Linear converging / diverging fusion reactor and operating method for achieving clean fusion reactions

  • :

Patent number: US 2017/062,078 A1

Abstract
A fusion reactor is provided for achieving ultra-high plasma densities required for achieving clean, neutron-free, fusion reactions. This is achieved by designating the reactor with a linear geometry containing an internal plasma flow duct that converges to a point along its central longitudinal axis surrounded by a diverging containment solenoid with increasing wall thickness that generates an increasing axial magnetic field. This field compresses the plasma to ultra high densities as it is magnetically pulled toward the fusion ignition point by the solenoid’s magnetic field gradient. Ignition is achieved by a plurality of high power phased-coherent laser beams converging to the ignition point. A secondary solenoid is mounted around the ignition point that magnetically deflects and focuses the ionized reaction products into a directed beam of high energy charged particles which is fed into an MHD generator thereby converting the fusion power of the reactor directly into electric power.

Inventor: Minovitch, Michael A.
Application US 14/756,291 events:
2015-08-24: Application filed by Individual
2015-08-24: Priority to US14/756,291
2017-03-02: Publication of US20170062078A1

US 2017/062,078 A1. FIG. 1, right, is a schematic longitudinal cross-section of the linear converging/diverging design of the fusion reactor showing its converging internal plasma flow duct and its diverging external magnetic confinement solenoid showing its increasing wall thickness for achieving an ultra high plasma density at the ignition point required for achieving a clean, neutron-free, fusion reaction; FIG. 6, above left, is a schematic transverse cross-section of the fusion reactor showing a belt of 72 pulsed laser generators that generate a pulse of 72 phase-coherent 50 KW laser beams that simultaneously impact and heat the magnetically compressed plasma at the ignition point at the same instant that triggers the fusion reaction and FIG. 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross-section of the converging/diverging fusion reactor, its magnetic deflecting nozzle mounted at the end of the reactor that focuses the charged fusion reaction particles into a directed beam moving at ultra high velocity through an evacuated cylinder that is fed into a high-efficiency superconducting MHD electric generator thereby converting nearly all of the fusion energy generated by the fusion reactor directly into clean electrical energy without generating any pollution or radioactive waste products. FIG. 8, above right, is an enlarged schematic transverse cross section of a single superconducting coil element of the reinforced superconducting cable used in the construction of the fusion reactor solenoid illustrating its interlocking triangular design and construction and FIG. 9 is a schematic transverse cross section of one superconducting cable composed of many individual interlocking triangular coil elements illustrating its external hexagonal cross-sectional shape.