Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for making uniform pellets for fusion reactors

US4017290A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
4References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 15, 1974
Grant dateApr 12, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 15, 1994

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E30/10
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making uniform pellets for laser driven fusion reactors which comprises selection of a quantity of glass frit which has been accurately classified as to size within a few micrometers and contains an occluded material, such as urea, which gasifies and expands when heated. The sized particles are introduced into an apparatus which includes a heated vertical tube with temperatures ranging from 800.degree. C to 1300.degree. C. The particles are heated during the drop through the tube to molten condition wherein the occluded material gasifies to form hollow microspheres which stabilize in shape and plunge into a collecting liquid at the bottom of the tube. The apparatus includes the vertical heat resistant tube, heaters for the various zones of the tube and means for introducing the frit and collecting the formed microspheres.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.