Method and system for initiating nuclear reactions in the decay of helium nuclei to nuclei of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei and subsequent nuclei fusion reactions with application to a laser thermonucular reactor

Description

[0001] METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INITIATING NUCLEAR REACTIONS IN THE DECAY OF HELIUM NUCLEI TO NUCLEI OF HELIUM ISOTOPES AND DEUTERIUM NUCLEI AND SUBSEQUENT NUCLEI FUSION REACTIONS WITH APPLICATION TO A LASER THERMONUCULAR REACTOR.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to a method and system for initiating nuclear reactions in the decay of helium nuclei to nuclei of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei and subsequent nuclear fusion reactions with application for a laser thermonuclear reactor, in the combined fields of an electromagnetic field of ultrashort laser pulses and an external electric field, finding applications in the field of laser physics, nuclear physics and energy, for creating laser accelerators of neutral atoms, molecules and particles, in developing technology for cold laser thermonuclear fusion and in creating a laser thermonuclear reactor based on the synthesis of light elements, as well as for scientific research in various fields of science.

[0004] PRIOR ART

[0005] There are known [1-3] methods and systems for trapping, cooling and compression of neutral atoms, molecules and particles with laser pulses, in which neutral atoms, molecules and light particles are trapped in the field of ultra-short laser pulses due to the longitudinal polarization force and they are accelerated to speeds close to the group velocity of the laser pulse.

[0006] There are no known methods and systems for transforming the neutral atoms accelerated by the laser pulse with kinetic energy in the range from 200 MeV to 1-2 GeV, into trapped by an external electric field on the cathode of atomic nuclei of light elements (of helium - alpha particles), isotopes of helium and deuterium, accompanied by the release of neutrons, gamma rays, and subsequent fusion of their isotopes to heavier nuclei of light elements. There is no known laser thermonuclear reactor based on the fusion of light nuclei using the above-mentioned method and system for generating and capturing atomic nuclei and their nuclear fusion.

[0007] TECHNICAL ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to the method for initiating nuclear reactions of decay of helium nuclei to helium isotopes and to deuterium nuclei, with subsequent fusion of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei in the combined fields of the electromagnetic field of ultrashort laser pulses and an external electric field, initially a vacuum is created in the vacuum tube, followed by the passage of a transverse flow with a pressure in the range of 0.2 - 2 atmospheres of helium atoms, with subsequent passage of laser pulses with a duration of 35 femtoseconds through the vacuum tube from the femtosecond laser. In the laser pulse, due to a longitudinal polarization force, the neutral polarized helium atoms from the transverse flow at the beginning of the vacuum tube are captured, and depending on the concentration of the atoms in the flow, they are carried away in the direction of movement of the laser pulse to speeds close to or equal to the group velocity of the pulse. The intensity of the laser pulse is in the range of I~1011-12W / cm2, which corresponds to an electric field modulus of the laser pulse of the order of IEI iaser~106-8V / m, sufficient to polarize the neutral helium atoms without ionizing them. In this way, a laser accelerator of neutral atoms and molecules, cooled within the laser pulse and moving at velocities close to the group velocity of the pulse, is initially created.

[0009] The laser pulses and the neutral helium atoms entrained by them and captured by the transverse flow pass through the vacuum tube and through the system for creating an electrostatic electric field, consisting of a metal anode tube made of stainless steel and a tungsten cathode filament, connected to a constant voltage generator up to 25 kV, at a distance of 10-15 mm from the cathode filament. In the system, at this distance from the cathode, an electric field of the order of IEIcond~106V / m is created. The applied alternating and constant electric fields, during a halfperiod of oscillation of the laser electric field, have the same directions, are summed up and the total electric field in the laser-capacitor system leads to ionization of the helium atom. After the helium atoms trapped in the pulse are ionized, the electrons are released to the external anode tube, the polarization force disappears, and the trapped helium nuclei moving with the group velocity of the laser pulse begin to move along a parabolic trajectory in the direction of the cathode filament. The kinetic energy of the helium nuclei moving with a velocity of the order of the group velocity of the laser pulse is U kin- mV2 / 2~0.5-l GeV, while the nuclear binding energy of the nucleons in the helium nucleus is of the order of Unucieus= 28 MeV. The kinetic energy of the moving helium nuclei is much greater than the energy of the nuclear binding of the nucleons in the helium nucleus Ukin» Unucieus, as a result of which, upon impact on the tungsten cathode filament, a glow is observed, generation of hard gamma radiation from the cathode, generation of free neutrons, and decay of helium nuclei with subsequent capture of the nuclei of the isotopes by the negative cathode of the tungsten filament. There are two possible channels of decay of the helium nucleus. The first is the decay of the helium nucleus to an isotope of helium with the release of a neutron and hard gamma particles, and the second is the decay of the helium nucleus to two deuterium nuclei - isotopes of hydrogen, again with the release of hard gamma particles:

[0010] I. He4— > He3+ n +y

[0011] II. He4— > Hj2+ Hi2+ y.

