Electrode structure for orbital confinement of charged particles

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for generating orbital confinement fusion reactions are disclosed. The orbital confinement fusion device can include a cathode inner electrode defining a longitudinal axis of the device. The inner electrode can include an emitter material. The orbital confinement fusion device can include an anode outer electrode, the outer electrode coaxial with the longitudinal axis and defining a chamber between the inner and outer electrodes. The orbital confinement fusion device can also include a plurality of magnetic field generators arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of magnetic field generators can be configured to form a magnetic field within the chamber parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Cross-reference of related applications) This application claims the interests of Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 073812, filed on 2 September 2020, entitled “Controlled Chain Reaction Fusion Device,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more light atoms combine to form one or more heavier atoms. When elements lighter than iron-56 or nickel-62 undergo nuclear fusion, the resulting mass defect is E=mc². 2 Energy is released as shown by [formula]. Nuclear fusion begins when multiple atomic nuclei are in close spatial proximity and two or more nuclei overcome the Coulomb barrier caused by the electrostatic repulsion between positive nuclei. Fusion occurs as a result of quantum tunneling, where the nuclei combine into nuclide fusion products and are accompanied by the release of fusion energy.

[0003] One method of inducing a nuclear fusion reaction called thermonuclear fusion involves heating fuel atoms above their ionization temperature to increase the ion density and thermal kinetic energy of the ions, thereby fusing the fuel nuclei. In contrast, orbital confinement fusion induces nuclear fusion by accelerating ions to a point where fusion occurs through collisions, thereby increasing their kinetic energy.

[0004] Nuclear fusion has long been regarded as an attractive energy source because it does not generate greenhouse gases, does not produce radioactive waste, has a low risk of nuclear proliferation, has no risk of meltdown, and the necessary elements are widely available and virtually inexhaustible. Despite significant research efforts and investments since the theoretical establishment of the underlying physics of nuclear fusion, methods for initiating, controlling, and sustaining fusion reactions that produce useful energy have not yet been established. To address the limitations due to electron collision losses, fusion research has focused on thermonuclear fusion. As a result, the development of fusion reactors has centered on plasma confinement that confines "hot" plasma, which represents a plasma in thermal equilibrium with electrons and ions at an average temperature of 100 million Kelvin. In controlled thermonuclear fusion, it is necessary to maintain the hot plasma for a confinement time and density sufficient to obtain a net positive energy output, which is a fundamental challenge for achieving fusion success.

[0005] Currently, the main targets of research for realizing controlled thermonuclear fusion are magnetic confinement and inertial confinement. Research on both the inertial confinement method and the magnetic confinement method is typically an international collaborative effort among multiple institutions, which results in the need for large-scale facilities, capital investments exceeding billions of dollars, and design cycles spanning decades. Technically, there are numerous problems such as plasma instability, material limitations, and low energy yield. There is still no fusion reactor that has achieved break-even. For at least these reasons, there is a need for a plasma fusion device that can be built and maintained by individuals or single enterprises rather than consortia or government-scale organizations, and that can achieve a net energy increase with a smaller installation area.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, an extract of concepts that are further explained in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify the main features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] A system, apparatus, and method for generating a toroidal confinement fusion reaction will be described. The toroidal confinement fusion device may include an inner cathode electrode that defines the longitudinal axis of the device. The inner electrode may include an emitter material. The toroidal confinement fusion device may include an outer anode electrode that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis and defines a chamber between the inner electrode and the outer electrode. The toroidal confinement fusion device may also include a plurality of magnetic field generators arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of magnetic field generators may be configured to form a magnetic field parallel to the longitudinal axis within the chamber.

[0008] In some embodiments, the inner electrode and the outer electrode may be rotationally symmetric bodies with respect to the longitudinal axis and may be shaped to form a substantially logarithmic electrostatic field within the chamber when energized. The inner electrode may be characterized by having an aspect ratio greater than 1 along the longitudinal axis. The outer electrode may have a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than the maximum diameter of the inner electrode. The outer electrode may include a first anode shell and a second anode shell disposed on the side of the longitudinal axis and a dielectric insulator disposed between the first anode shell and the second anode shell to electrically insulate them.

[0009] In some embodiments, the magnetic field is characterized by having a magnetic field strength exceeding a Hull cut-off condition for trapping electrons in orbital paths around the inner electrode within the chamber. The plurality of magnetic field generators may be permanent magnets or comprise permanent magnets. The plurality of magnetic field generators may be electromagnets or comprise electromagnets. The orbital confinement fusion device may also include a high-voltage power supply, which is electrically coupled to the inner electrode and has an operating range of approximately 50 kVDC to approximately 4.0 MVDC. The inner electrode may be defined as a first end and a second end. The orbital confinement fusion device may further include a first dielectric insulator and a second dielectric insulator, the first dielectric insulator being mechanically coupled to the first end and separating the first end from the outer electrode, and the second dielectric insulator being located in the chamber between the second end and the outer electrode and separating the second end from the outer electrode. The first dielectric insulator may define an insulating cavity, and the high-voltage power supply may be electrically isolated from the outer electrode.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer electrode defines an opening, and the alignment of the opening defines an injection trajectory, the injection trajectory corresponding to a pitch angle from which ions of a predetermined mass-to-charge ratio enter a stable elliptical orbit around the inner electrode. The ions may be, but are not limited to, protons (m / z=1), deuterium ions (m / z=2), tritium ions (m / z=3), lithium-6 ions (m / z=6), or boron-11 ions (m / z=11). The outer electrode may further define a port that fluidically couples with the chamber and the external environment. The port may be configured to fluidly couple with a vacuum system. The emitter material may be located on the inner electrode or incorporated into the inner electrode. The emitter material may be configured to inject electrons into the chamber when the inner electrode is energized. The emitter material may be a thermal ion emitter material or may include a thermal ion emitter material.

[0011] In some embodiments, the orbital confinement fusion device further comprises a mirror-image current device, which is electrically coupled to the outer electrode and configured to generate electrical energy from a plurality of charged particles orbiting the inner electrode, the plurality of charged particles exhibiting axially harmonized motion aligned along the longitudinal axis. The orbital confinement fusion device may further comprise a fluid passage, which is provided on the outer electrode or the inner electrode. The orbital confinement fusion device may be characterized by having physical dimensions on the order of tens of centimeters. In some embodiments, the orbital confinement fusion device is electrically coupled to a power system, which is configured to receive power or heated coolant from the device.

[0012] The method for generating orbital confinement fusion energy in the above-described fusion apparatus may include an energizing step, wherein a voltage of approximately 50 kVDC to approximately 4.0 MVDC is applied to the inner electrode, thereby forming a logarithmic electrostatic field between the inner electrode and the outer electrode and injecting a plurality of electrons into the chamber. The method may also include an injection step, wherein a beam of fuel ions is injected into the chamber at a tangential angle to the surface of the inner electrode, causing the fuel ions to interact with the electrostatic field and enter an elliptical orbit around the inner electrode. The method may also include a generation step, wherein a plurality of magnetic field generators are used to generate a magnetic field aligned along the longitudinal axis, the magnetic field having an intensity corresponding to the Hull cutoff condition and redirecting the electrons so that they return towards the inner electrode.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of: flowing a coolant through the fluid passage; heating the coolant through contact with the outer electrode; and generating electricity using the heated coolant. The method may further comprise an application step, the application step of applying a high-frequency (RF) voltage signal to the outer electrode using a charge mirror circuit, wherein the frequency of the RF voltage signal corresponds to the vibration of charged particles in the chamber along a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis. The method may further comprise the steps of: generating an RF current using the charge mirror circuit; and generating a DC current from the RF current using an RF-DC rectifier circuit.

[0014] The aforementioned aspects of the present invention and its many associated advantages will be more readily understood when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and will become even easier to grasp as further understanding is gained by referring to the detailed description below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system for generating energy using an orbital confinement reactor device, based on several embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary reactor apparatus incorporating an outer electrode consisting of two components, based on several embodiments. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary reactor apparatus incorporating a one-component outer anode, based on several embodiments. [Figure 2C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary reactor apparatus incorporating a two-part outer anode with a 3 / 4 cross-section, based on several embodiments. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary ion implantation system based on several embodiments. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an exemplary reactor apparatus and magnetic field generator based on several embodiments. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the end face representation of emitted electrons and orbital-ion interactions based on several embodiments. [Figure 6] This graph shows the reaction rate (vertical axis) and density (horizontal axis) of an exemplary orbital confinement reactor at an average electron temperature of 125 keV for three key design points based on several embodiments. [Figure 7] This is a block flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process for generating energy or neutrons using an orbital confinement reactor device, based on several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same parts throughout the various drawings. Furthermore, to reduce clutter in the drawings, not all elements are necessarily labeled. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead, the focus is on illustrating the principles being described. While exemplary embodiments are illustrated and described, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0017] <Introduction:> The concept of orbital ion confinement was first proposed in 1923 with the Kingdon trap. The Kingdon trap consists of a thin central wire, an outer cylindrical electrode, and separate end-cap electrodes at both ends. When a static voltage is applied between the wire and the electrodes, the potential between them changes logarithmically in the radial direction. Ions accumulate around the central wire with a finite angular momentum, and the applied electric field within the device allows them to trace stable ion orbits for relatively long periods. A variation of the Kingdon trap, the Knight trap, modifies the outer electrode to confine ions to orbits along the trap's cylindrical axis, causing harmonic axial motion. This harmonic axial motion is characterized by the charge-mass ratio (Z / m) of the confined ions and is measurable using mirror-image current radio frequency (RF), where combinations of ions with different masses generate a convolutional RF signal, which is then deconvolved using Fourier transform techniques. Orbitrap is an improved version of the night trap, eliminating the interaction term between the radial and axial movements of ions, thereby enabling a highly sensitive mass spectrometer.

