A fuel for nuclear fusion where the fusion fuel is compressible for producing fusion with lasers (22) or other means. The fusion fuel comprises a catalytic material mixed with a deuteride of an alkaline earth metal or alkali metal. The catalytic material may comprise a mixture or a compound containing red phosphorus, and a transition metal from Period 4 or Period 5 of the Periodic table. The fusion fuel is cheap and easy to manufacture, and the technology for compression is already available. There is a realistic prospect of commercially producing nuclear fusion energy.

A method for generating heat reactions between hydrogen isotopes and a metal catalyst includes placing at least one fuel source within a reactor. The reactor includes an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode is a metallic vessel, wherein the at least one fuel source comprises a metal substrate thermally sprayed with a metal catalyst, and wherein the at least one fuel source is in thermal and electrical contact with the reactor. The method includes sealing the reactor to produce a vacuum within the reactor. The method includes adding hydrogen to the reactor and adding deuterium to the reactor. The method includes supplying a current to the reactor from a DC power supply.

A method is provided for heating or lighting a designated local area of a planet, moon or other space body in the presence of an ambient flux of cosmic rays by employing either or both muon-catalyzed or particle-target fusion of deuterium-containing fuel material. A series of packages of the fuel are directed to a location that is a specified distance from the local area to be heated or illuminated, for example at a specified altitude above that local area. The fuel material is then released, e.g. chemical explosive, to form a localized cloud that is exposed to and interacts with the ambient flux of cosmic rays and with muons generated from the cosmic rays. The resulting nuclear micro-fusion produces energetic reaction products together with usable heat and light radiating from the localized cloud of material.

Some embodiments include systems to generate transient, elevated effective mass electron quasiparticles for transmuting radioactive fission products. Other embodiments of related systems and methods also are disclosed.

A turbine generator for producing electricity is described for use on planets and moons, or corresponding planetary or lunar orbits, where magnetic fields and atmospheres are sufficient low to obtain an adequate ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons for useful micro-fusion. A source of deuterium-containing micro-fusion particle fuel material is supplied via a flue to a columnar reaction volume, where it is dispersed and interacts with incoming cosmic rays and muons. Nuclear micro-fusion products (energetic alpha particles) drive a set of helium-wind turbines arranged around the reaction volume. Electrical generators coupled to the turbines generate electricity to supply nearby habitats and equipment.

In various units, a coating of chips or pellets comprising a deuterium-containing micro-fusion fuel material produce energetic reaction products and/or EM radiation in the presence of an ambient flux of cosmic rays and muons generated from the cosmic rays. The chips may contain solid Li.sup.6D or encapsulate liquid or frozen D.sub.2O. Micro-fusion reactions proceed via muon-catalyzed fusion, particle-target fusion, or both. These may produce usable heat for a space heater to heat surrounding spaces directly or communicate via circulating fluid with a heat exchanger located for more remote heating of spaces away from the generator. EM radiation can be converted to electricity, either directly or via heating of a circulating liquid and thermoelectric conversion. Mechanical work may also be performed by the energetic reaction products, wherein a coated panel mounted on a transport vehicle may serve as a propulsion unit, the energetic reaction products directly providing horizontal thrust or providing electricity via heating (as before) to drive the vehicle. Other mechanical devices include paddle wheels coated with the chips to generate rotary motion, and levers coated on one lever arm to produce a beneficial force at the other lever arm.

A power generation system comprises: a muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion device configured to undergo muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion; and a nuclear-reactor power generation device configured such that a nuclear fuel therein is irradiated with neutrons generated as a result of muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion in the muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion device, thereby to carry out power generation, wherein a pressurized-water nuclear reaction vessel in the nuclear-reactor power generation device is arranged so as to surround a nuclear fusion reactor core in which muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion occurs via a structural partition separating the muon-catalyzed nuclear fusion device from the nuclear-reactor power generation device.

A power generator is described that provides at least one of electrical and thermal power comprising (i) at least one reaction cell for reactions involving atomic hydrogen products identifiable by unique analytical and spectroscopic signatures, (ii) a molten metal injection system comprising at least one pump such as an electromagnetic pump that provides a molten metal stream to the reaction cell and at least one reservoir that receives the molten metal stream, and (iii) an ignition system comprising an electrical power source that provides low-voltage, high-current electrical energy to the at least one steam of molten metal to ignite a plasma to initiate rapid kinetics of the reaction and an energy gain. In some embodiments, the power generator may comprise: (v) a source of H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 supplied to the plasma, (vi) a molten metal recovery system, and (vii) a power converter capable of (a) converting the high-power light output from a blackbody radiator of the cell into electricity using concentrator thermophotovoltaic cells with plasma light recycling or (b) converting the energetic plasma into electricity using a magnetohydrodynamic converter.

By preparing, enclosing in a container, and stimulating a liquid solution (light and/or heavy water forming the solvent, a silicate with Group I ionic metal, and a organometallic molecule having a siliceous ring or cage to which the Group I ions may enter as a guest, as first and second solutes), and applying electrical and photonic stimuli between conductive electrodes immersed in the solution maintained at or near the solution's boiling point, desired exothermic reactions can be induced. Preferably the first solute is soluble polyhedral silsesquioxane (POSS) that serves as a host to lithium ions in the solution, thereby forming a lithium silicate, which is necessary to the reaction and, after the solution is heated to within 5 C. of the solution's current boiling point, a pressure release may be affected.

Energy is generated from pulsed electric power sources applied to a gas medium that includes hydrogen. A sealed reactor chamber contains hydrogen. A plasma power supply, such as a DC, AC, or RF power supply, generates a plasma inside the chamber. The pulse energy generator systems use pulsed electric power for the conversion of molecular hydrogen into atomic hydrogen. An inner surface of the reactor chamber is coated with a catalyst to facilitate the reformation of molecular hydrogen from atomic hydrogen under conditions that release excess energy. The catalyst may include tungsten, nickel, titanium, platinum, palladium, and mixtures thereof. A plasma pulse controller connected to the plasma power supply turns the power supply on and off to generate plasma pulses inside the reactor chamber. A pulse time duration may range from 1 nanosecond to 1 millisecond and a dead time between pulses may range from 20 milliseconds to 0.3 seconds.