RU2521621C2 - Method of increasing intensity of exothermic nuclear fusion reaction with nuclei of hydrogen isotopes in metal body and apparatus for realising said method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics, atomic power.

SUBSTANCE: present group of inventions relates to means of studying nuclear fusion reactions involving nuclei of hydrogen isotopes. The invention involves forming a metallic crystalline body (MCB) via condensation of metal vapour and embedding atoms of hydrogen isotopes into the MCB so that at least some of the atoms with hydrogen nuclei are at the shortest possible distance from each other. Atoms of hydrogen isotopes are embedded simultaneously to form the MCB itself by condensation of metal vapour in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and by fusion of metal microcrystals obtained via condensation of metal vapour in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and annealing in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes. The disclosed apparatus comprises the following units, connected by gas pipes with valves: a source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes; a reactor capable of evaporating metal and condensing metal vapour into a MCB in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes; a means of controlling pressure of the gaseous medium in the source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and in the reactor; means of monitoring pressure of said gaseous medium; and means of detecting products of nuclear reactions.

EFFECT: creating conditions for increasing intensity of nuclear reactions.

15 cl, 10 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to nuclear physics and can be used to generate energy and conduct research on the implementation of controlled nuclear fusion in a solid with the participation of nuclei of hydrogen isotopes.

BACKGROUND

Controlled nuclear fusion with the participation of hydrogen isotopes is promising for energy in a cheap, environmentally friendly way with practically inexhaustible resources [1].

The synthesis of atomic nuclei - the fusion of nuclei with the formation of a composite nucleus occurs when the nuclei come closer to a distance of the order of 10 ^-12 ÷ 10 ^-13 cm, for which the nuclei must overcome the Coulomb barrier that prevents them from converging, caused by electrostatic repulsion of nuclei [2].

An effective way to overcome the Coulomb barrier by nuclei is to collide nuclei previously accelerated to an energy greater than the Coulomb barrier height. This method is implemented in nuclear fusion devices during the interaction of nuclei previously accelerated in an accelerator, and in fusion facilities [1], where the kinetic energy of the colliding nuclei sufficiently large for the nuclear fusion reaction is provided by the high temperature of the reactants.

Controlled thermonuclear fusion has been intensively developed since the 1950s, but due to the technical complexity of implementation, it has not yet received commercial use, and the question of using nuclear fusion as a controlled energy source remains open. It is significant that thermonuclear fusion requires bulky installations for its implementation.

In 1989, Fleishman [3] and Jones [4] reported on the possibility of low-temperature nuclear fusion in a solid. These reports have attracted widespread attention since, upon successful implementation, low-temperature nuclear fusion compares favorably with thermonuclear fusion by its technical simplicity and the ability to create small-sized power units. And although the well-known works did not give unambiguous confirmation of the possibility of low-temperature nuclear fusion and the more so it did not receive commercial implementation, for nuclear energy, low-temperature nuclear fusion remains an attractive target.

In principle, low-temperature nuclear fusion, in which the kinetic energy of colliding atomic nuclei is less than the height of the Coulomb barrier, is possible due to the quantum tunneling effect. For the same height of the Coulomb barrier, the probability of such tunneling increases with decreasing mass of nuclei and with decreasing width of the Coulomb barrier [5]. The known processes of nuclear fusion due to the tunnel effect, occurring naturally in nature, are of very low intensity and are of no practical interest. So, the probability of a nuclear fusion reaction per unit time in a D ₂ - deuterium molecule is estimated as P _D2 ~ 10 ^-64 s ^-1 , in a HD deuterium hydrogen molecule P _HD2 ~ 10 ^-55 s ^-1 _[6].

The probability of a nuclear fusion reaction in hydrogen isotope molecules due to the tunnel effect can be increased by changing the structure of the molecules. This method is implemented in muon catalysis, when one of the electrons is replaced by a muon in the molecules of hydrogen isotopes [7]. In such a mesomolecule, the distance between the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes becomes much smaller than in ordinary hydrogen isotope molecules. Accordingly, the width of the Coulomb barrier, which hinders nuclear fusion, also becomes smaller. Like controlled thermonuclear fusion, muon catalysis, due to technical problems, has not yet been commercialized and remains only the subject of scientific research.

Another way to increase the intensity of the exothermic reaction of nuclear fusion due to the tunnel effect is to use the phenomenon of attenuation in the process of formation of a metallic crystalline body of the Coulomb interaction between charged particles that appear inside such a metallic crystalline matrix.

Thus, there is a known method for changing the intensity (probability per unit time) of low energy electromagnetic transitions between the levels of an atomic nucleus during the formation of a crystalline metal matrix containing excited atomic nuclei. This method was first proposed and experimentally confirmed in [8] by the example of the decay of the isomeric state of energy 76 eV in ^235m U nuclei embedded in a silver metal matrix during its formation.

The decay of the isomeric state of ²³⁵ U nuclei occurs through internal electron conversion, in which, due to electromagnetic interaction between the nucleons of the excited nucleus and atomic electrons, the nuclear excitation energy is transferred to the atomic electron shell, as a result of which electrons of energy equal to several tens of eV are emitted from the atomic shell of uranium. The probability of such a conversion transition is determined by the intensity of the electromagnetic interaction causing the transition [9]. A change in the probability of an isomeric transition means a change in the intensity of the electromagnetic interaction between the atomic nucleus and atomic electrons, for example, due to a change in the distance between the nucleus and electrons in a different chemical environment or due to a change in the state of conversion electrons, for example, due to their scattering by matrix atoms.

For ^235m U atoms with isomeric nuclei on the metal surface or in the surface layers of metals, from which the isomeric transition can be directly observed from the radiation of conversion electrons, the half-life of the isomeric state is approximately 26 minutes. It is experimentally known that, depending on the type of metal (gold, silver, copper and others), the half-life of ^235m U on the surface of metals or in their surface layers (at a depth of several tens of angstroms) varies within 5% [10]. The half-life variation of this magnitude is explained by the dependence of the probability of a conversion transition in ^235m U nuclei on the degree of deformation of the atomic shell of ^235m U nuclei in different atomic environments [11].

However, in [8], a slowdown of the ^235m U isomeric transition was found to be an order of magnitude — up to 230 minutes in samples obtained by condensation from a metal vapor of a silver film containing ^235m U isomeric nuclei and annealing of these samples. The strong change in the probability of the electromagnetic transition in the ^235m U nucleus found in [8] was subsequently confirmed in [12], which also showed that the magnitude of the effect depends on the microstructure of the sample and this strong effect takes place only for a relatively short time after the formation of a crystalline silver matrix with ^235m U isomeric nuclei. For the thickness of the silver matrix used in [8, 12] of the order of 0.1 μm, this time was about one hour.

A similar effect of decreasing the probability of an isomeric nuclear transition, but much smaller than that for the ^235m U isomeric nucleus, of the order of 0.1%, was observed in [13] during the formation of a crystalline metal matrix containing ^99m Tc isomeric nuclei for which the isomeric transition energy is equal to 2.17 keV. It was shown in [14] that the probability of a ^99m Tc nuclear isomeric transition decreases as the isomeric nucleus deepens into the metal matrix.

To effectively use the method proposed in [8] for changing the probability of electromagnetic transitions between the levels of the atomic nucleus in a crystalline metal matrix, it is necessary to know the reason for this effect. As theoretically shown in [15, 16], the large magnitude of the effect observed in [8] is not explained either by deformation of the atomic shell of the uranium in the silver matrix or by scattering of conversion electrons by the atoms of the matrix — this can be explained by a very different change in the microstructure of the silver matrix the change in the probability of an isomeric transition of the ^235m U nucleus in the matrix is no more than 50%. The impossibility of such an explanation of the effect observed in [8] also follows directly from the experiment, since the half-lives of the ^235m U isomer on the silver surface and in its surface layers differ by no more than 5%, while deformation in the surface layers of silver fully takes place atomic shells of uranium and scattering of conversion electrons from matrix atoms. At the same time, the decrease in the probability of the ²³⁵ U isomeric transition observed in the silver matrix observed in [8] can be explained by the weakening of the electromagnetic interaction between the electron shell and the isomeric core in the matrix due to the suppression of zero electromagnetic field oscillations inside the matrix (hereinafter referred to as “NKP”). The possibility of such an explanation for the decrease in the probability of a ²³⁵ U isomeric nuclear transition follows from the modern concept of the mechanism of electromagnetic interaction between particles as their interaction through NCP.

Zero vibrations of a physical system is a specific quantum effect. So, for any oscillator in the lower state in energy, its kinetic energy is not equal to zero - the oscillator experiences zero oscillations. The effect of zero vibrations is experimentally observed, for example, the inability to obtain solid helium is explained by the fact that the energy of zero vibrations of helium atoms is greater than the binding energy between them. The concept of zero-point vibrations also applies to electromagnetic-field vibrations - even when there are no photons that can be detected, the energy of the electromagnetic field is not equal to zero due to its zero-point vibrations. In free space, NKPs have a continuous spectrum of frequencies - from zero to infinity.

According to the perturbation theory of quantum electrodynamics, the electromagnetic interaction between particles is described as the interaction of particles with NCP [17]. That is, the electromagnetic interaction is induced by the NKP and the magnitude of the electromagnetic interaction is proportional to the intensity of the NKP. In resonant electromagnetic interaction, for example, when a photon of a certain frequency is emitted by atoms or atomic nuclei, the radiation intensity (the probability of radiation per unit time) is proportional to the NKP intensity at the same frequency. In the scattering of charged particles, in particular during their Coulomb interaction, the strength of the electromagnetic interaction is determined mainly by the LPC with a wavelength of the order of the distance between the particles. If in the region of space where the interacting particles are located, the LPC intensity decreases, then the electromagnetic interaction between these particles also weakens.

A decrease in the intensity of low-frequency NKP occurs, for example, inside the resonator — cavities with walls that reflect the electromagnetic waves well. In such a cavity, NKPs with a wavelength longer than the cavity diameter are suppressed [18], which can be explained, for example, by representing the formation of a cavity of a given size as compression of an infinitely large cavity. In this case, due to the Doppler effect, when the NKP is reflected from the approaching walls of the original resonator, the NKP frequency increases and the intensity of the low-frequency NKP inside the resonator becomes less than in free space. As a result, the emission of photons with a wavelength longer than the cavity diameter [19] is suppressed for excited atoms in the cavity.

A decrease in the intensity of low-frequency NCLs also takes place in a continuous condensed medium [20, 21], in particular in a crystalline body — the limiting case of a small cavity. This effect can be explained by representing the formation of a condensed medium as its condensation from discharged atoms. Due to the Doppler reflection of the NKP from the approaching atoms of the medium, the intensity of the low-frequency NKP inside the condensed medium becomes less than in free space.

