Proton boron colliding beams for nuclear fusion

摘要

This paper describes a method of extracting energy from the fusion eventsoccurring during collision of a beam of protons with a beam of ions of (sup 11)B. The two beams circulate in separated and intersecting storage rings of the same geometry and size where they collide head-on in a common long straight-section. Requirements of the beam parameters and of the collider are presented and discussed for a total production of 10 kW of power. To allow small beam dimension and higher intensity, the storage ring itself is a novel concept based on a linear Radio-Frequency Quadrupole bent on itself and closed mechanically: the Circular RFQ. Stringent engineering limitations are encountered. Moreover, the collider performance is disrupted by Space-Charge forces, Intra-Beam and Beam-Beam Scattering. To alleviate and counter-come these limitations, the use of colliding Crystalline Beams is proposed. This has the benefit to enhance the Luminosity of the collision by several orders of magnitude. But it also requires fast and effective Laser and/or Electron Cooling. Sympathetic cooling of ions, as that demonstrated in ion traps, can also be used to avoid partially-stripped boron ions and negative-hydrogen ions.