E_p}{c^2{m}_0},\left(2\right)$$

where (in turn) E _p is the relativistic energy of each charged particle in the beam; E _about - her rest energy; m ₀ is its rest mass. By entering the notation

$$K=\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}},\left(3\right)$$

can write

$$v_x=c\frac{\mathrm{one}-K^2}{\mathrm{one}+K^2}=c\left(\frac{2}{\mathrm{one}+K^2}-\mathrm{one}\right).\left(\mathrm{four}\right)$$

Or

$$v_x=\mathrm{from}\left(\mathrm{one}-\frac{2M_{\mathrm{TO}}^2}{2M_{\mathrm{TO}}^2+2\gamma M_{\mathrm{TO}}{M}_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}+{\gamma }^2{M}_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}^2}\right).\left(5\right)$$

An important indicator (parameter) of the effectiveness of the claimed object is the relativistic coefficient γ _{sv of} deceleration of the flow of intrinsic time inside it when the speed v _x

$$\begin{array}{l}{\gamma }_{s\mathrm{at}}=\frac{\mathrm{one}}{\sqrt{\mathrm{one}-v_x^2/c^2}}=\frac{\mathrm{one}}{\sqrt{\mathrm{one}-{\left(c\left(\frac{2}{\mathrm{one}+K^2}-\mathrm{one}\right)\right)}^2/c^2}}=\\ =\frac{\mathrm{one}+K^2}{2K}=\frac{\mathrm{one}+{\left(\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}\right)}^2}{2\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}}=\\ =\frac{\mathrm{one}}{2}\left(\mathrm{one}+\frac{\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}{M_{\mathrm{TO}}}+\frac{M_K}{M_K+\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}}\right)=\\ =\mathrm{one}+\frac{{\gamma }^2{M}_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}^2}{2\gamma M_{PN\mathrm{ABOUT}}{M}_{\mathrm{TO}}+2M_{\mathrm{TO}}^2}\left(6\right)\end{array}$$

Based on the foregoing, we consider several specific options for the implementation of the proposed means for moving in outer space.

1. The mass M _K is equal to 10 ⁴ tons; the initial total resting mass of the beam (s) M _PNO is 1 gram; particles circulating in the rings are protons; the relativistic factor of the beam (γ) is 10 ⁷ .

The characteristic speed (v _x ) will be equal in this case to 299.85 kilometers per second, which is quite enough to conduct research within the entire space around the sun and even to make (without "refueling") several flights to different "corners" of the solar system.

2. Mass M _K is equal to 10 ⁶ tons; the initial rest mass of the beam (s) M _PNO is equal to 100 grams; particles circulating in the rings are protons; the relativistic factor of the beam (γ) is 10 ⁹ .

The characteristic velocity (v _x ) will be equal in this case to 28506.787 kilometers per second, which is quite enough to conduct space research in a radius of about 1-10 thousand astronomical units from the Sun.

3. The mass M _K is equal to 10 ⁷ tons; the initial rest mass of the beam (s) M _PNO is 10 kilograms; particles circulating in the rings are protons; the relativistic factor of the beam (γ) is 10 ⁹ .

In this case, the characteristic speed (v _x ) will be equal to 180 thousand kilometers per second, and the time dilation factor γ _sv is 1.25, which is quite enough to conduct studies of stellar systems located at distances up to 20-30 light years from the Sun.

4. Mass M _K is equal to 10 ⁷ tons; the initial rest mass of the beam (s) M _PNO is equal to 100 kilograms; particles circulating in the rings are protons; the relativistic factor of the beam (γ) is 109.

The characteristic speed (v _x ) will be equal in this case to 295081.9672 kilometers per second, and the time dilation factor γ _sv is equal to 5.5454, which is quite enough to conduct studies of stellar systems located at distances up to 200-300 light years from the Sun .

5. The mass M _K is equal to 10 ⁸ tons; the initial rest mass of the beam (s) M _PNO is equal to 1000 kilograms; particles circulating in the rings are protons; the relativistic factor of the beam (y) is 10 ⁹ .

The characteristic speed (v _x ) will be equal in this case to 295081.9672 kilometers per second, and the time dilation factor γ _sv is equal to 5.5454, which is quite enough to conduct studies of stellar systems located at distances up to 200-300 light years from the Sun . The payload masses in all cases considered will be equal to 5-15 percent of the total mass of the structure M _K , that is, from several hundred tons in the first of the above options for the implementation of the proposed facility, up to about 10 million tons in the fifth of options considered. Obviously, the vast majority of the total mass of the whole structure M _K will be the mass of the focusing-deflecting system. The degree of its perfection determines all the main characteristics of the proposed technical solution considered above.