[0018] Kingdon traps, Knight traps, and Orbit traps represent highly sensitive devices for detecting and distinguishing ions by mass, but they are inherently incapable of extracting energy or neutrons from nuclear fusion. This limitation stems, at least in part, from operating parameters such as pressure, temperature, electrostatic field strength, magnetic field strength, ion density or space charge, and ion energy distribution. Furthermore, ion mass sensors separate ions from an ion source, which is typically an ionized plasma formed using an analyte, as in a plasma mass spectrometry system (i.e., ICP-MS), but in this case, the ions are not suitable fusion fuel. Instead, the space between the electrodes is kept electron-free, which at least in part helps to lower the ion density and increase the harmonic axis motion to improve signal resolution and thus improve the sensitivity of the device. Thus, orbital confinement fusion devices deviate significantly from the structure and operation of Orbit trap-type mass sensors, and do not involve modifications of operating parameters or the incorporation of one or more individual structural elements to add new functionality.

[0019] Orbital confinement-based fusion devices generate energy, for example, by stimulating nuclear fusion phenomena between lighter ions to form heavier ions. In terms of the nuclear fusion reaction rate constant "k", orbital confinement fusion involves the fuel ions and reaction product ions being confined for a relatively long period of time, more than 1 second, or 1 × 10⁻¹⁶. 8 Ions are confined to relatively long particle track distances of about 10 cm. By confining ions in this way, the number of scattering events that transfer energy can be increased to a level that increases the likelihood of a nuclear fusion reaction, which will be explained later in terms of collision cross-section. Ion orbital confinement makes it possible to achieve the ion confinement time, distance, and energy necessary to induce nuclear fusion. The Kingdon / Orbitrap mass sensor is 2 × 10⁻¹⁶ compared to other ion trap designs. 10 atoms / cm 3 It is possible to achieve a relatively high space charge of the order of 1 × 10⁻¹⁰, but this is not possible in orbital confinement reactors. 12 ~1 × 10 15 atoms / cm 3Space charge of this order cannot be achieved.

[0020] In contrast, orbital confinement fusion reactors increase the space charge of ions by introducing and confining electrons into orbits along with ions around a central electrode. Injecting space charge via electrons increases the achievable ion density by canceling out the space charge of positive ions and, at least partially, screening for inter-ion repulsion. Electron confinement can be facilitated by different physical mechanisms than those used for ion confinement, as an approach to independently control ion and electron orbits within the device, thereby improving reactor control and efficiency. For example, a magnetic field, such as in a magnetron-type magnetic field generator, can be generated beyond the Hull cut-off condition parallel to the longitudinal axis of an orbital confinement reactor, bending electron orbits in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. This induces magnetron-type electron motion curved around the central electrode in the same direction as the orbiting ions, thereby reducing two-stream instability in the ion beam and / or fusion plasma and reducing losses due to electron-ion collisions.

[0021] The operating window of a fusion reactor system can be determined, at least in part, by the fusion triple product of plasma density, temperature, and confinement time (nTτ). As an index of merit, the triple product represents the conditions under which a fusion reaction occurs in a controllable and reproducible manner while generating a net positive energy, known as the Lawson condition. Density, temperature, and confinement time are controllable by the operating parameters of the reactor. For example, increasing the ion flux from the fuel ion source to the fusion reactor can increase the plasma density, while increasing the electrostatic field strength can accelerate ions to a higher average velocity and potentially increase the temperature. These parameters are coupled, and increasing one parameter can affect another. For example, increasing the plasma density increases collision losses, which can shorten the confinement time when ions collide with the reactor surface. Using the triple product, the electrostatic field strength, magnetic field strength, ion flux, and electron flux parameters in the reactor can be derived.

[0022] In this way, the reactor state can be brought to the point where nuclear fusion generates net energy. For example, fuel ions are injected tangentially between the inner and outer electrodes, and injected into the electrostatic field with enough energy to trace a stable elliptical orbit around the inner electrode. During the elliptical orbit, the positively charged fuel ions accelerate towards the negative inner electrode, converting potential energy into kinetic energy until they reach the perigee of the elliptical orbit. After reaching the perigee, the fuel ions decelerate while accumulating potential energy as they move away from the negative cathode potential until they reach the apogee of the elliptical orbit. Fuel ions complete such orbits millions of times over a period of about one second within the reactor. Furthermore, the elliptical orbits of ions may intersect with the elliptical orbits of other ions millions of times, increasing the likelihood of relatively unlikely nuclear fusion events occurring. Ultimately, nuclear fusion occurs between the fuel ions on collisional orbits, releasing fusion reaction products including, but not limited to, charged particles (alpha particles, helium-3, protons, tritium, etc.), radiation, and thermal energy.

[0023] Following the fusion phenomenon, some of the charged particles from the fusion reaction collide with the electrodes, and their kinetic energy is converted into heat and dissipated within the device. Furthermore, unreacted fuel ions eventually collide with the negatively charged electrodes, further heating the device. Cooling passages within the reactor can extract heat that can be used to generate electricity through thermodynamic cycles (i.e., Seebeck thermoelectric generators or heat exchanger systems). The remaining fusion reaction product particles take stable orbits around the negative cathode potential well. The fusion reaction products, moving faster than the fuel ions orbiting the inner electrodes, can transfer kinetic energy to the fuel ions via Rutherford upward scattering interactions. After multiple ion-ion scattering collisions, the fusion products collide with the inner surface of the reactor, generating additional heat. The upward-scattered fuel ions follow circular orbits, increasing the effective ion temperature, the reactivity of the fusion plasma, and the overall fusion reaction rate. In this way, orbital confinement fusion devices can maintain fusion with a net positive energy output usable for power generation in a small footprint.

[0024] <Physical principles of fusion reactions> The following discussion of the principles of orbital confinement fusion devices is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. For example, while the discussion of fusion reactions focuses on deuterium-deuterium fusion, its principles are considered to be equally applicable to other fusion reactions, including but not limited to proton-boron-11 fusion and deuterium-tritium fusion.

[0025] Furthermore, the fusion reaction may be further enhanced by multiple steps, so that the first fusion reaction may function directly as a fuel ion source within the device, for example, by neutron activation of Li-6 in an exothermic step that produces high-energy alpha particles and tritium. In this way, two or more types of fusion, including but not limited to neutrons, protons, deuterium, tritium, helium-3, lithium-6, or boron-11, produce fusion products with increased kinetic energy. The fusion products collide with fuel ions, transferring kinetic energy by upward scattering, thereby propelling the fuel ions to a temperature where a chain reaction is possible. In the case of deuterium-deuterium fusion (DD), the reaction is almost equally likely to follow one of the following pathways:

[0026]

number

[0027]

number

[0028] Upward scattering between alpha particle fusion products and fuel ions is described by the following collisional upward scattering reaction.

[0029]

number

[0030] Equation (3) represents the upward scattering of a deuteron upon collision with an energy that can induce a subsequent reaction of the type of Equation (1).

[0031] The chain reaction equation for D-D nuclear fusion via the upward scattering path of helium-3 → deuterium is described as follows, and the parameters are defined in Table 1.

[0032]

Number

[0033] The upward scattered deuteron current and energy distribution are determined by Equation (4). The number of fusion events resulting from the upward scattered deuteron current (I D ) is defined as follows.

[0034]

Number

[0035]

Number

[0036]

Table 1

[0037] In some embodiments, the orbit confinement fusion reactor functions with a ratio of the nuclear fusion reaction to the helium-3 (or alpha particles for alternative fuels) current to the positive electrode exceeding 1 (e.g., k D-Dfusion > 1). In this way, after considering the loss mechanisms of collisions and other loss mechanisms such as bremsstrahlung and / or confinement losses, additional energy output can be achieved.

[0038] While this disclosure focuses on deuterium-deuterium fusion in its process description, the reactor, as an electrostatic ion confinement device, can operate with any fusion fuel while providing a magnetic field for electron confinement. Generally, the higher the energy of the fuel ions and reaction products, the stronger the electric field for positively charged particle confinement. However, the physical principles of electron injection and Rutherford upscatter are understood to be equally applicable to stimulating additional fusion in various types of fuel ions for both energy generation and neutron generation.

[0039] Deuterium-deuterium and deuterium-tritium can be used as fusion fuels for high-flux neutron production, emitting neutrons with an average energy of 2.45 MeV (50% branching probability). Deuterium-tritium fuel produces high-penetration neutrons with an average energy of 14.1 MeV. Deuterium-helium-3 fusion produces alpha particles of 4 MeV and high-energy protons (14 MeV) that can be used as high-energy proton beam sources. Proton-boron-11 fusion produces three alpha particles with an average energy of 2.9 MeV. Such alpha particles can be confined in orbital confinement reactors and may help increase fusion yield by scattering additional ions upward into fusion energy. Any of the aforementioned fusion fuels can be used for energy generation, as neutron sources for imaging, or for the production of valuable isotopes.

