Patents Assigned to FDX Patent Holding Company, N.V.
  • Patent number: 5174945
    Abstract: A fusion power generating device is disclosed having a relatively small and inexpensive core region which may be contained within an energy absorbing blanket region. The fusion power core region contains apparatus of the toroidal type for confining a high density plasma. The fusion power core is removable from the blanket region and may be disposed and/or recycled for subsequent use within the same blanket region. Thermonuclear ignition of the plasma is obtained by feeding neutral fusible gas into the plasma in a controlled manner such that charged particle heating produced by the fusion reaction is utilized to boot-strap the device to a region of high temperatures and high densitities wherein charged particle heating is sufficient to overcome radiation and thermal conductivity losses. The high density plasma produces a large radiation and particle flux on the first wall of the plasma core region thereby necessitating replacement of the core from the blanket region from time to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: Robert W. Bussard, Bruno Coppi
  • Patent number: 5049350
    Abstract: A fusion power generating device is disclosed having a relatively small and inexpensive core region which may be contained within an energy absorbing blanket region. The fusion power core region contains apparatus of the toroidal type for confining a high density plasma. The fusion power core is removable from the blanket region and may be disposed and/or recycled for subsequent use within the same blanket region. Thermonuclear ignition of the plasma is obtained by feeding neutral fusible gas into the plasma in a controlled manner such that charged particle heating produced by the fusion reaction is utilized to bootstrap the device to a region of high temperatures and high densities wherein charged particle heating is sufficient to overcome radiation and thermal conductivity losses. The high density plasma produces a large radiation and particle flux on the first wall of the plasma core region thereby necessitating replacement of the core from the blanket region from time to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: FDX Patent Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: Robert W. Bussard, Bruno Coppi
  • Patent number: 5019321
    Abstract: A fusion power generating device is disclosed having a relatively small and inexpensive core region which may be contained within an energy absorbing blanket region. The fusion power core region contains apparatus of the toroidal type for confining a high density plasma. The fusion power core is removable from the blanket region and may be disposed and/or recycled for subsequent use within the same blanket region. The high density plasma produces a large radiation and particle flux on the first wall of the plasma core region thereby necessitating replacement of the core from the blanket region from time to time. A series of disposable and replaceable central core regions are disclosed for a large-scale economical electrical power generating plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventor: Robert W. Bussard
  • Patent number: 4859399
    Abstract: A fusion power generating device is disclosed having a relatively small and inexpensive core region which may be contained within an energy absorbing blanket region. The fusion power core region contains apparatus of the toroidal type for confining a high density plasma. The fusion power core is removable from the blanket region and may be disposed and/or recycled for subsequent use within the same blanket region. The high density plasma produces a large radiation and particle flux on the first wall of the plasma core region thereby necessitating replacement of the core from the blanket region from time to time. A series of disposable and replaceable central core regions are disclosed for a large-scale economical electrical power generating plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventor: Robert W. Bussard
  • Patent number: 4836972
    Abstract: A fusion power generating device is disclosed having a relatively small and inexpensive core region which may be contained within an energy absorbing blanket region. The fusion power core region contains apparatus of the toroidal type for confining a high density plasma. The fusion power core is removable from the blanket region and may be disposed and/or recycled for subsequent use within the same blanket region. Thermonuclear ignition of the plasma is obtained by feeding neutral fusible gas into the plasma in a controlled manner such that charged particle heating produced by the fusion reaction is utilized to bootstrap the device to a region of high temperatures and high densities wherein charged particle heating is sufficient to overcome radiation and thermal conductivity losses. The high density plasma produces a large radiation and particle flux on the first wall of the plasma core region thereby necessitating replacement of the core from the blanket region from time to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: Robert W. Bussard, Bruno Coppi
  • Patent number: 4657723