To estimate the magnitude of energy losses from spurious synchrotron radiation that occurs not in devices 6 and 8, but in superconducting focusing-deflecting magnets 3, one should use formula (17.8) given in the book “Synchrotron radiation and its application” (authors I.M. Ternov et al .; Publishing House of Moscow State University; 1985; p. 203)

$$dE=\frac{\mathrm{four}\cdot \pi \cdot e^2}{3\cdot R}\cdot {\left(\frac{E}{c_2/m_0}\right)}^{\mathrm{four}}=\frac{\mathrm{four}\cdot \pi \cdot e^2}{3\cdot R}\cdot {\gamma }^{\mathrm{four}}\left(7\right)$$

where: dE is the energy loss of a particle in the form of synchrotron radiation per revolution; e is the electric charge of the particle; R is the radius of the storage ring (in meters); E is the energy of the particle; m ₀ - rest mass of a particle; c is the speed of light; γ is the relativistic factor of the beam.

For ease of use, this formula should be presented in a form that allows you to calculate the indicated losses for one year (dЕ _year )

$$\begin{array}{l}d{E}_{g\mathrm{about}d}=\frac{\mathrm{four}\cdot \pi \cdot e^2}{3\cdot R}\cdot {\gamma }^{\mathrm{four}}\cdot 3600\cdot 24\cdot 365/\left(\frac{2\pi R}{c}\right)=\\ =\frac{21024000c{e}^2{\gamma }^{\mathrm{four}}}{R^2}\left(8\right)\end{array}$$

So, with R = 100 kilometers = 10 ⁵ meters; E = eV October ¹⁸ (γ = 10 ^9), and when used as a "working fluid" protons dE value _year = 16146.4 keV, which is many orders of magnitude less than E.

A fundamentally important difference between the proposed technical solution and the prototype is the introduction of ring FOS with high-energy charged particles circulating inside them and devices for controlled (controlled) removal (to create traction) in the process of acceleration or braking of either part of the beam itself or a specially generated “motor "Synchrotron radiation. This, in combination, makes it possible to implement a highly efficient propulsion device, which allows achieving even near-light speeds (relativistic, approaching the speed of light) and ensuring the achievement of the stated goal - increasing the efficiency of using a working fluid that creates traction, which becomes almost 100 percent.

The proposed set of essential features makes it possible to ensure the implementation of the following qualitatively important properties and characteristics: achieving high (in principle, almost one hundred percent) efficiency in the use of a working fluid (in this case, charged particle beams); achievement of relativistic speeds; achievement of the maximum possible (that is, the limit, theoretically possible) specific impulse of thrust; the ability to move to selected destinations significant masses of payloads, reaching, in principle, tens and hundreds of thousands of tons (by weight).

An important advantage of the proposed technical solution in comparison with the prototype is the fact that there will be practically no dangerous effect from the high-energy charged particles circulating in the storage rings on the objects located inside the rings (where all the components of the payload should be placed).

Claims (4)

1. Means for moving in outer space, comprising a housing, a control system and a payload, characterized in that it includes at least one superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system, each of which contains at least 12 superconducting magnets located at equal distances from each other along the annular perimeter of each of these systems, in each of which a stream of high-energy electrically charged particles circulates, power elements connecting to each superconducting magnet with a housing, and at least one device for converting the energy of high-energy electrically charged particles circulating in the rings to the energy of the jet stream for at least one superconducting ring focusing-deflecting system, and each said energy converting device is attached to the output bell of one of superconducting magnets. 2. The means for moving in outer space according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the devices for converting the energy of streams of charged particles into energy of a jet stream is made in the form of a magnet connected to a control system and, in accordance with control signals, carries out a part of the circulating stream in ring systems of particles into outer space. 3. The means for moving in outer space according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the devices for converting the energy of the flows of charged particles into energy of a jet stream is made in the form of a neutralizer of electric charges of particles circulating in superconducting ring focusing-deflecting systems, and is connected by a channel communication with the control system. 4. The means for moving in outer space according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the devices for converting the energy of the flows of charged particles into the energy of a jet stream is made in the form of a magnetic undulator and is connected by a communication channel to the control system.

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