[0040] JPEG0007843286000008.jpg22163

[0041] In the context of this disclosure, stopping distance represents the distance over which a particle loses energy due to interactions with matter, such as collisions with other particles in the plasma. The stopping distance of an ion in a plasma can be briefly summarized as follows:

[0042]

number

[0043]

number

[0044]

number

[0045]

number

[0046] [Table 2]

[0047] The stopping distance is determined by the parameters x and hw pe As reflected in the definition, the number of electrons (n) present in the plasma e ) and plasma electron temperature (T e It is strongly influenced by the Boltzmann constant K. b The electron velocity (V) of electrons emitted from the emission coating scaled by e It is directly proportional to the square of ( ).

[0048]

number

[0049] When the electron temperature exceeds 10,000 eV, the stopping power decreases significantly, especially at ion energies below 500 keV.

[0050] As mentioned above, the orbital confinement device can be operated at least partially by accelerating ions through collision energy transfer. The probability of a particular collision occurring is described by the collision cross-section, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The cross-section for upward scattering of deuterium ions from helium-3 particles is determined by the Rutherford differential scattering equation.

[0051]

number

[0052] [Table 3]

[0053] The collision energy is transferred from helium-3 to deuterium ions via full-angle scattering (FAS) and can be summarized by the following equation:

[0054] The influence parameters are defined as follows:

[0055]

number

[0056] Here, q is the charge of the particle, ε o is the permittivity of vacuum, m ij is the converted mass, v ij =|v i -v j | represents the relative velocity between the two particles. The maximum impact parameter is set to the Debye length as follows:

[0057]

number

[0058] Here, k B is Boltzmann's constant, q e n is the electron charge. e and n j T is the number density of electrons and ion species (j). e and T i The temperature of electrons and ion species, z j This represents the charge of the ionic species.

[0059] The sum of Rutherford cross-sectional areas is defined as follows:

[0060]

number

[0061] The number of Rutherford scattering events can be determined as follows:

[0062]

number

[0063] Here, dt is the time step, and lnΛ is the well-known Coulomb logarithm, defined as follows:

[0064]

number

[0065] The probability of a Rutherford event occurring once is defined as follows:

[0066]

number

[0067] The collision operator works by calculating the dimensionless path length s, which is defined as follows:

[0068]

number

[0069] Based on the differential Rutherford scattering equation and collision operators, most upward scattering phenomena occur at essentially small angles (<1 keV). Consequently, scattering deuterium fuel ions upward to fusion energy requires multiple collisions within a given period.

[0070] JPEG0007843286000024.jpg14160

[0071]

number

[0072] JPEG0007843286000026.jpg25160

[0073] In a plasma, deuterium ions in thermal equilibrium with free electrons (T i =T e As the electron temperature and / or electron density increases, the energy transfer ratio between electrons and ions increases until the deuterium ion velocity begins to match the helium-3 velocity, beyond which the energy transfer ratio decreases.

[0074] <Operation of orbital confinement reactors> In contrast to thermonuclear fusion, orbital confinement reactors confine ions to orbits defined by a non-Maxwellian energy distribution. Therefore, the fusion reaction rate (referred to as dn / dt), measured in reactions per second, is governed by recirculation beam fusion physics, which is expressed by the following equation.

[0075]

number

[0076] Here, σ is the deuterium beam cross-section at a given energy level, S is the interaction area, and f recirculation r is the recirculation frequency, and N is the number of fuel ions in the reactor. In a cylindrical Kingdon / Orbitrap type configuration, the main parameter is the inner cathode axis radius r i And the inner surface radius of the outer anode is r o And finally, the reactor length l. Interaction area (S) and recirculation frequency (f) recirculation ) is defined as follows:

[0077]

number

[0078]

number

[0079] Here, v i is the deuterium ion velocity at a given energy. The total space charge in the reactor is limited to a constant value. As a result, as the number of confined fusion-reacting charged particles such as helium-3 increases, the total number of fuel ions decreases to compensate for and maintain the space charge limitation. In some embodiments, the fuel ion concentration is controlled through the fuel ion flux into the reactor. The number of deuterium ions that can participate in the fusion reaction is defined as follows:

[0080]

number

[0081]

number

[0082]

number

[0083] Here, N ion This is related to the reactor volume (V) and the limiting ion number density n. i This is the space charge limit ion number in the reactor obtained from. The number of helium ions present in the reactor is N Helium3 This is defined as follows, where dn / dt is the reaction rate, 0.5 is the DD fusion 50% reaction which is estimated to be helium-3, Z Helium3 It has a charge of +2, and the average generation time is ~1 second.

[0084] The reaction products of helium-3 can transfer kinetic energy to deuterium fuel ions, thereby increasing the fusion cross-section and representing the reaction probability. This is offset by the fact that as the number of helium-3 ions in the reactor increases, the total number of deuterium ions must decrease to maintain the space charge limit. In the context of a chain reaction, the k factor in equation (20) can be evaluated based on the gradients of both fusion reactivity and the total number of fuel ions as follows:

[0085]

number

[0086] Here, the molecule σ2N 2 Figure 2 represents the fusion cross-section and total fuel ions after a given time interval accompanied by upward scattering of helium-3. During reactor startup, initially, the number of fusion reactions and helium-3 ions is small, and N is also decreasing. Conversely, as deuterium ions gain energy and become more reactive, the gradient of the fusion cross-section increases. Depending on the initial ion density, the k factor may start at a large value, and the reaction rate increases as fuel ions gain energy. Eventually, as the number of helium-3 increases during operation, a steady state (k=1) is reached when the increase in the fusion cross-section is offset by the decrease in available fuel ions. The steady state in the reactor is a complex function of the fusion fuel reactivity as ion energy increases, and this increase in ion energy is due to upward scattering, ion fuel flux into the device, and multiple loss mechanisms, which transfer energy from the plasma and cause ions to lose energy (downward scattering, wall collisions, central electrode collisions, radiation, etc.). When the k-factor is nearly equal to 1 ("critical" operation), the reaction rate and power output become substantially stable over time. Stable operation can be maintained by adjusting the reactor operation: if the reactor output falls below the target output, the operating parameters are reset to make the k-factor greater than 1 ("supercritical" operation); and conversely, if the reactor exceeds the target output, the operating parameters are reset to make the k-factor less than 1 ("subcritical" operation).

[0087] Regarding electron injection, it is understood that when the magnetic field strength exceeds the Hull cutoff condition, the magnetic field bends the emitted electrode back toward the cathode, thereby avoiding arcing between the electrodes. For a given voltage, the magnetic field strength that satisfies the Hull cutoff condition is determined by the following equation.

[0088]

number

[0089] Here, Bc is the critical magnetic field, m is the mass of the electron, e is the charge of the electron (absolute value), V is the voltage applied across the gap, c is the speed of light, and d * This is a geometric factor defined as follows:

[0090]

number

[0091] Regarding the direct energy extraction from the harmonic axial motion of ions, scattering events between confined fusion reaction products and fuel ions provide the axial kinetic energy and the harmonic axial motion of ions within the reactor. The frequency of the axial motion is characterized by the ion's charge-mass ratio (Z / m). By applying radio frequency (RF) energy at a specific frequency to the outer electrode, the axial kinetic energy can be selectively extracted via a charge-image current, which is the reverse process in which a mass sensor detects a mass-specific RF signal generated by the harmonic axial motion of ions.

[0092] By applying a phase-shifted RF signal to the outer electrode, the harmonic axial motion of ions is de-excited. When collisions occur between fusion products and fuel ions, some of the collision energy is transferred to the axial motion. Using the RF applied to the outer electrode, energy can be selectively extracted from the fuel ions, reaction products, or both as they oscillate axially between the two halves of the outer electrode. The AC charge mirror image signal can be rectified into a DC current, which can be used to charge energy storage devices such as batteries or to supply power to electrical loads.

[0093] The frequency of axial vibration is a characteristic of the ion's mass-to-charge ratio and is determined by the following equation.

[0094]

number

[0095] Here, ω is the frequency in radians / second, q is the charge of the ion, and m is the mass of the ion. The mirror image current signal (I) induced by the axial motion of the ion is determined by the following equation.

[0096]

number

[0097] Here, N is the number of ions, △z is the magnitude of the axial motion, and λ(r) depends on the shape of the trap (λ(r) ≈ outer radius) and is a function of the trap radius.

[0098] <Considerations of orbital confinement reactor systems:> Embodiments of systems and methods for producing energy and / or radioisotopes using orbital confinement fusion reactions are described herein. The following description includes numerous specific details to allow for a full understanding of the embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technologies described herein can be implemented without one or more specific details, or by using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other examples, detailed descriptions and illustrations of well-known structures, materials, or operations are omitted to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

[0099] Throughout this specification, any reference to “one embodiment” or “a certain embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, when the terms “in one embodiment” or “in a certain embodiment” appear in various places throughout this specification, they do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0100] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary system 100 for generating energy using an orbital confinement fusion device 105, based on several embodiments of the present disclosure. The exemplary system 100 comprises multiple reactor devices 105, each supplied with fuel ions from a fuel ion source(s) 110 and electricity from a power source(s) 115, thermally coupled to a thermogenerator(s) 120, electrically coupled to a generator(s) 125, and each connected to a power distribution system 130. While the exemplary system 100 describes a multi-reactor system, it is understood that applications using a single orbital confinement fusion device 105 are also intended, for example, for portable and / or mobile power generation systems. As described in the previous section, the exemplary system 100 is applicable to generating isotopes, heat and / or electricity as carbon-free power, to power large civilian eVTOLs and electric aircraft, to power military eVTOLs, and to generate ship power and electric propulsion for vessels ranging in size from small boats to large ships.

[0101] The fuel ion source(s) 110 is or may comprise different types of ion sources capable of generating fuel ions and supplying them to the exemplary system 100 with energy for orbital capture and subsequent nuclear fusion. The exemplary system 100 can also be used, in non-limiting examples, for portable power generation, power generation for robot chassis and / or exoskeletons, mobile power generation, auxiliary power unit (APU) power generation, remote distributed power generation, and / or remote telecommunications tower power generation. The exemplary system 100 can also be used, in non-limiting examples, for an extended range such as electric vehicles, small eVTOLs and electric aircraft vehicles, local or regional power grids, grid-connected storage, remote and forward-operating base station power generation, containerized mobile power generation, and data center backup power generation. Thus, the exemplary system 100 can play a role ranging from base load generators to peaking generators, depending on the type of system in which it is incorporated.

[0102] The exemplary system 100 is capable of initiating and / or maintaining fusion and can enhance fusion via the collision-upscatter mechanism described earlier. Initiation of an autonomous fusion reaction may include a period of subcritical (i.e., k<1) operation in which one or more orbital confinement fusion devices 105 draw energy from a power source 115. In some embodiments, each orbital confinement fusion device 105 is electronically coupled to a power source 115. In some embodiments, a subset of orbital confinement fusion devices 105 are electronically coupled to a power source 115, and the initiation may include a cascaded or staggered approach. To this end, the exemplary system 100 may include a power electronics and interconnection system in which a first orbital confinement fusion device 105-1 is electrically coupled to a power source 115, from which power is drawn during initiation. When the first orbital confinement fusion device 105-1 reaches criticality (k=1) and generates net positive energy, one or more orbital confinement fusion devices 105 of an exemplary system 100 electrically coupled to the first orbital confinement fusion device 105-1 can draw power for startup. In this way, the power drawn from an external power source can be reduced, facilitating the deployment of the exemplary system 100 in areas where power generation capacity is not established. However, in applications where response time is critical, each orbital confinement fusion device 105 can be individually connected to a power source 115, and each can be equipped with a control system to be started in parallel or substantially simultaneously.

[0103] The fuel ion source(s) 110 may include one or more types of ion sources, depending on at least some of the applications of the exemplary system 100. As described in more detail in the preceding section, the exemplary system 100 is applicable to isotope production, power generation and / or heat generation, among other foreseeable applications. Thus, the fuel ion source(s) 110 may be, or include, ion sources of protons, deuterium, tritium, helium-3, lithium-6, or boron-11. Since each orbital confinement fusion device 105 operates using a source of fuel ions injected into the fusion plasma during operation, the exemplary system 100 includes each orbital confinement fusion device 105 operably coupled with the fuel ion source(s) 110. Methods of generating ions include, but are not limited to, electromagnetic ionization of the ion source, nuclear reactions such as neutron capture, thermionic emission, and field effect emission, which will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0104] As will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 2-4, each orbital confinement fusion device 105 of the exemplary system 100 is capable of maintaining a critical fusion reaction (i.e., k ≈ 1) and extracting energy from the fusion plasma. The energy can be extracted as thermal energy resulting from collisions of ions and electrons with the internal surface exposed to the plasma. Such thermal energy can be transferred by fluidly coupling the orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105 with a heat exchanger and applying one or more techniques to collect electrical energy from the collected heat. For example, if the operating temperature of the reactor can be maintained on the order of 1000 K, a coolant can be circulated to one or more components of the orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105 while using heat to generate work. Thus, the thermogenerator(s) 120 can be a system including, or may include, a compressor, turbine, turbomachinery, and / or thermoelectric generator, as well as a liquid heat transfer system for transferring heat from the orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105 to the thermogenerator(s) 120. Additionally and / or alternatively, the thermogenerator(s) 120 may also include a heating system that uses at least a portion of the thermal energy as a heat source.

[0105] In some embodiments, the exemplary system 100 includes a generator(s) 125 for directly capturing electrical energy from an orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105. As described in the previous section, collision energy transfer in a recirculating ion plasma induces axial harmonic motion of ions perpendicular to the electric field applied between electrodes. The frequency of the axial motion may be in the radio frequency (RF) range and may be characteristic of the ion's mass-to-charge ratio. Thus, each orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105 can extract electricity by actively attenuating the axial harmonic motion of ions, and the power thus generated can be converted into useful electricity by power electronics included as part of the generator(s) 125. In some embodiments, the generator(s) 125 includes one or more component systems that output DC and / or AC power from the RF power drawn from the orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105. For example, the generator 125 may include an RF-DC rectifier system, and the exemplary system 100 can be used to store electricity in grid storage using multi-cell batteries or liquid metal batteries, etc.

[0106] Additionally and / or alternatively, the exemplary system 100 operates to generate neutrons for one or more purposes through the selection of fuel ion sources 110 and / or operating parameters. In this way, the exemplary system 100 can be operablely coupled with a neutron-using system, the applications of which include, but are not limited to, the formation of radioisotopes, the production of hydrogen, the processing of nuclear waste, the production of tritium by lithium neutron bombardment, the breeding of fission fuel, material analysis including neutron spectroscopy and / or neutron imaging and / or neutron activation analysis, material processing by neutron irradiation, material detection, medical imaging, medical therapies including neutron capture therapy and / or neutron beam therapy testing of materials and components, or other uses in scientific research, which will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0107] In some embodiments, the exemplary system 100 includes one or more groups of orbital confinement reactor devices 105 that are applied to one of a number of applications. For example, one or more orbital confinement fusion devices 105 can be used to generate heat, one or more orbital confinement fusion devices 105 can be used to generate electricity, and one or more orbital confinement fusion devices 105 can be used to generate neutrons. In some embodiments, a single orbital confinement fusion device 105 can be used to generate heat and electricity, heat and neutrons, or a combination thereof. The diversity of applications is facilitated by the selection of operating parameters, fuel ion sources, and the internal structure of the confined orbital confinement fusion device(s) 105, as described below with reference to Figures 2A to 6.

[0108] Figures 2A to 2C illustrate an example of a reactor apparatus 200 including an internal structure for generating and sustaining nuclear fusion and extracting energy, as described with reference to Figure 1. Figures 2A and 2B illustrate the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 in cross-section, focusing on different internal structures to simplify the explanation and clarify the visual illustration. However, it is understood that the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 includes the structures described in Figures 2A, 2B and / or 2C, unless it is physically impossible to include them.

[0109] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary reactor 200 incorporating a two-part outer electrode 210 according to several embodiments. The exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is an example of the orbital confinement fusion apparatus 105 of Figure 1 and is configured to extract electrical energy by attenuating the harmonic axial motion of ions in the fusion plasma. The exemplary reactor apparatus 200 includes an inner cathode electrode (205), an outer anode electrode (210), a magnetic field generator (215), a high-voltage power supply (220), and a radiation shield (225).

[0110] The exemplary reactor 200 is configured to generate energy using a fusion plasma generated between an inner electrode 205 and an outer electrode 210. To this end, the inner electrode 205 defines the longitudinal axis 230 of the exemplary reactor 200. The outer electrode 210 is then positioned coaxially with the longitudinal axis 230 and has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner electrode 205, defining an offset between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210. In this way, the electrode configuration defines a chamber 235 between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210. During operation, a fusion plasma is generated within the chamber 230 and maintained at criticality or near criticality by applying a combination of electric and magnetic fields.

[0111] In some embodiments, the inner electrode 205 is electrically coupled to a high-voltage power supply 220 and configured to form an electrostatic field between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210. The inner electrode 205 may be or comprise an emitter material 240 so that it functions as a source of free electrons. The emitter material 240 may be provided as an emitting coating on a conductive core. In this way, the emitter material 240 is configured to inject electrons into the chamber 235 when the inner electrode 205 is energized and / or heated. The emitter material 240 may be or include a refractory material characterized by thermionic emission properties at temperatures characteristic of nuclear fusion reactions. The emitter material 240 may be characterized by high electron emission properties via photoemission, thermionic emission, or field emission. The emitter material 240 may be tungsten, thoriated tungsten, barium oxide (i.e., Ba-O), lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6), cerium hexaboride (CeB6), or mixtures, alloys, composites, or combinations thereof, or may include them. In the context of the exemplary reactor 200, photoemission refers to a material that emits electrons into the chamber 235 in response to irradiation with energy photons, such as photons produced by a fusion plasma.

[0112] The emitter material 240 is configured to emit electrons nearly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 230, at least in part due to the orientation of the inner electrode 205 relative to the outer electrode 210. Thus, the inner electrode 205 is oriented to minimize cessation power loss due to collisions with orbiting ions, which will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 5. Advantageously, by injecting electrons perpendicularly from the inner electrode 205 and bending the electron orbits in the same direction as the orbiting ions via the Lorentz force generated by the magnetic field generator 215, the electron-ion interaction length is increased to 1 × 10⁻⁶. 8 The distance can be increased to the order of centimeters, and the probability of fusion reactions can be increased (for example, explained by the cross-section of a particular interaction and / or reaction). Advantageously, injecting electrons in this way reduces space charge effects, making it possible to increase the density of the fusion plasma compared to the case of electrostatic ion confinement alone.