The difference in the NKP intensity inside and outside the condensed medium decreases with a decrease in the coefficient of reflection of electromagnetic waves from the material of the medium, that is, decreases with increasing frequency of the NKP. In addition, as theoretically shown in [20, 21], this difference grows with increasing distance of the observation point of the NQF from the surface deep into the condensed medium. Such a Doppler mechanism of suppressing NKP in a condensed medium leads to a significant difference in the NKP spectrum with wavelengths longer than interatomic distances in the medium, since only for such electromagnetic waves does significant reflection from the medium material take place.

It was shown in [22] that the decrease in the LPC intensity by the Doppler mechanism during the formation of a silver matrix with nuclear isomers ^235m U at least qualitatively explains the decrease in the probability of the ²³⁵ U isomeric transition observed in [8, 12]. It was noted in [23] that a decrease in the LPC intensity deep into the crystalline metal matrix can explain the decrease in the probability of a ^99m Tc nuclear isomeric transition observed in [14] as the ^99m Tc isomeric nuclei ^deepen into the matrix.

Another mechanism for decreasing the NKP intensity in a metal crystal as compared to the NKP intensity in free space, which can also affect the intensity of isomeric transitions of atomic nuclei in a crystal, is caused by a change in the interaction of NKP with atomic electrons during the formation of a crystal from free metal atoms, in particular from metal vapor . For an atom in free space, the interaction of NKP with any one of the atomic electrons makes the following contribution to the total energy of the electron [24]:

$$W=\frac{e^2\hslash }{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="3"\; label="\pi \; m\; c"\; filenames="00000013.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\pi \; </figure-callout>}m{c}^{}{}^3}{\displaystyle \underset{E_{\mathrm{from}\mathrm{at}.}/\hslash }{\overset{{\omega }_{\max }}{\int }}\omega d\omega },\left(\mathrm{one}\right)$$

where ω is the frequency of the NKP interacting with the electron;

e is the electron charge;

m is the mass of the electron;

c is the speed of light;

ℏ - Planck's constant divided by 2¶;

E _sv. - binding energy of an electron in an atom;

ω _max - the maximum frequency of the NKP interacting with the electron, in order of magnitude equal to mc ² / ℏ.

The restriction of the integration region in formula (1) qualitatively corresponds to the fact that the electrons interact only with an NKP of energy ½ ℏω, sufficient for the virtual transfer of an electron to the region of its allowed states.

When a metal crystal is formed, instead of discrete levels with a low electron energy characteristic of a free atom, continuous zones of energy allowed for an electron appear. The smallest energy of free electronic states in the conduction band (Fermi level) is less than the binding energy of an electron in a free atom. That is, the binding energy of an atomic electron in a metal decreases by ΔE _sv. and those NKP modes that did not interact with this electron in a free atom begin to interact with an electron. As a result of this, when a crystal is formed from free atoms, the electron energy due to interaction with the NCP increases by ΔW

$$\Delta W=\frac{e^2\hslash }{\pi m{c}^3}{\displaystyle \underset{\left(E_{\mathrm{from}\mathrm{at}.}-\Delta E_{\mathrm{from}\mathrm{at}.}\right)/\hslash }{\overset{E_{\mathrm{from}\mathrm{at}.}/\hslash }{\int }}\omega d\varpi },\left(2\right)$$

λ=cℏ/(Е_св.-ΔЕ_св.). Полное изменение энергии НКП при образовании кристалла получается суммированием выражения для ΔW по всем электронам кристалла.An increase in the electron energy due to interaction with the LPC by ΔW occurs due to the same decrease in the LPC energy in the frequency range from (E _St. -ΔE _St. ) / ℏ to E _St. / ℏ, or in the corresponding interval of NKP wavelengths from λ = сℏ / Е _St. before $$$$

λ = cℏ / (E _St. -ΔE _St. ). A complete change in the NKP energy upon crystal formation is obtained by summing the expression for ΔW over all electrons of the crystal.

Since the magnitude of the electromagnetic interaction between charged particles, in particular, the Coulomb repulsion force between the same charged particles, is determined by the NKP intensity with a wavelength λ of the order of the distance between particles, this mechanism of NKP suppression in a crystal weakens the Coulomb interaction at a distance R between particles

$$R\ge \frac{c\hslash }{E_{\mathrm{from}\mathrm{at}.}},\left(3\right)$$

In atoms of heavy elements, the electron binding energy reaches the value of E _St. ≈100 keV; therefore, in a crystal formed from free atoms of heavy elements, the weakening of the Coulomb interaction between charged particles is possible at a distance between them of R≥сℏ / Е _sv. = 10 ^-10 cm.

A similar decrease in the NKP intensity in a crystal and a corresponding weakening of the Coulomb interaction between charged particles in a crystal take place not only during condensation of a crystal from its vapor phase, but also during any transformation of the crystal, which causes an increase in the number of free electronic states in the crystal. For example, during the fusion (coalescence) of microcrystals during annealing of a crystal, when the number of free states for the electrons of atoms that were before annealing on the surface of microcrystals and after annealing appeared inside larger crystals, or during phase transformations of the crystal, leading to broadening of its band structure, increases.

The decrease in the NKP intensity in the crystal that arose during the formation of the crystal or its annealing and phase transformations disappears with time due to diffusion of the NKP into the crystal from free space and, accordingly, the usual Coulomb interaction between charged particles in the crystal is restored.

There is another way to change the intensity of nuclear transformations, namely, the method proposed by Fleishman [3] and Jones [4] to increase the intensity of nuclear fusion with the participation of deuterium nuclei by saturating deuterium atoms with solid metal electrodes that well dissolve deuterium during electrolysis of deuterated water. Thus, according to Fleishman, the probability of a nuclear fusion reaction in terms of one deuterium molecule in palladium per unit time is equal to P _D2 ~ 10 ^-14 s ^-1 , according to Jones P _D2 ~ 10 ^-23 s ^-1 , that is, many orders of magnitude more likely 10 ^-64 s ^-1 nuclear fusion reaction in an isolated deuterium molecule. As reported by the authors of [3, 4], synthesis reactions were observed immediately after the start of metal saturation with deuterium and ceased some time after that.

On the basis of the nuclear fusion method proposed by Fleishman [3] and Jones [4], the possibility of a nuclear fusion reaction using various devices and methods for introducing hydrogen isotopes into a pre-crystallized solid is studied — when various metals are electrolytically saturated with hydrogen isotopes, and various solids are saturated with isotopes hydrogen in a gaseous medium. A review of works in this direction, completed before 1993, is given, for example, in [25].

Thus, a nuclear fusion method using a gaseous substance absorbed by a solid, for example, a palladium sample, including activating an absorbent body in a reactor chamber, supplying a gaseous substance necessary for nuclear fusion reactions to a reactor chamber, and holding a getter body in the atmosphere of this substance up to a state close to saturation by feeding said deuterium into the reactor chamber and initiating nuclear fusion [26].

Also known is a nuclear fusion method using gaseous deuterium absorbed by the crystal lattice of a hydrogen-absorbing metal, in this case, a titanium working metal sample, including vacuum-thermal degassing of a working metal sample placed in the reactor chamber (in the initial state being titanium hydride) at 600 ÷ 1100 ° C or 873 ÷ 1373 K until the equilibrium pressure of the residual gas in the reactor chamber reaches not more than 1 Pa, the subsequent decrease in the temperature of the working metal sample to a value I, which is in the range 550–590 ° C or 823–863 K, saturates the working metal sample with gaseous deuterium until the working metal sample reaches the composition corresponding to the gamma phase by feeding said deuterium into the reactor chamber and initiating nuclear fusion by periodically changing the working temperature metal sample due to changes in the power of the heater or pulsed laser heating of the working metal sample [27].

A known system for carrying out nuclear fusion using gaseous deuterium absorbed by the crystal lattice of titanium or another metal with similar properties, including a reactor vessel located in a thermally controlled atmosphere inside which the metal is placed, means for evacuating the cavity of the reactor vessel (vacuum pump), means for measuring temperature (thermocouple) and pressure (manometer), as well as the source of the working medium introduced into the reactor vessel - gaseous deuterium, yuschiysya with the reactor vessel through a pressure reducer and a reducing valves or bypass valves [28].

The results of Fleishman [3], Jones [4], works [26-28] and other similar works, because of their irreproducibility and lack of their scientific explanation, have not received practical implementation [29]. When discussing these works, the possibility of nuclear fusion reactions due to the acceleration of hydrogen isotope ions in an electric field that occurs when cracks form in a solid when it is saturated with hydrogen or deuterium [6], that is, due to “microscopic” hot synthesis, was noted. The authors of [6] also discussed the possibility of explaining the results of Fleischman [3] and Jones [4] due to the fact that the permeability of the Coulomb barrier between the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes in a solid increases and the nuclear fusion reaction occurs due to the tunnel effect. However, no experimental or theoretical grounds for such a mechanism were found.

Attempts to realize nuclear fusion by saturating pre-crystallized solids with hydrogen isotopes continue to the present.

Thus, a method is known for producing a large amount of heat during the reaction of hydrogen atoms with nickel atoms, which occurs in a metal pipe filled with compressed nickel powder when hydrogen is supplied to the pipe under pressure from 2 to 20 atm and when the pipe is heated to a temperature of from 150 ° C to 500 ° C [30]. The authors of this method associate the release of a large amount of heat under the conditions of the reaction between hydrogen and nickel atoms with nuclear fusion reactions, in which hydrogen nuclei merge with the nuclei of nickel isotope atoms. However, this interpretation of the observed effect is not justified, since the authors provide neither an explanation of the possibility of nuclear fusion reactions under these conditions, nor experimental evidence of the course of nuclear fusion reactions, for example, the presence of ionizing radiation, which should occur during the nuclear fusion reactions discussed by the authors.

Also known is a device for nuclear fusion using gaseous deuterium absorbed by the crystal lattice of a hydrogen-absorbing metal, containing a reactor chamber with a working metal sample placed in its cavity, means for evacuating the cavity of the reactor chamber, the inlet of which communicates with the cavity of the reactor chamber at least through one first valve, means for heating and cooling a working metal sample in the reactor chamber, means for measuring temperature a working metal sample, means for measuring pressure in the reactor chamber, a source of the working medium introduced into the reactor chamber including gaseous deuterium, the outlet pipe of the specified source communicating with the cavity of the reactor chamber through a second valve, and means for supplying the working medium to the reactor chamber [31] .