[0012] To control the process, in addition to the detection of hard gamma radiation and free neutrons, the white light from the tungsten cathode filament is also observed at the location of the nuclei capture on the filament.

[0013] An important feature of the helium isotopes trapped on the cathode is that the nuclei accumulate in the same place and, thanks to the electric field of the cathode, the Coulomb barrier between the nuclei is significantly reduced. As a result of overcoming the Coulomb barrier, secondary fusion reactions of helium and hydrogen isotopes are possible mainly through the following fusion channels:

[0014] I. He3+ He3-> He4+ Hi'+ H11+ y=12,86 MeV II. He3+ Hi2He4+ p +y=l 8,3 MeV

[0015] III. Hi2+ Hi2-> He3+ n +y=4 MeV.

[0016] According to the invention, the system for initiating nuclear reactions of the decay of helium nuclei to helium isotopes and to deuterium nuclei, with subsequent fusion of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei in the combined fields of the electromagnetic field of ultrashort laser pulses and an external electric field, consists of a femtosecond laser, at the output of which, in the direction of the laser radiation on a common optical axis, an optical lens is located at a distance from each other, a vacuum tube, at the beginning of which on the flange an inlet and outlet for a transverse-axis flow of helium atoms under pressure are placed. Quartz windows are fixedly attached to the flanges located on the outer ends of the vacuum tube, and at the end of the tube on the second flange there is a fixedly attached tap connected to the vacuum pump for creating a vacuum in the quartz tube. In the vacuum tube is placed a system for creating an electrostatic electric field consisting of a metal anode tube made of stainless steel, and a tungsten cathode filament, connected to a generator for constant voltage up to 25 kV. On the sides of the vacuum tube, opposite its middle part, on the optical mass at a distance from each other, is located an observation camera, as well as a hard gamma ray detector, a neutron detector, a spectrometer and a computer.

[0017] The method and system have applications in laser and nuclear physics for creating accelerators of neutral atoms, molecules and particles, in developing technology for laser thermonuclear fusion and in creating a laser thermonuclear reactor based on the synthesis of light elements.

[0018] DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDIX FIGURES

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail with the help of the attached figures, where:

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system for accelerating and capturing particles of light elements with laser pulses, with subsequent separation of the nuclei on the cathode of a cylindrical capacitor for creating an electrostatic electric field, their conversion into nuclear isotopes and fusion of the isotopes in thermonuclear fusion.

[0021] Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of flange 4.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of flange 5.

[0023] Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a system for accelerating and capturing particles of light elements with laser pulses, with subsequent separation of the nuclei on the cathode of a flat capacitor for creating an electrostatic electric field, their conversion into nuclear isotopes and fusion of the isotopes in thermonuclear fusion.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a nuclear reactor based on laser thermonuclear fusion, using the scheme for accelerating neutral particles with a laser pulse, with subsequent separation of the nuclei on the cathode of a capacitor, their conversion into isotopes, with subsequent fusion of the isotopes to achieve nuclear fusion, presented in Fig. 1 and described in the technical essence of the invention.

[0025] EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the system for capturing and accelerating particles of light elements with laser pulses, with subsequent separation of their nuclei on the cathode of the system for creating an electrostatic electric field, their conversion into nuclear isotopes and fusion of the isotopes in thermonuclear fusion (Fig. 1), it consists of a femtosecond laser 1, at a distance along whose optical axis, at a distance from each other, an optical lens 2 and a quartz vacuum tube 3 are located. The quartz vacuum tube 3 is closed at both ends with flanges 4 and 5. A system for transverse flow of helium 8 is attached to the flange 4. One side of the flange 4 is connected by a tube 6 to the gas cylinder 7, which is filled with helium 8 and the gas cylinder 7 is connected to a valve 9 for limiting the gas flow of helium 8. On the opposite side of the flange 4 by a tube 6, a vacuum pump is connected by a valve 10 11 for pumping the directed flow, which is perpendicular to the optical axis. Quartz windows 12 are fixedly attached to the outer edges of the flanges 4 and 5. A tap 13 is fixedly attached to the flange 5 of the vacuum tube 3, connected to a vacuum pump 14. In the middle of the vacuum tube 3, a stainless steel metal anode tube 15 is located, in the center of which a tungsten round cathode 16 is mounted, connected to a generator 17 for a constant voltage of up to 25 kV. On the sides of the vacuum tube 3, opposite its middle part, on the optical mass 1 at a distance from each other are located an observation camera 19, a hard gamma ray detector 20, a neutron detector 21, a spectrometer 22 and a computer 23. In the figure (Fig. 2) and (Fig. 3) are presented the cross-sections of the flanges 4 and 5 of the vacuum tube 3, according to (Fig. 1).

