Shock Wave Heating Of Plasma Or Gas (e.g., Mhd Heating) Patents (Class 376/149)
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Publication number: 20150139378Abstract: A method of producing a localised concentration of energy including providing a pocket of gas in a non-gaseous medium and in contact with a surface. The surface includes a depression shaped so as to at least partially receive the pocket of gas. A static pressure is applied to the non-gaseous medium, with an average value greater than atmospheric pressure such that the pocket of gas collapses to form a transverse jet. The surface depression is arranged to receive the transverse jet impact such that at least some of pocket of gas is trapped between the impacting jet and the surface depression. An apparatus for producing a localised concentration of energy is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Nicholas Hawker, Ronald A. Roy
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Patent number: 8891719Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: General Fusion, Inc.Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
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Publication number: 20130121449Abstract: A method and device to generate electric energy on demand by fusion or transmutation nuclear reactions produced inside a super-capacitor that uses inter-atomic field's particularities obtained inside nano-structures, by using temperature, density and electric fields in order to modify nuclear entanglement and quantum non-localities particularities in order to control nuclear reaction rate of an inserted material, called nuclear fuel, facilitated by the nano-structure nuclear composition, called burner, that controls the non-local nuclear reaction. Fusion or transmutation generated nuclear particles' energy is converted using a super-capacitor made of a micro-nano-hetero structure meta-material that loads from the nuclear energy and discharges by electric current.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2011Publication date: May 16, 2013Inventor: Liviu Popa-Simil
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Publication number: 20130114774Abstract: A method of producing a localised concentration of energy comprises creating at least one shockwave (10) propagating through a non-gaseous medium (8) so as to be incident upon a pocket of gas (2) within the medium (8). The pocket of gas (2) is attached to a surface (6) comprising a depression (4) shaped so as partially to receive the gas pocket (2). An apparatus for producing a localised concentration of energy comprises a non-gaseous medium (8) having therein a pocket of gas (2). The pocket of gas (2) is attached to a surface (6) comprising a depression (4) shaped so as partially to receive the gas pocket (2). The apparatus further comprises means for creating at least one shockwave (10) propagating through the medium (8) so as to be incident upon the pocket of gas (2).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: ISIS INNOVATION LIMITEDInventors: Yiannis Ventikos, Nicholas Hawker
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Patent number: 8096700Abstract: A method and apparatus for regulating the temperature of the cavitation medium for a cavitation chamber is provided. The cavitation medium is pumped through the cavitation chamber through a pair of chamber inlets and an external conduit connecting the two inlets. An external heat exchanger is used to regulate the cavitation medium temperature, the heat exchanger being either directly or indirectly coupled to the conduit. The cavitation medium can be circulated through the heat exchanger during chamber operation or, once the desired cavitation medium temperature is achieved, operation of the circulation system can be suspended. The heat exchanger can be used to lower the temperature of the cavitation medium to a temperature less than the ambient temperature; to withdraw excess heat from the cavitation medium; or to heat the cavitation medium to the desired operating temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2004Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Impulse Devices Inc.Inventor: Ross Alan Tessien
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Publication number: 20110075783Abstract: This invention relates to the generation of a sufficiently high temperature and pressure to ignite a nuclear fusion reaction making fusion economically viable for energy generation. A method to achieve ignition of a nuclear fusion reaction is disclosed. The method uses collision of high-velocity fuel pellets/projectiles that contain nuclear fuel and have tailpieces of high atomic weight. Fusible gas in the pellet is preheated and rapidly compressed by collision impact to heat it to fusion ignition temperature. A major portion of the projectile's kinetic energy is converted during collision impact into thermal energy heating the fusion gas to ignite a fusion reaction. The energy released from the nuclear fusion reaction exceeds the input energy. The excess energy can be harvested for generation of electric power.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2009Publication date: March 31, 2011Inventors: Donald L. McGervey, Gerhard E. Welsch
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Patent number: 7715516Abstract: A method for delivery of a tool into a submerged bore includes controlling the movement of a tool delivery device in the pool by operating at least one propulsion drive located on the tool delivery device. The tool delivery device is coupled to an inlet to the bore and a tool is inserted from the tool delivery device through the inlet and into the bore.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2005Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jarred Smith, Jack Matsumoto, Christopher M Welsh, Trevor J Davis
