This document describes a project for the development of a small prototype fusion reactor, incorporating a completely new paradigm. This prototype would fit on a laboratory work bench and have an estimated power output in the kilowatt range. A commercial design might have a thermal power output of Gigawatts. It should however be emphasized that the theory behind this concept is not guaranteed to be correct, though we believe we can show that it is not beyond the bounds of possibility, and even reasonable. Furthermore, given the extreme simplicity of the design, the low envisaged cost of construction, and the dire circumstances in which humanity currently finds itself, this is an experiment that we can’t afford to ignore.
Operational phases of the project are:-
The cost of developing the prototype is estimated at between $100,000 and several million dollars. The prototype would have about the size and complexity of an electron microscope, and need not contain any expensive or particularly difficult to work with materials. Most parts would be “off the shelf”. A (very) preliminary design already exists.
It is possible that it may also be necessary to pay a license fee to a third party relating to part of the device, before it can be put into production.
Expertise is required in the areas of:-
Needless to say some individuals may combine multiple skills.
Clean fusion power is the “holy grail” of those seeking a
solution to the World’s energy problems. Due to the abundance of Deuterium in
sea water (about 1 in 6800 Hydrogen atoms is a Deuterium atom), fusion energy
would provide humanity with all the base-load power it requires for billions of
years, if we continued to use energy at the current rate. The following table
compares the device which is the subject of this project with the ITER fusion
reactor being built in
|
Property |
This project |
Hot Fusion (ITER) |
|
Required Investment |
$100,000 – several million |
Tens of billions |
|
Target |
Commercially viable fusion |
Experimental reactor (not commercially viable) |
|
Time frame |
2 years (assuming full time participation by team). |
decades |
|
Fuel |
Deuterium. |
Deuterium + Tritium (from Lithium) |
|
Target COP |
1000? |
~ 1 |
|
Method |
Subtle (Catalyzed) |
Brute force |
I believe that this comparison makes clear that even if there were only a small chance of success, it is more than worth the attempt.
Theoretically the device has a maximum power amplification factor (Coefficient of Performance – COP) of over 1000, i.e. the thermal output power is over 1000 times the electrical power required to operate it. A factor of 1000 leaves plenty of room for some inefficiency in practice while still resulting in a commercially viable concept. It relies upon the Hydrino concept of Randell Mills MD (see www.blacklightpower.com or my own variant thereof.
In its operation it would somewhat resemble muon catalyzed fusion. However the latter has an inherent efficiency of only about 20%. In other words the output power is only 20% of the input power, which is why, muon catalyzed fusion is not used in practice.
In contrast this device has an inherent maximum theoretical efficiency of over 100,000%, depending on which choices are made during implementation. How much of this is achieved in practice will largely depend upon the engineering expertise and experience that is brought to bear.
The device is essentially a “factory” for the rapid and cheap manufacture of very small Hydrinos on demand. These can then be combined with Deuterium ions to create a “miniaturized” D2 molecule (or molecular ion), in which a tunneling fusion reaction may proceed rapidly due to the much decreased internuclear distances. Hence, a smaller molecule will result in faster tunneling, and a faster reaction.
The envisioned reactions would be:-
H + D
→ He3
+ 5.49 MeV
D + D
→ T + H + 4 MeV
D + D
→ He3
+ n + 3.3 MeV
D + T → He4 + n + 17.6 MeV
The first reaction can be relatively clean if the percentage of D in the fuel is kept low, which is quite possible when the maximum theoretical COP is so high.
|
Possibility |
Hydrino radius according to Mills’ theory |
Hydrino radius Robin’s theory |
|
Fast electron capture by Hydrino molecular ion? |
a0/137 (H-B11 feasible?) |
a0/15376 (anything feasible) |
|
Fast electron capture by Hydrino? |
a0/28 (D-T feasible) |
a0/64 (H-D feasible) |
|
No capture |
Failure |
Failure |
There are some uncertainties in the theory. These can only be resolved by building a small experimental prototype. Once resolved, the prototype may be adapted accordingly to determine optimal operating conditions.
The table above shows the various possible reactions. In this table a0 represents the Bohr radius of the Hydrogen atom. The first row in the table represents the most desirable outcomes, the last row, shows the least desirable. Testing will show which row in the table is achievable. Of the two theories, Robin’s would increase the chances of success, should it prove to be correct.
It would also dramatically increase the variety of nuclear reactions that might eventually be utilized, and hence also the variety of fuels that might be used. As a consequence the total amount of energy available would also increase dramatically, since one would no longer be limited to using Deuterium.