DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Laser-driven fusion reactor

Abstract

A laser-driven fusion reactor consisting of concentric spherical vessels in which the thermonuclear energy is derived from a deuterium-tritium (D + T) burn within a pellet'', located at the center of the vessels and initiated by a laser pulse. The resulting alpha -particle energy and a small fraction of the neutron energy are deposited within the pellet; this pellet energy is eventually transformed into sensible heat of lithium in a condenser outside the vessels. The remaining neutron energy is dissipated in a lithium blanket, located within the concentric vessels, where the fuel ingredient, tritium, is also produced. The heat content of the blanket and of the condenser lithium is eventually transferred to a conventional thermodynamic plant where the thermal energy is converted to electrical energy in a steam Rankine cycle. (Official Gazette)

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Originating Research Org. not identified
OSTI Identifier:
4395282
Patent Number(s):
3762992
Assignee:
to United States Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21B - FUSION REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
NSA Number:
NSA-29-004324
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1972 Mar 01; Other Information: G21b1/00. Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
N70800* -Physics-Controlled Thermonuclear Research- Thermonuclear Engineering & Equipment; *LASERS- THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS; *THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS- LASERS; ALPHA PARTICLES; BREEDING BLANKETS; DEUTERIUM; LASER- RADIATION HEATING; LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA; LITHIUM; TRITIUM LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA

Citation Formats

Hedstrom, J C. Laser-driven fusion reactor. United States: N. p., 1973. Web.
Hedstrom, J C. Laser-driven fusion reactor. United States.
Hedstrom, J C. Mon . "Laser-driven fusion reactor". United States.
@article{osti_4395282,
title = {Laser-driven fusion reactor},
author = {Hedstrom, J C},
abstractNote = {A laser-driven fusion reactor consisting of concentric spherical vessels in which the thermonuclear energy is derived from a deuterium-tritium (D + T) burn within a pellet'', located at the center of the vessels and initiated by a laser pulse. The resulting alpha -particle energy and a small fraction of the neutron energy are deposited within the pellet; this pellet energy is eventually transformed into sensible heat of lithium in a condenser outside the vessels. The remaining neutron energy is dissipated in a lithium blanket, located within the concentric vessels, where the fuel ingredient, tritium, is also produced. The heat content of the blanket and of the condenser lithium is eventually transferred to a conventional thermodynamic plant where the thermal energy is converted to electrical energy in a steam Rankine cycle. (Official Gazette)},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1973},
month = {10}
}

Patent:
Search for the full text at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Note: You will be redirected to the USPTO site, which may require a pop-up blocker to be deactivated to view the patent. If so, you will need to manually turn off your browser's pop-up blocker, typically found within the browser settings. (See DOE Patents FAQs for more information.)

Save / Share: