Ares
24th May 2011, 10:20 AM
<img src="http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2011/05/22/9501831_Ferreiras_Fast_Fusion_Frigate/Ferreira_fusion_reactor_cl_300.jpg"/>
Moacir L. Ferreira Jr. has published a concept for a novel fusion reactor, and a method of using its output for space propulsion. Fusion power combined with an exotic electromagnetic propulsion system could open up the solar system to humanity.
The high tech realms presented in science fiction have offered generations a glimpse at an exciting future era. Television programs such as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Babylon 5 have inspired many to dream of a day when all the obstacles of interstellar space travel have been overcome. Concepts such as warp drives, jump gates, wormholes, slipstreams, and other methods of fast space propulsion inspire real world scientists to figure out how to turn science fiction into science fact. Moacir L. Ferreira is an inventor who has proposed two technologies that could potentially make scifi-like space travel possible. His first technology is the "Crossfire Fusion Reactor" and his second is an electromagnetic propulsion technology.
Ferreira's "Crossfire Fusion Reactor" is described in detail at his website. In a nutshell, his fusion reactor concept utilizes any of a number of light atomic elements as fuel including hydrogen, deuterium, tritium helium, lithium, beryllium, and boron. If certain isotopes such as Boron and Helium-3 are used as fuel, almost no neutron radiation would be produced by the device. Fuels such as these are called aneutronic fuels. Multiple superconducting magnets would guide ionized particles of fuel into certain regions. The pulsing of the magnets would produce magnetic and electric fields that would add more and more energy to the ionized fuel particles. Eventually, a plasma pinch effect would be produced, and nuclear fusion would be achieved.
Here is a more complete explanation of the effect from Ferreira's website. In addition, you can take a look at the patent application for the fusion reactor.
The CrossFire Fusion Approach
Nuclear Fusion Reactor - Core A group of superconducting magnets are set up to form a magnetic cusp region where an electric voltage is applied, and at distal ends of the magnets an opposite electric voltage is applied. A fuel is ionized by exchanging electrons with a ground electric potential becoming charged particles, which fall down to the magnetic cusp region reaching great kinetic energy of about 600keV (7 billion °C) at low energy consumption. The injection of charged particles is done around the entire region of the magnetic cusps to perform a three-dimensional injection. Inside the magnets, the charged particles move longitudinally describing a circular and helical orbit around the magnetic field lines keeping away from the magnet walls. The magnet walls are coated with a metal alloy like tungsten or depleted uranium for reflecting electromagnetic radiation (bremsstrahlung), mostly in X-ray range, back to plasma. At the region of the magnetic cusps, the magnetic field lines are curved, forcing the charged particles to describe a more elliptical and eccentric orbit, increasing electrostatic pressure at the region of the magnetic cusps making it very hard for the charged particles to escape this region (magnetic mirror). A continuous injection by an ion injection belt of charged particles makes this even more difficult. The magnetic fields act as a magnetic lens focusing (converging) the charged particles, and the electric fields, at distal ends of the magnets, act as an electrostatic lens focusing (converging) the particles as they approach while defocusing (diverging) them as they move back. Nuclear Fusion Reactor - Superconducting Magnet Pulses on electrical currents of the magnets result in oscillations on the magnetic flux, transferring energy radially to plasma (pinch effect), which increases the fusion rate. When a nuclear fusion reaction occurs, the charged products of the reaction escape longitudinally, overcoming the electric field and they can then be deflected by magnetic and electric fields. For the nuclear fusion reactions to produce only charged products, and no neutrons, the fusion fuel must be aneutronic like Boron Hydrides, Helium-3 or Lithium Hydride. Aneutronic fuels release millions of times more energy than the fossil fuels, and the product of fusion reaction generally is the non-radioactive waste Helium-4.
In addition to producing very little neutron radiation, this fusion technology would have other advantages. For example, it would emit charged ions that could be converted into electricity very efficiently. There would be a direct conversion of the charged ions into electricity, and no need to produce steam to power a turbine generator. One reactor could potentially produce 200 megawatts of electrical power. The electricity could then be used to power a city or a space craft. Also, boron is a common element on the Earth, so fuel should not be expensive.
