WO1995012883A1 - Appareil a decharge luminescente et procede permettant d'etablir des prealables et des conditions d'essais de reactions nucleaires - Google Patents

Appareil a decharge luminescente et procede permettant d'etablir des prealables et des conditions d'essais de reactions nucleaires Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1995012883A1
WO1995012883A1 PCT/US1994/012519 US9412519W WO9512883A1 WO 1995012883 A1 WO1995012883 A1 WO 1995012883A1 US 9412519 W US9412519 W US 9412519W WO 9512883 A1 WO9512883 A1 WO 9512883A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cathode
fusion
gas
anode
chamber
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1994/012519
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO1995012883B1 (fr
Inventor
John Marshall
Original Assignee
Eneco, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eneco, Inc. filed Critical Eneco, Inc.
Priority to AU10857/95A priority Critical patent/AU1085795A/en
Publication of WO1995012883A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995012883A1/fr
Publication of WO1995012883B1 publication Critical patent/WO1995012883B1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21B—FUSION REACTORS
    • G21B3/00—Low temperature nuclear fusion reactors, e.g. alleged cold fusion reactors
    • G21B3/002—Fusion by absorption in a matrix
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/10—Nuclear fusion reactors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to methods and apparatus used in the creation of an environment for generating and evaluating postulated nuclear reactions for the purposes of generating energy and producing nuclear reaction formed by-products.
  • the present invention pertains to an apparatus for conducting cold fusion experiments in order to evaluate the postulated nuclear processes and components, for controlling postulated cold fusion reactions, and for the potential production of and testing for usable energy output obtained from the glow discharge treatment of fusion lattice metals.
  • nuclear fission reactors are enormous expensive, generate more than one hundred fission by-products (all highly radioactive and generally undesirable, creating ever increasing waste disposal problems) and generate far less watts per pound of fuel than can be obtained in fusion reactions.
  • Cold fusion may provide a substantially lower-cost approach to the generation of energy in the form of neutrons, gamma rays and heat energy than that provided by conventional nuclear fission rectors.
  • Cold in this case means temperatures orders of magnitude below those of the H-bomb which is 50 million degrees.
  • fusion has been produced in solid metal polycrystalline lattices that have been electro-chemically saturated with isotopes of hydrogen and lithium when the metal is used as a cathode in an aqueous solution electrolytic cell containing heavy water and various dissolved metal electrolytes, such as LiOD.
  • FEs light fusion elements
  • FLM fusion lattice metal
  • fusion lattice metals could also potentially be used: titanium, zirconium, vanadium, platinum, thorium, nickel, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, cerium or alloys and mixtures thereof.
  • the present invention provides for a novel gas-phase reactor rather than the aqueous reactors of Pons and Jones. Instead of an electrochemical potential being maintained over a cathode in an aqueous ionic solution, a negative electrode is used in a gas-phase glow discharge plasma where low energy ions of the FEs are implanted into the fusion lattice metal (FLM) electrodes.
  • FLM fusion lattice metal
  • the potential available in this low energy implantation can range from 100 to 5000 volts of energy for implantation. Accordingly, Pons and Fleischmann report a potential of 0.8 volt with a suggestion that they might be able to get the potential as high as 2.0 volts. These are potentials that are directly translatable into pressures of FEs within the FLM. What this implies is that the present invention provides for much greater range of energies of implantation of the FE's into the FLM.
  • the present invention allows for higher mobilities and pressures of the FEs within the FLM. Any nuclear reaction that is sensitive to lattice pressures of solubilized FEs may be boosted in rate by present invention.
  • the present invention therefore, provides a simple laboratory test apparatus and empirical testing design fixture for further investigation of solid state nuclear reactions, the nuclear processes involved and the various combinations of the FEs and FLMs, and the nuclear reactions of the FE mixtures that can take place in the FLMs.
  • thin films of the fusion lattice metal may be used. Thin films are able to radiate heat by blackbody radiation and convection or forced gas cooling and to equilibrate quickly due to low thermal mass. Being thinner, the whole FLM can equilibrate to temperatures of the surrounding environment at a rate ⁇ T°/sec which increases as a function of the inverse proportion of the FLM thickness or radius and proportional to thermal diffusivity of the FLM material. These attributes could not be provided in an aqueous based reactor.
  • the present invention provides, therefore, for the use of smaller amounts of FLM to achieve cold fusion then required for electrochemical approaches with higher faster heat emissivity per unit of FLM material.
  • the present invention does not experience the problems of surface fouling for two separate reasons.
  • ions of the FEs are implanted at a low energy into the fusion lattice metal through use of glow discharge. This is because the FE atoms have been ionized in the discharge dark space over the metal surface and have picked up energies in the range of slightly over 0 ev to as high as 3 Kev and are accelerated in that electric field as is well understood in the art of glow discharge. This allows these accelerated ions, some of which may be recombined with electrons which arrive at the cathode surface as neutral atoms, to implant themselves into the metal surface to a depth of a number of atomic layers. Being light elements the ions travel at high velocities and have high penetration ability.
  • the present invention solves a number of problems over the prior approaches as clearly described in the details of the present invention provided hereafter.
  • a system for testing and evaluating nuclear cold processes comprises apparatus and is used with methods which may usefully produce a solid state nuclear reaction in addition and providing for such testing and evaluation.
  • the system comprises a canister having a hermetically sealed chamber containing one or a plurality of cathodes with each cathode composed of a fusion lattice metal (FLM) and one or a plurality of anodes composed of fusion lattice metal or other suitable metal.
  • a gas composed of a fusion element (FE) is injected into the system at a predetermined pressure and temperature and the cathode and anode are supplied for a long enough time with sufficient electrical power to maintain a sustained glow discharge condition for the cathodes. It is postulated that fusion initiates after these parameters have been satisfied.
  • the system of the present invention is postulated to achieve highest efficiency when current density at the cathode is sufficient to obtain and maintain an abnormal glow discharge.
  • a multiple electrode power generating mode is designed to deliver power continuously while maintaining an ability to expel and thereby harvest salable fusion isotope products.
  • a simple test canister for conducting research into the nature of the nuclear fusion processes involved and the use of different types and combinations of FEs and FLMs is provided wherein a coaxial chamber has an anode located in the cylindrical sidewalls and a cathode axially located therein with FE gas being injected in the region there between.
  • FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a canister of the present invention
  • FIGURE 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical and gas connections to the canister of Figure 1 ;
  • FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of the system of the present invention in operation under shutdown feedback control
  • FIGURE 4 is a modified related art graph of the ratio of resistance R of an FE solubilized lattice metal to the resistance R,, of the FE deficient FLM versus a typical relative time scale for glow discharging FLMs;
  • FIGURES 5 a and 5b are the top and oblique views of an FLM wire or rod showing current density J out from the surface for maintaining glow discharge and showing magnetic field B for increasing ionizing efficiencies;
  • FIGURE 6 sets forth a first three electrode embodiment of the canister of the present invention;
  • FIGURE 7a is a modified related art graph of the cathode voltage drop V c near the surface of the cathode when glow discharge exists
  • FIGURE 7b is a related art map of typical space charge densities during normal glow discharge
  • FIGURE 8 sets forth a related art lattice modified to show an ion of FE gas accelerated by the electric field E c of the cathode potential drop, V c implanting itself into the FE matrix with an energy in electron volts (ev) equal to that amount of cathode field drop in volts (V c ) that it passed through while ionized to a +1 electron charge unit (this is the case for hydrogen, tritium and deuterium);
  • FIGURE 9 is a related art graph showing the relation between relative cathode-drop thickness and cathode drop of potential
  • FIGURE 10 is a related art illustration of the mechanism of sputtering
  • FIGURE 11 is the related art lattice of Figure 8 modified to illustrate the action of the reversed (minus rather than plus) space charge field in fast negative coefficient of reactivity control on the release of FEs on attainment of thermionic emission temperatures;
  • FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a canister which is similar to the canister of Figure 1 ;
  • FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a canister which is similar to the canister of Figure 12;
  • FIGURE 14 sets forth a second three electrode embodiment of the canister of the present invention.
  • the present invention utilizes a non-aqueous method for saturating FLM (such as palladium) with deuterium and other light elements and light elemental isotopes directly from the gas phase by using the FLMs as cathodes in a gas glow discharges environment.
  • FLM such as palladium
  • gas glow discharge as is known in sputtering art, higher energies are available for bombarding FLM surfaces than energies available in a wet cell.
  • the glow discharge of the present invention allows FEs (especially hydrogen isotopes) to be pumped into the FLM at a higher energy thereby allowing greater pressures of hydrogen in the lattice in order to increase the rate of any solid state nuclear reaction energy output.
  • glow discharge creates small amounts of sputtering at the metal surface of the crystal lattice.
  • Small amounts of noble gases are added to the FE gas, thereby removing small amounts of adsorbed surface atoms and small amounts of the FLM itself.
  • This sputtering provides a continuous cleaning activity which eliminates decreased diffiisivities created by surface fouling which is created by adsorption of atom impurities.
  • the gas canister 10 of the present invention is shown of approximately 5 inches in diameter and 8 inches in height.
  • the canister 10 comprises electrically insulating hermetically sealed caps 20 made of vacuum compatible machinable high-temperature ceramic at both ends of a cylindrical metal wall 30.
  • a palladium electrode 40 is axially centered in the canister 10 to make a co-axial arrangement with the cylinder wall 30.
  • Electrode 40 may be a wire, a rod, or a coating of palladium or other FLM or alloy thereof.
  • Substrate material for electrode 40 may include titanium, vanadium, zirconium, platinum, thorium, nickel, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, cerium, copper, silver or mixtures and alloys thereof.