The closest in the set of essential features and the technical result obtained is the nuclear fusion method (prototype for the method) using gaseous deuterium absorbed by a hydrogen-absorbing metal crystal lattice, including vacuum-thermal degassing of a working metal sample placed in the reactor chamber until the residual gas equilibrium pressure is reached in the reactor chamber, not more than 1 Pa, a subsequent decrease in the temperature of the working metal sample, then saturation of the working about a metal sample with gaseous deuterium until the working metal sample reaches the composition corresponding to the gamma phase by feeding said deuterium into the reactor chamber and initiating nuclear fusion, according to which vacuum-thermal degassing of the working metal sample placed in the reactor chamber is carried out at a temperature not exceeding 90% from the melting temperature of the metal, a subsequent decrease in the temperature of the working sample of the metal is carried out to a value in the range 42 ÷ 45% of the melting temperature of the metal, before us By depleting the working metal sample with gaseous deuterium, a mixture of gaseous deuterium with atmospheric air is prepared, the content of which in this gas mixture is 0.1 ÷ 4.09% of the volume of the obtained gas mixture, and saturation of the working metal sample with gaseous deuterium and initiation of nuclear fusion is carried out by supplying gaseous deuterium in the reactor chamber as part of the specified gas mixture, while the specified gas mixture is fed into the reactor chamber at a speed that ensures the heating of the working sample during saturation metal 50 ÷ 200 deg / s [32 (prototype)].

The closest in combination of essential features and technical result obtained device (prototype for the device) is a device for nuclear fusion using gaseous deuterium absorbed by a crystal lattice of a metal absorbing hydrogen, containing a reactor chamber with a working metal sample placed in its cavity, a means for evacuating cavity of the reactor chamber, the inlet of which communicates with the cavity of the reactor chamber at least through the first th valve, means for heating and cooling a working metal sample in a reactor chamber, means for measuring the temperature of a working metal sample, means for measuring pressure, a source of a working medium including gaseous deuterium, the outlet pipe of which communicates with the cavity of the reactor chamber through a second valve, and means for supplying a working medium to the reactor chamber, characterized in that atmospheric air in the amount of 0.1-4.09% of the volume of the working medium is introduced into the composition of the working medium [32 (prototype)].

It should be noted that in the above methods and devices for carrying out nuclear fusion reactions in a solid, as well as in other well-known similar proposals for the implementation of nuclear fusion in a solid, the formation of a working metal sample, its saturation with deuterium and attempts to initiate nuclear fusion are made sequentially one after another. It should also be noted that until recently, work in this direction has not yet received either theoretical justification or experimental confirmation of the possibility of nuclear fusion reactions involving hydrogen isotopes in a solid due to the tunneling effect.

TASK AND TECHNICAL RESULT

The objective and the required technical result achieved during the industrial implementation and use of the invention is to increase the intensity of exothermic reactions of nuclear fusion with the participation of hydrogen isotope nuclei in a metal crystalline body with the possibility of recording the products of nuclear fusion reactions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main technical result of the claimed inventions is an increase in the intensity of the exothermic reaction of nuclear fusion with the participation of hydrogen isotope nuclei, which occurs due to the tunnel effect, is achieved by introducing atomic nuclei of hydrogen isotopes into a metallic crystalline body during its condensation from metal vapor, as well as by fusion (coalescence) metal microcrystals obtained by condensation of metal vapors in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes during their annealing in a medium of gaseous isotopes of a favor.

The idea of the claimed inventions is that for atomic nuclei - reagents of a nuclear fusion reaction captured by a metal crystalline matrix during its formation, the permeability of the Coulomb barrier increases due to the tunnel effect due to the weakening of the electromagnetic interaction between these atomic nuclei - Coulomb repulsion, in the process of matrix formation . The possibility of attenuation in such a process of electromagnetic interaction between charged particles was experimentally confirmed in the analogue [8] of the claimed inventions. As noted in the discussion of the analogue [8] of the claimed inventions, the reason for the weakening of electromagnetic interaction, in particular, is to reduce the intensity of zero-point oscillations of the electromagnetic field when changing their interaction with atomic electrons in the process of matrix formation. For example, according to formula (3), when a matrix is formed from heavy elements, including atomic nuclei - nuclear fusion reagents, a decrease in the intensity of zero-point vibrations of the electromagnetic field in the matrix leads to a weakening of the Coulomb repulsion between these nuclei at a distance between them of R≥10 ^-10 cm.

A method for increasing the intensity of an exothermic nuclear fusion reaction involving hydrogen isotope nuclei in a metal crystalline body includes:

- the formation of a metallic crystalline body by its condensation from metal vapor;

- introduction of hydrogen isotopes atoms into a metal crystalline body so that at least some of the atoms with nuclei - reagents of the synthesis reaction appear in the metal crystalline body adjacent to each other, that is, at the smallest possible distance from each other.

In contrast to the known method, a nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by introducing atoms of hydrogen isotopes into a metal crystalline body simultaneously with the formation of the metal crystalline body itself by condensation of metal vapor in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes in an optimal mode for nuclear fusion reactions.

Additional differences of the proposed method from the known method is that:

- the nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by the fusion (coalescence) of metal microcrystals obtained by condensation of metal vapor in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes, during their annealing in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes;

- carry out the registration of reaction products of nuclear fusion in a metal crystalline body;

- a nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by introducing hydrogen isotope molecules into a metal crystalline body simultaneously with the formation of the metal crystalline body itself by condensation in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes of metal vapor that does not decompose the hydrogen isotope molecules into atoms;

- a nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by introducing hydrogen isotope molecules into metallic crystalline mercury simultaneously with the formation of metallic crystalline mercury itself by condensation in a gaseous hydrogen isotope medium of mercury vapor, which does not decompose hydrogen isotope molecules into atoms;

- the introduction of hydrogen isotope atoms into a metal crystalline body is carried out by condensation of metal vapor in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium containing hydrogen molecules Hz, HD deuterium molecules and deuterium molecules D ₂ ;

- the introduction of hydrogen isotope atoms into a metal crystalline body is carried out by the condensation of metal vapor in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium at a pressure of from 3.3 · 10 ⁴ to 4.0 · 10 ⁴ Pa and a partial pressure of HD deuterium hydrogen of at least 1.7 · 10 ⁴ Pa ;

- when carrying out nuclear fusion reactions in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium containing hydrogen molecules Hg, HD deuterium molecules and deuterium Ds molecules, gamma quanta of energy of 5500 keV are recorded, indicating a nuclear fusion reaction involving proton and deuteron in a metal crystalline body by the formula

$$\text{ρ}+\text{d}\to {}^{\text{3}}\text{H}\text{e}+\gamma \left(\text{5500}\text{keV}\right),\left(\text{four}\right)$$

where the symbols "ρ", "d" and "γ" respectively denote the proton, deuteron and gamma ray, the energy of the gamma ray generated in reaction (4) is shown in brackets.

A nuclear fusion device for implementing the proposed method in a preferred embodiment (Fig. 1) comprises a gas pipeline 6 connected with valves 3:

- a source of gaseous isotopes of hydrogen 1;

- a reactor 4 with the possibility of evaporation of the metal and condensation of the metal vapor in the crystalline metal body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes so that at least a part of the atoms with nuclei - synthesis reaction reagents appear in the metal crystalline body adjacent to each other, i.e. at the shortest possible distance apart

- means for regulating the pressure of the gaseous medium 5 in the source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and in the reactor;

- means for controlling the pressure of the gaseous medium 2 in the source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and in the reactor;

and also contains not shown in figure 1

- means of measuring and monitoring technological parameters;

- Means of registration of nuclear fusion reaction products.

The proposed device may additionally differ in that:

- the source of gaseous isotopes of hydrogen 1 contains a gas cylinder with hydrogen, a gas cylinder with deuterium and an isotope exchange chamber interconnected by a gas supply pipeline with valves, with the possibility of dosed supply of gaseous hydrogen and deuterium into an isotope exchange chamber, in which it is possible to obtain gaseous deuterium hydrogen HD using a catalyst by isotope exchange between hydrogen and deuterium molecules, and with the possibility of a metered supply of a gas mixture from the isotope exchange chamber to reactor 4, one and h embodiments of the isotope exchange chamber are shown in FIG. 3;

- a reactor with the possibility of evaporation of metal and metal condensation in a crystalline metal body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes is made in the form of a sealed chamber and contains a pipe for evacuating the chamber and supplying gas to the chamber, an evaporator, metal in the evaporator and a condenser with the possibility of heating the metal in the evaporator to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the metal, with the possibility of condensation in the condenser of metal vapor into a crystalline body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes, with the possibility of fusion ( alescence) of metal microcrystals obtained by condensation of metal vapors during their annealing in a gaseous hydrogen isotope medium, one embodiment of the reactor is shown in FIG. 2;

- the means for regulating the pressure of the gas medium contains a vacuum pump with the possibility of receiving in the reactor, in the isotope exchange chamber and in the gas pipeline with gas pressure valves not more than 0.1 Pa;

- means for monitoring the pressure of the gas medium contain gas pressure sensors in the reactor, in the isotope exchange chamber and in the gas pipeline with valves with the ability to measure gas pressure in the range from 0.1 to 10 ⁵ Pa;

- means for measuring and monitoring technological parameters contain sensors of the temperature of the catalyst in the isotope exchange chamber, the temperature of the evaporator and the condenser of the reactor with the possibility of measuring temperature in the range from minus 100 ° C to 1000 ° C;

- means for recording products of nuclear fusion reactions contain a gamma-ray detector and a neutron detector with the ability to measure the registration of radiation intensity of gamma-quanta and neutrons generated in nuclear fusion reactions occurring in the reactor, a diagram of one of the options for measuring the radiation intensity of gamma-quanta and reaction neutrons nuclear fusion is shown in FIG. 5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a diagram of a nuclear fusion device involving nuclei of hydrogen isotopes in a metal crystalline body, including a source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes 1; gas pressure control means 2; gas valve 3; reactor 4 with the possibility of evaporation and condensation of metal vapor into a crystalline metal body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes; means for regulating the pressure of the gas medium 5; gas pipeline 6.

Figure 2 shows a diagram of the reactor 4. The overall dimensions of the reactor vessel 7 vertically equal to 180 mm, horizontally 220 mm. The lower left part of the reactor vessel is an evaporator of metallic mercury, the lower right part of the reactor vessel is a condenser in which mercury vapor crystallizes. The tubular reactor vessel 7 is made of quartz glass with a thickness of 2 mm and an outer diameter of 50 mm; temperature control of reactor elements is carried out by three thermocouple temperature sensors 8; heating the evaporator of the reactor is carried out by the heater No. 1 of nichrome wire 9; for heating the walls of the reactor during transportation of mercury vapor from the evaporator to the condenser, a heater No. 2 of nichrome wire 10 is used; to return to the evaporator the mercury deposited on the walls of the reactor vessel, a quartz glass return pipe 11 and an annular mercury receiver 12 are used; the distance from the annular mercury receiver to the bottom of the reactor vessel is 50 mm; a copper refrigerant 13 was used to cool the reactor condenser; the support 14 of the reactor vessel is made of quartz glass; the volume of the reactor is connected to the gas-vacuum system by the outlet pipe 15; a water cooler 16 cools the outlet of the reactor to prevent mercury vapor from entering the gas-vacuum system.

