Fuel pellets for thermonuclear reactions
US6418177B1 · kind B1 · utility
11Cited by
10References
1Claims
0Family size
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 26, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 26, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/10
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Fuel pellets for use as targets in a device employing thermonuclear fusion by inertial confinement (Laser fusion) are manufactured from high polymer hydrocarbons in which bound hydrogen has been replaced with tritium. The required polymer is prepared by polymerizing monomer(s) which contain carbon and tritium. The hollow pellets are filled with thermonuclear fuel, e.g., a mixture of deuterium-tritium. To improve the sphericity of the pellets and the uniformity of their wall thickness, manufacture of the pellets is contemplated in the near-zero gravity of space.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.