[0113] For example, at temperatures above approximately 1000K, the emitter material 240 releases electrons into the chamber 235, reducing space charge effects and increasing plasma density beyond the density provided by electrostatic ion confinement. The inner electrode 205 can be operably coupled to one or more heating systems to raise the temperature of the emitter material 240. The temperature increase can be generated by several methods and systems, including but not limited to resistance heating, induction heating and / or electron and ion bombardment in operation. It is understood that the emitter material 240 can generate a significant electron current at temperatures below 1000K, such as the operating temperature of an exemplary reactor apparatus 200.

[0114] As explained earlier, the ion density and the resulting available power from the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 are governed by the number (N) of ions orbiting the inner electrode 205. The number of ions can be increased by emitting electrons from the inner electrode 205 to counteract the space charge limitation. Electrons can be confined in the reactor for a certain period by applying an axial magnetic field, which satisfies or exceeds the Hull cut-off condition and acts like a magnetron for electron confinement. While confined, electrons move at a rate that reduces the electron drag and stopping force of the fuel and reaction product ions, thus reducing the ionic kinetic energy loss to the electrons and increasing the fusion reaction rate and power in the reactor.

[0115] The magnetic field generator(s) 215 can be positioned coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis 230. In this way, the magnetic field generator(s) 215 are configured to form a magnetic field substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 230 within the chamber 235. The magnetic field generator(s) 215 can be electromagnets, permanent magnets, or a combination thereof, or may include them. The magnetic field generator(s) 215 can apply a magnetic field with an intensity in the range of 0.01 Tesla to 10 Tesla. Thus, the magnetic field generator(s) 215 can function as a magnetron, generating a magnetic field with an intensity exceeding the Hull cutoff condition for a given fusion reaction. As previously described, the magnetic field intensity used to exceed the Hull cutoff condition, and therefore the operating parameters of the magnetic field generator(s) 215, are specific to each type of fusion reaction. Additionally, the magnetic field intensity may be used as a control variable to adjust the k-factor of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 during operation, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 4.

[0116] In some embodiments, the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210 are bodies of rotation and are formed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis 230. In this context, “body of rotation” refers to a symmetric shape with respect to one or more axes of rotation, and is defined, for example, by a two-dimensional shape that is symmetric with respect to the axis in a plane that crosses the axis. In some embodiments, the electrodes 205 and 210 are bodies of rotation and incorporate openings, orifices, conduits, or other features that are not rotationally symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis 230, which are described in more detail below.

[0117] Thus, electrodes 205 and 210 are arranged in a shape that generates a substantially logarithmic electrostatic field within the chamber when energized. The logarithmic electrostatic field, as described above, refers to the electric field generated between electrodes 205 and 210, with the inner electrode 205 functioning as a negative cathode and the outer electrode 210 functioning as a positive anode, and the strength of the electric field increasing logarithmically between the outer electrode 210 and the inner electrode 205, referring to the positive / negative convention of electric fields.

[0118] In some embodiments, the inner electrode 205 is characterized by an aspect ratio greater than 1 along the longitudinal axis 230. In this context, the term “aspect ratio” represents the ratio of a first characteristic dimension aligned with the longitudinal axis 230 to a second characteristic dimension aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 230. For example, if the inner electrode 205 is a body of revolution characterized by a radial dimension that depends on the axial position (i.e., r = f(z)), then an aspect ratio greater than 1 results in a structure where the length of the inner electrode 205 is greater than the widest part of the inner electrode 205. Thus, the inner electrode 205 may define an axial profile along the longitudinal axis 230 that includes one or more wider regions and one or more narrower regions. For example, the inner electrode 205 may define a lateral profile aligned with the longitudinal axis 230 and including tapers at each end, in which the width of the inner electrode 205 between the ends is greater than the width at the ends.

[0119] In some embodiments, the outer electrode 210 has a length 245 along the longitudinal axis 230, and the length 245 is greater than the maximum diameter of the inner electrode 205. For example, the outer electrode 210 can be a rotating body about the longitudinal axis 230, and a negative space can be defined around the longitudinal axis 230 together with the inner electrode 205 to define the chamber 235. In this example, the outer electrode 210 is non-contact with the inner electrode 205 along its length 245, as shown in Figures 2A to 3.

[0120] The outer electrode 210 may comprise one, two, or more shells, which can be used to excite or dampen the harmonic axial motion of ions parallel to the longitudinal axis 230. In some embodiments, the outer electrode includes two anode shells 210-1 and 210-2 arranged laterally to the longitudinal axis 230. As previously described, the anode shells 210-1 and 210-2 may be symmetrical bodies of revolution with respect to the longitudinal axis 230. In this context, the expression “disposed laterally” means that the anode shells 210-1 and 210-2 are arranged in the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 at different and / or non-overlapping positions along the longitudinal axis 230. In some embodiments, the anode shells 210-1 and 210-2 are connected by a mirror-image current circuit 250. In some embodiments, a dielectric insulator 255 is placed between anode shells 210-1 and 210-2 to electrically isolate them.

[0121] In some embodiments, the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210 are electrically isolated from each other by a first dielectric insulator 260 and a second dielectric insulator 265. The first dielectric insulator 260 is mechanically connectable to the first end 270 of the inner electrode 205, and the high-voltage power supply 220 is electrically isolated from the outer electrode 210. The second dielectric insulator 265 can be positioned between the second end 275 of the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210 within the chamber 235, and the second end 275 is electrically isolated from the outer electrode 210. The first dielectric insulator 260 can define an insulating cavity 280. The high-voltage power supply 220 can be at least partially positioned within the insulating cavity 280.

[0122] The high-voltage power supply 220 is or may include a DC voltage source, which includes, but is not limited to, a Van de Graaff source, a Pelletron source, or a solid-state power switching generator. In some embodiments, the high-voltage power supply 220 is electrically coupled to the inner electrode 205 and is operable in the range of about 50 kVDC to about 4.0 MVDC. Since the inner electrode 205 functions both as an electron source injected into the cavity 235 and as an electrostatic field source that helps trap ions in orbits around the inner electrode 205, the voltage applied to the inner electrode 205 by the high-voltage power supply 220 can be dynamic during one or more operating stages of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. For example, the electron flux and force imparted to orbital ions can scale proportionally to the applied voltage. Thus, the applied voltage can be a control parameter of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. Furthermore, the applied voltage is variable, at least in part, based on the type of ions injected into chamber 235. As mentioned above, the force applied to ions in orbits around the inner electrode 205 is a function of the charge-to-mass ratio, and therefore the applied voltage can vary depending on the fuel ion mass, fuel ion charge, or a combination thereof.

[0123] In this way, the high-voltage power supply 220 can provide voltages of approximately 50kVDC to approximately 4.0MVDC, or approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.9MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.8MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.7MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.6MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.5MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.4MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.3MVDC, approximately 50kVDC to approximately 3.2MVDC, and approximately 50kVDC C ~ approx. 3.1MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 3.0MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 2.9MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 2.8MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 2.7MVDC, approx. .6MVDC, about 50kVDC to about 2.5MVDC, about 50kVDC to about 2.4MVDC, about 50kVDC to about 2.3MVDC, about 50kVDC to about 2.1MVDC, about 50kVDC to about 2.1MVD C, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 2.0MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 1.9MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 1.8MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 1.7MVDC, approx. 50kVDC ~ approx. 0kVDC~Approx. 1.5MVDC, Approx. 50kVDC~Approx. 1.4MVDC, Approx. 50kVDC~Approx. 1.3MVDC, Approx. 50kVDC~Approx. 1.2MVDC, Approx. 50kVDC~Approx. 1.1MVDC, Approx. 50kVDC The devices can operate within the ranges of approximately 1.0 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.9 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.8 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.7 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.6 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.5 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.4 MVDC, 50 kVDC to 0.3 MVDC, or 50 kVDC to 0.2 MVDC, including some or interpolated values ​​within these ranges. For example, in some embodiments, the high-voltage power supply 220 applies a negative voltage of approximately 650 kVDC to the inner electrode 205. In this context, the term "approximately" is used to represent values ​​within a 10% range of the mentioned value. As an example, the value mentioned as approximately 650 kV is used to represent values ​​between 585 kVDC and 715 kVDC. It is understood that the values ​​are given as magnitude without reference to polarity. For example, the inner electrode 205 can be negatively biased relative to the outer electrode 210 such that the applied voltage supplied to the inner electrode 205 by the high-voltage power supply 220 is negative.

[0124] The radiation shield 225 may be or include structural elements of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, or additional materials including, but not limited to, lead or tungsten shielding, water pools, etc. The exemplary reactor 200 may be at least partially surrounded by the radiation shield 225 so that the radiation shield 225 can be used to absorb and reduce potentially harmful radiation. Nuclear fusion does not produce long-lived radioactive byproducts little or no way, but energy particles may be produced, and these energy particles may pass through the physical enclosure of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. Thus, the radiation shield 225 may be made of a material selected to absorb foreseeable energy particles, at least partially based on the operating mode of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, or may include such a material. For example, if the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is configured to produce medical radioisotopes, the radiation shield 225 can be constructed to absorb energy neutrons.

[0125] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary reactor apparatus 200 incorporating a one-component outer anode 205 according to several embodiments. As illustrated in Figure 2A, the exemplary reactor apparatus includes an inner electrode 205, an outer electrode 210, a magnetic field generator 215, a high-voltage power supply 220, and a radiation shield 225. In Figure 2B, the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is illustrated including fluid passages 285, openings 290, and ports 295. While the discussion of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 has focused on a configuration with a two-component outer electrode 210, the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 may also have a one-component outer electrode 210 as shown in Figure 2B. Fluid passages 285, openings 290, and / or ports 295 may be included in any configuration, and similarly in other electrode configurations with more components.