Figure 3 shows a diagram of an isotope exchange chamber, including: a cylindrical body 17 of stainless steel with a thickness of 3 mm, a height of the body of 90 mm and an outer diameter of 160 mm; a fitting 18 for connecting the chamber volume to the gas-vacuum system; lid 19 made of stainless steel 10 mm thick; a water cooler 20 for cooling the bottom of the chamber; fittings of a water cooler 21 for connection to a plumbing system; tube 22 water cooling the walls of the chamber; ceramic tube 23; wound forty turns around the ceramic tube 23 nichrome wire 24 for heating the ceramic tube 23 and the ceramic cup 25, wrapped in Nickel foil; ceramic support 26; platinum rhodium thermocouple 27; vacuum electrical adapter 28; metallized silica gel 29.

Figure 4 shows a diagram of a gas-vacuum system, including: gas valves 3; reactor 4; gas pipeline 6; vacuum pump 30, grade 2NVR-5DM; nitrogen trap 31; isotope exchange chamber 32; hydrogen gas cylinder 33; deuterium gas cylinder 34; high-pressure valves of 35 gas cylinders; thermoelectric vacuum gauge 36, grade 13ВТ3-003; mechanical vacuum gauge 37; 38 VIT-2 thermocouple vacuum gauge.

Figure 5 shows a diagram of a means for measuring the intensity of emission of neutrons and gamma rays from the condenser of a reactor with crystalline mercury 54, including a gamma ray spectrometric detector 39 located at a distance of 120 mm from the reactor condenser; a high voltage power supply unit 40, from which a voltage of 1000 V is supplied to a gamma-ray detector 39; an amplifier-driver of pulses of gamma rays 41; amplitude-digital converter 42 to 4000 channels; neutron detector 43, the center of which is located at a distance of 230 mm from the reactor condenser, and consisting of eight parallel-connected helium counters 44 of the SNM-17 type, distributed uniformly into one layer in neutron moderator 45 — a rectangular sheet of polyethylene measuring 80 × 400 × 1000 mm; a high voltage power supply 46, from which a voltage of 2000 V is supplied to a neutron detector; neutron pulse preamplifier 47; amplifier-shaper of neutron pulses 48; amplitude discriminator of neutron pulses 49; neutron momentum counter 50; amplitude-to-digital Converter 51 (ADC) per 1000 channels; highway 52 subracks CAMAC; controller 53 crate CAMAC.

Figure 6 shows the amplitude spectrum of the background pulses of the neutron intensimeter, measured for 3000 s. The arrow marks the threshold of amplitude discrimination of pulses supplied to the neutron counter 50.

7 shows a fragment of the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays of a Pu-Be source. The arrows indicate the region of the DC spectrum corresponding to the energy of gamma rays from 3700 to 4800 keV, which determined the detection efficiency of Pu-Be gamma rays of the energy source 4438.9 keV. 55 - peak emission of two gamma rays of energy 511 keV, corresponding to the energy of gamma rays in the spectrum, equal to 3416 keV; 56 - peak emission of one gamma ray energy 511 keV, corresponding to the energy of gamma rays in the spectrum, equal to 3927 keV; 57 is the peak of the total absorption of gamma rays of Pu-Be energy source 4438 keV.

On Fig shows the time dependence of the number of pulses of the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays in the energy region of gamma rays 4800-5800 keV, measured from the reactor condenser during continuous periodic measurement of the spectrum. The period of successive measurements of the spectra is 1020 s (17 minutes), the exposure of each measurement is 1000 s. The arrow indicates the moment of annealing of the crystalline mercury matrix.

On Fig indicated: 58 - increase the intensity of radiation of gamma rays from the reactor condenser during the formation of a crystalline mercury matrix from mercury vapor; 59 —increase in the intensity of gamma-ray emission from the reactor condenser after annealing the crystalline mercury matrix; 60 - time interval ΔT ₁ = 5000 s, during which the crystalline mercury matrix was condensed, the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays measured in this time interval is shown in Fig.9; 61 is a time interval ΔT ₂ = 7000 s, during which, after annealing the crystalline mercury matrix, the amplitude spectrum of gamma quanta shown in FIG. 10 was measured.

Figure 9 shows the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays from a reactor condenser, measured over 5000 s during condensation of a crystalline mercury matrix. This time corresponds to the allocated time interval ΔТ ₁ in Fig. 8. The horizontal scale is normalized by the energy of gamma rays, the price of each energy channel of the spectrum is 200 keV. The excess of this spectrum over the background spectrum of gamma rays is shaded in red. The background spectrum is tinted gray below. Vertically, both spectra are normalized to the measurement time.

Figure 9 shows: 62 is the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays from the reactor condenser, measured over 5000 s during condensation of the crystalline mercury matrix; 63 - peak of the total absorption of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV; 64 - peak emission with an energy of 5000 keV, caused by the emission from the detector of one of the annihilation gamma rays associated with the formation of electron-positron pairs in the interaction of energy gamma rays of 5500 keV with a Nal crystal (TI); 65 is a spectral region corresponding to Compton scattering of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV; 66 is the background spectrum of gamma rays measured over 28 hours a day after the formation of the mercury matrix.

Figure 10 shows the amplitude spectrum of gamma rays from the reactor condenser, measured for 7000 s after annealing the crystalline mercury matrix. This time corresponds to the allocated time interval ΔT ₂ in Fig. 8. The horizontal scale is normalized by the energy of gamma rays, the price of each energy channel of the spectrum is 200 keV. The excess of this spectrum over the background spectrum of gamma rays is shaded in red. The background spectrum is tinted gray below. Vertically, both spectra are normalized to the measurement time.

Figure 10 shows: 63 - peak of the total absorption of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV; 64 - peak emission with an energy of 5000 keV, caused by the emission from the detector of one of the annihilation gamma rays associated with the formation of electron-positron pairs in the interaction of energy gamma rays of 5500 keV with a Nal crystal (TI); 65 is a spectral region corresponding to Compton scattering of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV; 66 is a background spectrum of gamma rays measured over 28 hours a day after the formation of the mercury matrix; 67 is an amplitude spectrum of gamma rays from a reactor condenser, measured during 7000 s after annealing of a crystalline mercury matrix.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To implement the proposed method in the General case, it is necessary:

- the formation of a metallic crystalline solid by condensation from metal vapor;

- simultaneously with the formation of a metallic crystalline solid, the introduction of hydrogen isotopes into it so that during the formation of a solid, at least some of the atoms with nuclei participating in the nuclear fusion reaction appear in a solid next to each other, that is, at the smallest possible distance from friend;

- an increase in the size of microcrystals of a crystalline body condensed from metal vapor with hydrogen isotopes embedded in it by annealing a metal crystalline body;

- observation of nuclear fusion reactions involving hydrogen isotopes in a metallic crystalline body by recording the products of nuclear fusion reactions.

To implement the method, the following operations are performed:

- prepare a setup that allows condensing a metal crystalline solid body from metal vapors in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes on a certain surface, which allows increasing the size of microcrystals of a crystalline body condensed from metal vapors with hydrogen isotopes embedded in it by annealing a metal crystalline body, and allowing observing nuclear fusion reactions with the participation of hydrogen isotopes in a solid by recording the products of nuclear fusion reactions;

- from a source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes 1 fill part of the installation for condensation of a solid body with a gas of hydrogen isotopes;

- form metal vapors in the part of the installation for condensation of a solid;

- in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes, metal vapors are condensed on a certain surface in a solid crystalline matrix so that, when the matrix is formed, at least some of the atoms with nuclei participating in the nuclear fusion reaction appear in the matrix adjacent to each other, that is, at the shortest possible distance apart

- increase the size of the microcrystals of the crystalline solid condensed from the metal vapor by annealing it;

- observe nuclear fusion reactions involving hydrogen isotopes in the matrix by recording the products of nuclear fusion reactions.

To implement the proposed method in the particular case of the formation in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium containing HD deuterium molecules, a crystalline crystalline solid that does not decompose deuterium hydrogen molecules into atoms, it is enough:

- the formation of a metallic crystalline body by condensation from metal vapor;

- simultaneously with the formation of a metallic crystalline body, the introduction of HD deuterium molecules into it;

- an increase in the size of microcrystals of a crystalline solid condensed from metal vapor with HD deuterium molecules embedded in it by annealing a metallic crystalline body;

- observation of nuclear pd fusion reactions according to formula (4) with the participation of a proton and deuteron in a metal crystalline body by detecting gamma rays of 5500 keV energy emitted during nuclear fusion reactions.

To implement the method in this particular case, the following operations are performed:

- prepare a setup that allows condensing a metal crystalline solid body from metal vapors in a medium of gaseous hydrogen deuterium HD on a certain surface, which allows increasing the size of microcrystals of a crystalline body condensed from metal vapors with HD deuterium molecules embedded in it by annealing a metal crystalline body and allowing observing nuclear pd reactions synthesis according to formula (4) by detecting gamma rays of energy 5500 keV emitted during nuclear reactions interest;

- from the source of gaseous isotopes of hydrogen 1 fill part of the installation for condensation of a solid body with a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium at a pressure of from 3.3 · 10 ⁴ to 4.0 · 10 ⁴ Pa and a partial pressure of deuterium hydrogen HD of at least 1.7 · 10 ⁴ Pa ;

- form in the part of the installation for condensation of a solid body a pair of metal that does not decompose HD deuterium molecules into atoms;

- in said hydrogen-deuterium gas medium, on a certain surface, metal vapors are condensed into a solid crystalline matrix so that HD deuterium molecules are contained therein;

- increase the size of the microcrystals of the crystalline solid condensed from the metal vapor by annealing it;

- observe nuclear fusion reactions in the matrix by registering 5500 keV gamma rays associated with nuclear pd fusion reactions according to formula (4).

INDUSTRIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The feasibility of the claimed inventions follows from theoretical ideas about an increase in the probability of tunnel passage through the Coulomb barrier of atomic nuclei - nuclear fusion reagents, caused by a decrease in Coulomb repulsion between these atomic nuclei at distances between them, defined by formula (3), when these atomic nuclei are introduced into the nucleus metal crystalline matrix.

The feasibility of the claimed invention has been experimentally confirmed. In the experiment, they searched for the fusion reaction of hydrogen and deuterium nuclei (proton and deuteron) and the fusion reaction of two deuterium nuclei (two deuterons) during the formation of crystalline metallic mercury containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium and deuterium D ₂ .

