WO1990015416A1

WO1990015416A1 - Production of thermal energy

Info

Publication number: WO1990015416A1
Application number: PCT/GB1990/000864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barrie Cyril Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-06-03
Filing date: 1990-06-04
Publication date: 1990-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-03
Also published as: AU5678590A; GB8912834D0

Abstract

The invention concerns means for producing thermal energy in an electrolyte cell (8) containing electrodes (10, 12) immersed in an electrolyte (14). The electrolyte (14) contains a higher isotope of a low atomic weight atom. Electric current is passed through the electrodes and magnetic influence (16) is applied to the electrolyte or one or each electrode.

Description

Title: Production of thermal energy

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to the production of thermal energy.

It is believed that thermal energy can be produced by nuclear fusion at ambient temperatures. When an electric current is passed through palladium or titanium electrodes immersed in an electrolytic solution of various metal salts in deuterated or tritiated water ranging from 100% D 0 or T₂0 or a mixture of the two compounds in any ratio down to the levels found in pure water containing natural levels of deuterium and tritium, a small but significant flux of neutrons is- detected. Fusion of deuteronε either at the surface or within the metal lattice of the electrode may be the explanation. The reaction is accompanied by thermal energy production which can in turn be used as a source of heat or converted into mechanical or electrical energy. An object of the present invention is to control the rate of producing the thermal energy so that it can be harnessed in sufficient quantity to do useful work as thermal, electrical or mechanical energy.

According to the present invention there is provided means for producing thermal energy comprising passing an electric current through electrodes immersed in a solid, liquid or gaseous electrolyte containing a higher isotope of a low atomic weight atom and applying a magnetic influence to the electrolyte or one or each electrode.

The preferred electrolyte contains deuterium as heavy water although other atoms such as tritium or lithium may be included. The cathode is preferably of palladium or titanium, although electrodes of other rare earth metals or iron, cobalt or nickel may also be suitable. The latter, in fact, being ferromagnetic already exert a magnetic influence on the electrolyte and at the surface of the electrode. Magnetic influence on the electrolyte is used principally to distort electrically charged species forming during the electrolysis process at the anode or cathode to control the rate of fusion of charged atoms. Not only ferromagnetiε or induced magnetism may be used but various forms of electromagnetic radiation may be used but various forms of electromagnetic radiation may be used to achieve that, including electric current waves, radio waves, microwaves, infra-red waves, visible and ultra violet light, and X-rays and gamma rays in a point source or laser or tαaser like fashion. The thermal energy produced is used as a heat source in its own right or as the driving force in an energy conversion process such as a steam or heat engine or other conversion device using principles applied in thermionic or thermoelectric devices. Thus the invention provides both a method and apparatus for the controlled production of thermal energy by nuclear fusion.

It is believed that the nuclear fusion concerned herein occurs by combination of say deuterium as D⁺ either at the surface or in the lattice of the cathode to produce He with the accompanying release of nuclear binding energy. At the surface of the cathode during electrolysis the deuterium ion D⁺ forms prior to the possible cathodic reaction. ²D⁺ + ²D⁺ -> -^He^{2 "} + n + Energy ³He²⁺ + 2e ^" -> ^e

D ⁺ in the presence of an induced or permanent magnetic field becomes a dipole which allows opposite ends of adjacent dipoles of the species D⁺ to attract each other to the point where short range nuclear binding forces overcome the tendency of atoms to repel one another and fusion takes place to produce helium nuclei possibly giving off neutrons and with thermal energy production. The invention will now be further described, by way of an example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows schematically a first electrolytic cell according to the invention; and

Figure 2 shows schematically a second electrolytic cell according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, in a cell 8 at ambient temperature and pressure (between 273 degrees & 373 degrees , 1 atmosphere) electric current is passed through electrodes 10, 12 immersed in an electrolyte 14 comprising a polar solvent and containing heavy water (deuterium oxide) and metal salts, such as ferrous sulphate, nickel chloride, palladium chloride, calcium carbonate, lithium sulphate, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, CaH. (P0.)„ .H₂0, TiOS0₄ H₂0.8H₂ 0 and AuCN. The pH of the electrolyte is adjusted to about 3. Magnetic influence 16 is applied to the electrolyte particularly in the region of the cathode 12. At the cathode deuterium nuclei fuse to produce helium nuclei with the production of thermal energy. The energy thus produced may be converted to useful work by any of the methods mentioned earlier, the preferred method being the heat engine (Sterling Engine). Turning to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, a cell 108 comprises an anode chamber 110 and a cathode chamber 112 connected by a passage 114. At ambient temperature and pressure (between 273 degrees & 373 degrees K, 1 atmosphere) electric current is passed through electrodes 100, 120 immersed in an electrolyte 140 comprising a polar solvent and containing heavy water (deuterium oxide) and metal salts, such as ferrous sulphate, nickel chloride, palladium chloride, calcium carbonate, lithium sulphate, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, CaH (Pθ4)2 .H ₂0, TiOSO H ₂0.8H ₂0 and AuCN. The pH of the electrolyte is adjusted to about 3. Magnetic influence 160 is applied to the electrolyte in the cathode chamber 112.

As with the embodiment of Figure 1, at the cathode deuterium nuclei fuse to produce helium nuclei with the production of thermal energy. The energy thus produced may be converted to useful work by any of the methods mentioned earlier, the preferred method being the heat engine (Sterling Engine) .

Claims

1. A method for producing thermal energy comprising passing an electric current through electrodes immersed in a solid, liquid or gaseous electrolyte containing a higher isotope of a low atomic weight atom and applying a magnetic influence to the electrolyte or one or each electrode.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains deuterium as heavy water.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrolyte contains tritium or lithium atoms.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the electrode is of a rare earth metal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrode is of palladium or titanium.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the electrode is of iron, cobalt or nickel.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein magnetic influence applied is ferromagnetic.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein magnetic influence applied is induced magnetism.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein magnetic influence applied is electromagnetic.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic influence is provided by electric current waves, radio waves, microwaves, infra-red waves, visible or ultra violet light, X-rays or gamma rays.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein electromagnetic influence is applied in a point source, laser or maser like fashion.

12. Apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a cell containing solid liquid or gaseous electrolyte containing a higher isotope of a low atomic weight atom, electrodes, means for passing electric current through the electrodes and means for applying magnetic influence to electrolyte or one or each electrode.

13. A method for producing thermal energy as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

14. Apparatus for producing thermal energy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.