A fusion-fission coupled fusion plasma assisted combustion method

Abstract

This invention discloses a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method for fusion-fission coupling, belonging to the field of nuclear fusion technology. The method includes: evaluating the parameters of ultrafine fission particles to determine the type of fission material, the total injection volume, particle size, and injection velocity; preparing ultrafine fission particles of the appropriate size based on the evaluation results; and injecting the prepared ultrafine fission particles into the fusion plasma at the determined injection velocity, causing the fission material to undergo a fission reaction in the fusion neutron environment, and using the kinetic energy of the resulting fission fragments to heat the fusion plasma. This invention utilizes the energy release at the megaelectron volt level of the fission reaction for heating, which is an improvement over existing kiloelectron volt level technologies, effectively reducing the fusion ignition conditions and accelerating the fusion research process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of nuclear fusion technology, and more specifically to a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method that couples fusion and fission. Background Technology

[0002] Nuclear fusion energy, with its abundant fuel, high energy release, and low radioactive waste, is considered an ideal solution to humanity's future energy problems. Current mainstream fusion research routes include magnetic confinement fusion (such as tokamaks, stellarators, magnetic mirrors, and steady-state field inversion fusion), inertial confinement fusion (laser fusion, Z-pinch fusion, etc.), and magnetic inertial confinement fusion (implosion / compression field inversion fusion). These routes have successfully achieved fusion reactions in the laboratory and observed considerable neutron yields. However, to achieve fusion ignition and self-sustaining combustion, the key bottleneck of insufficient plasma heating efficiency still needs to be overcome. Existing plasma heating technologies mainly include ohmic heating, radio frequency heating, and neutral beam injection. Among these, neutral beam injection is the most powerful and has the highest heating temperature, reaching tens of megawatts of power and hundreds of kiloelectron volts of energy. However, its systems are complex and expensive, and its heating capacity is still insufficient for ignition requirements. Therefore, developing a more efficient and economical plasma heating method is of great significance for reducing fusion ignition conditions and accelerating the practical application of fusion energy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method that couples fusion and fission, utilizing the energy release at the megaelectron volt level of the fission reaction to achieve heating. This method represents an improvement over existing kiloelectron volt level technologies, effectively reducing the fusion ignition conditions and accelerating the fusion research process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0005] This application provides a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method for fusion-fission coupling, comprising the following steps: S1, evaluating the parameters of the proposed ultrafine fission particles to determine the type of fission material, the total amount injected, the particle size, and the injection velocity; S2, preparing ultrafine fission particles of the corresponding size based on the results of the parameter evaluation; S3, injecting the ultrafine fission particles into the fusion plasma at the determined injection velocity, causing the fission material to undergo a fission reaction in the fusion neutron environment, and using the kinetic energy of the generated fission fragments to heat the fusion plasma.

[0006] Furthermore, the parameter evaluation basis for the fissile material type in S1 includes: comprehensively considering the fissile fragment kinetic energy of the fissile material in a fast neutron environment, the reaction cross section of the fissile material and the fast neutron, and the policy and regulations on the management and use restrictions of the fissile material. Among them, the consideration of the fissile fragment kinetic energy needs to include the total energy released by the multi-stage continuous fissile reaction.

[0007] Furthermore, the evaluation criteria for the total amount of injection and the particle size in S1 include: evaluating the cooling effect of the injected high-Z material on the fusion plasma based on the actual environment of the fusion plasma, and determining the appropriate total amount of injection and particle size based on the evaluated cooling effect.

[0008] Furthermore, the parameter evaluation basis for the injection velocity in S1 includes: determining the injection velocity that enables the fission material to be in a region with a high fusion neutron density based on the actual environment of the fusion plasma.

[0009] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By comprehensively evaluating the core parameters of ultrafine fission particles, preparing particles of suitable size, and then precisely injecting them into the plasma at an optimized speed, fission materials can be efficiently triggered to initiate fission reactions in a fusion neutron environment. The high kinetic energy carried by the fission fragments is used to heat the plasma, while avoiding excessive cooling of the plasma by high-Z materials. This not only improves heating efficiency but also ensures the confinement stability of the plasma, achieving efficient combustion. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method coupled with fusion fission, provided as an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0011] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0012] In this invention, the terms "system" and "network" are used interchangeably. "Multiple" refers to two or more; therefore, in this invention, "multiple" can also be understood as "at least two." "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / ", unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Furthermore, it should be understood that in the description of this invention, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or order.

[0013] Among the various existing laboratory fusion routes, further heating of high-temperature plasma is a significant challenge, and there is currently a lack of high-temperature plasma heating technologies at the MeV level and above.