The experimental setup was designed to detect nuclear fusion reactions in such a mercury matrix [6]

$$\text{ρ}+\text{d}\to {}^{\text{3}}\text{H}\text{e}+\gamma \left(\text{5500}\text{keV}\right),\left(\text{four}\right)$$

$$\text{d}+\text{d}\to {}^{\text{3}}\text{H}\text{e}\left(\text{0}\text{82}\text{MeV}\right)+\text{n}\left(\text{2}\text{, 45 MeV}\right),\left(\text{5}\right)$$

where the symbols "ρ", "d", "γ" and "n" respectively denote a proton, deuteron, gamma ray and neutron; in parentheses are the energy of the gamma ray generated in the reaction (4) and the energy of the particles formed in the reaction (5). Nuclear fusion reactions were searched for by the emission of gamma rays with an energy of 5500 keV during the pd reaction and by the emission of neutrons of 2.45 MeV energy during the dd reaction. The search for other products of nuclear reactions of pd and dd synthesis was not carried out.

The mercury matrix was obtained by condensation of metallic mercury vapor in a gaseous medium containing H ₂ hydrogen molecules, HD deuterium molecules and deuterium D ₂ molecules. The choice of mercury as the matrix material was due to the fact that dissociation of hydrogen isotope molecules does not occur on metallic mercury, and also because mercury does not form stable hydrides [33]. Therefore, hydrogen isotopes in metallic mercury can be in molecular form. The introduction of hydrogen isotope molecules into the volume of the crystalline mercury matrix was possible due to their physical adsorption on the surface of the resulting matrix or due to entrainment of hydrogen isotope molecules by mercury vapor during its condensation. In addition, the choice of mercury as the matrix material simplified the design of the experimental setup because of its low evaporation and melting temperatures relative to other metals.

The experimental setup included the following main elements:

- a source of a hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture of hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium molecules and deuterium D ₂ molecules;

- a reactor filled with a hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture, in one part of which is in an evaporator, metal mercury was evaporated by heating it, and in the other part of the reactor in a cooled condenser, mercury vapor was condensed into crystalline metal mercury;

- gas-vacuum system for the metered inlet of the hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture from the source of the hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture into the reactor, for monitoring the gas pressure in the gas-filled elements of the experimental setup and their evacuation;

- a gamma-ray scintillation spectrometer and a neutron intensimeter for measuring the radiation intensity of gamma-quanta and neutrons from the reactor.

The main part of the reactor 4 (figure 2) was a U-shaped tubular body 7 made of quartz glass with a thickness of 2 mm, the inner diameter of the pipes was 46 mm. The overall dimensions of the reactor vessel vertically were 180 mm, and horizontally 220 mm. One of the lower parts of the p-shaped reactor vessel was an evaporator of metallic mercury, the other lower part of the reactor vessel was a condenser in which mercury vapor was crystallized. From the evaporator side, a tubular support 14 made of quartz glass was welded to the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel had a pipe 15 for its connection with the gas-vacuum system, which passed through a water cooler 16 to prevent mercury vapor from entering the gas-vacuum system. The connecting pipe 15 and the water cooler 16 were made of quartz glass. The volume of the reactor vessel together with the connecting pipe 15 was equal to 750 cm ³ .

At one end of the reactor vessel — the evaporator, heater No. 1 was placed, made of nichrome wire wrapped around the reactor evaporator. Heater No. 1 allowed the reactor evaporator to be heated to a temperature of 600 ° C. The other end of the reactor vessel — a condenser — was placed in the refrigerator. The refrigerator consisted of a copper refrigerant 13, which could be cooled with liquid nitrogen. The condenser temperature could drop to minus 110 ° С, while crystalline metallic mercury was formed from mercury vapor in the condenser.

In the experiment, liquid metal mercury weighing 405 g was initially in the evaporator; there was no mercury in the condenser. When heater No. 1 was turned on, mercury was evaporated from the evaporator and its vapors were condensed in a condenser; during condensation of all mercury in the condenser, the height of the mercury column was 18 mm. To transport mercury vapor from the evaporator to the condenser, the walls of the reactor were heated by heater No. 2 (position 10). To prevent liquid mercury from draining along the walls of the reactor into the condenser, an annular mercury receiver 12 was connected in front of the condenser, connected to the evaporator by a quartz glass return pipe 11. Through this return pipe, the mercury deposited on the walls of the reactor returned to the evaporator. To reduce heat transfer with air, the entire reactor and the reactor refrigerator were wrapped with asbestos, with the exception of a small part of the reactor vessel near the return pipe 11. Through this transparent part of the reactor, a visual control of the mercury condensation process was carried out.

Three thermocouple temperature sensors 8, mounted on the outer surface of the reactor vessel, were used to control the evaporation and condensation of mercury. One of these temperature sensors measured the temperature of the evaporator, the other sensor measured the temperature of the walls of the reactor along which mercury vapor was transported to the condenser, and the third sensor measured the temperature of the condenser.

The source of the hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture included:

- an isotope exchange chamber 32 (FIG. 4) for preparing a gas mixture containing HD deuterium molecules from gaseous hydrogen and deuterium;

- two gas cylinders with a pressure of up to 100 atm, equipped with high-pressure gas valves for dosed supply of gas into the isotope mixing chamber - one cylinder 33 (Fig. 4) with gaseous hydrogen, the other cylinder 34 (Fig. 4) with gaseous deuterium.

The housing 17 of the isotope exchange chamber (Fig. 3) was a cylindrical stainless steel cup with a diameter of 160 mm and a wall height of 90 mm. The thicknesses of the bottom and walls of the chamber body were 10 mm and 5 mm, respectively. The camera body was vacuum tightly closed with a lid 19 made of stainless steel 10 mm thick. A stainless steel fitting 18 was welded into the chamber body to connect the chamber to the gas-vacuum system.

As a catalyst for the isotope exchange reaction

$${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}+{\text{D}}_{\text{2}}\to \text{2HD}\left(\text{6}\right)$$

nickel foil was placed in the chamber, which could be heated up to 1000 ° C; therefore, the outer surface of the walls of the chamber body was in thermal contact with the water cooler 22, the outer surface of the bottom of the body was in thermal contact with the water cooler 20 with two fittings 21. When heating the nickel foil in the chamber, water was passed through water coolers to cool the chamber body.

The nickel foil heater was a hollow ceramic tube 23 with an outer diameter of 50 mm, on which a spiral of nichrome wire 24 was wound. The two ends of the nichrome wire 24 were connected to an alternating voltage source with an amplitude of up to 240 V through a vacuum electric adapter 28 in the camera body. Ceramic a tube 23 with nichrome wire 24 was inserted into a ceramic cup 25 with a ceramic support 26 around which nickel foil was wrapped. The temperature of the nickel foil was measured with a platinum-rhodium thermocouple 27. For a more efficient isotopic exchange, silica gel 29 was placed inside the ceramic tube 23, coated with a metal catalyzing the isotope exchange reaction according to formula (6).

To prepare a gas mixture containing HD molecules, the chamber was first evacuated, then deuterium gas was injected into it to a pressure of 2.6 · 10 ⁴ Pa (200 mmHg), after which hydrogen gas was injected into the chamber so that the gas pressure in the chamber became equal to 5.2 · 10 ⁴ Pa (400 mm Hg). After that, the vacuum valve connecting the chamber to the gas-vacuum system was closed, and a current was passed through the nickel foil heater so that the temperature of the nickel foil became 1000 ° C. This temperature of the nickel foil was maintained for 30 minutes, after which the heater was turned off. According to [34], as a result of the described procedure, a gas mixture was formed in the chamber containing 25% hydrogen molecules H ₂ , 25% deuterium molecules D _2, and 50% HD deuterium molecules, which corresponded to a partial pressure of 2.6 · 10 ⁴ Pa (200 mmHg) of gaseous deuterium hydrogen HD and a partial pressure of 1.3 · 10 ⁴ Pa (100 mmHg) of gaseous hydrogen and deuterium.

The gas-vacuum system (figure 4) included the following main elements:

- oil rotary vacuum vane rotary vane pump 30 brand 2NVR-5DM;

- a nitrogen trap 31, preventing the ingress of oil from the vacuum pump into the rest of the gas-vacuum system;

- a mechanical vacuum gauge 35 (standard GOST 6521-60 vacuum gauge) for measuring the pressure of the gas mixture in the range from 1 · 10 ¹ to 1 · 10 ⁵ Pa (from 10 mm Hg to 760 mm Hg);

- thermoelectric vacuum gauge 36, grade 13ВТ3-003, for measuring air pressure or hydrogen pressure in the reactor in the range from 1 · 10 ^-1 to 1 · 10 ⁵ Pa (from 7.5 · 10 ^-2 to 750 mm Hg);

- 37 VIT-2 thermocouple vacuum gauge, which allows measuring air pressure in the range from 1 · 10 ^-1 to 20 Pa (from 1 · 10 ^-3 to 2 · 10 ^-1 mm Hg);

- vacuum valves 3, allowing to block individual parts of the gas-vacuum system.

The elements of the gas-vacuum system, as well as the reactor 4 and the isotope exchange chamber 32 were interconnected according to the scheme of Fig. 4 by gas pipelines 6 made of stainless steel with an inner diameter of 6 mm.

The gamma-ray spectrometer and neutron intensimeter were designed for pulsed measurements of the intensity of neutron and gamma radiation from a reactor condenser. The measurement scheme is illustrated in Fig.5.

The gamma-ray spectrometer contained the following basic elements:

- 39 gamma-ray spectrometric detector (scintiblock type 6931-20 manufactured by Crystal, Russian Federation, Usolye-Sibirskoye), consisting of a cylindrical Nal (TI) crystal with a diameter of 150 mm and a height of 100 mm, a photomultiplier of light pulses caused by gamma - quanta in the Nal crystal (TI), and the pulse preamplifier of the photomultiplier;

- high-voltage power supply unit 40 of the gamma-ray detector, which allows to obtain a constant voltage of up to 2000 V with a current of up to 50 μA;

- amplifier-driver 41 pulses of gamma rays;

- amplitude-to-digital converter (ADC) 42 for 4000 channels, converting the amplitude of the gamma-ray pulses into a digital signal;

The neutron intensimeter contained the following main elements:

- a neutron detector 43, consisting of eight parallel-connected helium counters 44 of the SNM-17 type, distributed uniformly in one layer in a neutron moderator — a rectangular sheet of polyethylene 45 of 80 × 400 × 1000 mm in size;

- high-voltage block 46 power supply of the neutron detector, which allows to obtain a constant voltage of up to 5000 V with a current of up to 50 μA;

- preamplifier 47 neutron pulses;

- amplifier-driver of 48 neutron pulses;

- amplitude discriminator of 49 neutron pulses;

- counter 50 pulses of neutrons;

- amplitude-to-digital converter (ADC) 51 per 1000 channels, converting the amplitude of the neutron pulses into a digital signal;

The gamma-ray spectrometer and neutron intensimeter used pulse-forming amplifiers, amplitude-to-digital converters, and a pulse counter made in the KAMAK electronic standard [35]. The amplitude spectra of gamma-ray pulses (hereinafter referred to as gamma-ray spectra) and neutrons from amplitude-digital converters 42 and 51, as well as the readings of the counter 50 of neutron pulses along the KAMAK 52 crate, through the KAMAK 53 controller, were transmitted to a computer to display and process the intensity information neutron and gamma radiation. A gamma spectrometer and a neutron intensimeter made it possible to detect at least 10 ⁴ pulses per second.