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Patent number: 7656989Abstract: A plasma antenna generator includes an ionizable material, an explosive charge capable of projecting the ionizable material upon detonation, and a detonator coupled with the explosive charge. An electromagnetic pulse transmitting system includes an electromagnetic pulse generator and a plasma antenna generator capable of reradiating an electromagnetic pulse emitted from the electromagnetic pulse generator. A method includes providing an explosive device comprising an ionizable material, detonating the explosive device to propel the ionizable material, and ionizing the ionizable material to form at least one plasma trail. A sensing system includes an electromagnetic pulse generator, a plasma antenna generator capable of reradiating an electromagnetic pulse emitted from the electromagnetic pulse generator, and a sensing system capable of receiving and analyzing at least a portion of the electromagnetic pulse after being reflected from an interface.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2004Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: James R. Wood, Roger W. Melin, Mark K. Browder, Steve E. Calico
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Patent number: 7486758Abstract: A novel arrangement that combines in a single compact embodiment a plasma flow switch source of ultrahigh speed plasma and an electromagnetically-imploded cylindrical shell. The shell, known as a liner, forms the wall of a cavity that receives and stagnates the plasma flow. The plasma and the liner are connected electrically in series so that a single multi-megampere current serves both elements and operates from the same power source and switch. The operation is timed so that the plasma is injected into the cavity once the liner has attained sufficient implosion speed. The liner then continues to implode, reducing the cavity volume and compressing the plasma further to very high temperatures and densities, thereby creating a compact, intense pulsed neutron source generated by thermonuclear reactions in the compressed plasma. Such a neutron source has application for neutralizing bio/chemical warfare agents, radiography, and material processing.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2006Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventor: Peter J. Turchi
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Patent number: 6477216Abstract: A compound plasma configuration can be formed from a device having pins, and an annular electrode surrounding the pins. A cylindrical conductor is electrically connected to, and coaxial with, the annular electrode, and a helical conductor coaxial with the cylindrical conductor. The helical conductor is composed of wires, each wire electrically connected to each pin. The annular electrode and the pins are disposed in the same direction away from the interior of the conducting cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 1999Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Inventor: Paul M. Koloc
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Patent number: 5968323Abstract: A method of concentrating energy to produce large velocity, high pressure and/or high temperature conditions, including the steps of forming a resonant cavity inside a container; filling the resonant cavity with a liquid having a compressibility that is smaller than that of water at room temperature; coupling energy into the resonant cavity at a frequency which drives the resonant cavity at or near a resonant mode thereby creating one or more velocity nodes in the resonant cavity; and capturing a quantity of material or mixture of material in the resonant cavity at one of the velocity nodes.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 1997Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Inventor: Irwin A. Pless
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Patent number: 5659173Abstract: Sonoluminescence is an off-equilibrium phenomenon in which the energy of a resonant sound wave in a liquid is highly concentrated so as to generate flashes of light. The conversion of sound to light represents an energy amplification of eleven orders of magnitude. The flashes which occur once per cycle of the audible or ultrasonic sound fields can be comprised of over one million photons and last for less 100 picoseconds. The emission displays a clocklike synchronicity; the jitter in time between consecutive flashes is less than fifty picoseconds. The emission is blue to the eye and has a broadband spectrum increasing from 700 nanometers to 200 nanometers. The peak power is about 100 milliWatts. The initial stage of the energy focusing is effected by the nonlinear oscillations of a gas bubble trapped in the liquid. For sufficiently high drive pressures an imploding shock wave is launched into the gas by the collapsing bubble.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1994Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Seth J. Putterman, Bradley Paul Barber, Robert Anthony Hiller, Ritva Maire Johanna Lofstedt
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Patent number: 4333796Abstract: Two different cavitation fusion reactors (CFR's) are disclosed. Each comprises a chamber containing a liquid (host) metal such as lithium or an alloy thereof. Acoustical horns in the chamber walls operate to vary the ambient pressure in the liquid metal, creating therein small bubbles which are caused to grow to maximum sizes and then collapse violently in two steps. In the first stage the bubble contents remain at the temperature of the host liquid, but in the second stage the increasing speed of collapse causes an adiabatic compression of the bubble contents, and of the thin shell of liquid surrounding the bubble. Application of a positive pressure on the bubble accelerates this adiabatic stage, and causes the bubble to contract to smaller radius, thus increasing maximum temperatures and pressures reached within the bubble. At or near its minimum radius the bubble generates a very intense shock wave, creating high pressures and temperatures in the host liquid.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1978Date of Patent: June 8, 1982Inventor: Hugh G. Flynn