NUCLEAR FUSION REACTOR, THERMAL DEVICE, EXTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, POWER GENERATING APPARATUS, AND MOVING OBJECT

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to achieve a simple and safe nuclear fusion reactor. The nuclear fusion reactor comprises: a vessel serving as a reactor body; a metallic heating element that contains heavy hydrogen contained in the vessel as a solute; a heavy hydrogen gas contained in the vessel, the heavy hydrogen gas being in an amount that allows 0.005% to 5% of heavy hydrogen to be contained as a solute in the metallic heating element based on the atomic ratio; and a mechanism for irradiating the metallic heating element with an ion beam. Such configuration causes, in the metallic crystal of the metallic heating element, a channeling phenomenon which guides ion beams to interstitial atom nuclei, and an intra-metal nuclear fusion probability increasing phenomenon which is explained based on the binary nucleus model. As a result, a mild nuclear fusion that does not emit gamma rays and neutron rays occurs, and the nuclear energy can be efficiently converted into heat due to the intra-metal nuclear fusion chain reaction.

Claims

1. A nuclear fusion reactor, comprising: a vessel configured to serve as a reactor body; a metallic heating element that contains heavy hydrogen contained in the vessel as a solute; a heavy hydrogen gas contained in the vessel, the heavy hydrogen gas being in an amount that allows 0.005% to 5% of heavy hydrogen to be contained as a solute in the metallic heating element based on the atomic ratio; and an irradiation mechanism configured to irradiate the metallic heating element with an ion beam.

2. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, wherein the metallic heating element contains 0.0005% to 1% lithium as a solute in a portion receiving a supply of the ion beam or in the entire metallic heating element, based on the atomic ratio.

3. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 2, wherein: a portion containing lithium as a solute in the metallic heating element faces the heavy hydrogen gas; and the heavy hydrogen gas contains an ion beam emitting substance.

4. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 2, further comprising a mounting table on which the ion beam emitting substance is mounted, wherein, when the metallic heating element is mounted on the mounting table, the ion beam emitting substance is located so as to be adjacent to the portion containing lithium as a solute.

5. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 2, wherein the lithium primarily contains .sup.6Li.

6. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a metal that is located adjacent to the metallic heating element, the metal containing a substance to be subjected to nuclear transmutation.

7. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a regulating device configured to regulate an amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute in the metallic heating element.

8. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 7, wherein: the metallic heating element is a metal whose equilibrium pressure of heavy hydrogen increases as a temperature increases; and the regulating device is configured to regulate the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute so as to be smaller than an amount of heavy hydrogen that allows the metallic heating element to most actively cause nuclear fusion.

9. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 7, wherein: the metallic heating element is a metal whose equilibrium pressure of heavy hydrogen decreases as a temperature increases; and the regulating device is configured to regulate the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute so as to be greater than an amount of heavy hydrogen that allows the metallic heating element to most actively cause nuclear fusion.

10. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, wherein the metallic heating element has a continuous vent hole formed inside the metallic heating element.

11. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, wherein the heavy hydrogen gas contains a helium gas as a coolant for the metallic heating element.

12. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a device configured to remove helium from the heavy hydrogen gas.

13. A nuclear fusion reactor comprising a plurality of the nuclear fusion reactors according to claim 7 arranged in series along a flowing direction of a single cooling medium.

14. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, in combination with a thermal device, wherein the nuclear fusion reactor is used as a heat source.

15. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, in combination with an external combustion engine, wherein the nuclear fusion reactor is used as a heat source.

16. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, in combination with a power generating apparatus, wherein the nuclear fusion reactor is used as a heat source.

17. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, in combination with a moving object and an internal combustion engine, wherein the combustion engine is used as a motive power source for the moving object, wherein the nuclear fusion reactor is used as a heat source for the combustion engine.

18. The nuclear fusion reactor according to claim 1, in combination with a moving object and a power generating apparatus, wherein the power generating apparatus is used as an electric power source for the moving object, wherein the nuclear fusion reactor is used as a heat source for the power generating apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0081] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a thermo mug (Working Example 1).

[0082] FIG. 2 is a front view of a power generating apparatus (Working Example 2).

[0083] FIG. 3 is a side view of the power generating apparatus (Working Example 2).

[0084] FIG. 4 is a front view of a robot (Working Example 2).

[0085] FIG. 5 is a front view of a once-through boiler (Working Example 3).

[0086] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the once-through boiler (Working Example 3).

[0087] FIG. 7 is a front cross-sectional view of the once-through boiler with a portion thereof shown in an enlarged manner (Working Example 3).

[0088] FIG. 8 is a control system diagram for heavy hydrogen pressure in a nuclear fusion reactor of the once-through boiler (Working Example 3).

[0089] FIG. 9 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus using the once-through boiler (Working Example 3).

[0090] FIG. 10 is a drive system diagram for a ship in which the once-through boiler is installed (Working Example 3).

[0091] FIG. 11 is a front view of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0092] FIG. 12 is a left side view of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0093] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0094] FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an area around an ion beam inlet of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0095] FIG. 15 is a control system diagram for heavy hydrogen pressure in the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0096] FIG. 16 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus using the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (Working Example 4).