  • Lithium, rare earth metals or semiconducting elements may be added in small amounts to adjust d-orbital band-gap energies.
  • a preferred embodiment is cast wires or rods that have been annealed.
  • a negative voltage is applied to terminal 50.
  • a palladium or palladium covered electrode 40 is provided between terminals 50 and 60 which is delivered out from the canister 10.
  • a third terminal 70 is connected to the cylindrical metal canister to which positive voltage is provided.
  • terminal 50 (and, therefore wire 40) is the CATHODE and terminal 70 (and, therefore wall 30) is the ANODE.
  • An inlet port 80 is provided as well as an outlet port 90.
  • the +V could be at ground potential and, therefore, gas recirculation loop connections 80 and 90 could also be at ground. Or, the connections 80 and 90 could likewise be insulated from the canister 10.
  • the canister 10 contains a chamber 12 which is hermetically sealed and which is capable of withstanding internal pressures of 0.01 microns up to 10 atmospheres.
  • the electrode 40 in the preferred embodiment, is typically a cylindrical cast wire or rod in the range of 0.001 inch to 1 inch, but with a preference toward diameters in the 0.050 inch range to increase speed of control of pressures of FEs in the lattice, as will be subsequently discussed.
  • the anode or cylindrical wall 30 is constructed of a suitable substrate material such as a high heat transfer material as may be found in the text, "Techniques and Reactor Engineering", Glasstone, Chapter 10, Van Norstrand, Princeton 1955, on fission reactor engineering wherein this material has both excellent heat transfer characteristics and very low cross section for neutron absorption, most likely group IV or V metals (periodic table of the elements) such as zirconium or vanadium.
  • a layer of the FLM material 14 (such as in the range of 0.1 - 0.5 times the thickness of electrode 40) is firmly bonded to inside wall of this canister material where there is a graded metallurgical bond formed by explosive bonding fabrication techniques as can be performed by Explosive Fabricators Inc. of
  • any FLM can be used.
  • the cathode 40' is held between terminals 50-60 at a suitable tension such that at temperatures approaching 1500°C cathode 40' remains straight and does not buckle.
  • Cathode 40' engages the insulated caps 20 at regions 42a and 42b which is a conventional high pressure, high temperature ceramic-to-metal seal 42.
  • the caps 20 are preferably made from a suitable electrically insulating hermetic material such as vacuum grade, machinable high-temperature ceramic.
  • Figure 1 provides a coaxial electric field arrangement between the center cathode and the surrounding anode so that the circumference of cathode 40' is fully subjected to the FE gas and the glow discharge effect as will be more fully discussed.
  • the aforesaid dimensions of the present invention are suitable for laboratory testing, but that the invention is not limited to the particular physical sizes mentioned.
  • different height to diameter ratios of the canister 10 of Figure 1 could be configured for the precise application required without departing from the present teachings.
  • the canister of Figure 1 provides a tool for conducting research into the processes of cold fusion for different FLMs and FEs.
  • FIG. 1 • provide an operating system for operating and controlling the cold fusion reactor occurring in the canister of the present invention.
  • the gas canister 10 of the present invention is shown in Figure 2 interconnected with the system 200 of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 sets forth use of a computer 210 as an overall control.
  • An input output channel is shown over lines a-r.
  • computer 210 may be one or several separate computers and that one or more of the control functions a-r may be performed manually under certain design or test conditions. The following describes the operation one mode of cleaning the system.
  • a. Pumping to a High Vacuum Computer 210 provides the overall operational control of the present invention.
  • the computer over line "a" activates a vacuum pump station 212 which is interconnected over plumbing 214 to the outlet port 90 of canister 10.
  • the vacuum pump station is activated to pump chamber 12 of canister 10 to a high vacuum such as in the range of 10" 8 to 10 *10 torr by means of first using any of a number of mechanical roughing pumps such as those provided by Alcatel to pump to 10 "2 to 10 "3 Torr and then pumping to high vacuum with either cryogenic pumps such as provided by CTI Cryogenics or high speed turbine pumps such as provided by Balzers Inc. b. Cleaning Reactor Surfaces
  • Vacuum pump station 212 removes such gaseous impurities.
  • an optical pyrometer 352 may be utilized to provide feedback control to carefully monitor and to set bake out temperatures for electrode 40 during the cleaning process under control of computer 210.
  • the interior wall 14 of the canister is now heated by the computer 210 over controls "c" which activates a conventional heater 250 to 350°C in order to boil off adsorbed gases such as water vapor, oxygen and polluting hydrocarbons from the interior 12. Heating is maintained for a suitable time interval such as 30 minutes to 2 hours or as long as is necessary to reach a predetermined desired temperature throughout while under vacuum.
  • the heater may be, for example, a conventionally available system of two refractory heating units such as PN-11-463-105B Fisher Scientific Catalog #88 which would surround the outer periphery of canister 10 (as represented by dotted lines 232). Other approaches to heating the canister may also be used under the teachings of the present invention. d. Purging of Canister 10
  • Computer 210 over line "d” then activates valve 240 to backfill canister 10 with a noble gas from containment vessel 242, the preferred embodiment employing argon or neon.
  • Canister 10 is backfilled to a pressure of 1-20 millitorr.
  • Recirculating pump 315 is activated thereby circulating the delivered noble gas through processor
  • Processor 271 which removes impurities transported therethrough.
  • Processor 271 may be a conventional gas centrifuge which delivers impurities out over line 272 for collection and/or analysis. As will be discussed later, analysis of the impurities is important in understanding the cold fusion processes.
  • Processor 271 is under control of computer 210 over lines “h” and it also provides data back to computer 210.
  • the high voltage power supply 220 is run by computer 220 over "e” for a number of minutes at current in the range of 1 ma/cm 2 to 50 ma/cm 2 of surface area of the palladium wire 40.
  • the high voltage current regulated output supply is capable of operating up to 1 ,000 volts.
  • the one-minute run provides enough operating time to sputter off 50-500 Angstroms of the FLM surface of the cathode to remove any remaining adatoms from the lattice of the FLM not removed earlier.
  • Polarities of the high voltage power supply 220 can be reversed by computer 210 over leads "e” to sputter clean the surfaces 14 of the anode structure 10.
  • the "ANODE” acts as a cathode. This process can be alternately repeated as many times as necessary to insure the removal of all impurities from the lattice.
  • the computer 210 can activate the low voltage supply 218, controlling lead "r" to generate a magnetic field B around the cathode 40' to increase sputtering via increased ionization efficiencies as will be discussed later.
  • Chamber 12 is then filled with deuterium, 2 H 2 isotope, from gas administration system 252 at 10 millitorr to 10 mm (of Hg) by activating valve 250.
  • FE gas administration system 252 is able to provide any one of the three hydrogen isotopes (common hydrogen, deuterium, tritium) or any desired mixture and ratio of the three isotopes.
  • the mixture ratio and administrative flow is controlled by computer 210 over line 211. This capability is important in laboratory situations for investigating the cold fusion processes and for tuning the mixture.
  • Deuterium gas is delivered from tank 252 through a filter 253 for insuring delivery of a pure hydrogen isotope (e.g., deuterium) or mixture.
  • Filter 253 may be, for example, a standard palladium heated membrane for providing high purity hydrogen (e.g., 99.999% to 99.9999% purity).
  • Computer 210 activates valve 250 over lines "f ' to fill the system.
  • the power supply 220 is then turned on by computer 210 in a normal polarity constant current mode (i.e., minus at terminal 50) for the length of time required to reach a solubility of 0.74 atoms of hydrogen per atom of FLM when the FLM is the preferred embodiment metal, pure palladium, the level of solubility of deuterium can be measured as a function of resistance and temperature of the FLM as seen in Figure
  • Solubility may vary for other FE's in FLMs, but similar curves also exist for such metals showing a peak 400 of desired solubility.
  • polarity of the electrodes may be reversed under the hydrogen pressure and the current adjusted to a level that keeps the Pd cathode 40' ( Figure 2) at 900°C. These conditions are maintained until the R/R-. ratio returns to 1.0 at point 405 as seen on the graph in Figure 4. At point 405, the FLM is totally depleted of hydrogen. The same conditions are maintained for 10 minutes at a variation tolerance of 0.1% for R/R-. to insure that the total depletion of solubilized hydrogen from FLM cathode 40' has been achieved.
  • valve 250 ( Figure 2) open by computer 210 to add gas to the recirculation loop 322.
  • the desired mixture ratios of hydrogen gases (1, 2 or 3) are maintained by monitoring - the output of mass spectrometer 351 over lines "o" and the rebalancing program of computer 210 calling for any necessary gas makeup from FE vessel 252. At this point all other inlet and outlet valving is shut off except for those valving, balancing and monitoring systems tied to loop 322 as just discussed.
  • Such a mixture may be delivered into the system while output "o" of the mass spectrometer determines the percentages. If the mixture is incorrect, computer 210 adjusts the delivery system over lines 211 to fine tune the gas composition.
  • the pressure of FE gas in the loop 322 and chamber 12 should be considered to be critical to all other parameters of operation and, therefore must be maintained at a specific set pressure. Pressure should be set to just enough pressure of the FE gas which is necessary to initiate and maintain a desired level of measurable reactor activity. This pressure is set by the regulator 251 at the inlet from the FE gas source
  • FE pressure when using palladium electrodes in a preferred embodiment diode discharge mode may best be set between lOmTorr and 10mm (of Hg) pressure.
  • voltage potential between cathode 40' and anode 14 is run at about 200 volts at a current of 1.2 ma/cm 2 of Pd surface. Voltage values will likely vary with electrode geometry and spacing distances. Curves for predicting voltage values shown in Figure 9 for H 2 :
  • Pump 315 is capable of circulating the delivered FE gas through the system such that the gas (volume per unit time) is continually flushed through the system (i.e., loop 322 and chamber 12). Pump 315 is under control of signals "g" as generated by computer 210. Pump 315 pumps FE gas through heat exchangers 310 and 320 that can be run in either of two possible modes - either for heat addition or subtraction over ports 312. Typically since gases exiting the system through exit port 80 (after a fusion or other nuclear reaction experiment) may be at very high temperatures, heat exchangers 310 and 320 will be used to remove heat from the system.
  • a first, power generation embodiment comprises pure thermal transfer wherein heat is carried away by convection or forced gas movement over the wire surface as provided by the recirculation loop 322 in conjunction with pump 315 as seen in Figure 3.