[0027] According to another exemplary embodiment (Fig. 4) of the system for capturing and accelerating particles of light elements with laser pulses, with subsequent separation of their nuclei on the cathode of the system for creating an electrostatic electric field, the electrode configuration in the vacuum tube 3 is implemented by means of a flat capacitor of positively 15 and negatively charged 16 metal plates, connected to a generator 17 for a constant voltage of up to 25 kV.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment of a laser thermonuclear reactor (Fig. 5) based on the synthesis of light nuclei of (Fig. 1) and (Fig. 2) - a method and system for accelerating and trapping particles of light elements with laser pulses, with subsequent separation of the nuclei on the cathode of the system for creating an electrostatic electric field, their conversion into nuclear isotopes and fusion of the isotopes in thermonuclear fusion, it consists of a femtosecond laser source 1, along the optical axis of which an evacuated tube 2 is placed, which is connected on one side to a vacuum system 3 for transverse flow of helium and a vacuum pump 4, and on the other side is connected to a vacuum pump 5 for creating a vacuum. The electrostatic electric field system includes metal anode 6 and cathode tubes 7, connected to a DC generator 8. A water circuit 9 is built with a water pump 10, part of which is laid in the cathode tube 7, and is filled with water, as well as a heat exchanger 11, connected to a steam generator 12. All of them constitute the active zone of the reactor. It is separated by a radioactive protective wall 13, and in front of the optical axis of the laser in the wall 13 there is an optical window made of radiation- resistant glass 14. The steam discharge tubes 15 are connected to a turbine 16, and the turbine 16 is connected to an AC generator 17. The turbine 16 is also connected to a steam condenser 18 for conveying the liquefied steam to a water tank 19 and a cold water source 20.

[0029] According to the invention, the laser thermonuclear reactor operates when a femtosecond ultrashort pulse laser 1 is switched on, while a cross-flow helium system 3 is switched on through a vacuum pump 4. Passing through the cross-flow of the gas jet, the helium atoms are captured in a single pulse, with thousands of neutral atoms captured in one pulse by the mechanism of the longitudinal polarization force. Since the repetition rate of the laser source is 1 kHz, 1 ,000 laser pulses pass through the flow in one second, with each pulse containing the above-mentioned several thousand neutral atoms. Upon reaching the system for creating a constant electric field of the laser pulses consisting of a metal anode 6 and cathode 7 tubes, the millions of neutral atoms captured in the pulse are ionized by the applied alternating and constant electric fields. The electrons of the helium atoms are separated and captured by the anode tube 6, and the already exposed helium nuclei are captured by the negatively charged cathode tube 7, in which water flows from the reactor core. Since the kinetic energy of the helium nuclei (alpha particles) moving at the group velocity of the laser pulse is much greater than the energy of the nuclear binding of the nucleons in the helium nucleus Ukm » Unucieus, when they hit the negatively charged tube 7, there is generation of hard gamma radiation, generation of free neutrons and decay of the helium nuclei with subsequent capture of the nuclei of the isotopes by the negative tube 7. There are two possible channels of decay of the helium nucleus. The first is the decay of a helium nucleus to an isotope of helium (H3), with the release of a neutron and hard gamma particles, and the second is the decay of a helium nucleus to two deuterium nuclei - isotopes of hydrogen, again with the release of hard gamma particles:

[0030] III. He4He3+ n +y

[0031] IV. He4— > H]2+ H,2+ y.

[0032] An important feature of the helium isotopes trapped on the cathode is that the nuclei of the isotopes accumulate in the same place and under the influence of the negative electric field of the cathode 7, the positive Coulomb barrier between the nuclei of the isotopes is significantly reduced and as a result of overcoming the Coulomb barrier, secondary reactions for the fusion of the isotopes of helium and hydrogen follow mainly along the following fusion channels, leading to controlled thermonuclear fusion of light elements with the release of a significant amount of heat. Possible channels of nuclear fusion and the released thermal energy from gamma radiation are indicated below:

[0033] V. He3+ He3— > He4+ Hi1+ Hi1+ y , where y = 12,86 MeV

[0034] VI. He3+ Hi2— > He4+ p +y, where y = 18,3 MeV

[0035] VII. Hi2+ Hi2He3+ n +y , where y = 4 MeV.

[0036] The energy obtained from nuclear fusion reactions significantly exceeds the energy obtained in standard heavy element decay reactions in nuclear power plants. The transformed heat energy on the cathode tube 7 from nuclear fusion is taken away by the water in the first loop to a steam generator 12. The obtained high-temperature steam drives the turbines 16, which are connected to an alternating voltage generator 17, which leads to the generation of alternating current.

