Abstract: A liquid prime mover is provided that includes a support member for holding a contiguous liquid entity (e.g. a water droplet) having a defined dimension “d”. An ion permeable exchange membrane is mounted on the support member. Also, a positive electrode and a negative electrode are mounted on the support member with a distance between them. Importantly, the ion permeable membrane is positioned between the respective electrodes and the liquid entity. A voltage source is connected between the electrodes to establish an ion flow passing through the exchange membrane, and through the liquid entity when “d” overlays the distance between the electrodes, to thereby move the liquid entity on the support member.

Abstract: A unit for generating an electrical current includes an electrolysis cell and a hydrogen fuel cell having a common mid-electrode. This mid-electrode is hydrophobic and separates a PEM electrolyte in the fuel cell from an electrolyte mixture of water and a carbon compound in the electrolysis cell. Electrolysis of the water produces hydrogen at the mid-electrode and carbon dioxide at the anode of the unit. The hydrogen diffuses into the hydrogen fuel cell through the mid-electrode but it prevents the water mixture in the electrolysis cell from contacting the PEM electrolyte in the fuel cell. Oxygen is provided to react with hydrogen protons at the cathode of the fuel cell to produce water. An external circuit is provided between the respective unit anode at the electrolysis cell and the unit cathode at the fuel cell for carrying the electrical current generated by the unit.

Abstract: A device for separating high mass particles (MH) and low mass particles (ML) from each other includes a laser source for vaporizing a solid target material that contains MH and ML. The resultant vapor jet is directed along an axis and an injector directs a gas flow along a path through the vapor jet perpendicular to the axis of the vapor jet. This entrains ML in the gas flow to thereby separate ML from MH. Collectors are respectively positioned on the axis for collecting MH from the vapor jet, and on the path for collecting ML from the gas flow.

Abstract: A laser device and method, for vaporizing a solid material, requires mixing silica with a metal oxide to prepare a mixture. The mixture is then sintered to create a ceramic brick having a thermal expansion coefficient below 5×10?6/° K. In operation, the device generates a laser beam, with a predetermined power density at a point on the laser beam. This point on the laser beam is then moved along a path on the brick to create a melt zone for the material at the point. This is done with a movement of the melt zone, at a speed within a range of predetermined operational parameters, to transition the material from a solid to a vapor.

Abstract: A laser device for vaporizing a metal requires a source for generating a laser beam having a predetermined power density at a point on the laser beam. A solid metal target material is then moved along a path, and through the point, relative to the laser beam. This is done to sequentially transition the target material from a solid to a liquid, and from a liquid to a vapor. In this process there is minimal liquid ejection.

Abstract: A shielded RF antenna system for generating a plasma from a starting material (e.g. a gas) includes a circularly shaped, loop antenna that surrounds a plasma region. A conductive, elongated screen element having an inner surface and an outer surface is wound as a helix around the loop antenna with the inner surface distanced from the antenna. Adjacent edges of the helical winding are overlapped and an insulator, such as a ceramic, is positioned between the overlapped edges to create a fluid tight seal therebetween. The screen element shields the electrostatic component of the electromagnetic field from the plasma region and prevents plasma from passing through the shield. In addition, the structure allows the insulator to be positioned between the overlapped edges where it is not directly exposed to the plasma.

Abstract: A fuel cell for producing electrical energy includes an electrolyte made of an electro-osmotic material. Specifically, the material is porous silica with pores having diameters around ten nanometers. Further, the electrolyte is formed as a plate having a thickness of approximately fifty microns. A porous silicon anode and a porous silicon cathode are positioned on opposite sides of the plate. A fuel (hydrogen) and an oxidant (oxygen) are directed against the anode and cathode, respectively, to promote electrochemical reactions. Together, these reactions cause protons to be transported through the electrolyte, and electrons to flow through an external circuit, for the production of electrical energy.

Abstract: A device for separating particles according to their respective masses includes a substantially cylindrical wall of inner radius, “Rwall”, that surrounds a chamber and defines a longitudinal axis. A multi-species plasma having relatively cold ions is initiated at a first end of the chamber within a relatively small radius, “rsource”, from the longitudinal axis. A hollow cylinder having an outer radius, “Router”, is positioned at the second end of the chamber and centered on the axis. Cross electric and magnetic fields (E×B) are established in the chamber that are configured to send ions of relatively high mass on trajectories having a radial apogee, rapogee, that is greater than the cylinder's outer radius (r>Router). After reaching apogee, these ions lose energy and strike the cylinder where they are collected. Low mass ions are placed on small radius helical trajectories and pass through the hollow cylinder.

Abstract: A band gap mass filter for separating particles of mass (M1) from particles of mass (M2) in a multi-species plasma includes a chamber defining an axis. Coils around the chamber generate an axially aligned magnetic field defined (B=B0+B1 sin ?t), with an antenna generating the sinusoidal component (B1 sin ?t) to induce an azimuthal electric field (E?) in the chamber. The resultant crossed electric and magnetic fields place particles M2 on unconfined orbits for collection inside the chamber, and pass the particles M1 through said chamber for separation from the particles M2. Unconfined orbits for particles M2 are determined according to an ?-? plot ( ? = ? 0 2 + ? 1 2 / 2 4 ? ? 2 , and ? ? ? ? = ? 0 ? ? 1 8 ? ? 2 ) , where ?0 is the cyclotron frequency for particles with mass/charge ratio M, and wherein ?0=B0/M and ?1=B1/M.

Abstract: An injection system for introducing feed material into a plasma mass filter includes an injector for producing a jet of feed material. For a plasma mass filter having a cylindrical wall that surrounds a plasma chamber, the injector is mounted to the outside of wall and oriented to deliver a feed jet into the plasma chamber. Specifically, the injector is oriented to deliver a jet that is directed toward a target volume in the chamber that is located substantially on the longitudinal axis defined by the cylindrical wall. More specifically, the feed material is injected into the chamber to the target volume along a path that is transverse to the direction of plasma rotation in the chamber. A vaporization energy source can be included to generate and direct an energy beam toward the target volume to vaporize the jet of feed material as the jet arrives at the target volume.

Abstract: A device for separating particles according to their respective masses includes a substantially cylindrical wall of inner radius, “Rwall”, that surrounds a chamber and defines a longitudinal axis. A multi-species plasma having relatively cold ions is initiated at a first end of the chamber within a relatively small radius, “rsource”, from the longitudinal axis. A hollow cylinder having an outer radius, “Router”, is positioned at the second end of the chamber and centered on the axis. Cross electric and magnetic fields (E×B) are established in the chamber that are configured to send ions of relatively high mass on trajectories having a radial apogee, rapogee, that is greater than the cylinder's outer radius (r>Router). After reaching apogee, these ions lose energy and strike the cylinder where they are collected. Low mass ions are placed on small radius helical trajectories and pass through the hollow cylinder.

Abstract: A device for dissociating an electronegative molecular gas includes a cylindrical-shaped tube having a wall that surrounds a discharge chamber. A first injector is positioned to introduce the molecular gas into a central region of the discharge chamber. A second injector is positioned to introduce an atomic gas, such as Argon, into an annular region between the central region and the tube wall. An induction coil is mounted on the wall and energized. This ionizes the atomic gas and creates a plasma discharge in the annular region. Electrons liberated by the discharge interact with the molecular gas at the interface layer between the molecular and atomic gases, dissociating the molecular gas. The interaction between the plasma discharge and the electronegative molecular gas is substantially limited to the interface layer to avoid quenching of the plasma discharge. In one application, the device is used to recover Fluorine from Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6).

Abstract: A device and method for pumping an electrolyte solution includes a conduit having a first end, a second end and a lumen for containing the electrolyte solution. An opening at each end of the conduit allows electrolyte solution to enter and exit the lumen of the conduit. The device further includes a ferroelectric member that is positioned along a portion of the conduit. The ferroelectric member is formed with a contact surface for interaction with the electrolyte solution. An electrode is positioned adjacent to the ferroelectric member to polarize the ferroelectric member and charge the contact surface. Driving electrodes are positioned to establish a potential difference in the electrolyte solution across the portion of the conduit containing the ferroelectric member.