The amplification of gamma-ray pulses in the spectrometer was chosen so as to cover the gamma-ray energy range from 100 to 8000 keV. The energy spectrum of gamma quanta was calibrated using the least squares method on centroids of the peaks of total absorption of gamma quanta of energy 1460.9 keV of background radionuclide ⁴⁰ K, gamma quanta of energy 2614.6 keV of background radionuclide ²⁰⁸ TI, gamma quanta of energy 4438.9 keV from a source from ²³⁹ Pu-Be radionclides and 6130 keV gamma quanta from a source from ²³⁸ Pu- ¹³ C radionuclides. The integral nonlinearity of the gamma-ray spectrometer in the region of 1460-6130 keV gamma-quanta energy did not exceed 0.7%, the energy resolution at the peak of total absorption gamma-ray energy of 4438.9 keV was 5.2%.

To measure the intensity of gamma quanta energy 5500 keV of the reaction of nuclear pd synthesis according to formula (4) in the gamma spectrum, the pulse counting intensity was analyzed in the energy range 4800 ÷ 5800 keV. This region of the gamma-ray energy is most sensitive to 5500 keV gamma-quanta, since it covers the peak of their total absorption and the peak of emission with an energy of about 4990 keV, caused by the emission from the detector of one of the annihilation gamma rays associated with the formation of electron-positron pairs in as a result of the interaction of 5500 keV gamma quanta with a Nal crystal (TI).

The amplification of the pulses of the neutron detector was chosen so that in the amplitude spectrum of the pulses of the neutron intensimeter, the intensity of the pulses of electronic noise was approximately equal to 100 s ^-1 . An example of such a spectrum is presented in Fig.6. The threshold of the amplitude discriminator of neutron pulses was chosen in the dip of the neutron spectrum so that a small change in the gain of the pulses in the neutron channel had the least effect on the measurement of the neutron count intensity. 6, the position of the discrimination threshold is indicated by an arrow.

Gamma-ray and neutron detectors were located at the smallest possible distance from the reactor condenser. The distance from the central part of the reactor condenser 4 to the center of the input window of the gamma-ray detector 39 was 120 mm, to the center of the surface of the neutron detector 43 was 250 mm. During the experiments, the temperature of the detectors remained unchanged to an accuracy of 1 ° C, which was controlled by thermocouple temperature sensors mounted on the detector bodies.

The detection efficiency of gamma rays and neutrons was determined using a source of radionuclides ²³⁹ Pu-Be, which was placed in place of the reactor condenser in a copper coolant 13 of the reactor refrigerator 4. Such a source emits gamma rays - the energy of the main group of gamma rays is 4438.9 keV and neutrons with energies up to 13 MeV, the maximum radiation intensity is observed for neutrons with energies of 3.3 and 5.1 MeV, and the average neutron energy is 7.7 MeV [36]. The probability of emission of neutrons and gamma rays of energy of 4438.9 keV by a source of ²³⁹ Pu-Be is the same with an accuracy of 10% [37]. The passport value of the neutron emission intensity used by the ²³⁹ Pu-Be source was (1.0 ± 0.1) · 10 ⁵ s ^-1 , the intensity error is indicated at the confidence level of 0.68.

The efficiency ε _{γ, 4433 of} registering gamma-ray spectrometer with energy of 4438.9 keV from a ²³⁹ Pu-Be source was determined by the pulse count intensity in the range ΔK of the gamma spectrum channels (Fig. 7) of a ²³⁹ Pu-Be source corresponding to the gamma energy range quanta 3700 ÷ 4800 keV. This energy region covers the peak of total absorption of gamma rays 57 of energy 4438.9 keV and the peak of emission 56 with energy of 3927 keV, caused by the emission from the detector of one of the annihilation gamma rays associated with the formation of electron-positron pairs as a result of the interaction of energy gamma rays 4438.9 keV with a Nal crystal (TI). When calculating the efficiency ε _{γ, 4433, the} peak of emission 55 with an energy of 3416 keV, caused by the emission of two annihilation gamma rays from the detector _{, was} not taken into account. The efficiency ε _{γ, 4433 was} calculated as the ratio of the number of over-the-pulse pulses recorded over time in the energy range 3700–4800 keV of the gamma spectrum of the ²³⁹ Pu-Be source to the number of gamma rays emitted by the source over the same time. The obtained efficiency value ε _{γ, 4433} was equal to 2.9%. The error in determining the value of ε _{γ, 4433} at a confidence level of 0.68 was no more than 15% and was mainly determined by the error in the nameplate value of the neutron emission intensity from a ²³⁹ Pu-Be source.

According to [38], the efficiency of detecting by a Nal (TI) crystal with a size of ⌀150 × 100 mm gamma rays of energy 4438.9 keV and 5500 keV emitted by a point source at a distance of 120 mm from the crystal surface, differ by no more than 10%. Therefore, in further evaluations, the efficiency ε _{γ, 5500 of} detecting gamma quanta of energy 5500 keV emitted during the pd synthesis reaction according to formula (4) was taken to be equal to the efficiency ε _{γ, 4433 of} registering gamma quanta of energy 4438.9 keV from ²³⁹ Pu-Be source.

In the experiment, gamma quanta of energy of 5500 keV from nuclear pd fusion reactions were searched for by formula (4) in a mercury matrix. Therefore, to determine the efficiency of registration of gamma quanta from the pd synthesis reaction, it was necessary to take into account the interaction of these gamma quanta with the mercury matrix. According to [39], the linear attenuation coefficient of solid metal mercury flux of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV is 0.57 cm ^-1 .

Taking into account the interaction of gamma quanta with the mercury matrix was complicated by the fact that the experiment did not control in which particular spatial region of the matrix the pd synthesis reaction took place.

For the reaction occurring on the surface of the mercury matrix, the gamma quanta of the reaction are not absorbed by the matrix, and their detection efficiency could be taken equal to ε _{γ, 5500} ~ 2.9%.

On the contrary, the efficiency of detecting gamma quanta of the pd synthesis reaction sharply decreases due to their absorption by mercury for a reaction that runs uniformly throughout the entire volume of the mercury matrix with a diameter of 46 mm and a height of 18 mm, which was obtained by complete condensation of mercury in the reactor condenser. In this case, with an average path length of gamma rays in mercury of about 20 mm, absorption of gamma rays by mercury reduced the detection efficiency of gamma rays of the pd synthesis reaction by approximately 30 times to ε _{γ, 5500} ~ 0.1%.

Thus, the measurement of the intensity of counting of over-the-pulse pulses in the energy range of the gamma spectrum from 4800 to 5800 keV ensured the efficiency of recording gamma quanta of energy 5500 keV emitted during the pd synthesis reaction according to formula (4) in the mercury matrix, in the range from 0.1% up to 2.9%.

The efficiency ε _{n of} registration of a neutron neutron intensimeter from a ²³⁹ Pu-Be source, defined as the ratio of the number of over-the-counter neutron pulses recorded over time, to the number of neutrons emitted by the source over the same time was 2.1%.

The error in determining the value of ε _n at a confidence level of 0.68 was no more than 15% and was mainly determined by the error in the certified value of the neutron emission intensity of the ²³⁹ Pu-Be source.

The energy of neutrons emitted from a ²³⁹ Pu-Be source is close to the energy of neutrons produced in the dd synthesis reaction by formula (5). Therefore, in further evaluations, the detection efficiency of neutrons emitted by the dd synthesis reaction by the neutron intensimeter was taken to be equal to the detection efficiency of neutrons from ²³⁹ Pu-Be sources.

In the dd synthesis reaction inside the mercury matrix formed in the reactor condenser, the interaction of neutrons with the matrix changes little the efficiency of neutron detection.

According to [40], the total cross section for interaction with atomic nuclei of mercury neutrons of 2.45 MeV energy emitted during the nuclear dd fusion reaction is approximately 7 bar. Corresponding to this value of the cross section, the linear attenuation coefficient of the neutron flux of solid metal mercury is 25 cm ^-1 . Then, even if the dd synthesis reaction occurred uniformly over the entire volume of the mercury matrix with a diameter of 46 mm and a maximum possible height of 18 mm, then with an average neutron path in mercury of about 20 mm, the interaction of neutrons with mercury would reduce the detection efficiency by only about 10% neutron reaction dd synthesis. Therefore, the influence of the mercury matrix on the efficiency £ n of registration by the neutron intensimeter of neutrons emitted during the dd synthesis reaction according to formula (5) in the matrix was not taken into account and the efficiency value ε _n ≈2% was taken.

In our experiments, the background of the neutron intensimeter varied around 1 s ^-1 , the background of the gamma-ray spectrometer in the energy range 4800-5800 keV varied around 0.1 s ^-1 .

The exposure during periodic measurement of the intensity of gamma rays and neutrons was determined by the dynamics of condensation of the mercury matrix and amounted to 1000 s. In this case, the minimum statistically significant intensity of detected gamma rays and neutrons due to nuclear fusion reactions in the mercury matrix was about 10% of the background intensity value.

Thus, the experimental setup made it possible to detect synthesis reactions in the mercury matrix according to formula (4) for an HD deuterium molecule with a minimum intensity of 1 ÷ 10 s ^-1 and for a deuterium molecule D ² synthesis reactions according to formula (5) with a minimum intensity of about 10 s ^{- 1} .

According to [6], with the accelerator mechanism of nuclear fusion reactions, the cross section of the pd reaction according to formula (4) is approximately 10 ⁵ times smaller than the cross section of the dd reaction according to formula (5). In nuclear fusion due to the tunneling effect, on the contrary, the probability of synthesis in the HD deuterium hydrogen molecule according to formula (4) is approximately 10 ⁹ times higher than the probability of synthesis in the deuterium molecule D ₂ according to formula (5). Therefore, with the accelerator mechanism of these two reactions in the mercury matrix, the sensitivity of the setup to detect pd synthesis was four orders of magnitude less than its sensitivity to detection of dd synthesis. In the tunneling mechanism of these nuclear fusion reactions, on the contrary, the sensitivity of the facility to the detection of pd synthesis was ten orders of magnitude higher than its sensitivity to the detection of dd synthesis.

Using the experimental setup described above, several dozen experiments of the same type were carried out to search for nuclear fusion reactions according to formulas (4) and (5) during the formation of a crystalline matrix of metallic mercury containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium molecules and deuterium D ₂ molecules.