[0014] like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a fusion plasma combustion-assisted method for fusion-fission coupling is provided, including the following steps: S1, performing parameter evaluation on the ultrafine fission particles to be injected to determine the type of fission material, total injection volume, particle size, and injection velocity; S2, preparing ultrafine fission particles of the corresponding size based on the results of the parameter evaluation; S3, injecting the ultrafine fission particles into the fusion plasma at the determined injection velocity, so that the fission material undergoes a fission reaction in the fusion neutron environment, and using the kinetic energy of the generated fission fragments to heat the fusion plasma.

[0015] In another possible embodiment, a multi-dimensional parameter evaluation is first conducted on the ultrafine fission particles to be injected, comprehensively determining core parameters such as the type of fission material, total injection volume, particle size, and injection velocity. The evaluation process is closely integrated with the actual environment of the fusion plasma, fully considering both the heating effect and the stability of the plasma confinement. Subsequently, based on the results of the parameter evaluation, an appropriate preparation method is used to obtain ultrafine fission particles of the corresponding scale, ensuring uniform particle size and good dispersion, which can meet the needs of subsequent injection and fission reaction. Finally, the prepared ultrafine fission particles are precisely injected into the fusion plasma at the injection velocity determined by the evaluation, causing the fission material to undergo a fission reaction in the fusion neutron environment. The resulting fission fragments (i.e., high-kinetic-energy atomic nucleus fragments generated after the fission reaction) carry a large amount of energy and transfer kinetic energy to the plasma through collisions with plasma particles, thereby heating and assisting the fusion plasma.

[0016] By comprehensively evaluating the core parameters of ultrafine fission particles (i.e., micro-particles of fission material with a particle size of micrometers or less), preparing particles of suitable size, and then precisely injecting them into the plasma at an optimized velocity, fission materials can be efficiently triggered to undergo fission reactions in a fusion neutron environment (a plasma region filled with a large number of fast neutrons generated by fusion reactions). The high kinetic energy carried by the fission fragments is used to heat the plasma, while avoiding excessive cooling of the plasma by high-Z materials. This improves heating efficiency and ensures the confinement stability of the plasma, achieving efficient combustion.

[0017] If, when selecting fission materials for fusion coupling, only the energy release of a single fission fragment or the reaction cross-section of the material with fast neutrons is considered, without taking into account the total energy release gain brought about by multi-stage continuous fission reactions or incorporating the policy and regulatory requirements for the use of fission materials, the selected materials will either have low fission energy release efficiency or have compliance risks, and will not be able to simultaneously meet the requirements of combustion-supporting effect and practical application feasibility.

[0018] In the embodiments of this application, the parameter evaluation basis for the fissile material type in S1 includes: comprehensively considering the fissile fragment kinetic energy of the fissile material in a fast neutron environment, the reaction cross section of the fissile material and the fast neutron, and the policy and regulations on the management and use restrictions of the fissile material. The consideration of the fissile fragment kinetic energy needs to include the total energy released by the multi-stage continuous fissile reaction.

[0019] In another possible embodiment, firstly, the single kinetic energy data of fission fragments of various candidate fission materials in a fast neutron environment are collected to further extrapolate the total energy released in a multi-stage continuous fission reaction. The higher the total energy released, the stronger the heating potential of the plasma. Next, the reaction cross-section of each candidate material with fast neutrons is tested. The higher the reaction cross-section, the higher the efficiency of the fission reaction being triggered by fusion neutrons. Then, the management and use restrictions on fission materials in current policies and regulations are searched and compared to exclude materials that are prohibited from use, are overly controlled, or are difficult to obtain. Finally, by combining the above three indicators, fission materials that have both high total energy released and high reaction cross-section and meet compliance requirements are selected to provide a reliable material basis for subsequent combustion.

[0020] By comprehensively considering the kinetic energy of fission fragments of fission materials in a fast neutron environment (which includes the total energy released by multi-stage continuous fission reactions, i.e., the total energy released continuously by neutrons generated in one fission that induce other fissions), the reaction cross section of fast neutrons, and the management and use restrictions of fission materials by policies and regulations, we can screen out fission materials that have both high potential for efficient fission energy release and meet compliance requirements. This will improve combustion efficiency while ensuring that the technology can be practically applied.

[0021] If the cooling effect of high-Z materials on fusion plasma is not specifically assessed when injecting fission particles into the plasma, and the total injection volume and particle size are arbitrarily set, it is easy to cause the total injection volume to be too large or the particle size to be inappropriate. This will result in excessive energy loss from collisions between the high-Z materials and plasma electrons, causing the plasma temperature to drop sharply, destroying the confinement state of the plasma, and inhibiting the fusion reaction, thus failing to achieve effective combustion support.