    Abstract: A coolant arrangement is disclosed for magnetic coil turn assemblies in which cooling fluid is flowed through a supply header along the face of a coil turn and into coolant inlet openings positioned along the face of the coil turn beneath the supply header structure. Coolant is directed through coolant channels around the magnetic coil turn, and into outlet openings. The outlet openings are in fluid communication with a return header also positioned on a flat face of a magnetic coil turn. There is also disclosed a method and apparatus for passing coolant through adjacent coolant channels in a magnetic coil turn in opposite directions. The cooling means disclosed avoids creating hot spots in the vicinity of the coolant inlets and outlets and reduces stresses in the coil in the vicinity of the coolant inlets and outlets. It also provides for maintaining a uniform average temperature throughout the coil turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: John R. Schuster, Char Y. Lee, Carl F. Weggel
  • Patent number: 4533412
    Abstract: A method for enhancing the strength and hardness properties of a starting copper alloy having a matrix structure which has been cold worked and heat treated. The method includes the step of additional cold working followed by additional heat treating to increase the strength of the alloy without significantly affecting the electrical conductivity of the alloy. The method produces a strong and highly conductive material suitable for use as a field magnet which must experience high operational stress while carrying large current loads. The starting alloy may be a copper-beryllium-nickel alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1985
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventor: Abraham I. Rotem
  • Patent number: 4530812
    Abstract: A composite toroidal field (TF) generating means consisting of segmented magnetic coil windings is disclosed. Each coil winding of the TF generating means consists of a copper or copper alloy conductor segment and an aluminum or aluminum alloy conductor segment. The conductor segments are joined at a high strength, low electrical resistance joint and the joint may either be a mechanical or metallurgical one. The use of the aluminum or aluminum alloy conductor segments improves the neutron economy of the reactor with which the TF coil is associated and reduces TF coil nuclear heating and heating gradients, and activation in the TF coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: Roger G. Perkins, Stephen M. Trujillo
  • Patent number: 4529955
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling coolant distribution in ohmic heating and other poloidal field magnetic coils. The apparatus consists of a coolant inlet and outlet arrangement with spiral coolant channels positioned therebetween. The spiral coolant channels are designed to control the coolant pressure drop within the coil turns and hence the coolant flow distribution within the entire coil. The coolant channels of the present invention provide coil turns with improved structural and cooling characteristics over the prior art. The method disclosed consists of controlling the flow distribution of cooling fluid through coolant channels in a magnetic coil by using spiral channels of a specially designed length, width and spiral configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventors: John R. Schuster, Hakan N. Lofstedt
  • Patent number: 4472344
    Abstract: Disclosed is a segmented toroidal field coil for use in a tokamak-type reactor and a method for forming the coil. Each toroidal field coil winding is segmented into two or more segments with a connection means provided at the end of each segment for electrically connecting the segments together and for joining consecutive adjacent segments. The coil segments are electrically conducting and will, therefore, induce a toroidal magnetic field when its feed points are connected to a power source. The toroidal field coil of the present invention maximizes heat flow from the plasma region of the reactor to the external blanket by eliminating bulky crossover connections from coil to coil that could otherwise restrict the heat flow. The present invention discloses a simple and efficient method for forming a toroidal field coil assembly that eliminates costly final machining such as precision twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1984
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventor: Hakan N. Lofstedt
  • Patent number: 4431960
    Abstract: Disclosed is a reversible inductive energy transfer device for use where efficient transfer of energy between inductors is required. The apparatus is a current amplifying device which utilizes an induction coil comprising a plurality of series connected induction elements, the induction coil being connected in series with a current source and a load. The series connected induction elements are progressively connected in series with the induction coil across the load beginning at the end of the induction coil electrically distal from the load and ending at the end of the induction coil electrically nearest the load. Adjacent induction elements are progressively connected to the load in a make-before-break manner. The connection may be made either by a sliding contact which makes electrical contact with electrical taps located along the induction coil by means of superconducting switches or semiconductor switches. The storage inductor may also be superconducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: FDX Patents Holding Company, N.V.
    Inventor: Oved S. F. Zucker