WO1990016070A2

WO1990016070A2 - Catalyzed nuclear fusion of heavy isotopes of hydrogen

Info

Publication number: WO1990016070A2
Application number: PCT/US1990/003445
Authority: WO
Inventors: George C. Brumlik; George C. Cvijanovich; Keith Johnson
Original assignee: Condensed Matter Technology, Inc.
Priority date: 1989-06-14
Filing date: 1990-06-14
Publication date: 1990-12-27
Also published as: EP0477294A1; AU6170290A; JPH04505507A; CA2059269A1; WO1990016070A3

Abstract

A nuclear fusion device and method for enhancing rates of fusion of nuclei of the isotopes of hydrogen having a solid/liquid phase of noble metals in contact with another phase containing deuterons or tritons wherein the nuclei of heavy hydrogen isotopes are moved into the lattice of the liquid noble metal by means of diffusion, mechanical forces, or by electrical or magnetic means to undergo temperature- and lattice-assisted nuclear fusion.

Description

CATALYZED NUCLEAR FUSION OF HEAVY ISOTOPES OF HYDROGEN

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In U.S. Patent No. 4,568,509, issued on February 8,

1986, to Cvijanovich and Bru lik, there is described a hydrogen isotope ion beam device for producing high current ion beams consisting of deuterons, protons and tritons. In this device, electrolytes comprising ionic isotopes of hydrogen are electrolyzed against a palladium electrode. In certain embodiments, the palladium electrode is at elevated temperatures. Recently, S. E. Jones, et al, in Nature, Vol. 338, p. 737, 1989, have shown that nuclear fusion of deuterons may occur during the electrolysis of heavy water (D₂0) on palladium electrodes. However, their fusion reaction occurs at very small rates. It is an object of this invention to provide means for increasing the rates of nuclear fusion in the condensed phases of matter.

It is a further object of the present invention to enhance nuclear processes for the production of helium- 3, neutron generation and for the production of other rare isotopes of elements. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the aforereferenced patent there is described an apparatus for the production of beams of ions of isotopes of hydrogen (protons, deuterons and tritons) capable of carrying large currents. The aforereferenced article contains a report of nuclear reactions involving heavy water electrolysis on solid palladium electrode. These nuclear processes occur only in minute quantities and are not practical for the production of net energy or the production of useful amounts of new isotopes such as tritium or helium-3. The inventive method utilizes a heated noble metal in contact with a gas containing heavy hydrogen isotopes. The heavy hydrogen isotopes dissolve in the heated noble metal which transfers some of the valence electrons of hydrogen into its valence band. The resulting negative heated metal lattice reduces the coulombic barrier between the colliding heavy hydrogen atomic nuclei, thereby facilitating their nuclear fusion reaction. The noble metal alone or in combination is heated, preferably to incandescence, or is melted in a furnace and is contacted with a fluid, a gas, or a vapour containing deuterium or tritium. By incandescence is meant the temperature range from the temperature where the heated condensed phases start to emit radiation in the visible spectrum and heat up to the temperature where the liquid starts to boil. Typically, the temperature range starts at about 800 degrees Centigrade and ends at about 8000 degrees Centigrade.

In one embodiment, the hydrogen diffuses into the metal by means of pressure exerted on the contacting gas. In another embodiment, the hydrogen is bubbled through the liquid metal. The melting and containment of noble metals and the use thereof is well known in the art and therefore is not described here in detail. However, a specified type of apparatus for the improvement of the nuclear fusion reaction rates utilizing electrical energy is further described and illustrated. Noble metals are here defined as gold, platinum, silver, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and rhenium.

Another inventive method is an improvement in the production of higher nuclear reaction rates by utilizing an electrical discharge in an atmosphere containing, at least in part, deuterium or tritium. The discharge 3 contacts a reacting transition metal or an alloy comprising a transition metal. The possible nuclear reactions are:

²,D + ¹,P > ³ ₂He + alpha particle ²,D + ²,D > ³ ₂He + ¹ ₀n

^Z.Ω + ^≥.O > ³,T + ¹,P

³,T + ¹,P > ₂He + alpha particle

³,T + ²,D > *₂He + ¹ ₀n

The preferred transition metals are palladium, platinum, gold and silver. The gas mixture could be pure deuterium (D₂) , deuterium combined with hydrogen (D-H) , deuterium combined with tritium (D-T) , pure tritium (T₂) or tritium combined with hydrogen (T-H) or any combinations thereof. The hydrogen isotopes (i.e., the proton P, the deuteron D and the triton T) could also be introduced in chemical combination, for example, as methane wherein protons are substituted by deuterons or tritons CH₃D, CH₂D₂, CHD₃ or CD₄ or combined with tritium, for example, CHD₂T, CD₂T₂, etc. The hydrogen isotopes (H, D, T) could also be present in condensed phase compound such as potassium deuteroxide K D. ^~ Compounds of light hydrogen ~fH>-