[0022] In the embodiments of this application, the evaluation criteria for the total amount of injection and the particle size in S1 include: evaluating the cooling effect of the injected high-Z material on the fusion plasma based on the actual environment of the fusion plasma, and determining the appropriate total amount of injection and particle size based on the evaluated cooling effect.

[0023] In another possible embodiment, firstly, based on the actual environmental parameters of the fusion plasma, a plasma temperature change model is established after the injection of high-Z fission materials to simulate the plasma cooling rate under different injection volumes and particle sizes. Then, the critical cooling threshold that will not cause plasma confinement failure is identified through simulation, that is, the maximum value at which the cooling rate can still maintain stable plasma confinement. Finally, based on this critical threshold, the injection volume and particle size range that can provide sufficient kinetic energy of fission fragments to achieve effective heating without causing the plasma cooling rate to exceed the critical threshold are determined, ensuring a balance between heating effect and plasma stability.

[0024] By first evaluating the cooling effect of high-Z fission material injection on fusion plasma, and then determining the appropriate total injection volume and particle size based on the evaluation results, it is possible to control the cooling effect of high-Z material on plasma within an acceptable range while ensuring the energy release and heating effect of fission fragments, avoiding plasma confinement failure, balancing the contradiction between heating gain and cooling loss, and ensuring the continuous and stable progress of the fusion reaction.

[0025] If the injection velocity is not set according to the neutron density distribution of the fusion plasma when injecting fission particles, the fission material may remain in the plasma edge region with low neutron density, failing to effectively contact the fusion neutrons. This results in low fission reaction triggering efficiency, insufficient fission energy release, and a significant reduction in combustion-supporting effect.

[0026] In the embodiments of this application, the parameter evaluation basis for the injection velocity in S1 includes: determining the injection velocity that enables the fission material to be in a region with a high fusion neutron density based on the actual environment of the fusion plasma.

[0027] In another possible embodiment, the neutron density distribution inside the fusion plasma is first obtained through diagnostic data or numerical simulation of the fusion device, clarifying the specific location, range, and spatial distribution of the region with high neutron density. Then, a trajectory model of extremely fine fission particles in the plasma is established to simulate the particle's motion path and final stopping position under different injection velocities. Finally, the injection velocity range that can stably keep the particles in the region with high neutron density is selected and determined as the final injection velocity to ensure that the particles can efficiently contact fusion neutrons and trigger the fission reaction.

[0028] By evaluating and determining the injection velocity that allows fissile materials to be placed in the region of high fusion neutron density, extremely fine fissile particles can move precisely and remain in the peak neutron density region inside the plasma. This significantly increases the contact probability between fissile materials and fusion neutrons, efficiently triggers the fission reaction, maximizes the energy release from fusion neutron-induced fission, and significantly improves combustion efficiency.

[0029] If large-scale particles larger than μm are selected when preparing fission particles for fusion coupling, these particles are prone to settling in the plasma or cannot be fully ionized, making it difficult for them to fully interact with plasma particles and neutrons and thus unable to effectively participate in the fission reaction, resulting in poor combustion-supporting effect.

[0030] In the embodiments of this application, the ultrafine fission particles prepared in S2 have a scale of μm or less.

[0031] By limiting the ultrafine fission particles to a scale of μm and below, the problems of sedimentation or insufficient ionization of large-scale particles are avoided, ensuring that particles of this scale are fully ionized and uniformly dispersed in the plasma, thereby ensuring the effective triggering of the fission reaction.

[0032] In the embodiments of this application, the method of injecting the ultrafine fission particles into the fusion plasma at a determined injection velocity in step S3 is selected according to the fusion route, specifically including: for inertial confinement fusion or magnetic inertial confinement fusion routes, the powder loading method is used for injection; for magnetic confinement fusion routes, the neutral beam injection system is used for injection.

[0033] In another possible embodiment, the appropriate injection method is selected based on the fusion route adopted. If an inertial confinement fusion or magnetic inertial confinement fusion route is adopted, ultrafine fission particles can be injected using a powder-coated loading method. The ultrafine fission particles are pre-adhered to the inner surface of the loading surface of the fusion device. During the loading or implosion compression stage of fusion, the particles are injected into the plasma synchronously with the movement of the loading surface, ensuring that the particles participate in the reaction during the critical stage of plasma compression to high density and high temperature. If a magnetic confinement fusion route is adopted, ultrafine fission particles can be injected using a neutral beam injection system. The ultrafine fission particles are coupled with a high-energy neutral beam. The neutral beam penetrates the boundary layer of the magnetically confined plasma at high speed, delivering the particles into the core region of the plasma. The penetrability of the neutral beam ensures that the particles reach the region with high neutron density, efficiently triggering the fission reaction.