[0126] The fluid passage(s) 285 can be integrated with the inner electrode 205, the outer electrode 210, the radiation shield 225, or a combination thereof. As shown in the figure, the fluid passage(s) 285 define one or more flow paths within the outer electrode 210. In this way, the fluid passage(s) 285 can define one or more coolant loops through the outer electrode 210 through which coolant can flow. The coolant can then carry heat from the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and transfer the heat to the working fluid via a heat exchanger outside the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 to drive the thermogenerator(s) 120 in Figure 1. Similarly, the fluid passage(s) can be coupled directly or via a heat exchanger to a thermoelectric generator, turbine and / or turbomachinery so as to remove heat generated inside the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. Advantageously, the fluid passage(s) 285 can extract usable energy from the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and can also be used to control operating parameters. In the example described, the fluid passage(s) 285 can be placed inside the inner electrode 205 to regulate the thermal ion emission from the emitter material 240, because the temperature is regulated by heat removal from the inner electrode 205, which affects the thermal ion emission.

[0127] The coolant may be a fluid liquid that undergoes a phase transition to gas at temperatures above the operating temperature of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and a phase transition to solid at temperatures below the operating temperature of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, or may include such a fluid liquid. For example, if the operating temperature of the fusion plasma in chamber 235 may be about 1000 K, the fluid passage(s) 285 may be configured to receive a coolant, which may include, but is not limited to, molten salt, high-pressure water, supercritical carbon dioxide, or other coolant systems as described with reference to Figure 1.

[0128] The opening(s) 290 can be defined at one or more points on the outer electrode 210 so that the exemplary reactor apparatus can be operably coupled to the ion source, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3. The opening(s) 290 can be substantially linear and coupled to the ion source via a vacuum-tight mechanical coupling, and a shutter, gate valve and / or one or more differential vacuum stages can be interposed between the ion source and the chamber 235 so that ions can be controlledly injected into the chamber 235 in a precise injection trajectory. For this purpose, the arrangement of the opening(s) 290 relative to the longitudinal axis 230 can be determined, and this arrangement defines the injection trajectory. The injection trajectory can then correspond to a pitch angle around the inner electrode 205 into which ions of a given mass-to-charge ratio enter a stable elliptical orbit. In this context, the term “entry pitch angle” describes the angle taken by a positively charged ion in three dimensions along the arrangement of the opening 290 with respect to the longitudinal axis 230, and this angle corresponds to the injection trajectory that is most likely to trap the ion in an elliptical orbit around the inner electrode 205. As previously mentioned, the injection position, kinetic energy, and entry pitch angle may each depend on the mass-to-charge ratio of the fuel ion, allowing for accurate determination of the injection parameters using computer simulations based on the intended application. In exemplary cases, the ions may include protons (m / z=1), deuterium ions (m / z=2), tritium ions (m / z=3), lithium-6 ions (m / z=6), or boron-11 ions (m / z=11), etc.

[0129] The outer electrode 210 further defines a port(s) 295 extending through the outer electrode 210 into the chamber 235. The port(s) 295 can be fluidly coupled to a vacuum system outside the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and can be used to create and maintain a vacuum environment between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210. A substantial vacuum state is maintained through one or more ports(s) 295, for example, 1 × 10⁻⁶. 10 ~1 × 10 16 atoms / cm 3A number density of approximately 50 μPa to 50 Pa can be generated. An advantage is that the vacuum thus generated can improve reaction efficiency by reducing collision losses with suspended gas atoms diffusing into the chamber 235 during operation.

[0130] From the perspective of the triple product figure of merit, a higher number density implies a higher magnetic field within chamber 235, allowing a higher electron flux to counteract space charge effects, while the temperature and confinement time are maintained within a range corresponding to the target of the intended fusion operating region, as will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 7. To this end, the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is approximately 1 × 10⁻⁶ 11 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , about 1×10 12 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , about 1×10 13 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , about 1×10 14 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , about 1×10 15 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , about 1×10 16 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 , or approximately 1 x 10 17 ~Approx. 1×10 18 atoms / cm 3 It operates at a number density in the range of , and includes some or interpolated values ​​within these ranges. For example, the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 requires approximately 1 × 10 to maintain the net positive energy output from the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. 13 ~Approx. 1×10 15 atoms / cm 3 It can operate within the range.

[0131] Figure 2C is a schematic 3 / 4 cross-section showing an exemplary reactor apparatus 200 incorporating a two-part outer anode 210 in several embodiments. The cross-sectional view in Figure 2C is intended to illustrate the rotational symmetry of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 with respect to the longitudinal axis 230. The exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and its components are as described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B, and the components are, for example, the inner electrode 205, the outer electrode 210, the magnetic field generator 215, and the chamber 235.

[0132] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary ion implantation systems 300 according to several embodiments. The exemplary ion implantation system 300 is illustrated without other components of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, however the represented elements represent components of the exemplary fuel ion source 110, which is understood to be coupled with the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and constructed to implant ions into the chamber 235. The exemplary ion implantation system 300 has an ion source 305 and a beam optical system 310 to generate ions 315 and implant them into the chamber 235.

[0133] The ion source 305 is exemplified as a plasma-based ion source, such as a duoplasmatron, electron cyclotron resonance apparatus, microwave-inductive plasma apparatus, inductively coupled ion source, or other apparatus configurations that generate ion-rich plasma. In some embodiments, the ion source 305 includes a duoplasmatron. In the example of a duoplasmatron, the ion beam is generated from plasma confined in a hollow chamber between the anode and cathode. The ions 315 are accelerated, parallelized, shaped and / or focused using a beam optical system 310 such as an Einzel lens. As an example, to generate a proton beam, a hydrogen-containing source gas can be dissociated in the plasma, and the beam of hydrogen ions is then extracted by an extractor grid, shaped, parallelized and guided into the aperture 290. Based on the selection of the ion source gas, a similar approach can be applied to form a beam of larger ions. In some embodiments, ions 315 are injected into the chamber 235 through the opening 290 in an injection orbital that is likely to trap the ions 315 in the orbital 320 around the inner electrode 205, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. This injection orbital may correspond to a tangential angle with respect to the surface of the inner electrode. This tangential angle improves the trapping efficiency and allows the ions 315 to bind to the orbital 320.

[0134] Although the term "optical system" is used, it is understood that the components of the beam optical system 310 operate under the application of an electric field to form ions 315 into a beam and redirect the beam of ions 315 into the chamber 235 through the aperture 290. Similarly, although Figure 3 shows only a portion of the cross-section of an exemplary reactor 200 along the longitudinal axis 230, in the illustrated exemplary configuration, the outer electrode 210 and the inner electrode 205 are understood to be rotating solids symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 230.

[0135] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configurations of an exemplary reactor apparatus 200 and an exemplary magnetic field generator 215 according to several embodiments. The configuration of the exemplary magnetic field generator 215 can be implemented in the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. The configuration of the exemplary magnetic field generator 215 includes a magnetic field generator 215 provided around the chamber 235, which generates a magnetic field 405 substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 230 within the chamber 235.

[0136] The magnetic field generator 215 can be positioned around the chamber 235 such that the polarity of the magnetic field 405 within the chamber 235 aligns with the longitudinal axis 230. In some embodiments, the magnetic field 405 can be oriented with a first polarity, in which electrons emitted from the inner electrode 205 are forced to orbit in the same direction as the positive ions according to the Lorentz force applied to the electrons. In some embodiments, the magnetic field 405 can be oriented with a second polarity, which is approximately opposite to the first polarity, in which electrons emitted from the inner electrode 205 are forced to orbit in the opposite direction to the positive ions.

[0137] For example, at stronger magnetic field strengths exceeding the Hull cut-off condition, electrons emitted into chamber 235 are forced to rapidly return to the inner electrode 205, avoiding a short circuit between electrodes 205 and 210, reducing space charge effects, and thus enabling a higher density of the fusion plasma. In contrast, at weaker magnetic field strengths, electrons can be emitted from the outer electrode 210 without being deflected, which can cause short circuits or arcs in the fusion plasma. To maintain the fusion plasma within the target range for the fusion triple products, the magnetic field 405 used to trap electrons in an orbital path centered on the inner electrode 205 within chamber 235 is approximately 0.01 Tesla to 10.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 9.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 8.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 7.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 6.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 5.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 4.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 3.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 2.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 1.9 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 1.8 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 1.7 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to 1.6 Tesla, and approximately 0. 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.5 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.4 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.3 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.2 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.1 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 1.0 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.9 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.8 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.7 Tesla, approximately 0 It can be applied within the ranges of 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.6 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.5 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.4 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.3 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.2 Tesla, approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.1 Tesla, or approximately 0.01 Tesla to approximately 0.05 Tesla, and includes some or interpolated values ​​within these ranges.

[0138] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an end-view representation of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 of Figure 2 in several embodiments, illustrating the orbital paths of emitted electrons 505 and orbiting ions 510. The illustrated orbital paths are not drawn to scale and are rather intended to illustrate the concept of operation of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. It should be understood that the shapes, relative dimensions, and orbital paths indicated by the arrows are illustrative and not limiting.