  • pump 315 can be turbines or fans designed for high temperature operation with blade materials such as one finds in Concorde or SR-71 aircraft engines.
  • a second power generation embodiment employs a mode of heat transfer in this wire/surface FLM system by photonic radiation in the far infrared to high UV spectral range. To keep thin FLMs from reaching ranges near melting (in the embodiment using palladium, melting temperature is 1542° C) heat absorbers are disposed in the power generating system.
  • FLMS 601, 602 and 603 are of a very thin structure (.001 -.500) where they are able to radiate their heat load in two modes. (See section 6 "Multiple Electrode Systems; Three or More” for further detail.)
  • c. Testing for Obtained Fusion or Other Solid State Nuclear Reaction High power supply 220 is activated by computer 210 over lines “e” to apply power to terminals 50 and 70 after delivery and circulation of the FE gas into canister 10.
  • Supply 220 is programmed to ramp up (i.e., linear ramp, etc.) to the voltage necessary to obtain glow discharge. This voltage is the voltage necessary to overcome the ionization or breakdown voltage and such voltages are known in the literature for different gases and gas pressures.
  • cathode 40' exhibits a change of resistance over time as shown in Figure 4.
  • Cathode 40' (for palladium) will commence following the curve of R/Ro through points 405, 400, 410 and 420 and until 430, a postulated point at which a nuclear reaction may occur.
  • the system of the present invention monitors this movement until any ignition and through the postulated nuclear reaction. This monitoring process will be discussed later and provides important feedback information and control to the computer.
  • power from high voltage supply 220 is ramped on to apply power to terminals 50 and 60, as shown in Figure 2 to be controlled by computer 210 (+ to terminal 50), and to provide the appropriate current per square centimeter of surface area of the cathode 40' which is in the range one milliamp per centimeter to one amp per square centimeter range.
  • the condition of glow discharge is entered and maintained as a predecessor to any nuclear reaction.
  • One approach to monitor resistance of cathode 40' is to watch the voltage between terminals 50 and 60 across the wire 40 when a small constant current from supply 218 is run through the FLM. Such a current is realized by passing a constant current between terminals 50 and 60.
  • optical pyrometer 352 which monitors the infrared heat output from the cathode surface via window 393 inside of canister 10 it is possible to determine the resistance of the wire of cathode 40'.
  • Optical pyrometer 352 and the voltage monitor 305 are interconnected with computer 220 over lines i and j respectively to receive control signals and to provide data to the computer 210.
  • wire cathode 40' may be precalibrated as described in the prior section with no saturation of hydrogen in the metal (i.e., point 405 in Figure 4). Also, wire cathode 40' may be run up and down the temperature range such that the resistance of the wire 40 or cathode form and how much hydrogen is in the wire can be determined from the information in Figure 4 as will be explained hereafter.
  • Any fusion reactions (e.g., deuterium on deuterium, deuterium on tritium, deuterium on helium 3, tritium on tritium, i.e., any of the FEs fused in combination with one another) have smaller probabilities of reactivity than a thermal neutron on a proton, but since the mechanism is not yet known, there is a possibility that any light fusion element reactions, including fission generating reactions, known thus far may happen. If so, such reactions may be identifiable by gamma ray spectrometer 354 because the emitted gamma ray helps identify only one specific nuclear reactions.
  • spectrometer 354 allows one to monitor occurrence of photon reactions.
  • Gamma ray spectrometer 354 and the neutron spectrometer 353 are commercially available and are controlled and transmit data over lines k and 1 respectively with control computer 210.
  • the present invention provides, in the test fixture of Figure 1, a valuable research tool in understanding the nature of processes related to cold fusion or other nuclear reactions, especially for testing different metals and alloys and which may be used efficiently and quickly to discover which FLM materials and alloys should be used to obtain the highest energy release.
  • onset of any nuclear reaction can be detected under the teachings of the present invention by monitoring resistance of the FLM cathode 40', temperature of the FLM 40 by optical pyrometer 352 and generation of gamma rays and/or neutrons thereof.
  • Design parameters associated with particular pressures of HE gas, geometries of the FLM electrodes, percent of each isotope in the HE gas, spacings of FLM electrodes, temperatures and volumes for any individual configuration are best estimated by calculation but can be empirically determined in a test fixture of the style of Figure 1 before being used in a power generation reactor.
  • the methods and apparati of the present invention provide an efficient universal design tool for such empirical analysis. e.
  • a neutron absorption blanket combined with a gamma absorption blanket jointly referred to as 380 as seen in Figure 3.
  • Such gamma absorption and neutron absorption blankets are designed by techniques well known and in standard textbooks of nuclear fission reactor engineering to produce thermal energy by absorption of the energetic gamma rays and neutrons that are produced from the metal lattice 40.
  • This absorber blanket for example, is shown in "Glasstone-Techniques of Reactor Engineering".
  • Any heat created by absorption of the gamma radiations and neutrons by the blankets 380 is removed from the system by pump 330 under computer control "m.”
  • a suitable coolant is circulated through the blankets and is chosen to have a very low capture cross-section for neutrons flowing in the cooling return loop 335 such that the coolant itself does not become radioactive.
  • Coolant is circulated in loop 335 by pump 330 and circulated throughout the interior of the neutron and gamma absorption jacketing (as shown by the dotted line) 380.
  • Line 335 is a high pressure line with high pressure seals. Note that it is necessary to keep the coolant in a fluid state and to take all possible precautions to keep boiling coolant bubbles from forming.
  • Coolant flows through heat exchanger 340 and according to heat exchange technology that is standard to nuclear fusion reactor technology this would transfer its heat to water circulation line 345 that is run out to run conventional steam turbines for the process of electrical or mechanical energy power generation. Techniques to do this are also well known and are found in standard texts and designs for nuclear fission reactors. Heat from heat exchanges 310 and 320 is combined with the output over 345 to provide output power from the system. f. Fusion By-Products
  • the present invention provides a method and mechanism for sampling nuclear reaction by-products. It may be desirable in certain fusion reactions to periodically shut off the supply of high power ionization current from power supply 220. Supply 220 is shut off for a small period of time such as 5 to 20 seconds to leak a very small amount of gas out of cathode 40'. If there are specific fusion products building up in the lattice, this gas leakage would be represented especially by build-ups of helium, helium 3, helium 4, and tritium as detected in processor 271. It is important to measure these levels periodically for safety and to thereby understand the nuclear processes taking place. These light fusion elements include: hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, helium 3, helium 4.
  • Mass spectrometer 351 checks on levels of fusion by-products that are being created in metal lattices 40.
  • Liquid scintillation counter 350 should be given special attention as it may be critical to monitoring tritium production. Liquid scintillation is the technique with the greatest sensitivity to changes in tritium levels by measurement of emitted beta rays. A small sample of the pumping return loop 322 would be bubbled through the liquid scintillating cocktail. In the cocktail of standard liquid scintillation counters there is a scintillation material that is activated which gives off photons in relation to the amount of energy of the beta decay of tritium. The counter also helps distinguish 3 H as opposed to 3 He which the mass spectrometer cannot do alone.
  • the present invention provides a system for periodically monitoring by-products of the fusion reaction for safety and research purposes. This is accomplished by programming computer 210 to shut down power from supply 220 for a predetermined period of time thereby allowing gaseous by-products to be delivered into chamber 12 from the FLM cathode 40', these by-products are then delivered to suitable detectors such as mass spectrometer 351 and scintillation counter
  • the major portion of the gases admitted to reactor vessel 10 in an operating mode will likely be isotopes of hydrogen such as hydrogen, deuterium and tritium. It is not, as yet ascertained, exactly what nuclear reactions are going on in cold fusion as broadly defined. Hence, use of lighter elements such as lithium isotopes, lithium 5, lithium 6, lithium 7 are possible.
  • Major components of the FEs in a preferred embodiment power generating mode may likely be more than 99% deuterium.
  • lithium is desired in the gas phase of this reaction, it has a measurable vapor pressure at temperatures of operation on the order of 800°C for the gas canister 10.
  • the boiling point of lithium is 1347°C.
  • the melting point is 180.54°C. If it should be desired to operate this reaction at lower temperatures than that necessary to keep the lithium in vapor phase, lithium may be drifted into the fusion lattice metal elements in gas diffusion ovens prior to use as is well-known in the semi-conductor art. Such ovens are used in the semiconductor industry.
  • the rods, tubes assemblies of the FLMs could also be displaced into Chamber 10 along with a source of elemental lithium.
  • the tube lithium could be evaporated at temperatures up to 1000°C into the gas in the canister. Plasma bombardment would then implant lithium into the lattice of the cathode electrode.
  • Controlling Fusion Any resulting fusion reactions are monitored by radiation output monitors 352, 353, and 354.
  • An appropriate program in computer 210 assembles data as monitored and acts under proper feedback control time constants to adjust all reactivity rate parameters, especially current and polarity of glow discharge as provided by supply 220. Such programs are either available in the art or can be written and implemented by one of ordinary programming skill without excess experimentation.
  • FLM cathodes e.g.
  • cathode 40' can become thermionic emitters in the range 600 - 1500°C.
  • electrons are boiled off a metal surface.
  • These electrons in the charge balance reaction shown in Formula 8, provided hereafter, can combine with the surface FE lattice gas 1024 (as shown with arrows) to form the combination of FE + shown in Figure 11 as a deuterium ion 1100 with an electron 1110 that then escapes with a thermal velocity away from the surface 1140 as determined by gas pressures, temperatures and pressure gradients immediately over the FLM material surface.
  • points 1105 show that there is a likelihood of finding FE gas molecules 1024 of Figure 11 further from the surface immediately over the FLM atoms 16 of Figure 11.
  • FIG. 6 a multiple electrode system of the style which may be more suited to power generation than the simple coaxial reactor of Figure 1 is shown.
  • a metal such as copper or other metal that has low mobility for hydrogen is used. It is metallurgically bonded to FLM thickness 630.
