Method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions through impact-induced compression

Abstract

A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions comprising deforming a confinement vessel containing a fusible gas 108 by impacting said vessel with a projectile 103 of specific geometry, wherein sai

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of nuclear fusion technology', and more specifically to a novel method and system for inertial confinement fusion, particularly within the specialised area of impact fusion. BACKGROUND

[0002] Energy production remains a critical challenge, particularly in the quest for sustainable and clean energy sources. Nuclear fusion, the process of merging two atomic nuclei to form a larger nucleus, while releasing energy, has long been considered a promising solution. Among fusion reactions, deuteri um-tritium (D-T) fusion and deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion are some of the most effective reactions, due to their relatively low ignition temperature and high energy output. For example, in a D-T fusion reaction, a deuterium nucleus fuses with a tritium nucleus, producing a 3.5 MeV alpha particle and a 14.1 MeV neutron.

[0003] Historically, a significant area of fusion research has been dedicated to both the magnetic and the inertial confinement of fusion fuels, such as deuterium-tritium (D-T) fuel. Magnetic confinement, commonly used in apparatus such as Z-pinch, stellarators and Tokamaks, relies on satisfying the Lawson criterion through high temperature, long fusion confinement time and low number density. In contrast, inertial confinement satisfies the Lawson criterion through high temperature, short fusion confinement time and high number density. Magnetic confinement methods face numerous plasma instabilities, which complicate maintaining a stable fusion reaction and contribute to the higher costs associated with equipment and prolonged operational times, making them less cost-effective compared to inertial confinement fusion.

[0004] Numerous methods have been explored to achieve the necessary conditions for nuclear fusion using inertial confinement fusion, with substantial investments being made to ablation related confinement. Impact fusion, a specialised domain within inertial confinement fusion research, involves the compression of fusion fuel through the application of physical forces, such as projectiles, shockwaves, or other mechanical impacts. Documentation from Los Alamos National Laboratory (Peaslee, Jr, 1979), explores various impact fusion concepts. One approach suggested in these documents involves firing a projectile into a fusion fuel, generally a gaseous medium, where the resultant shockwaves in the fuel are intended to create the high-pressure and high-temperature conditions necessary for nuclear fusion. Inertial confinement methods sometimes incorporate preheating of the fusible fuel to simplify the attainment of fusion conditions. Preheating can be accomplished through various techniques, thereby reducing the energy required for compression to initiate fusion.

[0005] Impact fusion typically encounters difficulties in achieving the necessary nuclear fusion density due to non-uniform shockwave compression, where shockwave convergence may be insufficient to uniformly compress the fusion fuel. Similarly, both impact-based and ablation-based inertial confinement fusion methods ty pically encounter difficulties in achieving uniform compression of the fusion fuel, which is critical for initiating fusion, and can result in large Rayleigh Taylor instabilities (Bodner, Emery7 and Gardner, 1987). Consequently, there is a need for alternative approaches to nuclear fusion, that address these challenges.

[0006] Patent US4435354A describes another approach to impact fusion, which involves the use of an anvil-shaped projectile to compress a cylindrical capsule containing fusion fuel. Another relevant study (Zubrin and Ribe), investigates the use of colliding projectiles to create a region of compressed fusion fuel, providing valuable insights into the behaviour of such systems. While these prior approaches address various aspects of nuclear fusion, they encounter challenges in achieving uniform compression and an efficient fusion reaction. The present invention offers an alternative method aimed at ensuring uniform density' during compression, aiming to address these challenges and advance the technology.

[0007] To date, no commercially viable nuclear fusion reaction, including those utilising impact fusion methods, has been successfully realised. Consequently, there remains a critical need for the development of novel solutions to achieve commercially viable nuclear fusion. Current nuclear fusion experimental setups are characterised by significant expense and complexity, highlighting the need for a more practical and innovative approach to reliably producing nuclear fusion conditions. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention relates to a novel approach to generating nuclear fusion conditions through impact fusion. Specifically, the invention introduces an innovative concept, where a fixed confinement vessel, initially containing fusible fuel in a gaseous state, such as deuterium-deuterium (D-D) or deuterium-tritium (D-T), is subjected to controlled deformation by an incident projectile within a rapid timeframe, compressing the fusible gas to achieve high temperature and density, within a localised area and inducing a nuclear fusion reaction under optimised conditions for efficient energy production.