[0097] FIG. 17 is a drive system diagram for a ship in which the power generating apparatus using the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is installed (Working Example 4).

[0098] FIG. 18 is a front cross-sectional view of a mixed gas reactor (Working Example 5).

[0099] FIG. 19 is a plan cross-sectional view of the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 5).

[0100] FIG. 20 is a plan view of a metallic heating element in the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 5).

[0101] FIG. 21 is a partially-enlarged cross-sectional view of the metallic heating element in the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 5).

[0102] FIG. 22 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus using the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 5).

[0103] FIG. 23 is a partially-enlarged view of another example of a metallic heating element in the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 6).

[0104] FIG. 24 is a partially-enlarged view of a further example of a metallic heating element in the mixed gas reactor (Working Example 7).

[0105] FIG. 25 is a side view of a power generating apparatus (Working Example 8).

[0106] FIG. 26 is a front cross-sectional view of the power generating apparatus (Working Example 8).

[0107] FIG. 27 is a plan cross-sectional view of a nuclear fuel reactor in the power generating apparatus (Working Example 8).

[0108] FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module in the power generating apparatus (Working Example 8).

[0109] FIG. 29 is a partially-open plan view of the power generating apparatus (Working Example 8).

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0110] Embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiments) will now be described in detail below based on working examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the present embodiments and various modifications may be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

Working Example 1

[0111] FIG. 1 a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a thermal device that uses a nuclear fusion reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention as a heat source. A thermo mug 100, being a thermal device, includes a nuclear fusion reactor 1 mounted on a bottom of a heat insulation mug provided with a heat insulation layer 110. In the nuclear fusion reactor 1, a palladium plate 2 serving as a metallic heating element is attached onto an inner surface of a vessel 4 which is a reactor body provided between an inner container and an outer layer of the thermo mug 100. Such configuration allows the heat to be easily transferred to a warm beverage 130 in the thermo mug 100. The palladium plate 2 contains a trace amount of .sup.6Li as a solute on its lower surface side.

[0112] In the thermo mug 100 having the above configuration, by sealing a mixed gas 3R of heavy hydrogen and a trace amount of radon in the nuclear fusion reactor 1 at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, the nuclear fusion reactor 1 starts generating heat. Thus, if the nuclear fusion reactor 1 has been charged with the mixed gas 3R before shipping, it is desirable that the entire mug 100 be wrapped with a heat insulation material for shipment. Further, since the palladium plate 2 tends to incorporate more heavy hydrogen gas as the temperature decreases, the temperature decrease activates the nuclear fusion chain reaction and causes the amount of generated heat to increase, which makes it possible to keep the warm beverage 130 at a stable temperature. It should be noted that the nuclear fusion reactor 1 is a heat source and can be considered an example of the thermal device on its own.

Working Example 2

[0113] FIGS. 2 and 3 are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing an example of an external combustion engine and a power generating apparatus which use a nuclear fusion reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention as a heat source. The cross-sectional portion in FIG. 3 shows a Z-Z cross-section of FIG. 2 and the cross-sectional portion in FIG. 2 shows a Y-Y cross-section of FIG. 3. A power generating apparatus 60A uses a gamma-type Stirling engine 200 as an external combustion engine provided with a nuclear fusion reactor 1. The power generating apparatus 60A can also be considered an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1 as a heat source.

[0114] In the present working example, the nuclear fusion reactor 1 constitutes a high-temperature chamber of the Stirling engine 200 and has a structure in which the internal volume of the high-temperature chamber is changed by a heat exchange piston 242 moving up and down in a vessel 4. A mixed gas 3C of helium and heavy hydrogen is introduced in the high-temperature chamber as a working gas of the Stirling engine 200. The nuclear fusion reactor 1 of the present working example functions as a mixed gas reactor 600 with a configuration in which the mixed gas 3C supplies heavy hydrogen to and cools a tantalum plate 2, being a metallic heating element, in the nuclear fusion reactor 1. The tantalum plate 2 is resiliently pressed (biased) toward a cover 4C of the vessel 4 via four pieces of uranium glass 20, being an ion beam emitting substance, by four supporting arms 4a provided in an integral manner on portions 4B of the vessel 4. The tantalum plate 2 contains a trace amount of .sup.6Li as a solute on the upper surface side and the uranium glass 20 is manufactured so as to intentionally cause uranium to be segregated by gravity on the lower surface side of the tantalum plate 2. As described above, the vessel 4 corresponds to an example of the high-temperature part and the mixed gas 3C corresponds to an example of the working medium.

[0115] An upper portion and side surfaces of the nuclear fuel reactor 1 are covered with a heat insulation material 202. The heat exchange piston 242 communicates with a low-temperature chamber 222 through a gas passage 201 that is provided below the heat exchange piston 242. The low-temperature chamber 222 is configured such that its volume is changed by a power piston 221, and the low-temperature chamber 222 is cooled by a cooling fin 241.

[0116] A crank holder 250 is further provided in an integral manner with the vessel 4, and a crank shaft 210 supported by the crank holder 250 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2. The power piston 221 and the heat exchange piston 242 are coupled, via a connection rod 233 and a connection rod 243, respectively, to a crank pin 211 attached to the crank shaft 210, and the power piston 221 and the heat exchange piston 242 reciprocate in phases different from each other by 90 degrees. In the state shown in FIG. 3, since the heat exchange piston 242 is located dead center at the top, the volume becomes large on a lower-temperature side, located below the heat exchange piston 242, in the high-temperature chamber. At this time, since the average temperature of the mixed gas 3C, being the working gas, is the lowest and its pressure is also low, the power piston 221 in the state shown in FIG. 2 can move leftward in FIG. 2 with a small force. When the crank shaft 210 rotates by 180 degrees, the heat exchange piston 242 is located dead center at the bottom, the volume becomes large on a higher-temperature side, located above the heat exchange piston 242, in the high-temperature chamber. As a result, since the average temperature of the mixed gas 3C increases and its pressure also increases, the power piston 221 is driven rightward in FIG. 2 with a strong force.

[0117] When the Stirling engine 200 obtains drive power as described above and rotates at about, for example, 200 rpm to 2,000 rpm, the pressure of the mixed gas 3C makes about a threefold change at every rotation. In accordance with such change in the pressure of the mixed gas 3C, the partial pressure of the heavy hydrogen also changes; however, the diffusion rate of heavy hydrogen in the tantalum plate 2 is not rapid enough to follow the change in the pressure of the heavy hydrogen, and thus the concentration of heavy hydrogen in the tantalum plate 2 becomes almost equal to the average partial pressure of heavy hydrogen.

[0118] A pair of taper rings 214 is provided between the crank shaft 210 and a flywheel 215, and the crank shaft 210 and the fly wheel 215 are fixed in an integral manner by tightening a nut 218. A magnet 216 is mounted on the flywheel 215, and a generator 60 provided so as to face the magnet 216 converts the output of the Stirling engine 200 into electric power.

[0119] A short-time output control for the Stirling engine 200 can be achieved by the generator 60 controlling its own revolutions per minute (RPM). The Stirling engine 200 makes no output while it is stopped, and starts to round when the generator 60 becomes a magnet according to the rotation direction of the flywheel 215. If the temperature of the nuclear fusion reactor 1 is stable, the Stirling engine 200 which starts rotation generates an almost constant torque and the power generating apparatus 60A thus generates electric power almost in proportion to the RPM.

[0120] FIG. 4 is a front view of an example of a moving object using the power generating apparatus according to the present invention as an electric power source. A bipedal walking robot 80, being a moving object, includes the power generating apparatus 60A installed in its torso part. A cooling air inlet port 81 is provided at a left flank part of the robot 80 in order to cool a cooling fin 241 of the Stirling engine 200 in the power generating apparatus 60A, and an exhaust port 82 for exhaust heat is provided at a part corresponding to a mouth of the robot 80.

Working Example 3

[0121] FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are a front view, a side cross-sectional view and a front cross-sectional view with a partially enlarged view, respectively, of a once-through boiler that includes a plurality of nuclear fusion reactors according to the present invention, the nuclear fusion reactors being arranged in series. FIG. 6 is an enlarged X-X cross-section of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a W-W cross-section of FIG. 6.

[0122] The once-through boiler 400 includes a nuclear fusion reactor 1A in which five nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e in total are arranged in series. During the operation of the once-through boiler 400, temperatures become higher in the ascending order of the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e, and a heavy hydrogen gas 3 of five different pressures is supplied to the respective nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e. The nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e have respective gas inlets 31a-31e through which the heavy hydrogen gas 3 of different pressures is supplied and respective gas outlets 33a-33e through which a heavy hydrogen gas 3 containing helium gas, being a product of the nuclear fusion reaction, is discharged. The once-through boiler 400 can be considered as corresponding to an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1A with the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e arranged in series as a heat source.

[0123] In the nuclear fusion reactor 1A, a wall 4, extending through the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e, and water pipes 4d are provided in an integral manner, and a water passage 40 having a helical channel is formed in each water pipe 4d. The outer periphery of the water pipe 4d in the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e is covered with a nickel pipe 2 formed in a helical fin shape. The nickel pipe 2 contains a trace amount of lithium, and a vessel 4 serving as a reactor body and an end of the nickel pipe 2 are in contact with each other via a stainless-steel washer 20, as shown in an enlarged diagram in the circle on the upper right part of FIG. 7. The stainless-steel washer 20 is formed by stretching stainless-steel pieces with a uranium alloy of an ion beam emitting substance sandwiched therebetween into a thin washer, and a surface of the stainless-steel washer 20 is coated with CaO so as to prevent deposition. In the once-through boiler 400 having such configuration, when the heavy hydrogen gas 3 is supplied into the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e, the heavy hydrogen is caused to be contained as a solute in the nickel pipe 2, which causes heat to be generated, and water introduced from a water inlet port 41 is heated inside the water passage 40 and the resulting steam is discharged from a steam outlet port 42. As described above, the water passage 40 corresponds to an example of the high-temperature part and the water flowing through the water passage 40 corresponds to an example of the cooling medium and the working medium.

[0124] FIG. 8 is a control system diagram for heavy hydrogen pressure in the nuclear fusion reactor 1A of the once-through boiler 400. The heavy hydrogen gas is supplied from a heavy hydrogen cylinder 30 through a pressure-reducing valve 34, or from a reserve tank 39, to each nuclear fusion reactor 1a-1e. In the present working example, the supply pressure of the heavy hydrogen gas 3 to each of the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e is set higher than the internal pressure of the reserve tank, compressor pumps 36a-36e are provided on the gas inlet 31 sides of the respective nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e, and pressure regulators 35a-35e for regulating the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute are provided on the gas outlet 33 sides of the respective nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e. With such configuration, the pressures of the heavy hydrogen gas 3 to be supplied to the respective nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e can be regulated to levels suitable for the respective temperatures of the nuclear fusion reactors 1a-1e. The heavy hydrogen gas 3 containing helium discharged from the pressure regulators 35a-35e is delivered together by a compressor pump 37 to a heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 where the gas is separated into heavy hydrogen and helium. The heavy hydrogen gas 3 that is transmitted through the heavy hydrogen gas permeable device 38 is returned to the reserve tank 39 and the separated and concentrated helium gas is compressed by a pump 471 so as to be delivered to and stored in a helium gas cylinder 470.

[0125] FIG. 9 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus 60A using the once-through boiler 400. The steam discharged from the steam outlet port 42 passes through a steam conduit 47 and drives a steam turbine 45, and the output of the steam turbine 45 is converted into electric power by a generator 61. The steam that has passed through the steam turbine 45 is introduced into a cooler 48 and liquefied. The resulting water from the cooler 48 is pressurized by a high-pressure pump 49 and re-supplied to the once-through boiler 400 from the water inlet port 41.

[0126] FIG. 10 is a drive system diagram for a ship 90 in which the once-through boiler 400 is installed. The ship 90, being a moving object, gains propulsion by decelerating the drive force of the steam turbine 45 connected to the once-through boiler 400 using a decelerator 91 and rotating a screw 92.

Working Example 4

[0127] FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are a front view, a left side view and a bottom view, respectively, showing a nuclear fusion reactor comprising a plurality of nuclear fusion reactors according to the present invention arranged in series. The cross-sectional portion in FIG. 12 shows a V-V cross-section of FIG. 11, and the cross-sectional portion in FIG. 11 shows a T-T cross-section of FIG. 12. Since a nuclear fusion reactor 1A is bilaterally symmetric in the front view of FIG. 11 and the members denoted with R and the members denoted with L are located at positions symmetric to each other, reference symbols for some members are omitted. For example, a gas inlet 31eR and a conduit 32gL are located at positions symmetric to a gas inlet 31eL and a conduit 32gR, respectively, and these symmetrically-located components are shown so as to overlay one another in the left side view of FIG. 12.

[0128] In the present working example, the nuclear fusion reactor 1A constitutes a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500 and includes 23 nuclear fusion reactors in total. Since nuclear fusion reactors located at higher positions have higher temperatures, heavy hydrogen gases of five different pressures are supplied to four or five nuclear fusion reactors, respectively. For example, a heavy hydrogen gas 3 introduced from gas inlets 31aL, 31aR is supplied to the nuclear fusion reactors 1aL, 1aR, 1b, 1cL and 1cR via conduits 32aL, 32aR, 32bL and 32bR. As a result, the heavy hydrogen gas 3 of a common pressure is supplied to these five nuclear fusion reactors. A heavy hydrogen gas 3 containing helium gas, being a product of the nuclear fusion reaction, is discharged through gas outlets 33aL, 33aR. The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500 can be considered as corresponding to an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1A as a heat source.

[0129] Each nuclear fusion reactor is cooled by gas which is introduced in a compressed state from a gas inlet 521 and flows through a gas passage 50, and the gas which has been heated to a high temperature is discharged from the gas outlet 522. The gas passage 50 of each nuclear fusion reactor is defined by a wall 4, and the passage of the heavy hydrogen gas is provided with a metallic heating element 2 along the wall 4. With such configuration, heat from the metallic heating element is transferred to the gas in the gas passage 50. In the nuclear fusion reactor 1A, since the temperature of the nuclear fusion reactors 1aL, 1aR, 1b, 1cL and 1cR located at the highest area becomes the highest, for example, gold is used as the metallic heating element 2 for these nuclear fusion reactors and, for example, palladium is used for the metallic heating element 2 for the other nuclear fusion reactors. In this way, the gas passage 50 corresponds to an example of the high-temperature part and the gas flowing through the gas passage 50 corresponds to the cooling medium and working medium.

[0130] FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an area around an ion beam inlet 10 in a U-U cross-section of FIG. 11. A single ion beam inlet 10 is provided on a rear side of a vessel 4 of each nuclear fusion reactor. The ion beam inlet 10 and the metallic heating element 2 are isolated from each other by a thin heavy hydrogen diffusion prevention layer 12 and the ion beam inlet 10 is sealed by a cover 14, which prevents heavy hydrogen from the metallic heating element 2 from escaping to the outside. By opening the cover 14 and inserting an ion accelerator into the ion beam inlet 10 to supply ion beams with the interior of the ion beam inlet 10 placed in a vacuum condition, the nuclear fusion reactor can be activated. In this process, ion beams using .sup.2H, .sup.4He and .sup.6Li are preferable in terms of efficiency. Alternatively, a substance emitting a strong ion beam (e.g., .sup.210Po) may be inserted into the ion beam inlet 10 instead of the ion accelerator.

[0131] In addition, a trace amount of lithium may be contained as a solute in the entire metallic heating element 2. In such case, by inserting an easily-handleable ion beam emitting substance, such as .sup.241Am, into the ion beam inlet 10 so as to bring it close to the heavy hydrogen diffusion prevention layer 12, it is possible to activate each nuclear fusion reactor so as to start heat generation.

[0132] FIG. 15 is a control system diagram for heavy hydrogen pressure in the nuclear fusion reactor 1A constituting the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500. The heavy hydrogen gas 3 is supplied from a heavy hydrogen cylinder 30 through a pressure-reducing valve 34, or from a reserve tank 39, to each nuclear fusion reactor. The supply pressure of the heavy hydrogen gas 3 to each of the nuclear fusion reactors which use the metallic heating element 2 made of palladium is lower than the internal pressure of the reserve tank, a pressure regulator 35a-35e for regulating the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute is provided on each gas inlet 31 side, and a compressor pump 36b-36e is provided on each gas outlet 33 side. With such configuration, the pressures of the heavy hydrogen gas 3 to be supplied to the respective nuclear fusion reactors can be regulated to levels suitable for the respective temperatures of the nuclear fusion reactors.

[0133] On the other hand, since the pressure of the heavy hydrogen gas 3 needed for the metallic heating element 2 made of gold is higher than the internal pressure of the reserve tank, the compressor pump 36a is provided on the gas inlet 31 side and the pressure regulator 35a is provided on the gas outlet 33 side so as to appropriately regulate the supply pressure of the heavy hydrogen gas 3. The heavy hydrogen gas 3 containing helium discharged from the pressure regulator 35a and each of the compressor pumps 36b-36e is delivered to a heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 where the gas is separated into heavy hydrogen and helium. The heavy hydrogen gas 3 transmitted through the heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 is returned to the reserve tank 39 and the separated and concentrated helium gas is compressed by a pump 471 so as to be delivered to and stored in a helium gas cylinder 470.

[0134] FIG. 16 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus 60A using the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500. A high-temperature gas discharged from the gas outlet 522 passes through a gas passage 50 and activates a gas turbine 55 and the gas is then introduced into a heat exchanger 58. The gas cooled by the heat exchanger 58 is pressurized by a compressor 56 and returned to the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500 via the gas inlet 521. Water heated by the heat exchanger 58 is turned into steam and, after passing through a steam conduit 47 and activating a steam turbine 45, the steam is introduced into a cooler 48 and liquefied. The resulting water from the cooler 48 is pressurized by the high-pressure pump 49 and supplied again to the heat exchanger 58. The output of the gas turbine 55 and the output of the steam turbine 45 are converted into electric power by their respective generators 60, 61. The power generating apparatus 60A can be considered as corresponding to an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1A as a heat source.

[0135] FIG. 17 is a drive system diagram of a ship 90 in which the power generating apparatus 60A using the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor 500 is installed. The ship 90, being a moving object, gains propulsion by sending electric power from the generators 60, 61 to a controller 94 through power transmission lines 96 and driving an electric motor 93 so as to rotate a screw 92. Excess electric power is stored in a battery 95 so as to be used as power consumed in the ship 90, as well as being used as supplementary electric power for accelerating the ship 90 during travelling.

Working Example 5

[0136] FIGS. 18 and 19 are a front cross-sectional view and a plan cross-sectional view, respectively, of an example of a nuclear fusion reactor according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is an R-R cross-section of FIG. 19 and FIG. 19 is an S-S cross-section of FIG. 18.

[0137] In the present working example, a nuclear fusion reactor 1 constitutes a mixed gas reactor 600 using a mixed gas 3C of heavy hydrogen and helium, and includes a plurality of mounting tables 630 placed within a space defined by a vessel 4, serving as a reactor body, and its cover 4C. Six disc-shaped metallic heating elements 2 are mounted on each mounting table 630 in an easily-removable manner (72 metallic heating elements in total are mounted on 12 mounting tables). A depleted uranium alloy 20, being an ion beam emitting substance, is fixed so as to be adjacent to each metallic heating element 2 on each mounting table 630, the number of depleted uranium alloys 20 being the same as the number of metallic heating elements 2 on each mounting table 630. Although the depleted uranium alloy 20 is shown in a semicircular shape in the drawing, the depleted uranium alloy 20 is actually formed in a thin plate shape with one side thereof being in close contact with the metallic heating element 2. The mixed gas reactor 600 can be considered as corresponding to an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1 as a heat source.

