Reducing the coulombic barrier to interacting reactants

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, devices, and systems for producing and controlling and fusion activities of nuclei. Hydrogen atoms or other neutral species (neutrals) are induced to rotational motion in a confinement region as a result of ion-neutral coupling, in which ions are driven by electric and magnetic fields. The controlled fusion activities cover a spectrum of reactions including aneutronic reactions such as proton-boron-11 fusion reactions.

1 . A method of operating a reactor comprising:
 generating an electric field and an electrical current in a confinement region of the reactor between at least two of a plurality of electrodes by applying, with a control system an electric potential between the at least two electrodes, wherein:
 the reactor includes the plurality of electrodes, a substantially cylindrical confining wall that has a longitudinal axis and at least partially encloses the confinement region, a second reactant, and an inlet to the confinement region for permitting introduction of a fluid to the confinement region, the fluid containing a first reactant; 
 the plurality of electrodes are adjacent or proximate to the confinement region; 
 the electrical current generates, from the first reactant, an ionized plasma of ions and neutrals: 
 the control system includes one or both of a voltage and current source and is configured to apply the electric potential between the at least two of the plurality of electrodes 
 the electric field, alone or in conjunction with a magnetic field, induces and/or maintains azimuthal rotation of the ions in the confinement region around the longitudinal axis, the azimuthal rotation of the ions configured to: (i) impart azimuthal rotation to neutrals of the first reactant, and (ii) promote repeated collisions between one or both of the ions and the neutrals with the second reactant; and during operation of the reactor:
 an electron-rich region proximate to the second reactant has an excess of electrons over positively charged particles of at least about 10 6 /cm 3 ; and 
 the repeated collisions produce an interaction with the second reactant that produces a product having a nuclear mass that is different from a nuclear mass of any of the first reactant and the second reactant. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are azimuthally distributed about the confinement region, and wherein the control system is configured to induce rotational movement of charged particles and the neutrals in the confinement region by applying time-varying voltages to the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric field in the confinement region acts in conjunction with the magnetic field to induce and/or maintain the azimuthal rotation of the charged particles and the neutrals in the confinement region. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, a ratio of electrons to positive ions within the electron-rich region is between about 10 6 :1 and 10 8 :1. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, the electron-rich region has an electric field strength of at least about 10 6  V/m. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, the neutrals in the electron-rich region have an energy of, on average, of between about 0.1 eV and 2 eV. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, electrons in the electron-rich region have a density of about 10 10  cm −3  to about 10 23  cm −3 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, the electron-rich region extends from the second reactant into the confinement region by a distance of between about 50 nanometers and about 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, the neutrals in the confinement region proximate the second reactant have a concentration of at least about 10 16 /cm 3 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during operation of the reactor, the neutrals in the confinement region proximate the second reactant have a concentration of about 10 16  cm −3  to about 10 18  cm 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor further comprises an electron emitter disposed in or adjacent to the confinement region such that, during operation, the electron emitter generates electrons in the confinement region. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling electron generation in the confinement region. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the electron generation in the confinement region comprises applying a current to a filament in thermal communication with the electron emitter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising monitoring the temperature of the electron emitter, and wherein the current applied to the filament is based on the monitored temperature of the electron emitter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the electron generation in the confinement region comprises moving the electron emitter into or out of the confinement region. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising monitoring the temperature of the electron emitter, and wherein the moving the electron emitter into or out of the confinement region is based on the monitored temperature of the electron emitter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the electron generation in the confinement region comprises controlling emissions of a laser configured to emit a beam of light through the confinement region and onto the electron emitter or the confining wall. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising monitoring the temperature of the electron emitter, and wherein controlling the emissions of the laser is controlled based on the monitored temperature of the electron emitter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electron emitter is attached to or embedded in the confining wall. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electron emitter comprises boron or a boron-containing material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactant comprises boron-11. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interaction is a fusion reaction. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fusion reaction is aneutronic. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fusion reaction occurs in the electron-rich region at a rate that is about 10 17  to about 10 22  fusion reactions per second per cubic centimeter. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neutrals comprise neutral hydrogen, deuterium, and/or tritium. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)