[0139] As will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 2, during the operation of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, ions 510 are injected tangentially between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210, and injected into the electrostatic field with enough energy to take a stable elliptical orbit around the inner electrode 205. In the elliptical orbit 520, the ions 510 accelerate towards the negatively biased inner electrode 205 by converting their potential energy into kinetic energy until they reach the perigee of the elliptical orbit 520. After reaching the perigee, the ions 510 decelerate while accumulating potential energy as they move away from the negative cathode potential until they reach the apogee of the elliptical orbit 520. The ions 510 can complete millions of elliptical orbits 520 within the reactor over a period of time on the order of one second. Furthermore, the elliptical ion orbit 520 of ion 510 can exhibit apsidal precession around the central cathode 205, so that the number of times its elliptical orbit 520 intersects with the elliptical orbits of other ions 510 can be millions or more, thereby increasing the probability of the relatively unlikely nuclear fusion event 525 occurring. Ultimately, the collision of ions 510 in overlapping orbits triggers the nuclear fusion event 525, releasing fusion reaction products including, but not limited to, charged particles (alpha, helium-3, protons, tritium, etc.), radiation, and thermal energy.

[0140] The inner electrode 205, containing the emitter material 240, injects electrons 505 into the chamber 235. Interacting with the magnetic field 405, the electrons 505 are bent into partial orbitals around the inner electrode 205 and eventually return to the inner electrode 205. In some embodiments, the emitter material 240 is an isotropic emitter such that electrons are emitted substantially equally in all radial directions, as indicated by multiple electron orbital paths 515. As a result, the effect of electrons 505 on the ion density 510 in the chamber 235 can be substantially uniform around the inner electrode 205. Maintaining a substantially symmetrical electron 505 distribution around the inner electrode 205 is advantageous because it reduces self-structuring in the plasma, which can inhibit fusion, induce arc runaway, or introduce other operational problems.

[0141] Figure 6 is a graph 600 illustrating the reaction rate (vertical axis) and ion density (horizontal axis) of exemplary orbital confinement fusion devices 105 according to several embodiments. Graph 600 illustrates several different operating modes 605, where the operating modes 605 are atoms / cm 3 Characterized by different ion densities measured and reaction rates measured in the fusion phenomenon per second, these are plotted along an operating curve 610 describing the exemplary operating window of the exemplary apparatus 105. Details described with reference to the exemplary reactor apparatus 200, such as operating parameters, internal structure, and material configuration, are understood to be such that the exemplary system 100 can be configured to operate in one or more operating modes 605. The operating modes 605 correspond to different applications, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 1. For example, Graph 600 includes a first mode 605-1, in which the exemplary apparatus 105 operates as a neutron generator applied, for example, to neutron-based imaging. A second mode 605-2 describes operation as a high-flux neutron generator, for example, in medical isotope production. A third mode 605-3 describes operation as a small power source, in which the reaction rate and ion density are large enough to generate net positive energy from the exemplary apparatus 105.

[0142] As will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 5, the multiple operating modes 605 are included not discretely, but rather as examples representing a range of operating curves 610, which show the dependence of the reaction rate on ion density for a given set of conditions. For example, the operating curve 610 can represent the relationship between ion density and reaction rate for a given electron temperature, operating pressure, magnetic field strength, etc. For graph 600, the operating curve 610 describes the reaction rate and ion density values ​​for an exemplary apparatus 105 operating at an average electron temperature of 125 keV.

[0143] Graph 600 illustrates that while the exemplary device 105 can operate as a neutron source and / or power source, different operating modes 605 may encompass different operating parameters and configurations. Structurally, it is possible to exclude one or more components used for power extraction from the fusion plasma in a particular neutron generator, including, but not limited to, the image-image current circuit 250, the dielectric insulator 255, or the composite outer electrode shells 210-1 and 210-2. Graph 600 also describes the effect of ion density on ion temperature, and how ion density and ion temperature correlate with the recirculation frequency and fusion cross-section (σ), as will be explained in more detail with reference to the theoretical introduction above.

[0144] As an advantage, a net fusion power exceeding 1 kW, corresponding to the third operating mode 605-3, can be generated by an exemplary apparatus 105 having a chamber size on the order of 10 cm. The chamber size can be explained by the operating range of the exemplary apparatus 105, as described with reference to Figure 6. For example, the inner radius, corresponding to the radius of the inner electrode, can be approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 40.0 cm. However, as the inner radius decreases, the design approaches that of a Kingdon trap, and its electron emission is limited due to the decrease in surface area, and therefore the number of fusion phenomena that can occur per given period may not produce a net positive energy output, and the electron flux and / or number of electrons injected from the emitter material 240 into the chamber 235 may also decrease. In contrast, when the distance between the inner electrode 205 and the outer electrode 210 is relatively small, loss mechanisms such as ion collisions with the inner electrode 205, bremsstrahlung radiation losses, and electron arcs or short circuits with the outer electrode 210 become more prominent, thereby reducing the fusion reaction rate. Thus, the inner electrodes are approximately 0.1cm to 40.0cm, 0.1cm to 30.0cm, 0.1cm to 20.0cm, 0.1cm to 15.0cm, 0.1cm to 10cm, 0.1cm to 9.5cm, 0.1cm to 9.0cm, 0.1cm to 8.5cm, 0.1cm to 8.0cm, 0.1cm to 7.5cm, 0.1cm to 7.0cm, 0.1cm to 6.5cm, and 0.1cm to 6.0cm. The radius can be in the range of cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 5.5 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 5.0 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 4.5 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 4.0 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 3.5 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 3.0 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 2.5 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 2.0 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 1.5 cm, approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 1.0 cm, or approximately 0.1 cm to approximately 0.5 cm, and includes some of these ranges and interpolated values.

[0145] Similarly, the dimensions of the outer electrode 210 are characterized in the same way by the range over which the exemplary apparatus 105 operates as described in reference Figure 6. For example, the outer radius corresponding to the radius of the outer electrode 210 facing the chamber 235 can be about 1 cm to about 20 cm. As the outer radius decreases, the electron flux to the outer electrode 205 increases, the electron injection effect of space charge is mitigated, the ion density decreases, and the apparatus shifts to the left on the operating curve 610. Similarly, as the outer radius increases, the distance between the chamber 235 and the magnetic field generator 215 increases, so the energy required to maintain compact orbits of ions and electrons increases. Thus, the outer electrodes are approximately 1cm to 100cm, 1cm to 90cm, 1cm to 80cm, 1cm to 70cm, 1cm to 60cm, 1cm to 50cm, 1cm to 40cm, 1cm to 30cm, 1cm to 20cm, 1cm to 19cm, 1cm to 18cm, 1cm to 17cm, 1cm to 16cm, 1cm to 15cm, and so on. The radius can be in the range of 1cm to approximately 14cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 13cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 12cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 11cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 10cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 9cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 8cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 7cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 6cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 5cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 4cm, approximately 1cm to approximately 3cm, or approximately 1cm to approximately 2cm, and includes parts of these ranges and interpolated values.

[0146] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary process 700 for generating energy or neutrons using an orbital confinement fusion device according to several embodiments. The blocks of the exemplary process 700 represent operations that can be performed autonomously (e.g., without human intervention) by a computing device. The computing device is or can be a control circuit operably coupled to components of the orbital confinement fusion device, such as the exemplary reactor device 200 in Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C, and in this way the operation of the exemplary process 700 is dynamically controllable in terms of timing, frequency, and / or magnitude as part of a control scheme for maintaining fusion criticality (i.e., k ≈ 1) in chamber 235. Thus, it is understood that some omissions, reordering, and / or repetitions of the operations illustrated in Figure 7 are possible, depending on the intended application of, for example, the exemplary reactor device 200.

[0147] In block 705, the exemplary process 700 includes the step of energizing the inner electrode 205. The voltage applied to the inner electrode 205 by, for example, a high-voltage power supply 220 can be 50 kVDC to about 4.0 MVDC or part of this range, as will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 2A. Energizing the inner electrode 205 helps to trap ions in elliptical orbits around the longitudinal axis 230 and also helps to increase electron emission from the emitter material 240 by field emission, as will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 5. Heating the inner electrode 205 can increase electron emission from the emitter material 240 through thermal ion emission. Heating can be performed actively through a resistive heating element or by resistive heating of the emitter material 240, or it can be performed passively through electron-ion collisions at the inner electrode 205.

[0148] In block 710, the exemplary process 700 includes the step of implanting ions into the chamber 235. As will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3, ions 315 can be implanted into the chamber 235 at a tangential angle to the surface of the inner electrode. Implantation at a tangential angle allows the ions to interact with the electrostatic field and enter the orbit 320 around the inner electrode 205. Ion implantation can be an intermittent or continuous process as part of maintaining criticality by managing ion energy and population parameters during the operation of the exemplary reactor apparatus 200. In some embodiments, ion implantation can be manipulated as a control variable as part of a closed-loop control system.

[0149] In block 715, the exemplary process 700 includes the step of generating a magnetic field 405 within the chamber 235. The magnetic field 405 can be generated by a magnetic field generator 215 aligned with the longitudinal axis 230, using an arrangement of the magnetic field generator 215 that forms a magnetron within the chamber 235. As part of trapping electrons within the chamber 235, the magnetic field 405 can be characterized by an intensity corresponding to a hull cut-off condition that redirects the electrons toward the inner electrode 205. As will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 5, it is possible that the electron orbital 515 is a partial electron orbital, and although the electron orbital can be completed, the electron may not completely orbit around the inner electrode 205, forming a substantially circular orbital.