[0138] In the nuclear fusion reactor 1 of the present working example, a low-temperature cooling medium (coolant) gas flowing from a gas inlet 521 is distributed from a low-temperature chamber 610 by distribution ports 611 and introduced into six distribution passages 612, and then sent into gas chambers 520 from 13 nozzles 613 arranged in the vertical direction in the drawing. In the nuclear fusion reactor 1, the direction and position of each nozzle 13 are set so as to prevent the cooling medium gas above and below each metallic heating element 2 from building up and so as to form a clockwise swirling flow in the gas chamber 520, in order to make the temperature of each metallic heating element 2 uniform. For example, in FIG. 18, the nozzles 613 located at the right part of the nuclear fusion reactor 1 are shown with their cooling medium gas ejection ports, and the nozzles 613 located at the left part of the nuclear fusion reactor 1 are shown with the cross-sectional shape of the distribution passage 612. The heated cooling medium gas is introduced into a high-temperature gas chamber 620 from a high-temperature gas discharge port 621 that opens in a cylindrical support located at the center of the mounting table 630 and discharged from the gas outlet 522. In this way, the gas chamber 520 and the high-temperature gas chamber 620 correspond to an example of the high-temperature part and the cooling medium gas corresponds to an example of the working medium.

[0139] FIG. 20 is a plan view showing only the metallic heating element 2 in the mixed gas reactor 600. FIG. 21 is an enlarged view showing a Q-Q cross-section at a portion P in FIG. 20. The metallic heating element 2 of the present working example is made of tantalum containing a trace amount of lithium and formed by sintering spherical particles having a size of about 0.5 mm into a low density. Since such metallic heating element 2 has a lot of pores and has a continuous vent hole 640 formed by continuous pores, the metallic heating element 2 has an advantage in which it can easily discharge helium generated thereinside.

[0140] FIG. 22 is a system diagram of a power generating apparatus 60A using the mixed gas reactor 600. A high-temperature mixed gas 3C discharged from the mixed gas reactor 600 is delivered through a gas passage 50, cooled by a heat exchanger 58 and returned to the mixed gas reactor 600 by a blower 57. Water heated by the heat exchanger 58 is turned into steam and, after passing through a steam conduit 47 and activating a steam turbine 45, the steam is introduced into a cooler 48 and liquefied. The resulting water from the cooler 48 is pressurized by a high-pressure pump 49 and supplied again to the heat exchanger 58. The output of the steam turbine 45 is converted into electric power by a generator 61. The power generating apparatus 60A can be considered as corresponding to an example of the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1 as a heat source.

[0141] In the power generating apparatus 60A of the present working example, the partial pressure of the heavy hydrogen contained in the mixed gas 3C is measured by a heavy hydrogen partial pressure analyzer 51 mounted on the gas passage 50 on the low-temperature side. Based on the measurement result, if the partial pressure of the heavy hydrogen in the mixed gas 3C is insufficient, the amount of heavy hydrogen gas which is supplied from a heavy hydrogen cylinder 30 with its pressure reduced by a pressure-reducing valve 34 is regulated using a mass flow controller 661, being a device for regulating the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute, and the resulting heavy hydrogen gas is compressed by a pump 36 and supplied to the gas passage 50. On the other hand, when the amount of helium generated increases and the pressure of the mixed gas 3C also increases, part of the mixed gas 3C is delivered to a heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 via a constant pressure control valve 650 where the mixed gas 3C is separated into heavy hydrogen and helium. The heavy hydrogen transmitted through the heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 is delivered through a conduit 32, compressed by a pump 36 together with the heavy hydrogen gas from the mass flow controller 661 and returned to the gas passage 50. The helium separated and concentrated in the heavy hydrogen permeable device 38 is compressed by a pump 471 so as to be delivered to and stored in a helium gas cylinder 470.

Working Example 6

[0142] FIG. 23 is a partially-enlarged view of another example of the metallic heating elements 2 in the mixed gas reactor 600, the partially-enlarged view corresponding to the portion P in FIG. 20. Metallic heating elements 2 of the present working example are formed of tantalum wires containing a trace amount of lithium and having a constant length, and the tantalum wires are put together into a planar bundle, compressed and then sintered. In such metallic heating elements 2, gaps between the wires serve, as-is, as linear continuous vent holes 640.

Working Example 7

[0143] FIG. 24 is a partially-enlarged view of a further example of the metallic heating element 2 in the mixed gas reactor 600. A metallic heating element 2 of the present working example has a similar structure to the metallic heating element 2 of Working Example 5 shown in FIG. 21, except that it is formed of spherical tantrum particles with their surfaces plated with a palladium layer of 1.5 m and the palladium layer has a base metal 2b in which substance(s) to be subjected to nuclear transmutation have been embedded. According to the metallic heating element 2 of the present working example, it is possible to melt the base metal 2b after reaction in the mixed gas reactor 600 for several weeks, and to collect a substance which has been subjected to nuclear transmutation and the remaining substance to be subjected to transmutation.

Working Example 8

[0144] FIGS. 25 and 26 are a side view and a front cross-sectional view, respectively, showing another example of a power generating apparatus that uses a nuclear fusion reactor according to the present invention as a heat source. The right side of the alternate long and short dashed lines in FIG. 26 shows an N-N cross-section of FIG. 25, while the left side of the alternate long and short dashed lines shows an N-N2 cross-section of FIG. 25.