[0034] To adapt the injection method to different fusion routes, a powder loading method is used for inertial confinement fusion or magnetic inertial confinement fusion routes, while a neutral beam injection system is used for magnetic confinement fusion routes. This can ensure that the particles are accurately injected into the plasma core region at the critical stage of fusion, reduce losses during the transmission process, and improve the accuracy of combustion timing and combustion effect.

[0035] In the embodiments of this application, when the magnetic inertial confinement fusion path is injected using a powder loading method, the injection velocity is 1.2-2 times the velocity of the free surface of the implosion sleeve.

[0036] In another possible embodiment, the velocity of the free surface of the implosion sleeve, i.e., the velocity of the sleeve during the compression phase, is first obtained through experiments or numerical simulations. Then, the injection velocity of the extremely fine fission particles is set to a reasonable multiple range of this velocity, so that the particles can break through the constraints of the sleeve synchronously during the implosion compression process and arrive at the plasma core region in advance or on time. This velocity range can ensure that the compression process of the particles and the plasma is precisely synchronized, and the particles participate in the fission reaction when the plasma density and temperature reach their peak, making full use of the kinetic energy of the fission fragments to heat the plasma.

[0037] By limiting the injection velocity to a reasonable range within the velocity range of the implosion sleeve's free surface, the movement rhythm of the ultrafine fission particles can be synchronized with that of the implosion sleeve, allowing them to precisely break through the sleeve's constraints and enter the plasma core region. This ensures that the particles participate in the fission reaction at the stage of highest plasma density and temperature, maximizing the heating effect of fission energy release on the plasma and improving combustion efficiency and stability.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, in the inertial confinement fusion or magnetic inertial confinement fusion route, the specific method of powder loading includes: pre-fabricating extremely fine fission particles on the inner surface of the loading surface, and simultaneously injecting the extremely fine fission particles into the fusion plasma during the loading or implosion compression stage of fusion.

[0039] In another possible embodiment, the ultrafine fission particles are first mixed with a binder to form a uniform slurry. The slurry is then uniformly coated on the inner surface of the loading surface of the fusion device. After drying, a stable particle layer is formed, ensuring that the particles do not fall off prematurely during the experimental preparation stage. Subsequently, after the fusion experiment is started, when the device enters the loading or implosion compression stage, the high-speed movement of the loading surface causes the binder to decompose due to heat or fracture due to stress. The particle layer falls off synchronously and is injected into the fusion plasma that is being compressed, ensuring that the particles participate in the fission reaction when the plasma is compressed to its peak state, and making full use of the kinetic energy of the fission fragments to heat the plasma.

[0040] By pre-forming ultrafine fission particles on the inner surface of the loading surface and injecting them synchronously during the loading or implosion compression phase of fusion, the timing of particle injection can be precisely controlled, ensuring that the particles participate in the fission reaction at the stage with the highest plasma density and temperature, maximizing the heating effect of fission energy release, and improving the stability and effectiveness of combustion.

[0041] In the embodiments of this application, the fission material is a nuclide that undergoes a fission reaction in a fast seed environment, including all materials that can release energy through fission, such as 235U, 239Pu, etc.

[0042] The optional embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the embodiments of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the embodiments of the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0044] Furthermore, various different implementations of the present invention can be combined arbitrarily, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in the present invention.

Claims

1. A fusion-fission coupled fusion plasma assisted combustion method, characterized by, Includes the following steps: S1. Evaluate the parameters of the ultrafine fission particles to be injected to determine the type of fission material, total injection volume, particle size and injection velocity. S2. Based on the results of the parameter evaluation, prepare ultrafine fission particles of the corresponding size; S3. The extremely fine fission particles are injected into the fusion plasma at a determined injection velocity, so that the fission material undergoes a fission reaction in the fusion neutron environment, and the kinetic energy of the generated fission fragments is used to heat the fusion plasma.

2. The fusion-fission coupled fusion plasma assisted combustion method of claim 1, wherein, The parameter evaluation criteria for the fissile material type mentioned in S1 include: Taking into account the kinetic energy of fission fragments of fission materials in a fast neutron environment, the reaction cross section between fission materials and fast neutrons, and the policy and regulatory restrictions on the management and use of fission materials, the consideration of the kinetic energy of fission fragments should include the total energy released by multi-stage continuous fission reactions.

3. The fusion plasma combustion-assisted method for fusion-fission coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaluation criteria for the total injection volume and particle size in S1 include: Based on the actual environment of fusion plasma, the cooling effect of the injected high-Z material on the fusion plasma is evaluated, and the appropriate total injection volume and particle size are determined based on the evaluated cooling effect.

4. The fusion plasma combustion-assisted method for fusion-fission coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parameter evaluation basis for the injection velocity in S1 includes: Based on the actual environment of fusion plasma, the injection velocity that allows the fission material to be placed in a region with high fusion neutron density is determined.

Images