[0150] In some embodiments, the exemplary process 700 may optionally include a step of flowing a coolant through the passage 285. If power dissipation in the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 generates heat, the flow of coolant through the passage 285 can function as a control parameter to extract thermal energy from the fusion reaction and maintain stable reactor operation. As will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 1, the heat removed from the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 can be converted into electricity using a thermogenerator, turbine, etc., or can be used as heat through coupling with a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, the coolant may be or may include a material that is liquid at high temperatures and / or high pressures up to and including 1000K.

[0151] As part of the power generation in the context of the exemplary system 100 in Figure 1, the exemplary process 700 may optionally include the step of applying an RF voltage signal to the outer electrode 210 in block 725. The axial harmonic motion of ions orbiting can be attenuated by applying an RF voltage to the mirror-image current circuit 250. In this way, electricity can be extracted directly from the fusion plasma and converted into usable electricity by power electronics, including but not limited to inverters or rectifiers.

[0152] Thus, using the thermal and electrical energy extracted from the exemplary apparatus, the exemplary process 700 may optionally include a step in block 730 to convert the energy into electricity. For example, if the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is operating as a power source (e.g., third operating mode 605-3 in Figure 6), the net fusion power from the exemplary apparatus 200 can be converted into power for grid distribution and / or power for storage in capacitors, batteries, pump storage, etc. In contrast, if the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 is operating as a neutron source, direct power generation in block 725 is optional, and the exemplary reactor apparatus 200 can operate without being connected to the thermogenerator 120.

[0153] The processes described above are described in terms of computer software and hardware. The techniques described may constitute machine-executable instructions embodied in tangible or non-temporary machine (i.e., computer)-readable storage media, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the described actions. Additionally, the processes may be embodied in hardware such as application-specific integrated circuits ("ASICs").

[0154] A tangible machine-readable storage medium includes any mechanism that provides (i.e., stores) information in a non-temporary form and is accessible by a machine (e.g., a computer, network device, personal digital assistant, manufacturing tool, or any device having one or more processors). For example, machine-readable storage media include recordable / non-recordable media (i.e., read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.).

[0155] The above description relating to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, including the contents of the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive and does not intend to limit the invention to the disclosed forms themselves. While the specific embodiments and examples of the present invention are described for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0156] These modifications can be made to the present invention in light of the detailed description above. The terms used in the claims referred to should not be interpreted to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification. Rather, the scope of the invention is determined as a whole by the claims referred to and is to be interpreted in accordance with established doctrines of claim interpretation.

[0157] The forms of the present invention for which exclusive property or rights are claimed are described in the claims.

Claims

1. An electrode structure for orbital confinement of charged particles, It comprises a high-voltage power supply, an inner cathode electrode, an outer anode electrode, and multiple magnetic field generators. The inner electrode is electrically coupled to the high-voltage power supply and defines the longitudinal axis of the electrode structure, and the inner electrode comprises an emitter material. The outer electrode is coaxial with the longitudinal axis and is positioned spaced apart from the inner electrode so as to define a chamber for confining fusion plasma between the inner electrode and the outer electrode. The plurality of magnetic field generators are arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis and radially outward from the outer electrodes, and are configured to form a magnetic field parallel to the longitudinal axis within the chamber. The outer electrode defines an opening, and the alignment of the opening defines an injection trajectory. The injection orbital is an electrode structure in which ions with a predetermined mass-to-charge ratio enter a stable elliptical orbit around the inner electrode, corresponding to the pitch angle.

2. The electrode structure according to claim 1, The electrode structure comprises an inner electrode and an outer electrode that are symmetrical rotating bodies with respect to the longitudinal axis, and are arranged in a shape that generates a logarithmic electrostatic field within the chamber when energized.

3. The electrode structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, The inner electrode has an aspect ratio greater than 1 along the longitudinal axis, The outer electrode has an electrode structure in which the length along the longitudinal axis is greater than the maximum diameter of the inner electrode.

4. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The outer electrode comprises a first anode shell, a second anode shell, and a dielectric insulator. The first anode shell and the second anode shell are arranged to the side of the longitudinal axis, The dielectric insulator is an electrode structure disposed between the first anode shell and the second anode shell to electrically insulate them.

5. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The magnetic field is a magnetic field strength exceeding the Hull cut-off condition for trapping electrons in the orbital path around the inner electrode within the chamber. For a given voltage, the magnetic field strength that satisfies the Hull cutoff condition is determined by the following equation: Here, Bc is the critical magnetic field, m is the mass of the electron, e is the charge of the electron (absolute value), V is the voltage applied across the gap, c is the speed of light, and d* is a geometric factor defined as follows: electrode structure.

6. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned multiple magnetic field generators have an electrode structure equipped with permanent magnets.

7. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The aforementioned plurality of magnetic field generators have an electrode structure equipped with electromagnets.

8. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The electrode structure of the aforementioned high-voltage power supply has an operating range of approximately 50 kVDC to approximately 4.0 MVDC.

9. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The inner electrode defines a first end and a second end, The electrode structure further comprises a first dielectric insulator and a second dielectric insulator. The first dielectric insulator is mechanically coupled to the first end, and separates the first end from the outer electrode. The electrode structure comprises a second dielectric insulator disposed within the chamber between the second end and the outer electrode, separating the second end from the outer electrode.

10. An electrode structure according to claim 9, referencing claim 8, The first dielectric insulator is an electrode structure that defines an insulating cavity and electrically isolates the high-voltage power supply from the outer electrode.

11. The electrode structure according to claim 1, An electrode structure in which the ions are protons (m / z=1), deuterium ions (m / z=2), tritium ions (m / z=3), lithium-6 ions (m / z=6), or boron-11 ions (m / z=11).

12. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The aforementioned outer electrode further defines the port, The port is fluidly coupled to the chamber and the external environment. The aforementioned port is an electrode structure configured to be fluidly coupled to a vacuum system.

13. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The emitter material is placed on or incorporated into the inner electrode. The emitter material is configured to inject electrons into the chamber when the inner electrode is energized, forming an electrode structure.

14. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the emitter material is a thermal ion emitter material.

15. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 14, It is further equipped with a mirror image current device, The mirror image current device is electrically coupled to the outer electrode and is configured to generate electrical energy from a plurality of charged particles orbiting the inner electrode. The plurality of charged particles exhibit axially harmonized motion aligned along the longitudinal axis, forming an electrode structure.

16. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 15, Further equipped with fluid passages, The fluid passage is an electrode structure provided in the outer electrode or the inner electrode.

17. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 16, An electrode structure having physical dimensions on the order of several tens of centimeters.

18. An electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 17, Electrically coupled to the power system, The power system is configured to receive electricity or a heated coolant from the electrode structure, wherein the electrode structure is configured to receive electricity or a heated coolant from the electrode structure.

19. A method for generating energy from the orbital confinement of charged particles in an electrode structure, The electrode structure comprises a high-voltage power supply, an inner cathode electrode, an outer anode electrode, and multiple magnetic field generators. The inner electrode is electrically coupled to the high-voltage power supply and defines the longitudinal axis of the electrode structure, and the inner electrode comprises an emitter material. The outer electrode is coaxial with the longitudinal axis and is positioned spaced apart from the inner electrode so as to define a chamber for confining fusion plasma between the inner electrode and the outer electrode. The plurality of magnetic field generators are arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electrode structure and radially outward from the outer electrodes, and are configured to form a magnetron. The method comprises an energizing step, an injection step, and a generation step, The energizing step involves applying a voltage of approximately 50 kVDC to approximately 4.0 MVDC to the inner electrode using the high-voltage power supply, thereby forming a logarithmic electrostatic field between the inner electrode and the outer electrode, and injecting a plurality of electrons into the chamber. The injection step involves injecting a beam of fuel ions into the chamber at a tangential angle to the surface of the inner electrode, causing the fuel ions to interact with the electrostatic field and enter an elliptical orbit around the inner electrode. The generation step involves generating a magnetic field aligned along the longitudinal axis using the plurality of magnetic field generators, the magnetic field having an intensity corresponding to the Hull cutoff condition and redirecting the electrons so that they return towards the inner electrode, For a given voltage, the magnetic field strength that satisfies the Hull cutoff condition is determined by the following equation: Here, Bc is the critical magnetic field, m is the mass of the electron, e is the charge of the electron (absolute value), V is the voltage applied across the gap, c is the speed of light, and d* is a geometric factor defined as follows:

20. The method according to claim 19, The electrode structure further comprises a fluid passage, The fluid passage is formed in the inner electrode or the outer electrode, The aforementioned method, The steps include flowing a coolant through the fluid passage, A step of heating the coolant through contact with the outer electrode, A step of generating electricity using the heated coolant, A way to further enhance it.

21. A method according to claim 19 or claim 20, The system further comprises an application step, an RF current generation step, and a DC current generation step, The application step involves applying a high-frequency (RF) voltage signal to the outer electrode using a charge mirror circuit, wherein the frequency of the RF voltage signal corresponds to the vibration of charged particles in the chamber along a direction aligned with the longitudinal axis. The RF current generation step involves generating an RF current using the charge mirror circuit, The DC current generation step is a method of generating a DC current from the RF current using an RF-DC rectifier circuit.

22. The method according to claim 19, A method wherein the inner electrode and the outer electrode are rotating bodies symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis, and are arranged in a shape that generates a logarithmic electrostatic field in the chamber when energized.

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