[0009] This approach utilises specifically correlated vessel and projectile geometries, material properties, and projectile velocity to establish deformation parameters that enable the material to undergo rapid deformation, converging to a predetermined geometry. The effectiveness of this method depends critically on these factors, ensuring uniform compression of the fusible gas and achieving the necessary number density and temperature for fusion. The predetermined geometry allows the fusible gas to maintain uniform density during the stages of compression, leading to an efficient nuclear fusion reaction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00010] Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and should not be considered limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings. In these figures, similar elements may be indicated by like references.

[00011] FIG. 1 - Figure 1 illustrates an axisymmetric cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a cylindrical projectile and a confinement vessel with internal segmental dome type geometry. Figure la shows the configuration prior to impact, Figure lb depicts deformation at an intermediate point following the initial impact, and Figure 1c shows the deformation at a subsequent phase before reaching the final stage.

[00012] FIG. 2 - Figure 2 showcases an axisymmetric cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the present invention, featuring a unique projectile geometry and a confinement vessel with an internal, hemispherical dome type geometry'. Figure 2a shows the configuration prior to impact, Figure 2b depicts deformation at an intermediate point following the initial impact, and Figure 2c shows the deformation at a subsequent phase before reaching the final stage.

[00013] FIG. 3 - Figure 3 shows an axisymmetric cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention, wherein Figure 3a features a system that allows for the extraction of the fusion energy, facilitating air removal, pumping in fusible gas, and sealing the setup before deformation. Figure 3b includes a system for preheating the fusible gas, along with the features disclosed in Figure 3a.

[00014] FIG. 4 - Figure 4 presents an axisymmetric cross-sectional view of an additional embodiment of the present invention, showing a unique projectile geometry' and a confinement vessel with internal lens type geometry. Figure 4a shows the configuration prior to impact, Figure 4b depicts deformation at an intermediate point following the initial impact, and Figure 4c shows the deformation at a subsequent phase before reaching the final stage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[00015] The terminology' used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and should not be seen as limiting to the invention. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms 'comprises' and / or 'comprising,' as used in this specification, indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components. However, they do not exclude the possibility' of including additional features, steps, operations, elements, components, or groups thereof.

[00016] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used in this document, including technical and scientific terms, are to be understood in their common meanings as recognised by those skilled in the relevant field. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealised or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[00017] In describing the invention, it will be understood that a variety of techniques and steps are disclosed, each providing distinct benefits and also capable of being used in combination with one or more, or in some instances all, of the other disclosed techniques. For clarity, the description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

[00018] The present invention works by impacting a projectile of specific geometry' and material properties into a fixed stationary confinement vessel of correlating specific geometry and material properties, where located inside the confinement vessel is a fusible gas, such as, but not limited to a deuterium-deuterium (D-D), or deuterium-tritium (D-T) gas. As the projectile moves into the confinement vessel, it deforms in a predicted manner and the fusible gas located inside is compressed, with physical properties such as pressure and temperature increasing as the volume rapidly decreases. The effectiveness of achieving the desired fusion conditions depends on the specific geometry of both the projectile and the stationary' confinement vessel, as well as, the initial velocity of the projectile, hence, these parameters are crucial for achieving the desired number density and temperature needed to achieve a substantial fusion reaction. Furthermore, these parameters must ensure the deformation of the confinement vessel, such that the fusible gas contained inside experiences uniform density at fusion conditions, as well as, guides the gas into a predictable singular region for optimal fusion conditions. In contrast to the prior art discussed above, which includes methods such as those described in patent US4435354A and other impact fusion approaches, the proposed invention utilises distinct internal geometries of the fusible gas confinement vessel, correlated to projectile shape and initial velocity, to achieve a uniform and predictable compression of the fusion fuel. Furthermore, the confinement vessel must survive a set period of compression, given by the compression time tc, where tc must be less than the time of complete material failure, in this particular case defined as the point at which the stiffness matrix of some arbitrary position of the confinement vessels material k, is equal to zero and that a crack has propagated through the material, causing a rupture. In a pessimistic view of this definition, by assuming that at time, t = 0, k = 0, it is postulated that tc Si dclvc, for dc being the thinnest region of material in the confinement vessel, which can consist of any high strength material that can plastically deform, including but not limited to steel alloys, and vc being the crack propagation velocity, wherein for steel alloys an upper limit is vc = 800 m / s (Alexeev et al., 2020). For the proposed embodiment an example of dc could be of the order 101 — 102 mm, therefore tc Si 100 ps.

