PHOTON DRIVE AND PHOTON TURBINE

Abstract

Photon drive and photon turbine When light reflects from a mirror it transfers sometimes more and sometimes less momentum to the mirror when mirror has dielectric in front compared to mirror in vacuum. Bouncing focused light between two mirrors fixed in a chasing where in front of one there is dielectric material and in front of the other there is vacuum, creates a net force difference. The second way to produce the force is through drag which light feels when it travels through dielectric material. This drag continuously transfers part of the light's momentum to the material. Net force from bouncing light between two mirrors can be used for linear propulsion in low friction environments such as outer space. When we redirect the light into a circular motion using coiled up fiber optic cable on the outer rim, than light creates rotating motion that can be used for electricity generation.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A photon drive is a thrust engine for a space vessel, characterized in that a directionally focused freely propagating electromagnetic wave, such as laser light in a visible range, further referred to as light, is bouncing between two fixed mirrors, after it is injected from one or both sides, where in front of only one mirror there is a layer of a transparent dielectric material which can be fluid or solid, while in front of the other mirror is vacuum.

13. The photon drive in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the mirrors are fixed to form a complete system.

14. The photon drive in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that there is dielectric material one whole leg of a journey of light, while other legs are in vacuum and three additional legs are produced using two additional mirrors.

15. The photon drive in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that in front of all mirrors can be vacuum.

16. A photon drive is a thrust engine, characterized in that a directionally focused freely propagating electromagnetic wave, such as laser light in a visible range, further referred to as light, is injected from one or more sources and after that it is propagating inside fiber optic cable or any other dielectric, which coiled up forms elongated loops where one leg consists of material with a different refraction index than another.

17. The photon drive in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that a direction of acceleration can be altered by moving a system that is fixed in a gimbal or completely reversed by switching a direction of light in the system.

18. A photon turbine is an electric generator, characterized in that a directionally focused freely propagating electromagnetic wave, such as laser light in a visible range, further referred to as light, produces a force to drive a rotor by traveling-a whole journey through a transparent dielectric material which is in a form of an optical cable or any other dielectric which is coiled up many times on an outer rim of the rotor.

19. The photon turbine in accordance with claim 18, characterized in that the rotor is in a low friction environment using magnetic levitation, vacuum and low temperature, such as temperature in space, or even in a weightless environment such as an orbit of a planet.

20. The photon turbine in accordance with claim 18, characterized in that energy for production of the light that drives the rotor is suppled using magnetic induction.

21. The photon drive in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that there is dielectric material one whole leg of a journey of light, while other legs are in vacuum and three additional legs are produced using two additional mirrors.

22. The photon drive in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that a direction of acceleration can be altered by moving a system that is fixed in a gimbal or completely reversed by switching a direction of light in the system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] The essence of this invention is to use either increase or decrease of momentum of light to create useful work either by net gain of energy (energy generation) or just useful work with more efficient usage of energy (propulsion system).

[0031] We have the following setup. Two mirrors facing each other. In front of one mirror there is transparent dielectric material. In front of the other there is vacuum therefore the mirror is only highly reflective surface without any protective coating. To make useful work we direct the light through a transparent dielectric material with a mirror on the back, so that light would either transfer more or less momentum than in vacuum. The reflected light would hit the mirror with vacuum in front of it on the other side and repeat the process as many times as technically possible. Mirrors are both fixed in the same casing and in this way it would create a net force in one direction. This is the basis of a propulsion system in outer space where even small force compounds with time.

[0032] Depending on how we create the most efficient differential, we can also use this concept to mount many such setups to the outer edge of a wheel and get a rotating motion that can run the electric generator. This would be possible if solid transparent dielectrics will be efficient. But if we have to use water or other fluid transparent dielectrics, than centrifugal forces will prevent the normal function. Water acts as an absorber and disperser of excess momentum of light. It does this through circulation and releases this excess energy through friction in all directions. This is why fluids will do a good job in a linear propulsion system where there are low accelerations of the whole system, but not in a rotating one which has centrifugal forces.

[0033] The other possible setup utilizes the characteristics of transparent dielectric material to absorb part of the momentum from light. When electromagnetic wave enters transparent dielectric media it starts to interact with the whole media. There is some interaction with the surface and also with the body of media through absorption, but the majority of interactions happen in the media through new force. Electromagnetic wave in a media travels with the speed lower than the speed of light. The wave tries to regain faster speed all the time. Which is clearly visible at the point when the wave exits the media. But since it is obstructed by mass in the media it constantly encounters drag. Through this drag light transfers its momentum to the medium and redirects the momentum of the medium. This is new force. The medium starts to move in the direction of light. The movement of atoms is all in the same direction and therefore it creates useful work if we have solid transparent material. In case the material is fluid than usually the created motion is useless and it is eventually dispersed through vibrating molecules as useless heat in all directions which cancel out the forces. Such setup is still useful in some conditions since it lowers the momentum of light in one direction and thus creating a net force difference as described in one of the above paragraphs.

[0034] The drag transfers very low amounts of momentum. Therefore photons have to be recycled using mirrors to have a noticeable and useful impact. Since each photon makes first and last impact measures have to be taken in order to avoid the crowding of this impacts on any particular side. One possible solution is that photons are injected simultaneously from both sides into the system.

[0035] If one leg of the journey is in transparent dielectric material and the other in vacuum, than we need additional mirrors in order to make the turn. In this case the higher momentum transfer in the material has to outweigh the higher absorption since we have more of the material in the way, and higher absorption due to two additional mirrors. Since there is some force transfer when light exits the denser material and this force is at 90 degrees to the desired net force direction, the use of two equal setups placed so that they mirror each other and that this two 90 degrees forces cancel.