Check out the following video that explains more about the concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTMByWXphQ
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/656/607/Ferreiras_Fast_Fusion_Frigate.html
Moacir L. Ferreira Jr. has published a concept for a novel fusion reactor, and a method of using its output for space propulsion. Fusion power combined with an exotic electromagnetic propulsion system could open up the solar system to humanity.
The high tech realms presented in science fiction have offered generations a glimpse at an exciting future era. Television programs such as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Babylon 5 have inspired many to dream of a day when all the obstacles of interstellar space travel have been overcome. Concepts such as warp drives, jump gates, wormholes, slipstreams, and other methods of fast space propulsion inspire real world scientists to figure out how to turn science fiction into science fact. Moacir L. Ferreira is an inventor who has proposed two technologies that could potentially make scifi-like space travel possible. His first technology is the "Crossfire Fusion Reactor" and his second is an electromagnetic propulsion technology.
Ferreira's "Crossfire Fusion Reactor" is described in detail at his website. In a nutshell, his fusion reactor concept utilizes any of a number of light atomic elements as fuel including hydrogen, deuterium, tritium helium, lithium, beryllium, and boron. If certain isotopes such as Boron and Helium-3 are used as fuel, almost no neutron radiation would be produced by the device. Fuels such as these are called aneutronic fuels. Multiple superconducting magnets would guide ionized particles of fuel into certain regions. The pulsing of the magnets would produce magnetic and electric fields that would add more and more energy to the ionized fuel particles. Eventually, a plasma pinch effect would be produced, and nuclear fusion would be achieved.
Here is a more complete explanation of the effect from Ferreira's website. In addition, you can take a look at the patent application for the fusion reactor.
The CrossFire Fusion Approach
Nuclear Fusion Reactor - Core A group of superconducting magnets are set up to form a magnetic cusp region where an electric voltage is applied, and at distal ends of the magnets an opposite electric voltage is applied. A fuel is ionized by exchanging electrons with a ground electric potential becoming charged particles, which fall down to the magnetic cusp region reaching great kinetic energy of about 600keV (7 billion °C) at low energy consumption. The injection of charged particles is done around the entire region of the magnetic cusps to perform a three-dimensional injection. Inside the magnets, the charged particles move longitudinally describing a circular and helical orbit around the magnetic field lines keeping away from the magnet walls. The magnet walls are coated with a metal alloy like tungsten or depleted uranium for reflecting electromagnetic radiation (bremsstrahlung), mostly in X-ray range, back to plasma. At the region of the magnetic cusps, the magnetic field lines are curved, forcing the charged particles to describe a more elliptical and eccentric orbit, increasing electrostatic pressure at the region of the magnetic cusps making it very hard for the charged particles to escape this region (magnetic mirror). A continuous injection by an ion injection belt of charged particles makes this even more difficult. The magnetic fields act as a magnetic lens focusing (converging) the charged particles, and the electric fields, at distal ends of the magnets, act as an electrostatic lens focusing (converging) the particles as they approach while defocusing (diverging) them as they move back. Nuclear Fusion Reactor - Superconducting Magnet Pulses on electrical currents of the magnets result in oscillations on the magnetic flux, transferring energy radially to plasma (pinch effect), which increases the fusion rate. When a nuclear fusion reaction occurs, the charged products of the reaction escape longitudinally, overcoming the electric field and they can then be deflected by magnetic and electric fields. For the nuclear fusion reactions to produce only charged products, and no neutrons, the fusion fuel must be aneutronic like Boron Hydrides, Helium-3 or Lithium Hydride. Aneutronic fuels release millions of times more energy than the fossil fuels, and the product of fusion reaction generally is the non-radioactive waste Helium-4.
In addition to producing very little neutron radiation, this fusion technology would have other advantages. For example, it would emit charged ions that could be converted into electricity very efficiently. There would be a direct conversion of the charged ions into electricity, and no need to produce steam to power a turbine generator. One reactor could potentially produce 200 megawatts of electrical power. The electricity could then be used to power a city or a space craft. Also, boron is a common element on the Earth, so fuel should not be expensive.
Check out the following video that explains more about the concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTMByWXphQ
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/656/607/Ferreiras_Fast_Fusion_Frigate.html