[00019] Unless otherwise specified, all descriptions of the internal geometry of the confinement vessel, including but not limited to line, arc and edge, refer to a 2D cross-sectional view of an axisymmetric 3D geometry. These descriptions are intended to simplify understanding and correspond to their 3D counterparts within the context of the axisymmetric geometry.

[00020] One embodiment of the present invention comprises a confinement vessel with an internal geometry characterised by a trailing edge that is a flat vertical line. From herein, any mention of the trailing edge refers specifically to this geomeliy within the context of the internal geometry. The leading edge of the internal geometry extends from the endpoints of this flat line and forms an arc. The shape of this arc can vary, ranging from anything greater than a flat line to a semicircular arc configuration, depending on the specific design requirements. From herein, any mention of the leading edge refers specifically to this geometry within the context of the internal geometiy. Furthermore, a projectile of a specific geometry, initially travelling perpendicularly to the trailing edge at a known initial velocity of vp0, should have geometry and initial velocity, such that upon collision with the confinement vessel, the deformation of the internal geometry approaches the resemblance of a linear volume at fusion conditions, where the trailing edge stays relatively fixed, due to the trailing edge comprising a large thickness of material behind it, acting as a structural barrier, and therefore the leading edge must satisfy the correct deformation of the internal geometry, to reach nuclear fusion successfully. A linear volume at fusion conditions results in a uniform fusible gas density, therefore, reducing instabilities and losses, such as Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. While a linear volume is essential for achieving uniform densify at fusion conditions in the current embodiment of the invention, other embodiments may vary in deformation geometry but maintain uniform densify at fusion conditions to minimise instabilities. Factors, such as the leading-edge arc angle to the trailing edge, as well as the material thickness along the leading edge and its variance at points close to the endpoints of the trailing edge and or points close to the apex of the leading edges arc affect the success of uniform deformation.

[00021] In one configuration of the current embodiment of the present invention, as seen in Fig.l, the geometry of the projectile and internal geometiy of the confinement vessel features a leading edge, with a resemblance to a segmental arc (101) and a flat vertical line for the trailing edge (102), coupled with a cylindrical-shaped projectile (103), of diameter greater than or equal to the trailing edge length. Fig.la shows the initial, undeformed state of the configuration, where to ensure the deformation of the geometry is correct, the initial thickness of the leading-edge arc must be varied appropriately, where for this configuration of projectile and confinement vessel geometries, having initially thicker material (104) closer to the endpoints of the trailing edge (105) and initially thinner material (106) closer to the apex of the leading-edge arc (107), results in a more uniform convergence of the leading edge arc towards a linear volume at fusion conditions, and a more uniform compression of the fusible gas (108), contained within the internal geometry. Fig. lb and Fig.lc showcase the proposed configurations geometry, at two consecutive timesteps respectively, occurring progressively after the previous observation but not reaching the final timestep in the process of deformation. This particular geometry of both the confinement vessel and projectile, travelling at initial velocity vp0 of order 103 — 104 ms-1 , results in a uniform deformation of the material that converges to a linear volume at fusion conditions, which in turn provides a uniform density of the fusible gas at fusion conditions, wherein the material deformation creates small differences in density at the edges of the linear volume, but in general maintains a uniform density at fusion conditions, therefore, the Rayleigh Taylor instabilities formed are minimal.

[00022] In another configuration of the current embodiment of the present invention, as seen in Fig.2, the geometry of the projectile and confinement vessel shows a semicircular arc segment leading edge (201) and a flat vertical line for the trailing edge (202), along with a wedge-shaped projectile (203), such that the combined geometiy of the confinement vessel and projectile, under the previously described deformation, compresses the fusible gas (204) into a linear volume at fusion conditions, and undergoes nuclear fusion. Fig.2a showcases the initial conditions of the undeformed geometry, where the projectile, travelling at initial velocity vp0 of order 103 — 104 ms-1, is designed so that the points on the leading-edge arc, near the apex (205), remain relatively undeformed, while the projectile at the same moment in time contacts the points closer to the endpoints of the trailing edge (206), causing them to deform inwards, creating a delayed impulse of material (207) that allows the formation of a flat leading edge to uniformly compress the fusible gas, while minimising instabilities. The variation in thickness along the leading-edge arc is an important factor to consider. Similar to the previous configuration, this thickness, affects the linear uniformity of the compression, where in this configuration, the thickness is varied such that it is equal at points near the apex and at points closer to the endpoints of the trailing edge. Fig. 2b shows the deformation of the proposed geometry' at a timestep sometime close to the initial impact of the projectile and confinement vessel, furthermore, Fig.2c showcases the deformation of the proposed geometry at one consecutive timestep, occurring progressively after the previous observation but not reaching the final timestep.

[00023] Fig.3a showcases another embodiment of the present invention, to allow for a way to extract the fusion energy' and prior to the deformation, create a vacuum region and pump fusible gas into the proposed embodiment of the present invention, using a valve mechanism. The valve (301) should satisfy the ability' to enable vacuum, (for air removal), allow pumped fusible gas into the internal geometry' of the confinement vessel, be a small aperture to minimise stress concentration on the valve area, be remotely operated, have an inline flow and have an airtight sealing block type mechanism, as displayed in Fig. 3a. Such as, but not limited to, a concept wherein a block moves from an initial state that allows fluid flow through the valve to a state that stops all fluid flow into the valve, finally being sealed by a highly focused weld. To reduce stress concentration on the valve and the surrounding material, the space located behind the valve, referred to as an access hole (302). needs to be sealed, once the gas is located inside the sealed confinement vessel. A highly focused weld is one method to seal this region and enhance structural integrity, although other methods may be employed. Fig. 3a shows that by changing the geometry of the trailing edge thickness of the current embodiment to maintain a structural barrier (303), while also having regions that are designed to fracture first under deformation and still maintain structural integrity for the required duration (304), the energy can then be released in a controlled manner and direction. In addition to the embodiment described in Fig. 3a, methods to preheating the fusible gas to the desired initial temperature are showcased in Fig. 3b. One such method, though not limited to this, involves utilising an externally placed magnetic field to form an internal confinement region (305). This region ensures that the vessel achieves the appropriate initial conditions, such as pressure, number density and temperature. The fusible gas may be heated in this configuration via RF heating lines (306) and sealed before the confinement vessel undergoes deformation.

[00024] Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a confinement vessel with an internal geometry formed by a trailing edge and leading edge, that are both arcs that face opposite directions but are connected to two common connecting points that lie in the same vertical plane, where this configuration of the internal geometry forms a lens shape. From herein, any reference to the connecting points pertains specifically to this embodiment’s geometry, particularly within the context of the internal geometry. More precisely, it refers to the two points lying in the same vertical plane that connect the trailing and leading-edge ar cs. As previously mentioned, the trailing edge arc acts as a structural barrier due to the high thickness of material behind it, similar to the flat edge of the semicircle in the previous embodiment of the invention, furthermore, the leading-edge arc is to deform under the incoming projectile, that is initially travelling perpendicularly to the vertical plane in which the connecting points he, with an initial velocity of vp0. The projectile should have geometry and initial velocity, such that upon collision with the confinement vessel, the deformation of the internal geometry converges to a uniform spherical region, allow ing the compression of the fusible gas, which results in a uniform density and enables nuclear fusion to occur successfully, while minimising instabilities. Factors, such as the trailing and leading-edge arc angles to the vertical plane in which the connecting points lie, as well as the material thickness along the leading edge, and its variation at points close to the connecting points or points close to the apex of the leading edges arc, affect the success of uniform deformation.