[0036] In case of a rotating turbine there is no need for the vacuum part of the journey of the electromagnetic wave if we have a coiled up transparent dielectric material such as fiber optic cable.

[0037] We can use dielectric material such as fiber optic cable for propulsion also in a way that it is not rolled up in a circle but in an elongated shape and consisting of materials with different refraction indexes. One leg has a higher index than the other. In such a way the photons are bound to the material through the process of internal reflection. We lose the large force transfer from the bounces from mirrors since these forces are now redistributed more evenly through internal drag. We get many internal reflections with undesired force directions in such setup, but their forces cancel each other. With that we gain the possibility of longer use of the same photon which creates a net difference force from the drag inside different materials.

[0038] Many optimizations can be made. Fine tuning of setups is needed in order to have the same behavior all the time and not to have sometimes Abrahams and sometimes Minkowski momentums in the system.

[0039] For Photon Drive the most promising source of electromagnetic waves is laser of wavelengths around visible light. But there can also be other electromagnetic waves such as microwaves. The final setup depends on the reflectiveness of waves on the mirrors and their low absorption into the media they travel through. These two properties must be optimized in order to increase recycling of photons or their longevity. When light transitions between materials we use anti reflective coating. Different polarizations of light can be used to determine optimal solution. With Faraday Effect polarizations can be change many times for the same photon. Incoming angles of light and curvatures of mirrors can also be adjusted. Length of the light pulse must be fine-tuned in order to avoid the crowding of photons that would increase absorption and undesirable switching between different momentums. Refraction of the transparent dielectric media has to be considered. High refraction increases momentum transfer but usually comes at the cost of higher absorption. Low absorption is imperative and so is low mass of the transparent dielectric media. If it is used as linear propulsion than the mass of the engine is very important and efficient recycling is needed.

[0040] In case electromagnetic waves are not visible light, than the term mirror is an object that most efficiently reflects that wave length. Additional emphasis must be put into confinement of photons in the system if we use longer wavelengths. Also setups can be made in different configurations. Either there is one continuous transparent dielectric media or there can be separations.

[0041] To achieve the optimal relationship and therefore highest output, lower temperatures of materials can be applied. This is especially convenient for thrust engine since it operates in space where low temperatures are easily achievable and maintained.

[0042] Even if we do not have a net energy gain and the thrust engine is less efficient than for example and ion thruster of the same gross energy consumption, there is still an advantage. Photon engine does not need to carry any fuel. All the fuel can be transported on the fly as the vessel travels. Using initially placed large mirrors, lenses and lasers to redirect the light through the path that needs to be travelled repeatedly by space crafts. Natural sources of light can also be used.

[0043] Even if the vessel has the source of light only behind it and none in front of it, it can use this source for acceleration and deceleration relative to the source. If the system is fixed to the chassis of the vessel this is achieved by changing the direction of light in propulsion system. Either it enters the dialectic media first and then returns through vacuum or the other way around. Instead of the changed direction of the light we can move the whole system, which is fixed in a gimbal, so that it can move in all three special directions. System is in the same position as spinning wheel is in a gyroscope. Gimbal is equipped with motors that can move the system in desired direction.

[0044] At the end the safety and reliability issues have to be emphasized. Since there is no explosive propellant on board this is incomparably safer than anything we have up to date. And furthermore many small engines can be joined to make the whole engine and each of them is completely independent of all others. It goes without saying that this increases safety and reliability to before unseen levels. And finally there are no moving parts which makes such engine economical on the long run due to low maintenance.

[0045] In Photon Turbine the rotor or the turbine that drives the electric generator must be placed in a low friction regime such as magnetic levitation to counter gravity and in vacuum to eliminate air friction. The energy supplied to the rotor in order to produce photons and the energy harnessed from the rotation must be done using magnetic induction.

[0046] For the turbine we have two general concepts. Either a set of linear photon drives mounted on the outer rim of the rotor that drive the rotor in a circular motion. The second option is the coil of fiber optic cable. Photons in the cable can be recycled or the cable is so long that most of the photons are absorbed before the end of the cable.

[0047] Contrary to the photon drive here the concept is economical only if the energy supplied to the system which is predominantly in form of photons from a laser, is much lower than electrical energy generated by the system.

[0048] The same adjustment and different setups as in photon drive apply also to photon turbine. High internal reflection is important and the incoming angle must be adjusted accordingly if we have a setup with optical cable. There are some other important differences between photon drive and photon turbine. Only solid transparent materials can be used since liquid are subject to centrifugal forces that would not efficiently redistribute the momentum. Turbine should also operate in near vacuum to minimize friction. The mass of the media and the whole system should be minimized in order to additionally reduce friction loses. Even with magnetically levitated turbines there is friction and therefore placing the setup in weightless environment such as an orbit of the planet is also an option. The main goal is to achieve net positive output and if levitation friction prevents this, the orbit is the only option. In order to achieve steadier rotation a more massive setup is beneficial. Therefore, the fiber optic coil can be so long that photons are mostly absorbed before they reach the end since transition from the end to the beginning of the coil means absorption losses. Although the remaining photons at the end can be reinserted at the begging using directional coupler and with that slightly reducing needed input intensity. The final setup must be tested since recycling and therefore shorter fiber optic cable with less overall weight might be more efficient. The size of the rotor and consequently the curvature of the outer ring will strongly influence the retention rate of photons in the system. Prevention of the leaking of photons is mandatory in order to achieve efficient operation. Different densities of the fiber optic cable through its cross section can help to minimize photon losses because photons curve back to the center before they reach the outer surface. Depending on how beneficial are lower temperatures of the system we can adjust how fast the heat exchange with the general environment is facilitated in order to maximize efficiency. Either we will ensure high insulation or add features to stimulate heat transfer.