Reactor prospects of muon-catalyzed fusion of deuterium and tritium concentrated in transition metals

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Fusion Technology; (USA)

OSTI ID:7272126

Stacey, Jr, W M ^[1]

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1. Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (USA). Fusion Research Center (USA)

It is conjectured that the number of fusion events catalyzed by a single muon is orders of magnitude greater for deuterium and tritium concentrated in a transition metal than in gaseous form and that the recent observation of 2.5-MeV neutrons from a D/sub 2/O electrolytic cell with palladium and titanium cathodes can thereby be interpreted in terms of cosmic muon-catalyzed deuterium-deuterium fusion. This suggests a new fusion reactor reactor consisting of deuterium and tritium concentrated in transition metal fuel elements in a fusion core that surrounds an accelerator-produced muon source. The feasibility of net energy production in such a reactor is established in terms of requirements on the number of fusion events catalyzed per muon. The technological implications for a power reactor based on this concept are examined. The potential of such a concept as a neutron source for materials testing and tritium and plutonium production is briefly discussed.

• OSTI ID: 7272126
• Journal Information: Fusion Technology; (USA), Vol. 16:2; ISSN 0748-1896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
COSMIC MUONS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
DEUTERIUM TARGET
DEUTERON REACTIONS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
PALLADIUM
CATHODES
TITANIUM
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAVY WATER
MATERIALS TESTING
NEUTRON SOURCES
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
TRITIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
COSMIC RADIATION
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
LEPTONS
METALS
MUONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SOURCES
PLATINUM METALS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
TARGETS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER
700205* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Fuel
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& Injection Systems
700208 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology
700209 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Component Development & Materials Testing
220700 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Plutonium & Isotope Production Reactors