[00025] In one configuration of the current embodiment of the present invention, as seen in Fig.4, the geometry of the projectile and confinement vessel includes an arced trailing edge (401) and leading edge (402), of different angles to the vertical plane, in which the connecting points (403) lie. Furthermore, the projectile (404) is a wedge b pe geometry travelling at initial velocity vp0 of order 103 — 104 ms^1, such that the combined geometry of the confinement vessel and projectile, under the previously described deformation for the current embodiment compresses the fusible gas (405) into a spherically converging region and undergoes nuclear fusion. The projectile geometry is configured such that the points on the leading-edge arc, near the apex (406), remain relatively undeformed, while the projectile at the same moment in time contacts the points closer to the connecting points, causing them to deform inwards, this creates a delayed and powerful impulse of material (407), resulting in an ellipsoidal type geometry (408), and finally a spherical geometry towards which the fusible gas converges, during the deformation process. Additionally, the variation in thickness along the leading-edge arc is a crucial factor to consider, wherein, as previously mentioned, this affects the uniformity of the compression and hence the uniformity of density in the spherical region, in which the fusible gas is compressed, where in this configuration, the thickness is varied such that it is equal at points near the apex and at points closer to the connecting points. Fig.4a represents the current configuration of the present embodiment, at a stage before impact (initial conditions), likewise, Fig. 4b and Fig.4c showcase the deformation of the proposed geometiy at two consecutive timesteps respectively, occurring progressively after the initial state of the geometry, but not reaching the final timestep. As shown in Fig. 4, the initial deformation of the material may exhibit some variation in density due to the variance in the velocity along the leadingedge arc, potentially leading to small instabilities in the early stages of deformation (409). However, as the deformation progresses, the density becomes more uniform, particularly as the geometry converges to a spherical region. This gradual densification ensures a consistent density distribution and enhances the effectiveness of the compression process, ultimately optimising the conditions for the fusible gas to converge efficiently.

[00026] To illustrate the present invention, the following example and calculations are provided and referenced herein, particularly with respect to a scaled version of the first proposed embodiment shown in Fig.l. Assuming the initial undeformed geometry of the confinement vessels internal geometry, seen approximately scaled in Fig. la. has a flat trailing edge length of 90mm, the internal geometiy of the confinement vessel has an initial volume of V) = 7.5 x 103 m 3. The gas, consisting of equal parts deuterium-tritium (D-T) gas starts with an initial pressure of Pt = 0.33 bar at 7) = 95 x 103 K, such that the total number of particles of D-T is N = 1.94 x 1018 and the initial number density is n, = 2.6 x 1022 m 3. The initially undeformed projectile, with a flat front face and varying thickness, has cylindrical-like geometry that varies from that seen in Fig.la. The projectile has a maximum thickness of 7.5mm, diameter 90mm and density of pp = 5 gcm~3, the mass is given as mp = 167 g.

[00027] To achieve nuclear fusion, an ignition temperature for D-T fusion is required on the order of T = 107K, furthermore, to achieve an adequate reaction rate the final gas temperature is required to be Tf = 2 x 108 K. Under these conditions, the number density of the D-T plasma is nf = 2.5 x 1027 m-3, with equal parts deuterium and tritium, i.e. nD = nT = This relationship is determined by using a polytropic relation for a monatomic gas with an adiabatic index of y = |, expressed as: 3 nf = n< — f Total plasma energy, E = Et + Ee. which represents the sum of ion and electron energies, yields E = 3NkBT. when radiative effects are neglected. Therefore for kB = 1.38x the plasma energy at fusion Ef, amounts to = 16.1 kJ. To drive the fusion process, the kinetic energy of the projectile is critical. The kinetic energy, Ep = |mpv2 depends on the mass and velocity of the projectile, therefore for the previously described projectile properties with an initial velocity of vp = 5 kms-1, Ep = 2.08 MJ, hence even for low energy conversion efficiency of the projectile to the fusible gas, the plasma energy will certainly reach the required fusion conditions.

[00028] To maintain the structural integrity of the confinement vessel, the maximum allowable deformation time tc, must adhere to tc dclvc wherein dc = 10 mm, represents the thinnest region of the vessel, and vc = 800 ms-1 is the crack propagation velocity for high-strength carbon steel used for the confinement vessel. Consequently, tc Si 13 / is, meaning the entire deformation process must conclude within this timeframe to avoid failure. The characteristic radiative cooling time zr is the time for the plasmas energy to significantly reduce due to radiation effects, predominantly by Bremsstrahlung radiation, and is given by the relation Tr « —for Edens being the energy density Pbrem and Pbrem being the power density loss due to Bremsstrahlung’s, and thus ir 1 x 10-6s.

[00029] The actual fusion confinement time Tr is of the order ry 1 x 10 6s and the total deformation time tc is less than 5 x 10-6 s, as predicted by computational models, thereby satisfying the previously mentioned criteria, hence the confinement vessel will survive long enough for fusion bum up and losses to radiation are minimal. Additionally, the fusion bum up time is given by Tb = -.........where (ov) is the reactivity at fusion conditions, approximately (av) = 4 x 1016 cm3s'. This results in Tb ® Ty, hence the fusion energy produced is expressed as: Efus — Qdt Wherein i]b is the burn up efficiency and QDT is the energy per fusion event, QDT = 17.6 Mev, which for r)b = 0.8 results in Eflls = 2.2 MJ. REFERENCES CITED

[00030] Alexeev, A.A., Bolshev, K.N., Ivanov, V.A., Syromyatnikova, A.S. and Kovalenko, A.N., 2020. Experimental determination of crack velocities in steel [Online], IX Eurasian Symposium on the problems of strength and resource in low climatic temperatures (EURASTRENCOLD2020), 30, pp.1-5. Available from: https: / / doi.Org / 10.1016 / i.prostr.2020.12.001.