Control experiments were also carried out in which the mercury matrix was formed in a medium of only gaseous hydrogen or only gaseous deuterium. In these control experiments, the mercury matrix did not contain HD deuterium molecules.

At the beginning of each experiment, a gas mixture was prepared in the isotope exchange chamber containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium hydrogen, and deuterium D ₂ . Metallic mercury was poured into the reactor evaporator so that there was no mercury in the reactor condenser. After that, continuous periodic measurements of the intensity of neutron and gamma radiation from the reactor began, the measurement period was 1020 s (17 minutes), the exposure of each measurement was 1000 s. In addition, the neutron radiation intensity was measured with a period of 100 s and an exposure of 99 s. This measurement mode was maintained throughout the experiment.

A few hours after the start of measuring the intensity of neutron and gamma radiation, the reactor was evacuated to a pressure of 1.3 Pa (10 ^-2 mm Hg) and filled with a gas mixture from the isotope exchange chamber. In various experiments, the pressure of the gas mixture in the reactor ranged from 3.3 · 10 ⁴ to 4.0 · 10 ⁴ Pa (from 250 to 300 mm Hg). Then, the reactor condenser temperature was brought to minus 100 ° С, cooling the condenser cooler with liquid nitrogen, after which the evaporation of mercury from the reactor evaporator and its condensation in the condenser were started.

In various experiments, the time of evaporation of mercury ranged from 30 to 100 minutes and depended on the heating temperature of the evaporator. During mercury condensation, the temperature of the condenser in various experiments varied from a temperature of minus 40 ° C (close to the melting point of mercury minus 38.9 ° C) to a temperature of minus 110 ° C, regulating the supply of liquid nitrogen to the condenser refrigerator. After all mercury was evaporated from the reactor evaporator and its vapors condensed in a condenser, crystalline metallic mercury containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium hydrogen and deuterium D ₂ was kept in the condenser for several hours at a temperature of about minus 100 ° С, then the crystalline mercury matrix was annealed heating it upon termination of cooling of the condenser refrigerator to a temperature of about minus 40 ° C for a time of about one minute and again kept in the condenser for several hours at a temperature of about minus 100 ° C.

At the end of the experiment, the content of hydrogen isotopes in crystalline mercury was determined. For this, the reactor was evacuated to a pressure of 1.3 Pa (10 ^-2 mm Hg) - the hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture was pumped out of the reactor, the vacuum valve in the reactor was closed, and the reactor condenser was heated until the metal mercury melted in it. During the melting of mercury, hydrogen was released from it and a jump in gas pressure in the reactor volume was observed. The partial pressure of the hydrogen released during the mercury melting was of the order of 10 Pa (10 ^-1 mmHg), which corresponded to the content in the crystalline mercury of the order of 10 ¹⁸ hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium molecules, and deuterium D ₂ molecules.

The experimental results were obtained as follows. In several of the experiments, an excess of the gamma-ray registration intensity was observed over the background with a characteristic energy of 5500 keV for the pd synthesis reaction during the condensation of mercury vapor in crystalline mercury in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium, as well as during annealing of the mercury matrix. In FIG. Figure 8 shows the time dependence of the pulse counting intensity obtained in one of such successful experiments in the energy region of 4800-5800 keV gamma spectrum, which is most sensitive to gamma quanta of energy 5500 keV. In this experiment, the evaporation of mercury from the evaporator of the reactor was carried out at a temperature of 550 ÷ 600 ° C for a time ΔT ₁ = 5000 s, the initial pressure of the hydrogen-deuterium gas mixture in the reactor was 3.6 · 10 ⁴ Pa (270 mmHg) . Four hours after the crystallization of the mercury matrix was completed, it was annealed for one minute. On Fig indicated the time interval ΔT ₁ = 5000 s (position 60), during which the mercury matrix was condensed, and the moment of its annealing. It can be seen from the time dependence of the counting intensity of gamma-ray pulses (Fig. 8) that it is precisely during the formation of a crystalline mercury matrix in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium and for approximately 7000 s (time interval ΔТ ₂ in Fig. 8, position 61) after it minute annealing increases the intensity of radiation by the condenser of the reactor gamma rays of energies 4800-5800 keV.

View of gamma spectrum 62 (Fig. 9), measured over time ΔT ₁ = 5000 s during crystallization of the mercury matrix, and view of gamma spectrum 67 (Fig. 10), measured over time ΔT ₂ = 7000 s after minute annealing obtained by condensation crystalline mercury matrix and its reverse rapid cooling, allows you to associate the increase in the intensity of radiation of gamma rays in the energy range of 4800-5800 keV in these processes with radiation from the matrix of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV.

In these gamma spectra (Fig. 9 and Fig. 10), the peak of total absorption of 63 gamma rays of energy 5500 keV and the peak of emission 64 with an energy of about 5000 keV caused by the emission from the detector of one of the annihilation gamma rays associated with the formation of electron -positron pairs in the interaction of gamma rays of energy 5500 keV with a Nal crystal (TI).

These spectra also show an excess over the background in the gamma-ray energy region of 3000 ÷ 4500 keV (position 65 of Fig. 9 and Fig. 10), which corresponds to Compton scattering in the gamma-ray detector of energy of 5500 keV, in the energy region of large 5800 keV gamma -spectra coincide with the background gamma-ray spectrum (position 66 of Fig. 9 and Fig. 10).

The type of gamma spectra (Fig. 9 and Fig. 10) measured during crystallization of the mercury matrix and after its annealing, as well as the type of similar gamma spectra obtained in several other experiments, allow us to state that, upon condensation of the crystalline mercury matrix in hydrogen a deuterium gas medium and during its annealing, the mercury matrix emitted 5500 keV gamma rays. The emission of these gamma rays was associated precisely with the formation of a crystalline mercury matrix or with its annealing, since the gamma spectra measured at intervals when the crystalline mercury matrix was not condensed or annealed did not differ from the background gamma spectra.

It can also be argued that gamma-ray emission of 5500 keV energy was associated precisely with pd synthesis according to formula (4), since this effect was observed only during the formation of a mercury matrix in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium, while in all control experiments, when the mercury matrix was formed in a medium of only gaseous hydrogen or only gaseous deuterium, the effect was absent.

Thus, indeed, the condensation of the crystalline mercury matrix in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium and its annealing lead to an intensification of the nuclear fusion reaction for HD deuterium molecules in the matrix.

For the experiment described above, the processing of gamma spectra (Fig. 9 and Fig. 10), measured during crystallization of the mercury matrix and after its annealing, in the region of 4800-5800 keV gave 116 ± 25 pulses recorded over 5000 s during the condensation of crystalline mercury over the background matrices and 111 ± 29 pulses recorded for 7000 s after annealing of the matrix (statistical errors are indicated at the level of one standard deviation). The gas evolution measured in this experiment from a crystalline mercury matrix showed that approximately 1 × 10 ¹⁸ HD deuterium molecules were in the matrix.

Of course, it cannot be considered that all HD deuterium hydrogen molecules in the crystalline mercury matrix were under equally favorable conditions for the pd synthesis reaction to take place according to formula (4).

The experimental results only allow us to estimate the probability P _{HD of} the pd synthesis reaction averaged over all HD deuterium hydrogen molecules in a mercury matrix for one HD deuterium molecule for 1 s using the formula

$$P_{HD}=\frac{H_{\gamma \mathrm{,\; 5500}}}{T{N}_{HD}{\epsilon }_{\gamma \mathrm{,\; 5500}}},c^{-\mathrm{one}},\left(7\right)$$

where N _γ , ₅₅₀₀ is the number of gamma rays recorded in the energy region of 4800-5800 keV gamma spectrum;

T is the time of measurement of the gamma spectrum, s;

N _HD ~ 10 ¹⁸ - the number of HD deuterium molecules in a crystalline mercury matrix;

ε _{γ, 5500} ~ 0.01 - the detection efficiency of gamma rays of 5500 keV from the mercury matrix in the energy range of 4800-5800 keV gamma spectrum.

Evaluation by formula (7) shows that, upon the formation of a crystalline mercury matrix containing HD deuterium molecules, and upon its annealing, the probability of a nuclear fusion reaction by formula (4) for one HD deuterium molecule was not less than 1.5 × 10 ¹⁸ s ^{- 1} .

It should be noted that not in all cases when the crystalline mercury matrix was condensed in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium and annealed, the radiation from the matrix of gamma quanta of nuclear pd synthesis was observed. This circumstance may be explained by the fact that, as in the case of the condensation of matrices of other metals [41], the microstructure of the crystalline mercury matrix depended strongly on the condensation parameters of the matrix — the rate of mercury condensation, the gas pressure in the reactor, and the temperature of the substrate on which mercury was condensed. In the experiments performed, the mercury condensation parameters varied. On the one hand, the exact reproduction of these parameters required the improvement of the entire experimental setup, in particular, the introduction of additional control of the microstructure of the mercury matrix during its condensation. On the other hand, in the experiment, the parameters of mercury condensation were varied in order to obtain the highest intensity of the pd synthesis reaction.

At the same time, in none of the experiments were they detected neutron radiation from the reactor with an intensity statistically significantly different from the neutron background. Since the experimental setup provided detection by neutron radiation of at least 10 s ⁻¹ dd synthesis reactions according to formula (5) in the mercury matrix and the matrix contained about 10 ¹⁸ D ₂ molecules, the absence of the observed neutron radiation from the reactor means that the probability the dd synthesis reaction for the deuterium molecule D ₂ in the mercury matrix was less than 10 ⁻¹⁷ s ⁻¹ .

In the experiments performed, the probability of the dd synthesis reaction did not turn out to be significantly higher than the probability of the pd synthesis reaction, while, according to the accelerator mechanism of the nuclear fusion reaction, the probability of dd synthesis should be five orders of magnitude higher than the probability of pd synthesis. This means that the pd synthesis reactions observed for HD deuterium hydrogen molecules in the crystalline mercury matrix do not proceed by the accelerator mechanism, but by tunneling through the Coulomb barrier, which prevents nuclear fusion from fusion.

Thus, in the experiments carried out both during the condensation of a crystalline mercury matrix containing HD deuterium molecules and its annealing for HD deuterium molecules in the matrix, conditions were created to increase the probability of tunnel passage through the Coulomb barrier, which prevents nuclear fusion from fusion, which made it possible to observe pd synthesis reactions in a matrix. Moreover, the probability of a nuclear fusion reaction of about 10 ⁻¹⁸ s ⁻¹ achieved for an HD deuterium hydrogen molecule in a matrix is many orders of magnitude greater than the probability of a nuclear fusion reaction in an isolated HD deuterium hydrogen molecule.

This experimental result proves the possibility of using the proposed method and increasing the intensity of the exothermic reaction of nuclear fusion.