[0145] In the present working example, a power generating apparatus 60B is formed by a combination of a nuclear fusion reactor 1 and a thermoelectric module 750. An electric fan 740 is provided on the uppermost part of the power generating apparatus 60B so that the air introduced from an introduction port 745 cools a cooling fin 731 and is then discharged from a discharge port 746 provided on an upper portion 742 of the electric fan 740. A heat insulation vessel 770 is provided on a lower portion of the power generating apparatus 60B so as to surround the nuclear fusion reactor 1. On each of a front surface and a rear surface in an upper portion of a cover 771 of the heat insulation vessel 770, four heat pipes 730 (eight heat pipes in total) are arranged side-by-side, and guide plates 771s are arranged so as to be adjacent the heat pipes 730. Such configuration can cause the air to pass through the cooling fin 731 without detouring therearound. The power generating apparatus 60B can be considered as corresponding to the thermal device from the viewpoint that it uses the nuclear fusion reactor 1 as a heat source. Further, the thermoelectric module 750 corresponds to an example of the thermoelectric conversion unit.

[0146] A heavy hydrogen absorption box 780 containing a heavy hydrogen absorption material 781 is arranged below the heat insulation vessel 770. The nuclear fusion reactor 1 and the heavy hydrogen absorption box 780 are connected to each other by a heavy hydrogen gas conduit 732 and the partial pressure of the heavy hydrogen gas in the nuclear fusion reactor 1 is kept stable with the heavy hydrogen absorption material 781 discharging heavy hydrogen gas upon consumption of heavy hydrogen.

[0147] The thermoelectric module 750 is arranged between the nuclear fusion reactor 1 and the electric fan 740 and mounted on an upper surface of a vessel 4 of the nuclear fusion reactor 1 with an insulating film 760 interposed therebetween. The eight heat pipes 730 are collectively attached to an upper surface of thermoelectric module 750 with an insulating film 760 interposed therebetween. In FIG. 26, the right side of the alternate long and short dashed lines shows a side view of the heat pipe 730 and the left side of the alternate long and short dashed lines shows a cross-sectional view of the heat pipe 730. On the bottom surfaces of the heat pipes 730, a wick 733 formed by crossing and stacking thin metal wires is provided and the wick 733 is immersed in a working fluid. With the provision of such wick 733, even if the apparatus is tilted to some extent, the working fluid will still come into contact with the entire bottom surfaces of the heat pipes 730 and evaporate thereon. Further, when a fan 747 is rotated by a motor 741 of the electric fan 740, the air is introduced from an inlet port 745 and passes through the cooling fin 731, whereby an upper portion of the heat pipe 730 is cooled. The evaporated working fluid is cooled and liquefied at such portion and the liquefied working fluid then adheres to an inner wall 735 of the heat pipe 730, moves along a thread-like portion provided upright from a central portion of the wick 733, and falls down onto the bottom surface of the heat pipe 730.

[0148] FIG. 27 is a plan cross-sectional view showing only a nuclear fuel reactor 1 in the power generating apparatus 60B, which shows an M-M cross-section of FIG. 26. The vessel 4, being a reactor body of the nuclear fusion reactor 1, contains heavy hydrogen gas 3 and a nickel plate 2 is attached, as a metallic heating element, onto an upper surface on the inner side of the vessel 4. Nine pieces of americium 20, being an ion beam emitting substance, are attached onto a lower surface of the nickel plate 2, with the americium 20 being wrapped with gold foil. In addition, the nickel plate 2 contains .sup.6Li as a solute on its lower surface side and, by injecting the heavy hydrogen gas 3 into the nuclear fusion reactor 1, heat generation is started.

[0149] FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module 750 in the power generating apparatus 60B. The thermoelectric module 750 includes eight pairs of p-type thermoelectric elements 751 and n-type thermoelectric elements 752, and each pair of thermoelectric elements is connected in series by conductors 753, 754. Both ends of the connected thermoelectric elements are connected to conductors 755, 756 for extracting the electric power to the outside.

[0150] FIG. 29 is a partially-open plan view of the power generating apparatus 60B. In FIG. 29, the lower side of the alternate long and short dashed lines is depicted so as to be opened such that part of the electric fan 740 is omitted whereas the four heat pipes 730 located below the electric fan 740 are shown. As shown in FIG. 29, the most capacity above the heat pipes 730 is occupied by the cooling fin 731 and the space inside the inner wall 735 is reduced.