[00031] Bodner, S.E., Emery, M.H. and Gardner, J.H., 1987. The Rayleigh Taylor instability in direct drive laser fusion [Online], Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 29(10A), p.1333. Available from: https: / / doi.org / 10.1088 / 07413335 / 29 / 10A / 314.

[00032] Peaslee, Jr, A.T., 1979. Proceedings of the impact fusion workshop. United States.

[00033] Winterberg, F., 1984. METHOD FOR THE RELEASE OF THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY COMBINING IMPACT, MAGNETIC AND INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION. (US4435354A).

[00034] Zubrin, R.M. and Ribe, F.L.,. Numerical studies of deuterium tritium ignition in impact fusion targets [Online], IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 17(3), pp.459-462. Available from: https: / / doi.org / 10.1109 / 27.32256.

Claims

The following is claimed:

1. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions, comprising:deforming a confinement vessel, containing a fusible gas, by impacting said vessel with a projectile of specific geometry, wherein said confinement vessel has a predetermined geometry designed to converge to a defined final region, resulting in the compression of said fusible gas to achieve criteria sufficient for nuclear fusion.

2. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 1, wherein said fusible gas is confined within said internal geometry of said confinement vessel.

3. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 1, wherein said internal geometry of said confinement vessel includes a first segmental dome, with the apex of said first segmental dome oriented towards said incoming projectile, and the base of said first segmented dome positioned perpendicular to the trajectory of said projectile.

4. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 3, wherein said internal geometry of said confinement vessel further comprises a second segmental dome oriented in the opposite direction to said first segmental dome, with both segmental domes sharing the same base.

5. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 4, wherein said first segmental dome has a curvature greater than that of a flat surface and approaching that of a hemispherical dome, and said second segmental dome has a curvature ranging from that of a flat surface to that of a hemispherical dome.

6. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 1, wherein said external geometry of said confinement vessel is designed to support said internal geometry's deformation, with the thickness of said confinement vessel varied as necessary to achieve the desired convergence of said fusible gas.

7. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 1, wherein said combined internal and external geometries of said confinement vessel are coordinated with said projectile geometry and initial velocity, to achieve the desired deformation of said confinement vessel.

8. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 7, wherein the desired deformation of said confinement vessel compresses said fusible gas to a final region of predominantly uniform density, such that this singular region reaches the criteria necessary for nuclear fusion.

9. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions as in claim 8, wherein the material of said confinement vessel and said projectile are selected to withstand the entire deformation process, without fracturing, up to and including the point at which said fusible gas reaches the criteria necessary for nuclear fusion.17 09 25AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS:-Amended ClaimsThis document showcases the Amended Claims based of the feedback from the Combined Search and Examination Report with application number GB2413983.4.CLAIMSThe following is claimed:

1. A method for achieving nuclear fusion conditions, comprising:deforming a fixed, stationary confinement vessel containing a fusible gas by impacting said vessel with a projectile, wherein said confinement vessel converges to a defined final region, resulting in the compression of said fusible gas to achieve criteria sufficient for nuclear fusion wherein said internal geometry of said confinement vessel includes a first segmental dome, with the apex of said first segmental dome oriented towards said incoming projectile, and the base of said first segmented dome positioned perpendicular to the trajectory of said projectile, wherein said internal geometry of said confinement vessel further comprises a second segmental dome oriented in the opposite direction to said first segmental dome, with both segmental domes sharing the same base wherein said first segmental dome has a curvature greater than that of a flat surface and approaching that of a hemispherical dome, and said second segmental dome has a curvature ranging from that of a flat surface to that of a hemispherical dome.

2. Claim Deleted3. Claim Deleted4. Claim Deleted5. Claim Deleted6. Claim Deleted7. Claim Deleted8. Claim Deleted9. Claim Deleted

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