INFORMATION SOURCES

1. E.P. Velikhov, V.P. Smirnov. State of research and prospects of thermonuclear energy. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2006, v. 76, No. 5, p. 419.

2. J. Blat, V. Weisskopf. Theoretical Nuclear Physics. M .: Inlit., 1954, 658 p.

3. M. Fleischmann, S. Pons. Electroanal Chem., 1989, v. 261, p. 301; Erratum. 1989, v. 263, p. 187.

4. S.E. Jones, E.P. Palmer, J.B. Czir et.al. Nature, London, 1989, v. 338, p. 737.

5. L.D. Landau, E.M. Lifshits. Quantum mechanics. Nonrelativistic theory. M .: Nauka, 1974, 752 p.

6. V.A. Tsarev. UFN, 1990, v. 160, p. 1.

7.S. S. Gernshtein, Yu.V. Petrov, L.I. Ponamarev. Muon catalysis and nuclear breeding. UFN, 1990, v. 160, Vol. 8, p. 3.

8. V.V. Koltsov, A.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Izv. USSR Academy of Sciences, Ser. Fiz., 1989, vol. 53, p. 2085.

9. M.A. Listengarten. Internal conversion of gamma rays. In the book. Gamma rays. M .: - L. Ed. USSR Academy of Sciences, 1961, p.271.

10. Neve de Mevergnier, Phys. Rev. Lett., 1972, v. 29, p. 1188.

11. D.P. Grechukhin, A.A. Soldatov. Study of the conversion process in connection with the effects of the chemical environment of the atom. M .: IAE, 1982, p. 23.

12. O.V. Vorykhalov, E. A. Zaitsev, V. V. Koltsov, A. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Izv. RAS, Ser. Fiz., 1992, v. 56, p. 30.

13.V.V. Koltsov, L.G. Masherov, D.N. Suglobov. Izv. RAS, Ser. Fiz., 1998, v. 62, p. 975.

14.V.V. Koltsov, L.G. Masherov, D.N. Suglobov., Yu.V. Mortikov. Izv. RAS, Ser. Fiz., 2000, v. 64, p. 562.

15.M.M. Vsevolodov, V.Yu. Dobretsov, D.P. Grechukhin. YaF, 1992, v. 55, p. 304.

16. V.Yu. Dobretsov. ZHETF, 1992, v. 102, p. 774,

17. A.I. Akhiezer, V. B. Berestetskiy. Quantum electrodynamics. M .: Nauka, 1969, 623 p.

18. H.B.G. Casimir and D. Polder. Phys. Rev. 1948, v. 73, p. 360. A.A. Mushroom, S.G. Mamaev, V.M. Mostepanenko. Vacuum quantum effects in strong fields. M .: Energoatomizdat, 1988, 288 p.

19. Hulet R. H., Hilfer E. S., Klepner D. Phys. Rev. Lett., 1985, v. 55, p. 2137.

20. R. Matloob, R. Loudon. Phys. Rev. 1996, v. A53, p. 4567; R. Matloob. Ibid., 1999, v. A60, p.50.

21. B.B. Koltsov. Izv. RAS, Ser. Fiz., 2000, v. 64, p. 557.

22. B.B. Koltsov. Izv. RAS, Ser. Fiz., 1993, v. 57.p.100.

23. B.B. Koltsov. Abstracts of the 51st Meeting on Nuclear Spectroscopy and the Structure of the Atomic Nucleus. Sarov, September 3-8, 2001, p. 193.

24. Th. Welton. Phys. Rev. 1948, v. 74, p. 1157. T. Welton. Some observable effects due to quantum-mechanical fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. In the book. Questions of causality of quantum mechanics. M .: Inlit., 1955, p. 269. V. Weisskopf. Physics in the twentieth century. M .: Atomizdat, 1977, p. 92.

25. X.L. Fock. Cold fusion. M.: Sweiteks, 1993, 183 p.

26. JP 91160397, z. 11/18/89, publ. 07/10/91, see H.L. Foke. Cold fusion: essence, problems, impact on the world, a view from the USA. M .: SVITEK, 1993, p. 173.

27. "Laser-induced reaction of cold nuclear fusion in a metal-gas system for Ti-D ₂ -H ₂ -T ₂ ", IL Beltyukov et al. Physics of metals and metal science, 1992, No. 6, p.138.

28. EP 394204, s. 04/18/89, published on 10/24/90, see H.L. Foke. Cold fusion: essence, problems, impact on the world, a view from the USA. M .: SVITEK, 1993, p. 169.

29. D.R.O. Morrison Overview of cold fusion. UFN, 1991, v. 161, No. 12, p. 129.

30. WO 2009/125444 A1, publ. 10/15/2009.

31. RU 2056656 C1, MPK-6 G21G 4/02, G21B 1/00, publ. 03/20/96.

32. RU 2145123 G21B 1/00, publ. 01/27/2000 (prototype).

33. N.A. Galaktionova. Hydrogen in metals. M .: State. Scientific and technical ed. in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, 1959, 256 pp.

34. A.I. Brodsky. Chemistry of isotopes. Because of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, M., 1952, 352 p.

35. S.S. Kurochkin. CAMAC-VECTOR systems. M .: Energoizdat, 1981. 232 p.

36. Z.V. Ershova, A.G. Volgin. Polonium and its application. M., Atomizdat, 1974, 232s.

37. JBSeaborn, GE Mitchell, NR Fletcher, RH Davis. Gamma Rays from the Be ⁹ (α, n) C ¹² Reaction. Phys. Rev., 1963, v. 129, p. 2217.

38. N.A. Vartanov, P.S. Samoilov. Applied scintillation gamma spectrometry. - M .: Atomizdat, 1969, 463 p.

39. O.F. Nemets, Yu.V. Hoffman. Handbook of Nuclear Physics. - Kiev: Science. Dumka, 1975, 415 p.

40. I.V. Gordeev, D.A. Kardashev, A.V. Malyshev. Nuclear physics constants. Directory. M., 1963, 507 p.

41. L.S. Palatnik, M.Ya., Fuchs, V.M. Kosevich. The mechanism of formation and substructure of condensed films. M .: Nauka, 1972, 320 p.

Claims (15)

1. A method of increasing the intensity of an exothermic nuclear fusion reaction involving hydrogen isotope nuclei in a metal crystalline body, including the formation of a metal crystalline body by its condensation from metal vapor, the introduction of hydrogen isotopes atoms in a metal crystalline body so that at least some of the atoms with the reaction reagents synthesis appeared in a metallic crystalline body adjacent to each other, at the smallest possible distance from each other, characterized in that the reaction Nuclear fusion is carried out by introducing atoms of hydrogen isotopes into a metal crystalline body simultaneously with the formation of the metal crystalline body itself by condensation of metal vapor in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by the fusion of metal microcrystals obtained by condensation of metal vapor in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes, when they are annealed in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that they carry out the registration of the products of nuclear fusion reactions in a metal crystalline body. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by introducing hydrogen isotope molecules into a metal crystalline body simultaneously with the formation of the metal crystalline body itself by condensation of metal vapor in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes that does not decompose hydrogen isotope molecules into atoms. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the nuclear fusion reaction is carried out by introducing hydrogen isotope molecules into the metallic crystalline mercury simultaneously with the formation of the metallic crystalline mercury itself by condensation of gaseous hydrogen isotopes of mercury vapor. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the introduction of hydrogen isotope atoms into a metal crystalline body is carried out by condensation of metal vapor in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium molecules and deuterium D ₂ molecules. 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the introduction of hydrogen isotopes atoms in a metal crystalline body is carried out by condensation of metal vapor in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium at a pressure of from 3.3 · 10 ⁴ to 4.0 · 10 ⁴ Pa and partial pressure HD deuterium hydrogen not less than 1.7 · 10 ⁴ Pa. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that when carrying out nuclear fusion reactions in a hydrogen-deuterium gas medium containing hydrogen molecules H ₂ , HD deuterium molecules and deuterium D ₂ molecules, gamma quanta of energy of 5500 keV are recorded, indicating nuclear fusion reactions involving proton and deuteron in a metal crystalline body according to the formula
p + d → ³ He + γ (5500 keV). 9. A device for nuclear fusion with the participation of nuclei of isotopes of hydrogen in a metal crystalline body, characterized in that it contains the following nodes connected by a gas pipeline with valves:
source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes;
a reactor with the possibility of evaporation of metal and condensation of metal vapors into a crystalline metal body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes so that at least a part of the atoms with nuclei - synthesis reaction reagents appear in the metal crystalline body adjacent to each other, that is, at the smallest possible distance from friend
means for regulating the pressure of the gaseous medium in the source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and in the reactor;
means for controlling the pressure of the gaseous medium in the source of gaseous hydrogen isotopes and in the reactor;
as well as means for measuring and controlling technological parameters, means for recording reaction products of nuclear fusion. 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the source of gaseous isotopes of hydrogen comprises a gas cylinder with hydrogen, a gas cylinder with deuterium and an isotope mixing chamber interconnected by a gas supply pipeline with valves, with the possibility of dosed supply of hydrogen gas and deuterium to the isotope exchange chamber, in which, using a catalyst, it is possible to obtain gaseous HD deuterium by isotopic exchange between hydrogen and deuterium molecules and with the possibility of a metered supply of a gas mixture from isotope exchange chambers in the reactor. 11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the reactor with the possibility of evaporation of the metal and condensation of the metal in a metal crystalline body in the atmosphere of gaseous hydrogen isotopes is made in the form of a sealed chamber and contains a pipe for evacuating the chamber and supplying gas to the chamber, the evaporator, the metal in an evaporator and a condenser with the possibility of heating the metal in the evaporator to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the metal, with the possibility of condensation in the condenser of metal vapor in a metal crystalline body in a gaseous and HEAT hydrogen, with the possibility of merging metal microcrystals, obtained by condensation of metal vapors when annealing in a medium of gaseous hydrogen isotopes. 12. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for regulating the pressure of the gas medium contains a vacuum pump with the possibility of receiving in the reactor, in the isotope exchange chamber and in the gas pipeline with gas pressure valves not more than 0.1 Pa. 13. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the means of monitoring the pressure of the gas medium contain gas pressure sensors in the reactor, in the isotope exchange chamber and in the gas pipeline with valves with the possibility of measuring gas pressure in the range from 0.1 to 10 ⁵ Pa. 14. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the means of measuring and monitoring the technological parameters contain sensors for the temperature of the catalyst in the isotope exchange chamber, the temperature of the evaporator and the condenser of the reactor with the possibility of measuring temperature in the range from minus 100 ° C to 1000 ° C. 15. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for recording the products of nuclear fusion reactions contain a gamma-ray detector and a neutron detector with the ability to measure the radiation intensity of gamma-quanta and neutrons generated in nuclear fusion reactions occurring in the reactor.

Images