[0151] The embodiments and working examples described above are intended to assist in easier understanding of the present invention and they are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. Components and their arrangements, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc. included in the embodiments and working examples are not limited to those described in the embodiments and working examples, and appropriate changes may be made thereto. In addition, some configurations indicated in different embodiments or working examples may be substituted to or combined with each other. Further, the present invention may be expressed as follows.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0152] The present invention can achieve inexpensive nuclear fusion reactors of various sizes, which do not require a plasma magnetic confinement device, which do not emit gamma rays or neutron rays, which are free from exhaustion of resources, unlike the nuclear reactors utilizing conventional nuclear fission, and which are easily-controllable and highly-safe through having low radioactivity. Accordingly, the present invention is widely applicable to various industrial fields related to an energy source, a heat source, a motive power source and an electric power source, as well as apparatuses, systems and methods utilizing the same.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0153] 1, 1a, 1aL, 1aR, 1b, 1c, 1cL, 1cR, 1d, 1e . . . Nuclear fusion reactor (thermal device) [0154] 1A . . . Fusion reactor with multiple fusion reactors arranged in series (thermal device) [0155] 2 . . . Palladium plate, nickel, pipe, nickel plate, tantalum plate (metallic heating element) [0156] 2b . . . Metal having a substance to be subjected to nuclear transmutation embedded therein (base metal) [0157] 3 . . . Heavy hydrogen gas [0158] 3C . . . Mixed gas of helium and heavy hydrogen (working fluid) [0159] 3R . . . Mixed gas of radon and heavy hydrogen [0160] 4 . . . Vessel serving as a reactor body (high-temperature part) [0161] 4a . . . Supporting arm [0162] 4B . . . Portions of the vessel [0163] 4C . . . Cover of the vessel [0164] 4d . . . Water pipe [0165] 10 . . . Ion beam inlet [0166] 12 . . . Heavy hydrogen diffusion prevention layer [0167] 14 . . . Cover [0168] 20 . . . Depleted uranium alloy, stainless-steel washer, uranium glass, americium (ion beam emitting substance) [0169] 30 . . . Heavy hydrogen cylinder [0170] 31, 31aL, 31aR . . . gas inlet [0171] 32 . . . Heavy hydrogen gas conduit [0172] 32aL, 32aR, 32bL, 32bR . . . Conduit [0173] 33, 33a, 33aL, 33aR, 33b, 33c, 33d, 33e . . . Gas outlet [0174] 34 . . . Pressure-reducing valve [0175] 35, 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d, 35e . . . Pressure regulator (device for regulating the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute) [0176] 36 . . . Pump [0177] 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 37 . . . Compressor pump [0178] 38 . . . Heavy hydrogen permeable device [0179] 39 . . . Reserve tank [0180] 40 . . . Water passage (High-temperature part) [0181] 41 . . . Water inlet port [0182] 42 . . . Steam outlet port [0183] 45 . . . Steam turbine [0184] 47 . . . Steam conduit [0185] 48 . . . Cooler [0186] 49 . . . High pressure pump [0187] 50 . . . Gas passage (high-temperature part) [0188] 51 . . . Heavy hydrogen partial pressure analyzer [0189] 55 . . . Gas turbine [0190] 56 . . . Compressor [0191] 57 . . . Blower [0192] 58 . . . Heat exchanger [0193] 60, 61 . . . Generator [0194] 60A, 60B . . . Power generating apparatus (thermal device) [0195] 80 . . . Bipedal walking robot (moving object) [0196] 81 . . . Cooling air inlet port [0197] 82 . . . Exhaust port [0198] 90 . . . Ship (moving object) [0199] 91 . . . Decelerator [0200] 92 . . . Screw [0201] 93 . . . Electric motor [0202] 94 . . . Controller [0203] 95 . . . Battery [0204] 96 . . . Power transmission line [0205] 100 . . . Thermo mug (thermal device) [0206] 110 . . . Heat insulation layer [0207] 130 . . . Warm beverage [0208] 200 . . . Stirling engine [0209] 201 . . . Gas passage [0210] 202 . . . Heat insulation material [0211] 210 . . . Crank shaft [0212] 211 . . . Crank pin [0213] 214 . . . Taper ring [0214] 215 . . . Fly wheel [0215] 216 . . . Magnet [0216] 218 . . . Nut [0217] 221 . . . Power piston [0218] 222 . . . Low-temperature chamber [0219] 233, 243 . . . Connection rod [0220] 241 . . . Cooling fin [0221] 242 . . . Heat exchange piston [0222] 250 . . . Crank holder [0223] 400 . . . Once-through boiler (thermal device) [0224] 470 . . . Helium gas cylinder [0225] 471 . . . Pump [0226] 500 . . . High-temperature gas-cooled reactor (thermal device) [0227] 520 . . . Gas chamber (high-temperature part) [0228] 521 . . . Gas inlet [0229] 522 . . . Gas outlet [0230] 600 . . . Mixed gas reactor (thermal device) [0231] 610 . . . Low temperature chamber [0232] 611 . . . Distribution ports [0233] 612 . . . Distribution passage [0234] 613 . . . Nozzle [0235] 620 . . . High-temperature gas chamber (high-temperature part) [0236] 621 . . . High-temperature gas discharge port [0237] 630 . . . Mounting table [0238] 640 . . . Continuous vent hole [0239] 650 . . . Constant pressure control valve [0240] 661 . . . Mass flow controller (device for regulating the amount of heavy hydrogen contained as a solute) [0241] 730 . . . Heat pipe [0242] 731 . . . Cooling fin [0243] 733 . . . Wick [0244] 735 . . . Inner wall [0245] 740 . . . Electric fan [0246] 741 . . . Motor [0247] 742 . . . Upper portion of the electric fan [0248] 745 . . . Introduction port [0249] 746 . . . Discharge port [0250] 747 . . . Fan [0251] 750 . . . Thermoelectric module (thermoelectric conversion unit) [0252] 751 . . . p-type thermoelectric element [0253] 752 . . . n-type thermoelectric element [0254] 753, 754, 755, 756 . . . Conductor [0255] 760 . . . Insulating film [0256] 770 . . . Heat insulation vessel [0257] 771 . . . Cover [0258] 771s . . . Guide plate [0259] 780 . . . Heavy hydrogen absorption box [0260] 781 . . . Heavy hydrogen absorption material