Improvements in and relating to methods and apparatus for increasing transmutation efficiency of nuclear reactions and converting nuclear energy into power

摘要

656,398. Positive ion tubes. LUCAS, S. H. Aug. 27, 1947, No. 23642. [Classes 39 (i) and 39 (iv)] A method of performing transmutation reactions between atomic nuclei comprises injecting into an evacuated vessel a stream of positive ions, some of which have a different injection velocity from the others, introducing into the ion stream free electrons to counteract electrostatic repulsive forces, and subjecting the ions to a controlling magnetic field to constrain the ions to move in closed orbital paths; the paths have at least a part in common which is traversed concurrently by ions of different injection velocities. There may be two streams of ions, the ratio of the total masses of the two streams lying between 10SP6/SP : 1 and 10SP-6/SP: 1, and preferably between 10: 1 and 1: 10. The ratio may be controlled either by varying the injection rate or by varying the duration of injection. The magnetic fields may be arranged as in Fig. 3 with two solenoids W to pass the ions over the straight parts of their orbits and two magnets CSP1/SP, CSP2/SP to provide turning fields. The polepieces of the magnets CSP1/SP, CSP2/SP may be wedge-shaped to provide a field which varies as the inverse nth power of the distance from the edge of the polepieces adjacent the solenoids, where n lies between 0 and 1. Ions of the same charge will have identical orbits if their momenta are equal; TSP1/SP, TSP2/SP show typical orbits of ions with different momenta. Injection of the ions may take place at any of the points SSP1/SP, SSP2/SP, SSP3/SP, SSP6/SP or SSP5/SP according to their energy and charge. The reaction chamber may be provided with cooling fins, and if neutrons are generated by the reaction the chamber may be constructed of beryllium or may have a lining of beryllium to slow down the neutrons. Outside the beryllium layer there is provided a further layer of an alloy or compound of boron, lithium or cadmium to absorb the neutrons. Alternatively a fissionable material such as uranium may be used as a lining for the chamber. The apparatus may be used for the reaction 2 1 D+2 1 D=3 2 He+1 on .