[0037] The indicated scheme of the proposed laser thermonuclear fusion reactor of light elements may include several laser sources, with their optical axes arranged symmetrically in a circle and parallel with respect to the cathode tube at 7. This increases the power of the nuclear power plant many times over.

[0038] References:

[0039] [1] Patent application, application No: 113628: “Method and system for trapping, cooling and compression of neutral atoms, molecules and particles with laser pulses.”

[0040] [2] L. M. Kovachev, “Radiation forces and confinement of neutral particles into the pulse envelope. New regime of collision ionization”, Optik, 269, 169943 (2022),

[0041] [3] G. Yankov, E. lordanova, L.M. Kovachev, “Radiation forces and compression of neutral particles by an optical lens,” Optik, 273, 170452 (2023).

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS1. The method for initiating nuclear reactions in the decay of helium nuclei to nuclei of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei and subsequent nuclear fusion reactions with application for a laser thermonuclear reactor, characterized in that initially the neutral helium atoms are captured by the longitudinal polarization force in the field of femtosecond laser pulses with an intensity of up to I~1011-12W / cm2, corresponding to the modulus of the electric field of a laser pulse of the order of IEIiaser~106-8V / m, are accelerated to speeds close to the group velocity of the laser pulse, after which, when they pass through a vacuumed system for creating an electrostatic electric field of the order of IEIcond~106V / m, the electrons from the shell of the helium atoms are separated to the anode of the electrostatic electric field system, while the bare atomic electrons accumulate on the cathode of the electrostatic electric field system, helium nuclei - alpha particles, as a result of their impacts on the cathode with kinetic energies of the order of 1 GeV, which are significantly higher than the binding energy of nucleons in alpha particles (28 MeV), the alpha particles are converted into helium nuclear isotopes and deuterium nuclei, with subsequent fusion of the isotopes in thermonuclear fusion.

2. The system for initiating nuclear reactions in the decay of helium nuclei to nuclei of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei and subsequent nuclear fusion reactions with application for a laser thermonuclear reactor, according to claim 1, consists of a femtosecond laser (1), at a distance along whose optical axis, at a distance from each other, an optical lens (2) and a quartz vacuum tube (3) are located, the quartz vacuum tube (3) being closed at both ends with flanges (4) and (5), and a system for transverse flow of helium (8) is placed to the flange (4), one side of the flange (4) is connected by a tube (6) to the gas cylinder (7) filled with helium (8) and connected to a tap (9) for limiting the gas flow of helium (8) and on the opposite side of the flange (4), by a tube (6), a vacuum pump (11) is connected by a tap (10) for pumping the directed a channel that is perpendicular to the optical axis, with quartz windows (12) fixedly attached to the outer edges of the flanges (4) and (5), and a tap (13) fixedly attached to the flange (5) of the vacuum tube (3), connected to a vacuum pump (14), and in the middle of the vacuum tube (3), astainless steel metal anode tube (15) is located, in the center of which a tungsten round cathode (16) is mounted, connected to a generator (17) for a constant voltage of up to 25 kV, and on the sides of the vacuum tube (3), opposite its middle part, on the optical table (18) at a distance from each other, an observation camera (19), a hard gamma ray detector (20), a neutron detector (21), a spectrometer (22) and a computer (23) are located.

3. The system for initiating nuclear reactions in the decay of helium nuclei to nuclei of helium isotopes and deuterium nuclei and subsequent nuclear fusion reactions with application for a laser thermonuclear reactor, according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the electrode configuration in the vacuum tube (3) is implemented by means of a flat capacitor of positively (15) and negatively charged (16) metal plates, connected to a generator (17) for a constant voltage of up to 25 kV.

4. The laser fusion reactor according to claims 1 , 2 and 3 consists of a femtosecond laser source (1), along the optical axis of which is placed a vacuum tube (2), which is connected on one side to a vacuum system (3) for a transverse flow of helium and a vacuum pump (4), and on the other side is connected to a vacuum pump (5) for creating a vacuum, the electrostatic electric field system including metal anode (6) and cathode (7) tubes connected to a constant voltage generator (8) and a water circuit (9) with a water pump (10), part of which is laid in the cathode tube (7), filled with water, as well as a heat exchanger (11) connected to a steam generator (12), all of which constitute the active zone of the reactor, which is separated by a radioactive protective wall (13), as on the optical axis of the laser in the wall (13) there is an optical window made of radiation-resistant glass (14), and the tubes of The steam outlet (15) is connected to a turbine (16), which is connected to an alternating voltage generator (17) and is also connected to a steam condenser (18) for discharging the liquefied steam to a water tank (19) and a cold water source (20).

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