  • each elongated tube 620 has an inner pipe space 610 (extending the full length) that allows passage of coolant through the FLM electrodes.
  • Tube 620 is metallurgically bonded to FLM material 630.
  • the substrate metal 620 is bonded to the fusion lattice metal 630 with a system of bonding that does not leak hydrogen from the FLM through the bond. This is important in order that lattice pressures of FE fusion element gases may be maintained in fusion lattice metal 630.
  • This seal may be achieved by a graded alloy between substrate metal 620 and fusion lattice metal 630 and performed by techniques presented in standard metallurgy texts.
  • one electrode for instance in Figure 6, 601
  • electrode 602 may be used as an anode and electrode 603is an idler.
  • cathode 601 is connected to the negative of the glow discharge power supply 220.
  • the electrode 602 is connected to power supply 220 to run as the anode.
  • anode 602 which may have previously been running as a cathode is at first depleted of hydrogen, deuterium, lithium, tritium, helium, or, in other words, all of the isotopes that may have been built up such that depleting elements especially 3 He and 3 H may be harvested and retrieved as valuable reaction by-products.
  • Specific FLM materials which are permeable both to hydrogen and helium are desired.
  • cast palladium FLM does easily diffuse hydrogen, deuterium and tritium. Mobilities and solubilities for helium may be found in the literature on solubilities of helium in palladium.
  • Electrode 603 is idle in the configuration where electrode 601 is responsible for generating the power and electrode 602 is the anode. Electrode 603, when inactive, is known as the idler. Previous to this time, the idler would have been the anode and while an anode would have already discharged its load of fusion reaction by-products. In operation, each idler is biased electrically somewhere near the potential of the cathode, but just short of that potential necessary to drive it into necessary fusion gas saturation which may produce fusion or other nuclear reactions.
  • the system can be switched such that the electrode which has been the cathode becomes the anode to dump its load of by-products.
  • the electrode which had been the anode becomes the idler and begins to recharge with hydrogen to be ready for a next electrolytic production cycle.
  • the electrode which had been the idler has theoretically been raised to the borderline of necessary saturation pressures to an active electrode becomes the cathode.
  • the newly selected cathode is pumped up with current and starts being the reactive electrode nearly immediately.
  • the uniqueness of this system is that there can be a large number of these cells and they can be small and compact.
  • Computer 210 is suitably programmed to operate the three electrode system of Table II.
  • Rotation of use among the electrodes provides the advantages as previously discussed. It is to be expressly understood that more electrodes could be utilized under the above teachings than the three shown and operate in same sort of round- robin mode. Also, any number of independent cells of numbers of electrodes greater than three could be combined to form a reactor.
  • the electrodes can be replaced on an appropriate maintenance schedule.
  • the current source power supply 218 is set to a steady regulated constant current such as 1.00 ma.
  • a steady regulated constant current such as 1.00 ma.
  • the FLM cathode 40' is precalibrated by being run as an anode until the wire hits a non- varying reading of resistance at point 405 in graph of Figure 4.
  • This point is R-,, the point at which the FLM wire is totally depleted of hydrogen or its isotopes.
  • R- the point at which the FLM wire is totally depleted of hydrogen or its isotopes.
  • One appropriate electrical technique to do this is to divide the gas discharge emission current in half and feed the equal halves of that current from supply 220 to the FLM cathode 40' via the two terminals 50 and 60. The two currents nullify and do not show up as a voltage difference on voltage monitor 305.
  • Supply 218 is then set at a nominal value of 1.0 ma and connected to the wire circuit through terminal 50-60 and the computer reads the voltage. If one knows this resistance with total hydrogen depletion, one then may calculate the level of total FE gas solubility.
  • the FLM is carefully calibrated by saturating with FE gases out to the point of postulated fusion ignition 430 in Figure 4. If no structural deformations happen to the FLM cathode 40', this calibration graph may be used to determine the saturation levels in cells in a power generating reactor.
  • the first part of the graph shown in Figure 4 is an extremely reproducible curve for hydrogen in palladium with the ratio of saturation resistances to hydrogen depleted resistances, Ro, as related to time. This graph is a reproduction of the graph presented in "Electron Phonon Coupling and Superconductivity" as presented by J.P. Burger in the book Metal
  • the present invention would be capable by virtue of maintaining significantly higher pressures of FEs at the surface of the cathode 40' in the pressure range of D+ lOOev - 5000ev of obtaining lattice pressures of FEs in excess 5 x 10 28 atm.
  • a usual glow discharge cathode drop value of 400 volts results in:
  • Plasma is an ionized state of matter in which charge balance tends to be maintained. That is, in an electric glow plasma, the number of free electrons per unit volume will very nearly balance the magnitude of ion charge per unit volume.
  • glow discharge as a driving pump to absorb FE gases by low energy implantation into the FLMs to produce a cold fusion or other nuclear reaction as tested by the present invention. It is to be expressly understood that it is nearly impossible to describe motions of all ions and electrons in a mere cubic centimeter of plasma for one second even through the use of the best hydrodynamic code supercomputers.
  • Figure 5 a comprises circular lines 530, which represent magnetic field lines B generated by running current I into the page as supplied by low voltage power supply 218 at a constant DC current. This creates an electron confinement that vastly increases ionization efficiencies of each electron emitted from surface of FLM cathode. This magnetron effect is better understood by searching "magnetron" in the indices of the above references a and f. This is important since when used in conjunction with the cleaning and implantation modes of the FLM cathodes of the present apparati Figure 1 and Figure 6, as such increases ionization efficiencies.
  • the flux J represents the current density per square centimeter of FLM cathode 40' surface.
  • Figure 7a (which corresponds to Figure 2.9 of Reference f above) presents the basic distribution of cathode fall potentials in the cathode region of a glow discharge. Also included is ion and electron densities in the normal glow discharge mode. Most of the electric field potential drop appears in the region of the cathode surface. Cathode voltage potential drop is shown as V c in Figure 7a. A typical operation curve of cathode drop potentials for operation in hydrogen in Figure 9. The curve of Figure 9 is obtained for geometries in the related art reference. The electric field potential which is maintained by glow discharge conditions accelerates FE ions into the FLM lattice within an energy range of 0 ev - 5000 ev.
  • V c Potential, seen in Figure 7a, is called the cathode fall potential.
  • the present invention provides an apparatus and method which utilizes potential V c as an acceleration activation device for the purposes of driving the FE positively charged ions into the FLM surface. More specifically, the present invention uses potential V c in either a Normal Glow
  • Lattice pressures obtainable with the method and apparatus of the present invention are in the range of 2-1000 times more than the aqueous electrochemical reactions of Pons, Fleischman, Jones, or any other FLM system wherein the FLM is surrounded by aqueous ionic solutions of FEs.
  • V c is typical and varies inversely to gas pressures of operation, but any gas discharge potential obtained in the present device will be in excess of 800 millivolt potential mentioned in the experiment of Pons and Fleischman.
  • the present invention makes available the cathode fall potential as a mechanism for accelerating FEs into a metal lattice within any pressure range within which glow discharges in hydrogen isotope FE gases may be maintained to produce cold fusion.
  • the present invention is also operable in the abnormal "glow discharge" mode (see Cobine, pg. 207).
  • the transition into glow discharge is accompanied by a drop in voltage, (potential V c ).
  • V c drop in voltage
  • the discharge voltage increases with increasing current. This is termed "abnormal glow” discharge. Additional increases will cause an arc to occur.
  • computer 210 of the present invention continually monitors the current with sensor 300 over "g" and maintains the current in the range below arc and above normal discharge.
  • Energys and velocities typically much greater than 1 Okm/sec for hydrogen isotope FEs make the system of the present invention insensitive to surface fouling as the FEs pass directly through any remaining surface adatom layer (after scrubbing) and are implanted a typical distance of 50-300 Angstroms into the lattice, which is a distance of many atomic layers as illustrated by location 810 in Figure 8.
  • a sputtering process action illustrated pictorially in Figure 10 (corresponding to Figure 5.7 of Reference f) as a mechanism to clean adsorbed atoms off the surfaces.
  • sputtering by incident ions of noble gas 1050 causes surface disposed adsorbed atoms to be ejected from the surface.
  • a very adequate description of the sputtering mechanism is in Bunshah on page 181 which is incorporated by reference.
  • the present invention makes significant use of the mechanism in cleaning mode specifically for removing surface atoms of FLMs in a glow discharge cold fusion reactor.
  • electrode 40 In each configuration, electrode 40 must be made of electrically conductive material.
  • electrode 40 When used as a cathode, electrode 40 is coated with any of the FLM metals earlier described. Where it is more convenient, o-ring seals can be used to replace ceramic-to-metal seals 42. However, care must be taken when selecting seals for canister 10 that such seals do not outgas, even though such seals may provide an otherwise adequate seal. Outgassing of seals can be the source of unwanted reactions within canister 10, yielding erroneous data.
  • a glow discharge condition is maintained by connecting cylindrical metal wall 30 to a negative voltage at terminal 30 such that coating 14 comprises an anode-facing surface of a cathode.
  • coating 14 operates as an FLM cathode.
  • discharge is maintained within a sputtering pressure of 10 mTorr.
  • material is sputtered from cathode surface 14 to be redeposited upon electrode 40 (while acting as the anode). In this manner, the surface 14 is atomically cleaned of surface deposits. After the cleaning procedure voltage is removed from the electrodes 14,40 to turn of the discharge.
  • An inert gas (preferably 99.9999% pure Argon) is administered through port 80 until a positive pressure above ambient atmospheric pressure can be maintained while electrode 40 is removed.
  • electrode 40 is physically extracted from canister 10 while the gas continues to blow from the canister. In this manner, any atmospheric contaminants are kept from entering canister 10 to avoid the possibility of producing unwanted oxides, carbonates, sulphides or any other corrosive activity in the reactor.
  • a new, clean electrode 40 is inserted into the chamber. Note that the new electrode 40 may have the same surface material as cathode surface 14. Once electrode 40 is in place and access ports
  • measurements Prior, during and after each gas discharge, measurements may be made concerning thermal changes within canister 10 via heat exchange 345 and heat exchangers 310 and 320.
  • Other critical measurements may be made under control of computer 210 via one or more measurement system of the available testing systems comprising liquid scintillation counter 350, optical pyrometer 352, neutron spectrometer 353, gamma ray spectrometer 354, blankets 380, and mass spectrometer 351.
  • wall 30 of canister 10 may be fitted with an optical window port 1200 as seen in Figure 12.
  • One or more of such ports may be installed into wall 30 to permit visual monitoring and measurement.
  • Such ports are well known in the vacuum chamber art and generally comprise an exiting tube 1202 which is inserted into a close fitting hole 1204 in wall 30. At an end 1206, which is distal from wall 30, exiting tube 1202 comprises a flange 1208 and an o-ring gasket partially disposed in a circular groove 1212.
  • flange 1208 is made to conform to a standard connecting flange specification, such as the connecting specification for NW50 flange of HPS Division of MKS Instruments, Boulder Colorado.
  • Tube 1202 is preferably firmly and sealably affixed to wall 30 by a weldment 1214.
  • Similar releasible attachment equipment capable of withstand sealing requirements of canister 10 is found in the Encyclopedia of Materials Characterization, published by Butterworth Heinemon of Boston, Mass., copyright 1992.
  • canister 10 may be used to test higher current densities measured in amperes per unit cathode surface area. Such current densities may be in excess of current generally permitted in normal glow discharge.
  • a pulsed laser power supply as power supply 220
  • a short duration pulse of hundreds of thousands of amperes may be driven between anode and cathode. Under such conditions, if the cathode and anode surfaces are free of contaminants, very high current densities may be achieved per unit area of cathode surface before the reactor is driven into an arc mode. Such operation may be useful in exciting different FE "wind" speeds within the FLM as described by Wipf et al.
  • Temperature of an FLM surface of electrode 14 when used as a cathode may be monitored by shutting off the glow discharge. If electrode 40 (used as the anode in this circumstance) is a relatively thin wire compared to the mass of electrode 14, the anode will rapidly come into thermal equilibrium with wall 30 (surface 40) by virtue of black body radiation. At such equilibrium, if a known current (e.g. 10 milliamperes) is conducted along electrode 40, the resistance of surface 14 is a function of wire resistance. By precalibrating electrode 40 as a function resistance vs. temperature, a quick and accurate measurement of internal canister 10 temperature is determined.
  • a known current e.g. 10 milliamperes
  • electrode 40 is hollow, as seen in Figure 13, water may be conducted therethrough to carry off heat from canister 10 during operation. It should be emphasized that use of hollow electrode 40 as an opportunity for transmission of water is for the purpose of example only and that the hollow of electrode 40 may be used for quite different purposes.
  • a hollow electrode designated as 40' in Figure
  • a tightly wound coil 1220 of conductive wire similar to a solenoid coil.
  • electrode 40' is attached to terminal 50 through a connecting wire 1222.
  • Connecting wire 1222 is connected to electrode 40' only at end 1224.
  • Connecting wire 1222 is also connected to coil 1220 and therethrough to terminal 60.
  • Conduction of current through coil 1220 provides a magnetic field of axial nature along cathode 41' and/or anode surfaces. Such a magnetic field is useful in increasing cleaning rates during discharge cleaning as activation of the magnetic field creates a Thornton cylindrical magnetron. (See U.S. Patents by J.A. Thornton.) If a constant current glow discharge is in process, increasing the field in coil 1220 has the effect of dropping the operational voltage within canister 10.
  • the mean energy of the particles bombarding cathode 1220 is changed without changing other control parameters, such as gas pressure, gas composition, cathode current density, etc., within canister 10.
  • computer 210 may be programmed to maintain constant power input while changing the magnetic field in value such that temperature of cathode 41' (the FLM metal) stays constant.
  • the reactor As the purpose of the reactor is to test for nuclear reactions, it should be recognized that evidence of nuclear products should be researched before, during and after operation of the reactor. Should a nuclear reaction occur, products of such reactions may be found in the FLM metal after reactor operation.
  • an axial magnetic field is actuated in coil 1220 to sputter clean the cathode.
  • the cathode may be electrode 40' or surface 14. Any detectable gaseous nuclear products are thus removable from FLM material by sputtering and further removed from canister 10 as atomic vapor as gaseous products (such as He 3 , He 4 , H 3 (tritium) or other light gases).
  • gas quantities and isotopic ratios of canister 10 gases By measuring gas quantities and isotopic ratios of canister 10 gases before and after operation, evidence of nuclear reaction may be determined. Special attention should be paid to nuclear shifts in isotopic ratios. Note that such gases are accessible through line 272 as earlier disclosed.
  • disposing optical window 1200 in line of a site of discharge cleaning provides access for measurement of sputter removed gases by a mass spectrometer. Note that such sputtering allows similar measurement during or after testing.
  • Sputtering also permits deposition of FLM material from one electrode, such as electrode 40 to another electrode, such as to surface 14.
  • FLM metal at surface 14 can be kept almost atomically clean and cathodes of almost any electrically conductive compound alloy or element can be introduced into canister 10 through ports 42a and 42b.
  • sputtering of electrode 40 permits deposition of any desired FLM material onto surface 14, or vice versa.
  • time of sputtering and other sputtering parameters known in the art any sputterable material in any desired thickness can be deposited upon surface 14 for use in subsequent operation and testing.
  • thin coats of barrier material which is impervious to low energy hydrogen isotopes may be added to surface 14. Such thin coats may be used to seal hydrogen into the FLM material on surface 14.
  • a deposition of aluminum of 10-100 angstroms thick will provide such a seal.
  • Noble gases used in sputtering from vessel 242 or from a combination of vessels comprising a controllable mixer, such as gas administration system 252 used in this case for the administration of noble gases under control of computer 210 may be delivered with different isotopic compositions.
  • Helium may be delivered with a known ration of He 3 and He 4 or Xenon in ratios of Xenon(y):Xenon(x).
  • canister 10 may be used as an ejected neutral or charged particle spectrometer. In this mode of use, canister 10 is employed as a proportional, ionization or Geiger counter. The need and usefulness of canister 10 in such an application is made manifest by a report by Karabut et al. titled “Nuclear Product Ratio for Glow Discharge in Deuterium” published in Physics Letters A (1992), pp
  • Proportional counting may be accomplished under noble gas atmospheres, hydrogen atmospheres or by administration of P-10 gas (argon with a trace of methane).
  • High voltage supply 220 connected to computer 210 by control line e provides a regulated high voltage on the order of 100-2000 volts.
  • the number and amount of current in each recorded pulse is delivered to computer 210.
  • Each particle emitted from surface 14 into canister 10 produces a distinct number of charges which may be measured by current sensing device 300, seen in Figure 3.
  • energy spectra should also be measured and recorded in computer
  • Scintillation counter 350 may be used as a beta particle measuring device. By connecting counter 350 in direct line of sight into canister 10, beta emissions from surface 14 may be detected while canister 10 is under a high vacuum.
  • heater 230 seen in Figure 2
  • Active elements within heater 230 may be pettier devices which are widely known and available in the heat and temperature art. By reversing current on pettier devices, cooling may be provided to canister 10 as well as heat. In this fashion, a bulk temperature of canister 10 as well as a reflected temperature to the FLM of electrode 40' can be controllably altered by computer 210.
  • an adjustable temperature is provided, allowing temperature to ramped up or down at a predetermined rate or to maintain temperature at a desired level.
  • temperature control may be varied under control of computer 210 as a function of combinations of the measured parameters.
  • absorption blankets 380 (disposed as shown in Figure 3) should be made of highly insulating material. Feedback thermocouples or other well calibrated and sensitive temperature measuring devices are disposed into inlet and outlet pipes 335 and 340. Energy is removed using heat exchanger 340 and any thermal gain is calculated consistent with good calorimetry practice.
  • Electrode 40 and surface 14 could be interchanged relative to use as either an anode or cathode by simply reversing electrode polarities.
  • the cathode should comprise at least an anode-facing covering of FLM, unless the reason for reversal of electrode polarities is for the purpose of cleaning.
  • cathode resistance should be used to determine FLM loading.
  • FIG 14. Another embodiment employing multiple electrode pairs similar to the embodiment of Figure 6 is seen in Figure 14.
  • the reactor of Figure 14 comprises a cylindrical canister 10' which is similar to canister 10, a fluid space 1230 and three electrode pairs 1232, 1234 and 1236.
  • Each electrode pair 1232, 1234 and 1246 comprises a hollow cylindrical tube 1240 preferably made from copper or another metal which exhibits a high heat transfer and a low hydrogen mobility.
  • each tube 1242 of FLM material is deposited on each inner surface 1244 of each tube 1240 and a coaxial electrode 1246 (anode) made of relative inert, high melting temperature metal such as tungsten is centrally disposed through the hollow of each tube 1240.
  • Space 1250 between electrode 1246 and layer 1242 is filled with a gas from a gas source in a manner described for gas administration system 252. Electrode operation is cycled as described above for electrodes 601, 602 and 603. However, in this case space 1230 is filled with a heat absorbing fluid which acts as a coolant and, if necessary, a neutron moderator to carry energy produced by-products from canister 10'. It should be noted that tube 1240 may be made from FLM material.
  • 1260b may be used in any of the embodiments of the invention to reduce unwanted deposition and extend useful reactor life.
  • Each shield 1260a and 1260b is generally of a disk shape and comprises an interior facing surface 1262, a cap facing surface 1264 and an outer rim 1265. Extending from surface 1264 and lying within a shadow of glow discharge within canister 10 is a ring or a group of feet 1266. Offset resulting from ring or feet 1266 combined with a disk size which assures that rim 1265 does not contact or become contaminated and thereby contact wall 30 significantly reduces any likelihood that by ⁇ product deposition will create a conductance path which will change the character of glow discharge in canister 10. To improve the shadow effect of each shield 1260a and
  • each shield 1260a and 1260b is mechanically affixed to each cap 20a and 20b, respectively at feet or ring 1266.
  • Shields 1260a and 1260b are preferably made from the same material used in manufacture of caps 20a and 20b.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

