Isotope separation by selective charge conversion and field deflection

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:862989

Hickman, Robert G ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

A deuterium-tritium separation system wherein a source beam comprised of positively ionized deuterium (D.sup.+) and tritium (T.sup.+) is converted at different charge-exchange cell sections of the system to negatively ionized deuterium (D.sup.-) and tritium (T.sup.-). First, energy is added to the beam to accelerate the D.sup.+ ions to the velocity that is optimum for conversion of the D.sup.+ ions to D.sup.- ions in a charge-exchange cell. The T.sup.+ ions are accelerated at the same time, but not to the optimum velocity since they are heavier than the D.sup.+ ions. The T.sup.+ ions are, therefore, not converted to T.sup.- ions when the D.sup.+ ions are converted to D.sup.- ions. This enables effective separation of the beam by deflection of the isotopes with an electrostatic field, the D.sup.- ions being deflected in one direction and the T.sup.+ ions being deflected in the opposite direction. Next, more energy is added to the deflected beam of T.sup.+ ions to bring the T.sup.+ ions to the optimum velocity for their conversion to T.sup.- ions. In a particular use of the invention, the beams of D.sup.- and T.sup.- ions are separately further accelerated and then converted to energetic neutral particles for injection as fuel into a thermonuclear reactor. The reactor exhaust of D.sup.+ and T.sup.+ and the D.sup.+ and T.sup.+ that was not converted in the respective sections is combined with the source beam and recycled through the system to increase the efficiency of the system.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4067702
• OSTI ID: 862989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

isotope
separation
selective
charge
conversion
field
deflection
deuterium-tritium
source
beam
comprised
positively
ionized
deuterium
tritium
converted
charge-exchange
cell
sections
negatively
energy
added
accelerate
velocity
optimum
accelerated
time
heavier
enables
effective
isotopes
electrostatic
deflected
direction
opposite
bring
particular
beams
separately
energetic
neutral
particles
injection
fuel
thermonuclear
reactor
exhaust
respective
combined
recycled
increase
efficiency
neutral particle
neutral particles
opposite direction
nuclear reactor
isotope separation
electrostatic field
respective sections
source beam
thermonuclear reactor
field deflection
respective section
/95/250/376/