Neutron-induced fission-fusion process for power generation and cold fusion with electrolysis

Abstract

A theory of neutron-induced tritium-deuterium fusion is described. The process involves self-sustaining chain reactions:(1) n + ' L i + 4He + T and/or n + 'Lt 4 4He t T + n, and (2) T + D -+ 4He + n, in Lz -D plasma or pellets surrounded by Li and other blankets and by neutron reflectorst [1,2]. It has been suggested [3] that the excess heat generation observed by Fleischmann, Pons, and Hawkins (FPH) in their electrolysis experiment [4] may be due to this fission-fusion process at room temperature. The proposed fission-fusion process is first described in a more general context without the use of electrolysis for the purpose of suggesting new designs for large-scale fissionfusion reactors for power generationt [1,2]. Then, the FPH effect [4] is described as a special case of the proposed fission-fusion process which involves electrolysis with a Pd cathode. Other plausible explanations of the FPH effect are also discussed. In t ro d tic t,ionRecently, a new type of neutron-induced hybrid confinement fission-fusion was proposed for large-scale power generation [ 1,2], which is radically different from conventional approach to fusion. There are two main approaches being currently pursued in controlled thermonuclear T-D fusion. One is magnetic confinement fusion (mainly the tokamak-type designs) and the other is inertial confinement fusion (mainly through laser-driven implosion). For the tokamak-type design, attempts are being made to achieve a density of n z 1V4cm-3 and a confinement time of T -1 sec. For the inertial confinement fusion driven by an intense pulsed laser beam, attempts are being made to achieve a density of , . , 1 0 2 6 n -3 via implosion caused by a 0.1 n sec laser pulse. For both cases, the aim is to satisfy Lawson's criteria, n~ 2 3 x 10'4m-3sec, for T-D fusion ignition at a plasma temperature of kT 2, 10 keV. In this paper, several pellet designs are described to achieve a plasma density of 5 10'9cm-3 and a confinement time 7 2 10-5sec for the neutron-induced fission-fusion.Tritium production and excess heat generation a.bove that due to the electrode reaction recently reported by Fleischman, Pons, and Hawkins (FPH) [l] and others in their electrolysis experiments with a palladium cathode immersed in heavy water (with 0.1M LiOD) are not consistent with existing theoretical estimates for deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion rates, which are too small at room temperature. However, a combination of known nuclear reactions can form a set of closed chain reactions which may become self-sustaining at a critical stage under favorable conditions and geometries, as in the well-known case of neutron-induced fission chain reactions. The FPH effect is described in terms of chain-reaction processes involving (a) neutron-induced fission-fusion chain reactions [l, 31 and (b) neutron-induced photonuclear chain reactions in palladium deuteride [5]. In addition to the chain-reaction processes, the conventional theoretical estimates are re-examined fnr possible uncertairitim such a.s the valit1it.v of the extrapolati...