Heat generation above break-even from laser-induced fusion in ultra-dense deuterium

Abstract

Previous results from laser-induced processes in ultra-dense deuterium D(0) give conclusive evidence for ejection of neutral massive particles with energy >10 MeV u−1. Such particles can only be formed from nuclear processes like nuclear fusion at the low laser intensity used. Heat generation is of interest for future fusion energy applications and has now been measured by a small copper (Cu) cylinder surrounding the laser target. The temperature rise of the Cu cylinder is measured with an NTC resistor during around 5000 laser shots per measured point. No heating in the apparatus or the gas feed is normally used. The fusion process is suboptimal relative to previously published studies by a factor of around 10. The small neutral particles HN(0) of ultra-dense hydrogen (size of a few pm) escape with a substantial fraction of the energy. Heat loss to the D2 gas (at <1 mbar pressure) is measured and compensated for under various conditions. Heat release of a few W is observed, at up to 50% higher energy than the total laser input thus a gain of 1.5. This is uniquely high for the use of deuterium as fusion fuel. With a slightly different setup, a thermal gain of 2 is reached, thus clearly above break-even for all neutronicity values possible. Also including the large kinetic energy which is directly measured for MeV particles leaving through a small opening gives a gain of 2.3. Taking into account the lower efficiency now due to the suboptimal fusion process, previous studies indicate a gain of at least 20 during long periods.

Mesons from Laser-Induced Processes in Ultra-Dense Hydrogen H(0)

“…Laser-induced nuclear fusion in D(0) gives heat above break-even, as reported in Ref. [15]. Recent studies show that the MeV particles ejected from H(0) decay within 100 ns [16–18].…”

“…However, when the distance to the second (outer) collector is increased, this picture changes to give a too short TOF and a too high signal at the outer collector as in Refs. [15,17,23]. The particles then move with a velocity close to the speed of light c and the TOF distribution is sharper at long distance [17].…”

Existing Source for Muon-Catalyzed Nuclear Fusion Can Give Megawatt Thermal Fusion Generator

“…15 The total energy in the ejected particles is so large that the nuclear reaction process is above breakeven. 16 The nuclear processes taking place are both laserinduced nucleon + nucleon annihilation-like processes [2][3][4][5][6] and ordinary D + D fusion partly of the muon-catalyzed type. That ordinary D + D fusion takes place is shown by neutron detection 17 and by TOF mass spectrometry studies.…”

Muon-catalyzed fusion and annihilation energy generation supersede non-sustainable T+D nuclear fusion

“…(The so called scienti c break-even in NIF [24] is a special de nition of break-even which is not of practical interest). The process observed in D(0) [9] was mixed as can be concluded now, using both muon-induced fusion and annihilation energy generation. At the time of the experiment, the annihilation process had not yet been identi ed, so the process was thought to be laserinduced ICF using the D + D reaction.…”

“…The particle velocity measured by direct timing and by decay dilation corresponds to 10-500 MeV u − 1 [10,14,15]. By using two [9] and three [12] collectors in line, it is found that the fast particles have mass and that they penetrate through mm thick metal with some attenuation and a slight delay. Magnetic de ection studies con rm that many of the initially formed particles are neutral [16] and that the mass of the charged particles is less than 1 u, thus mesons and muons.…”