Un procédé et un appareil permettent d'expérimenter et d'essayer des fusions froides ou d'autres processus de réactions nucléaires de matière solides consistant à soumettre à des pressions élevées des éléments de fusion légers solubilisés, dans des réseaux métalliques solides à partir de la phase gazeuse. Cet appareil utilise une anode (70) et une cathode (50) placées dans une chambre (12) qui reçoit des gaz d'élément de fusion pour produire des conditions maîtrisées compatibles avec comme postulat, une fusion froide pour des applications en laboratoire et en réacteur. On décrit deux variantes d'électrodes (40), destinées à être utilisées en mode de fonctionnement à décharge luminescente. Les électrodes (40) sont soigneusement débarassées des impuretés par traitement thermique et pulvérisation par bombardement ionique avant toute expérience sur des processus de fusion froide. On peut ensuite surveiller et maîtriser les résultats d'expérimentation d'une fusion froide.
PCT/US1994/012519 1993-11-01 1994-10-31 Appareil a decharge luminescente et procede permettant d'etablir des prealables et des conditions d'essais de reactions nucleaires WO1995012883A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU10857/95A AU1085795A (en) 1993-11-01 1994-10-31 Glow discharge apparatus and methods providing prerequisites and testing for nuclear reactions

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14655493A 1993-11-01 1993-11-01
US08/146,554 1993-11-01