H₂, CH₄, H₂0 or LiH or inert gases such as Helium (He) , Neon (Ne) , Krypton (Kr) and Xenon (Xe) are used as diluents for the heavy hydrogen reacting materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIGURE 1 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of preferred apparatus for the present invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a schematic cross-sectional representation of an apparatus for the synthesis, evaluation and measurement of nuclear processes occurring in high temperature condensed phases.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 comprises an isolated chamber 2 containing at least two electrodes, the first being a cooled electrode 4 and the second being a reacting electrode 6. The isolated chamber 2 or a part thereof could be a furnace for melting of the contained electrode 6. Alternatively, the metal electrode 6 is melted by the electrical discharge. The valve 13 controls the pressure in the chamber 2. The cooled electrode 4 is preferentially a plasma torch fed with a gas containing at least in part hydrogen isotopes in the form of ions which can be positive (D+, H+, T+) or negative (D-, H-, T-) . The electrode 4 could also be a heavy hydrogen ion beam source described in the aforereferenced patent. The electrode 4 is preferably cooled with water or a fast moving cold fluid gas or vapor (not shown) . The electrode 6 is also cooled in a similar fashion. The electrode 6 consists at least in part of a noble or transition metal. A bias of opposite electrical polarity is established between the electrode 4 and the electrode 6 by an electrical power supply 12. The electric field between the electrodes 4 and 6 carries the charged hydrogen ions into the metal of electrode 6 which may be contained in a cooled crucible 10. The electrode 6 can be in the liquid or in the solid state. In a body 14

of the transition metal of the electrode 6 which is agitated by an electric pulse superimposed on the hydrogen ion carrying current by the power supply 12. An optional layer 18 of a source of hydrogen isotopes such as lithium deuteride or lithium tritide or, for example, lithium deuteroxide LiOD or LiOT or D₂0 may be placed above the transition metal electrode 6. Alternatively, the layer 18 may be a condensed state inert liquid or solid material such as molten glass or salt forming a flux minimizing the sputtering of the molten metal. When the apparatus is in operation, such an optional layer 18 would be pierced and penetrated by the discharge jet 3 carrying the hydrogen isotopes H, D or T to the transition metal electrode 6.

The apparatus shown schematically in FIGURE 2 may be used for the synthesis, evaluation and measurement of nuclear processes occurring in high temperature condensed phases. These condensed phases are solids or liquids heated to incandescence. As shown in FIGURE 2, isotopes of hydrogen are introduced into a looped path circuit at the inlet 21 through the valve 22. The compressed isotopes of hydrogen containing deuterium, tritium or mixtures thereof, or in combination with light hydrogen are compressed by the pump 23. The gases flow, driven by the pressure gradient between the chamber 24 and the chamber 25, through the chamber 24 and dissolve then in the incandescent condensed phase 26 comprising a transition metal or a noble metal, such as palladium, positioned in the container 27 and heated by the heat source 28. The gases undergo nuclear reactions in the high temperature phase 26 and diffuse out into the chamber 25 controlled by the valve 29. The chamber 25 is at a lower pressure than the chamber 24. The reaction gases are extracted through the duct 30 to be analyzed in a mass spectroscope.

The preferred metals for the electrode 6 are gold, platinum, palladium and silver but any other transition metals with partially or fully filled atomic d orbitals or inner transition elements having partially or fully filled atomic f orbitals may be at least in part employed. Among these metals are: iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, scandium, titanium, yttrium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, technetium, ruthenium, osmium, iridium and mercury. These elements in the form of metal or alloys may be in chemical combination with halogens, chalcogens, pnictides or with combinations of the elements of the carbon family of elements. Germaniun, indium, gallium, thalium, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, tin or bismuth may be added to the above described alloys or melts.

In the form of preferred alloys are alloys containing platinum alloyed with silver, gold or palladium, silver alloys, gold-silver alloys or alloys of the above mentioned preferred metals with niobium, tantalum, vanadium, technetium, ruthenium, uranium, rhenium, osmium and iridium. The preferred condensed state of the above mentioned metals is the liquid state but solid metals may also be utilized. Finely divided metals may be deposited on the following substrates: alumina, silica, metal halides and oxyhalides, boron oxides and oxides of phosphorous can also be employed. Also, actinides, uranium and thorium may be employed. Further, boron and lithium in elemental form or in compounds may also be employed.

Accordingly, there has been described an improved nuclear fusion device and method for enhancing the rates of nuclear fusion in the condensed states of matter. It is understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions such as fusion with hydrogen isotopes such as protons, deuterons and tritons comprising a solid enclosure (2) , said enclosure (2) containing a condensed state electrode (6) of a transition metal juxtaposed to a plasma producing electrode (4) of opposite polarity creating an electric field between said electrodes and creating a plasma jet (3) comprising heavy isotopes of hydrogen in an ionized state wherein the hydrogen ions are driven by said electric field into the transition metal electrode.

2. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein said transition electrode (6) is in a molten state at the point of contact with the plasma jet (3) containing the heavy- isotopes of hydrogen in an ionized state.

3. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein said transition electrode (6) is selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, gold and silver, a transition metal and an alloy of a transition metal.

4. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein the isotope of hydrogen is in the form of deuterium or tritium gas.

5. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein the plasma is produced by a plasma torch (4) and wherein the reacting electrode (6) comprises an inner transition metal.

6. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 5 further including a flux layer (18) covering the reacting electrode (6) and wherein said plasma jet (3) is submerged in and under the material of the flux layer (18) .

7. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein the reacting electrode (6) is selected from the group of uranium and thorium and the alloys thereof.

8. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein the heavy hydrogen isotope gas is diluted with an inert gas of the family helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon.

9. An apparatus for the enhancement of nuclear reactions according to Claim 1 wherein the reaction container has the elements lithium and boron as constituents.

10. A method for enhancing nuclear fusion rates by contacting a fluid comprising heavy isotopes of hydrogen with molten metal comprising, at least in part, a noble metal.

11. A method for enhancing rates of nuclear fusion processes by contacting a fluid comprising heavy isotopes of hydrogen and an electrical discharge with a metal comprising at least in part a noble metal.

12. A method for enhancing rates of nuclear fusion processes by contacting a metal target containing a noble metal heated to incandescence with a fluid consisting, at least in part, of heavy hydrogen isotopes.