A novel fusion reactor with chain reactions for proton–boron11. (20th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eliezer, Shalom; Martinez-Val, Jose M.
• Is Part Of: Laser and particle beams. Volume 38:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 44
• Publication Date: 2020-03-20
• Subjects: Confinement, -- electro-magnetic fields, -- high power laser, -- proton–boron11 fusion, -- shock waves; Laser beams -- Periodicals; Particle beams -- Periodicals; 535.5
• DOI: 10.1017/S0263034619000818
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0263-0346

Abstract

Abstract: Using a combination of laser–plasma interactions and magnetic confinement configurations, a conceptual fusion reactor is proposed in this paper. Our reactor consists of the following: (1) A background plasma of boron11 and hydrogen ions, plus electrons, is generated and kept for a certain time, with densities of the order of a mg/cm 3 and temperatures of tens of eV. Both the radiation level and the plasma thermal pressure are thus very low. (2) A plasma channel is induced in a solid target by irradiation with a high power laser that creates a very intense shock wave. This mechanism conveys the acceleration of protons in the laser direction. The mechanisms must be tuned for the protons to reach a kinetic energy of 300–1200 keV where the pB11 fusion cross section is significantly large (note that this value is not a temperature). (3) Those ultra-fast protons enter the background plasma and collide with boron11 to produce three alphas. Fusion born alphas collide with protons of the plasma and accelerate them causing a chain reaction. (4) A combination of an induction current and a magnetic bottle keeps the chain reaction process going on, for a pulse long enough to get a high energy gain. (5) Materials for the background plasma and the laser target must be replaced for starting a new chain reaction cycle.