Abstract: A device for separating high mass to charge particles (M1) from low mass to charge particles (M2) in a plasma includes a cylindrical wall that surrounds a chamber and defines an axis. Rectangular shaped coils are mounted on the wall to establish a magnetic field, B0, in the chamber that is aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis and which rotates about the axis. Circularly shaped coils are provided to generate a time-constant, axially aligned magnetic field, Bz, in the chamber. Passive, ring-shaped electrodes are positioned at the ends of the wall and connected to resistors which are then grounded. The rotating magnetic field, B0, rotates the plasma in the axially aligned magnetic field, Bz, which in turn, induces a radially oriented electric field, Er, in the chamber. The crossed fields (i.e. Er×Bz) cause the particles, M1, to strike the wall while the particles, M2, transit through the chamber.

Abstract: A material separator includes a chamber and electrode(s) to create a radially oriented electric field in the chamber. Coils are provided to generate a magnetic field in the chamber. The separator further includes a launcher to propagate a high-frequency electromagnetic wave into the chamber to convert the material into a multi-species plasma. With the crossed electric and magnetic fields, low mass ions in the multi-species plasma are placed on small orbit trajectories and exit through the end of the chamber while high mass ions are placed on large orbit trajectories for capture at the wall of the chamber.

Abstract: A material separator includes a chamber and electrode(s) to create a radially oriented electric field in the chamber. Coils are provided to generate a magnetic field in the chamber. The separator further includes a launcher to propagate a high-frequency electromagnetic wave into the chamber to convert the material into a multi-species plasma. With the crossed electric and magnetic fields, low mass ions in the multi-species plasma are placed on small orbit trajectories and exit through the end of the chamber while high mass ions are placed on large orbit trajectories for capture at the wall of the chamber.

Abstract: A band gap mass filter for separating particles of mass (M1) from particles of mass (M2) in a multi-species plasma includes a chamber defining an axis. Coils around the chamber generate an axially aligned magnetic field defined (B=B0+B1 sin &ohgr;t), with an antenna generating the sinusoidal component (B1 sin &ohgr;t) to induce an azimuthal electric field (E&thgr;) in the chamber. The resultant crossed electric and magnetic fields place particles M2 on unconfined orbits for collection inside the chamber, and pass the particles M1 through said chamber for separation from the particles M2.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing selected metal ions from a plasma includes a plasma chamber and at least one silica substrate mounted inside the chamber. More specifically, the substrate is exposed in the chamber so that when metal ions from the plasma contact the substrate they diffuse into the substrate to create a liquified layer. A receptacle is also provided to receive the liquid from the layer as it flows from the substrate.

Abstract: An isotope separator includes a cylindrical chamber having first and second ends, and a length “L.” Inside the chamber, an E×B field is applied to produce plasma rotation. The energy in the plasma rotation is chosen to be much higher than the electron temperature which is clamped by radiation. As the plasma then transits the chamber through the length “L”, the electrons cool the thermal temperature of the isotope ions while maintaining the rotation. Under these conditions, the minority and majority isotopes become substantially separated from each other before they exit the chamber. To achieve this result, E×B is determined using mathematically derived expressions and, in compliance with these parameters, the length “L” of the chamber is determined so that the plasma residence time in the chamber, &tgr;1, will be greater than the cooling time, &tgr;2 (&tgr;1>&tgr;2) necessary to affect isotope separation.

Abstract: A high throughput plasma mass filter includes a substantially cylindrical shaped plasma chamber with structures for generating a magnetic field (B) that is crossed with an electric field (E) in the chamber (E×B). An injector introduces into the chamber a multi-species plasma having ions of different mass to charge ratios. To obtain high throughput (&Ggr;), the initial density of this multi-species plasma is considerably greater than a collisional density wherein there is a probability of “one” that an ion collision will occur within a single rotation of the ion under the influence of E×B. The length of the chamber is chosen to insure heavy ions can make their way to the wall before transiting the device.