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1995012883A1 true WO1995012883A1 (fr) 1995-05-11
WO1995012883B1 WO1995012883B1 (fr) 1995-05-26

Family

ID=22517913

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1994/012519 WO1995012883A1 (fr) 1993-11-01 1994-10-31 Appareil a decharge luminescente et procede permettant d'etablir des prealables et des conditions d'essais de reactions nucleaires

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU1085795A (fr)
WO (1) WO1995012883A1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1139386A2 (fr) * 2000-03-31 2001-10-04 Applied Materials, Inc. Contrôle des effluents d'une chambre
WO2003030182A2 (fr) * 2001-10-01 2003-04-10 Ping-Wha Lin Reactions nucleaires obtenues au moyen de changements de temperature rapides
EP1806752A1 (fr) * 2004-10-25 2007-07-11 Sayaka Ikegami Procédé consistant à générer une réaction de fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire et générateur d'énergie par fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire
WO2012112206A1 (fr) * 2011-02-18 2012-08-23 Highfuels, Inc. Procédé et appareil pour processus de fusion commandés intermédiaires
WO2019016606A1 (fr) * 2017-07-20 2019-01-24 Ih Ip Holdings Limited Appareil de génération de chaleur en excès
WO2023248107A1 (fr) * 2022-06-21 2023-12-28 Aganyan Fusion Procédé de fusion thermonucléaire contrôlée

