Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling charged particles. The charged particles comprise electrons and positive ions. A magnetic field having only point cusps is used to confine energetic injected electrons and so to generate a negative potential well. Positive ions injected into or created within the negative potential well are trapped therein. The magnetic field is generated by current-carrying elements arranged at positions spaced from but closely adjacent and parallel to edges of a polyhedron which has an even number of faces surrounding each vertex or corner. The current-carrying elements must be spaced apart at their corners (the vertices of the polyhedron) so as not to touch, and the containing structures for the current-carrying coils of the magnetic-field-providing system are conformal to the fields so produced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling charged particles. The charged particles comprise electrons and positive ions. A magnetic field having only point cusps is used to confine energetic injected electrons and so to generate a negative potential well. Positive ions injected into or created within the negative potential well are trapped therein. The magnetic field is generated by current-carrying elements arranged at positions spaced from but closely adjacent and parallel to edges of a polyhedron which has an even number of faces surrounding each vertex or corner. The current-carrying elements are spaced apart at their corners (the vertices of the polyhedron) so as not to touch, and the containing structures for the current-carrying coils of the magnetic-field-providing system are conformal to the fields so produced. Preferably, the coils are placed on the outboard side of the confining coils so as to increases electron confinement.

Abstract: A thermal collection system has a first tank for storing relatively hot working fluid and a second tank for storing relatively cold working fluid. A heat exchanger is connected for receiving the relatively hot working fluid from the first tank for providing heat to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger discharges the working fluid at a lower temperature than a temperature of the relatively hot working fluid of the first tank. A solar panel collector is connected for receiving the lower temperature working fluid from the heat exchanger and for heating the lower temperature working fluid and feeding same to a first control valve. The first control valve is operative for feeding working fluid from the solar collector selectively to one of the first tank and the second tank. The second tank has a second control valve selectively operative for permitting working fluid from the second tank to flow to the solar collector.

Abstract: A monohull keel sail boat is provided with a bow foil structure, a keel foil structure and a stern foil structure. The bow, keel and stern foil structures have foils with may be moved to provide a variable angle of attack and thus variable lifting forces. The stern foil structure has a ladder foil arrangement and includes vertical struts to provide steering control thus replacing a conventional rudder. The three foil structures work in concert to lift the hull of the boat, but not the keel, completely out of the water so as to provide near listless sailing.

Abstract: An adjustable focal length reflector for operation in space includes a membrane having a reflective surface. The membrane is subjected to incident radiation pressure. An assembly is located at the perimeter of the membrane to exert force on the membrane to counteract the incident radiation pressure in order to vary the focal length of the reflective surface. In a preferred embodiment the assembly includes an inflatable torus whose internal pressure is varied to vary the amount of force exerted on the membrane.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of enhancing nuclear fusion reactions utilizes a plasma, made up of ions and electrons, contained within a region, and enhances the density of the plasma using a collision-diffusion compressional enhancement process. Ion acoustic waves generated within a central region of the system permit increased reflection and scattering of ions and thereby reduces their mean free path within the core region to permit greatly increased ions density sufficient to enhance nuclear fusion reactions within the core.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling charged particles. The charged particles comprise electrons and positive ions. A magnetic field having only point cusps is used to confine injected electrons and so to generate a negative potential well. Positive ions injected into the negative potential well are trapped therein. The preferred means for generating the magnetic field is current-carrying elements arranged at positions corresponding to the edges of any of several truncated regular polyhedrons.

Abstract: A fusion reactor of the toroidal-type having a plasma containing toroidal fusion region producing energy from fusion reactions and comprising a toroidal field generating means for producing a toroidal magnetic field in the fusion region upon passage of current therethrough, said toroidal field generating means positioned proximate the toroidal fusion region, and ohmic heating coils for ohmically heating the plasma wherein the ohmic heating coils are positioned between the toroidal fusion region and the toroidal field generating means.

Abstract: A fusion-fission reactor having a plasma containing toroidal fusion region for producing high energy neutrons from fusion reactions and a region external to the fusion region containing material which is both fissile with respect to high energy neutrons and fertile with respect to low energy neutrons. The device comprises a toroidal field generating means and a region of fissile-fertile material positioned within the region of the toroidal field generating means. The toroidal field generating means is positioned substantially adjacent the toroidal fusion region.

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.

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.