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2240914A (en) * 1938-05-20 1941-05-06 Fides Gmbh Device for converting atoms
US3569756A (en) * 1964-08-18 1971-03-09 Philips Corp Ion source having a plasma and gridlike electrode
US3572875A (en) * 1960-07-28 1971-03-30 Varian Associates Vacuum tube
US3746859A (en) * 1970-04-22 1973-07-17 Atomic Energy Commission High intensity neutron source
US3856647A (en) * 1973-05-15 1974-12-24 Ibm Multi-layer control or stress in thin films
US4452642A (en) * 1976-10-19 1984-06-05 Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung Cleaning of metallic surfaces with hydrogen under vacuum
US4505947A (en) * 1982-07-14 1985-03-19 The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) Method for the deposition of coatings upon substrates utilizing a high pressure, non-local thermal equilibrium arc plasma
EP0414399A2 (fr) * 1989-08-04 1991-02-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Procédé et appareil pour le stockage d'hydrogene et pour la production d'énergie calorifique
US5007424A (en) * 1987-08-03 1991-04-16 Hellige Gmbh Polarographic/amperometric measuring sensor
JPH03105284A (ja) * 1989-09-20 1991-05-02 Fujitsu Ltd 核融合装置
WO1992008232A2 (fr) * 1990-11-02 1992-05-14 Heredy Laszlo A Procede de fusion a froid ameliore de maniere electrostatique
US5221416A (en) * 1990-05-31 1993-06-22 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Plasma surface treating method

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2240914A (en) * 1938-05-20 1941-05-06 Fides Gmbh Device for converting atoms
US3572875A (en) * 1960-07-28 1971-03-30 Varian Associates Vacuum tube
US3569756A (en) * 1964-08-18 1971-03-09 Philips Corp Ion source having a plasma and gridlike electrode
US3746859A (en) * 1970-04-22 1973-07-17 Atomic Energy Commission High intensity neutron source
US3856647A (en) * 1973-05-15 1974-12-24 Ibm Multi-layer control or stress in thin films
US4452642A (en) * 1976-10-19 1984-06-05 Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung Cleaning of metallic surfaces with hydrogen under vacuum
US4505947A (en) * 1982-07-14 1985-03-19 The Standard Oil Company (Ohio) Method for the deposition of coatings upon substrates utilizing a high pressure, non-local thermal equilibrium arc plasma
US5007424A (en) * 1987-08-03 1991-04-16 Hellige Gmbh Polarographic/amperometric measuring sensor
EP0414399A2 (fr) * 1989-08-04 1991-02-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Procédé et appareil pour le stockage d'hydrogene et pour la production d'énergie calorifique
JPH03105284A (ja) * 1989-09-20 1991-05-02 Fujitsu Ltd 核融合装置
US5221416A (en) * 1990-05-31 1993-06-22 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Plasma surface treating method
WO1992008232A2 (fr) * 1990-11-02 1992-05-14 Heredy Laszlo A Procede de fusion a froid ameliore de maniere electrostatique

Non-Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
C&EN (DAGANI), "New Cold Fusion Results Fail To Win Over Skeptics", 14 June 1993, pp. 38-41. *
FLANAGAN, "Hydrogen Absorption by Palladium in Aqueous Solution", Vol. 55, pp. 1400-1408, August 1959, THE FARADAY SOCIETY, THE ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY PRESS LTD., 6 UPPER KIRKGATE, (ABERDEEN SCOTLAND). *
HUIZENGA, COLD FUSION, "The Scientific Fiasco of the Century", 1993, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS (OXFORD, NEW YORK, TOKYO), pp. xii-xv, 22-41, 58-91, 128-189, 200-223, 285-287, 292-318. *
JOURNAL OF FUSION ENERGY, Vol. 9, No. 3, September 1990, MYERS et al., "Search for Cold Fusion at D/PD > l Using Ion Implantation", pp. 263-268; Cited as Casting Doubt on Inducing Nuclear Fusion in a Catalyst by Forcing Hydrogen Isotopes Therein. *
PANETH et al., "The Transformation of Hydrogen Into Helium", BERICHTE DER DEUTSCHEN CHEMISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, August 1926, pages 2039-2048; note translated pages 8-9. *
TAUBES, BAD SCIENCE, "The Short Life and Weird Times of Cold Fusion", 1993, RANDOM HOUSE (NEW YORK), pp. 303, 425-428, 475-481. *

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1139386A2 (fr) * 2000-03-31 2001-10-04 Applied Materials, Inc. Contrôle des effluents d'une chambre
EP1139386A3 (fr) * 2000-03-31 2003-11-19 Applied Materials, Inc. Contrôle des effluents d'une chambre
WO2003030182A2 (fr) * 2001-10-01 2003-04-10 Ping-Wha Lin Reactions nucleaires obtenues au moyen de changements de temperature rapides
WO2003030182A3 (fr) * 2001-10-01 2003-12-18 Ping-Wha Lin Reactions nucleaires obtenues au moyen de changements de temperature rapides
EP1806752A1 (fr) * 2004-10-25 2007-07-11 Sayaka Ikegami Procédé consistant à générer une réaction de fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire et générateur d'énergie par fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire
EP1806752A4 (fr) * 2004-10-25 2008-07-16 Sayaka Ikegami Procédé consistant à générer une réaction de fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire et générateur d'énergie par fusion nucléaire par chimie moléculaire
WO2012112206A1 (fr) * 2011-02-18 2012-08-23 Highfuels, Inc. Procédé et appareil pour processus de fusion commandés intermédiaires
WO2019016606A1 (fr) * 2017-07-20 2019-01-24 Ih Ip Holdings Limited Appareil de génération de chaleur en excès
WO2023248107A1 (fr) * 2022-06-21 2023-12-28 Aganyan Fusion Procédé de fusion thermonucléaire contrôlée

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU1085795A (en) 1995-05-23

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Storms Review of experimental observations about the cold fusion effect
Smith et al. A search for heavy stable particles
Williams et al. Upper bounds on'cold fusion'in electrolytic cells
US20180322963A1 (en) Helium generator
WO1990013125A1 (fr) Fusion piezonucleaire
Barr et al. Test results on plasma direct converters
JP2022191419A (ja) 相互作用する反応物のクーロン障壁の低減
WO1995012883A1 (fr) Appareil a decharge luminescente et procede permettant d'etablir des prealables et des conditions d'essais de reactions nucleaires
Rubel Structure materials in fusion reactors: issues related to tritium, radioactivity and radiation-induced effects
Karabut et al. Experimental results on excess power, impurity nuclides, and X-ray production in experiments with a high-voltage electric discharge system
US8509374B2 (en) Producing a design for a nuclear fuel element
Iyengar et al. BARC studies in cold fusion (April-September 1989)
WO1995021447A1 (fr) Procede et appareil de production d'energie continue a long terme
Mlekodaj et al. The UNISOR integrated target-ion source
Kaminsky Surface effects in controlled thermonuclear fusion
WO2018208808A1 (fr) Générateur d'hélium
CN111133527A (zh) 使用方位角变化电场的反应堆
Mosier-Boss et al. A Review of Negative LENR Experiments, Determining Why They Failed, and How They Impacted the Field
CN111133841A (zh) 台式反应堆
Tsarev et al. New Results on Cold Nuclear Fusion: A Review of the Conference on Anomalous Nuclear Effects in Deuterium/Solid Systems, Provo, Utah, October 22–24, 1990
Storms A student’s guide to cold fusion
Schlapbach B. REPORT ON ACCF2, COMO, ITALY CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
WO1990016070A2 (fr) Fusion nucleaire catalysee d'isotopes lourds d'hydrogene
WO1995006317A1 (fr) Procede et appareil pour la production d'energie en continu a long terme
Molvik Impurity radiation from a beam-plasma neutron source

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AM AT AU BB BG BR BY CA CH CN CZ DE DK ES FI GB GE HU JP KE KG KP KR KZ LK LT LU LV MD MG MN MW NL NO NZ PL PT RO RU SD SE SI SK TJ TT UA UZ VN

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): KE MW SD SZ AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN ML MR NE SN TD TG

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA