GB2251775A - Heat generation by ion-accelerated energy transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

Deuterons are absorbed into a palladium cathode 8 in an electrolytic cell containing a heavy water solution 5 and a strong electron current supplied by a transformer 2 flows through the cathode. Anomalous energy transfer from electrons to protons generates heat from passage of hadronic deuteron ions through a cathode composed of alternate sections of palladium and another metal which is relatively impervious to deuteron absorption. The deuteron is said to be negatively charged for most of the time and its speed and energy escalates enormously in an exponential manner. A net production of energy is apparently achieved, even if iron replaces palladium and protons replace deuterons. <IMAGE>

Description

HEAT GENERATION BY ION-ACCELERATED ENERGY TRANSFER FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to the generation of heat within the lattice structure of a metal populated by light atomic ions such as deuterons and is an improvement on the disclosure in the Applicant's U.K. Patent Application No.

2,231,195. Deuterons are the ionic nuclei of the element deuterium, the isotopic hydrogen component of heavy water.

Essentially, however, this invention is based on the appreciation that much of the heat generated is not attributable to nuclear fusion processes, but owes its origin to a known phenomenon by which energy is transferred anomalously from electrons to heavy ions, long recognized in plasma discharges. The concept underlying this invention, therefore, arises from the recognition that the deuterons absorbed into a host metal such as palladium can move freely as heavy ions and can, under certain circumstances derive energy productive of heat from the ordered motion of electrons which are intrinsically powered by quantum field action to move rapidly at high Fermi velocities.

Although some reference to the nature of the atomic nucleus of a hydrogen isotope will be made in describing this invention, it it stressed at the outset that the energy processes exploited in this invention are nonnuclear and are not related to what is termed 'cold fusion'. The energy technology involved is that of electrodynamics and ion acceleration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The primary background prior art reference relevant to this invention is the disclosure in the U.K. Patent Application GB 2,002,953 A, filed by the same inventor on August 4th 1978 and published February 28th 1978 under the title 'Ion Accelerators and Energy Transfer Processes'.

That earlier patent disclosure describes the essential technical background to the electrodynamic action which powers energy transfer from a non-closed circuital electron flow to a heavy ion flow. It includes references to extensive scientific background concerning anomalous energy transfer in cold cathode discharge tubes and hot plasma discharges. It teaches the principle that provided an electron circuit flow can be interrupted (not in a time sense, but rather as a discontinuity in the nature of the the flow path) in such a way that current carried wholly or partially by heavy ions in one part of the circuit is carried exclusively by electrons over the residual segments of a current circuit, there will be a substantial build up of energy in the motion of the heavy ions.

This has not hitherto been appreciated as having practical application to a situation where a current could flow through the atomic lattice interstices of a solid or molten conductor containing free heavy ions, such as deuterons.

Indeed, the inventor's research suggestsan electrodynamic anomaly at low potential where heavy ions are able to move relative to an electromagnetic reference frame locked into the solid lattice of a crystalline solid or at high kilovolt potential where the heavy ion is forcibly driven from a lattice-structured electromagnetic reference frame intrinsic to the quantum-electrodynamic vacuum field.

The electrodynamic principles involved are those also suggested in the article by the inventor H. Aspden in IEEE Transactions of Plasma Science, vol. PS-5, pp. 159-163, September 1977 under the title: 'Electrodynamic Anomalies in Arc Discharge Phenomena.' However, since that article was written, research on electrical discharges through pure water has revealed anomalously high explosive forces that can occur without heating and yet which are 10,000 times greater than can be predicted by normal textbook theory. Such research, as performed by Professor Graneau, is discussed by this inventor H. Aspden in IEEE Transactions of Plasma Science, vol. PS-14, pp. 282-285, June 1986, where it is also shown that the same electrodynamic principles apply to actions in water as were relied upon in the plasma situation discussed in U.K.

Patent Application GB 2,002,953 A.

It is from this background that this invention has been developed, guided particularly by the fact that the dominant primary isotope of hydrogen in water does not assist dramatically in heat generation in the experimental work reported, but yet it can contribute anomalously to a force action.

Before summarizing the invention, it is therefore relevant as background, though background which has not been discussed in these terms in the published prior art, to note a fundamental distinction between the proton and the deuteron, which are the first and second isotopes of hydrogen respectively. The electrodynamic properties of protons and deuterons have not really been researched, save for the fundamental measurement of their magnetic moments. They have not been considered of significance as carriers of electric current in an industrially useful application.

Both are positively charged, but their quark structure or aggregate charge composition is very different and the electrodynamic action is the summation of action on discrete charge components which are in free motion when moving relative to the lattice of a host background field.

Thus they can exhibit interesting properties in the context of small orbitally-resonant oscillations in a magnetic field and in normal motion through a solid conductor, but only to the extent that the atomic halo of electrons does not form a system which defines the field lattice relative to which electromagnetic action is referenced. Similarly, even a neutron can exhibit unusual properties. Though of zero net electric charge, it does reveal a magnetic moment as if it is negatively charged for 22 parts in 23 units of time when suitably activated by a local cyclotron type orbital motion.As may be seen by reference to the scientific paper by the inventor entitled 'The Theoretical Nature of the Neutron and the Deuteron' (Hadronic Journal, 9, 129-136, 1986) the magnetic moment of the deuteron betrays the fact that its composition involves mass exchange transitions of charges which imply effective polarity reversals of its heavy ion charge components. The time scale of such reversals is 1013 seconds, but it is evident that, whereas the proton is always a positive heavy ion, the deuteron is recurrently in a negative heavy ion state accompanied by much lighter positive satellites and that its nucleon components have this negative characteristic for 4 parts in 7 units of time.

The significance of this is that if a current is caused to flow through a metal containing protons the dominant electron charge carriers in an electronegative metal such as palladium or nickel move one way and the protons move the opposite way. Thus, even if the protons experience the substantial anomalous force effect they will soon collide in a liquid or solid, before reaching a high speed and one can find explosive force action but no substantial energy build-up or heat effect. These explosive forces with no significant heating were characteristic of the research by Professor Graneau mentioned above. Professor Graneau has researched at M.I.T. the explosive phenomena also in wires using very high short-duration currents to find that they rupture in numerous segments, making clean breaks and before the ohmic heating effect can take effect. There is no accepted explanation of this phenomenon.

However, considering again the deuteron as a current carrier in an electronegative metal, given that the deuteron heavy charge cores are negative for 4 parts in 7 of any period of time, there is a threshold condition in which the propulsive electrodynamic forces can exceed the electrical field affects acting on its net positive charge. The deuterons have then an inherent capacity to speed up in the direction of electron flow, even in a solid, and this means that there is substantial release of heat when they are eventually halted by collisions.

The essential requisite for the anomalous electrodynamic action is the need to assure that the electron current is not a steady circuital current, but is transferred to heavy ion charge carriers at least partially in at least one segment of the circuit. This is the basis on which one can explain the very high cathode forces evidenced by the cold cathode discharge, meaning one where the heavy ions carry the current between electrodes through the discharge segment of the circuit. It is the basis for action in water where an electrical discharge can develop the anomalous pressure. Conceivably, it could be the basis for some heat generation in heavy water which carries an electric current between electrodes by electrolysis.However, it is important to keep in mind that the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl and hydrodium ions will overburden the mass of the ions and so, notwithstanding the deuteron content, they will behave as ordinary water and not yield that anomalous heating effect in the electrolyte itself.

This invention relates to an adaptation of the power excitation technique of the host metal containing deuterons, as disclosed in the U.K. Patent Application No.

2,231,195, by a technique which, by suitably structuring the conductor, deliberately provides a current flow segregation feature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By inducing an oscillatory continuous electric current flow through a host metal having an affinity to absorb hydrogen after impregnation by free hydrogen ions able to migrate through the atomic lattice of the host metal, and ensuring that this current flow is circuital through a closed circuit including at least one circuit section or segment that comprises a metal not containing such free hydrogen ions, electrodynamic interactions are produced leading to field energy transfer which concentrates useful heat in the host metal.

The deuterium isotope of hydrogen is not essential to this invention, provided the host metal is electropositive, it being electronegative host metals that best suit deuterons in generating heat in the manner suggested.

According to the invention, heat producing apparatus is provided in which there is ion acceleration energy transfer from electrons to heavy ions and which is energized by electrical current flow through a metal conductor into which hadronic ions of low atomic mass have been absorbed, the apparatus comprising a closed electrical circuit having a current flow path which includes series-connected path sections, of which at least two sections are of a host metal which has an affinity for absorbing hadronic ions and of which sections intermediate the host metal sections are formed from a metal which is relatively impervious to said ions, electrical power supply means for causing current to flow through said circuit so that the electron current is partially carried in the host metal by hadronic ions and partially by electrons, and means for extracting and utilizing the heat generated in the conductor by the resistance attributable to ionic collision, whereby to exploit the enhancement of the rate of conversion of electricity into heat arising from the inhomogeneous nature of the conductor and the confinement of hadronic ions to different sections of the current flow path through the conductor.

The term 'hadronic' applies to ions which have a character distinct from electrons, which are 'leptonic' in the language of the particle physicist. Hadrons typically account for the mass of atomic nuclei. Thus the hydrogen isotope, the proton, and its heavier form, the deuteron, are both 'hadronic ions'.

The host metal could be palladium which is electronegative and has a high affinity for hydrogen, but in this case the negative electron charge carriers really need to interact with the deuteron as the heavy ion or hadron to produce the escalating energy exchange exploited by the invention.

The main isotope of hydrogen can, however, be used where an electropositive metal such as iron is used as the host metal. The 'relatively impervious' metal can be any good conducting substance that has an appreciably lower capacity for accepting hydrogen and restraining its mobility, as compared with the host metal used.

Features of the invention, concern, for example, the use of the conductor as a cathode in a fluid containing the hadronic ion form, there being an anode to which a positive potential is applied to aid the transfer of positive ions to cathode conductor and facilitate their absorption. The fluid may be a gas, such as deuterium gas, but in could be a molten salt containing deuterium or simply water. Also, there are advantages in the low frequency alternation of the current flow through the closed metal conductor circuit, in displacing the heavy ions first one way and then the other within their confined conductor sections. Preferably the conductor forms a short-circuit secondary loop of a current transformer.It will have very low resistance and so a small induced EMF will suffice to produce appreciable current flow and this allows the inductive coupling of the transformer to operate at low frequency within the magnetic flux capacity of the transformer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a schematic form of apparatus in which a cathode electrode conductor formed from an alternate sequence of different metals is powered by induction and charged with deuterons from a heavy water solution.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of an alternative form of such apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 1 a low frequency alternating current power source 1 feeds power to the primary winding of a transformer 2, the secondary of which powers current flow in a single turn secondary winding 3. A housing 4 of electrically insulating material contains a solution of heavy water 5 to which a small amount of lithium deuteroxide has been added to enhance ionization. This solution constitutes an electrolyte which is activated by feeding power to an anode 6 held by a direct current voltage source 7 at a small positive potential with respect to the cathode 8 which forms part of the loop of the secondary winding 3. The direct current voltage is of the order of little more than one volt, sufficient to cause migration of the positive ions of the heavy water towards the cathode to encourage their absorption into the body of the cathode without providing a sufficient voltage to promote normal electrolytic production of deuterium gas molecules. Cathode 8 comprises a conductor having an alternate sequence of metal sections of different material. One metal form is palladium which acts as a host metal for the absorbed deuterons. The metal sections intermediate these palladium sections comprise a metal having a much lower affinity for such ions, typically copper, depicted by the dark sections of the cathode 8 in Fig. 1.Heat generated in this apparatus is removed by pumping the electrolyte around a circuit including a heat exchanger (not shown), the outflow and inflow ports being denoted 9 and 10, respectively.

The surfaces of the copper sections and junctions at the palladium interfaces are protected by an insulating coating to limit electrochemical erosion and allow ingress of deuterons only through the surfaces of the palladium sections. The cathode may be of tubular form or comprise a surface coating on an insulating rod or core, but must be such that the alternating electrical current supplied to cathode 8 by the secondary winding flows sequentially through a sections of palladium and sections of copper.

This means that, whereas electrons carrying this current can travel with a high mobility through both metals,- the current can, mainly in the palladium, be shared to some small extent by the deuteron ion form.

The fact that the secondary winding is virtually a shortcircuited single turn means that a very substantial current flow can occur for very little power dissipation, much of which is that of electrons, but that the EMF driving this current will act on the deuteron ions to exploit their prolific presence and high mobility in the lattice structure of the palladium host metal. The result is that the electrodynamic interactions between electrons and these hadronic ions transfer energy to the ions and so generate far more heat than would be produced by an electron current flowing with no deuterons present.

At this stage it is appropriate to present the analysis by which to estimate the rate of heat generation. The applicable electrodynamic formula is the usual Lorentz formula which applies to actions asserted by current flow in closed circuits carried all the way around the circuit by charge carriers of standard mass. This force does no work electrodynamically on a charge moving in its field because it invariably acts a right angles to charge motion. There is, however, another action which is in the line of motion and which is m'/m times the strength of the Lorentz action. This cancels to zero upon integration when produced by elements of a closed circuit. Here, m' is the mass of the ion acted upon and m is the mass of the charge carrier developing the action.

As an approximate indication, imagine a current of 1 amp carried by electrons of mass m acts on a current carried by a single deuteron of mass m' moving at speed v m/s.

Suppose a separation distance of the order of a centimeter and note that the deuteron has a charge of 1.6x10-19 coulombs. The force accelerating the deuteron will then be such as to produce acceleration of the deuteron at a rate v times 1.6x10-19 divided by 9.1 1031 kg, the mass of the electron. Note that the heavy ion mass m' has not appeared because the force is proportional to that mass and equals that mass times its acceleration. It follows, therefore, that rates of acceleration of heavy ion charge of 1.76x1011 v can occur. If a heavy ion having its intrinsic nuclear thermal motion at a speed of 100 m/s initially can move for a significant time T before being involved in collision, then its speed and energy can escalate enormously in an exponential manner.The energy comes from the environmental field actions which power primarily the quantum motion or Fermi state of the electrons at the atomic level in the surrounding lattice atomic structure.

If the acceleration is denoted Pv, then the intrinsic kinetic energy of the heavy ion is increased by the factor: 2PT e2 1 Bearing in mind that the thermal state of a substance is a measure of the kinetic energy of its atoms and most of this energy is kinetic energy of its charged atomic nuclei, the above factor becomes a relevant measure of the heat which can be added by the electrodynamic action 11 described. P is the factor 1.76x10 evaluated above and T is the time before the heavy ion collides. Thus, if T is of the order of 101l s, a useful increase in heat content can be expected.To achieve substantial heat generation, the ion has only to move through the distance of a few atomic lattice spacings before an arresting collision, but this is provided all that current producing the ion acceleration is electron current which transfers to heavy ion current over the relevant segment of the metal containing the free deuterons.

In practice, only a small fraction of the current can be expected to be transported by the heavy ions, unless the electron current flow is avoided by the barrier of a water electrolyte which does not involve free electrons. This is the situation in the experiments reported by Pons and Fleischmann in their U.S. Patent Applications, as identified in published International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US90/01328 or WO 90/10935. The alternative structure provided by this invention admits of a substantial electron current flow in a closed metal circuit so that the induced oscillatory EMFs involved can also act on the heavy ions to displace them, first one way and then the other. This can develop fairly significant heavy ion current components whilst not generating too much ohmic heat loss owing to the much higher electron current.Then, to promote the circuit discontuity as to carrier type, for the heavy ion current, the closed circuit is segmented into metal which has an affinity for deuterons and is impregnated by such deuterons and, further, into dividing metal segments which constitute a barrier to deuteron current by resisting deuteron entry.

The current then has to be carried in these latter sections exclusively by electrons.

The advantage of this structure is then evident. The disclosure in the Pons and Fleischmann Patent Specification reveals a period of charging of deuterons of some 15,000 seconds before enough deuterons are loaded to reach the level triggering anomalous effects, and then, because those deuterons are driven unidirectionally away from the accelerating influence, there is what seems to be a limited period operation productive of surplus heat.

This is because the deuterons are driven to one end of the palladium cathode and might even be forced out of the cathode, so that there is a recovery time when this escalating effect has been arrested. In contrast, the deuterons in the closed circuit induction excitation system are kept in active displacement, because there is oscillatory action in the host metal cathode. Furthermore the deuterons, once loaded, should be held trapped in the host metal in the process of the subject invention and are not expected to be degraded appreciably by nuclear fusion into tritium. If, however, some such nuclear fusion action does occur to generate a small portion of the heat, as seems likely from the chemical evidence reported, then gradual degradation will occur and the host metal will need recharging.The inductive excitation process will, however, enhance the rate at which heat is generated from the electrodynamic action and so the subject invention offers substantial advantage over non-inductive apparatus.

Fig. 2 shows the cross-section of a structure which can be formed in long lengths with the single turn secondary winding comprising a cathode encircling a transformer core in the form of a ferrite rod 11. This rod has a primary transformer winding 12 and a cylindrical housing is formed by tubular insulating member 13 and the tubular conductive anode member 14, the latter being earthed. The cathode encircles the member 13 and comprises segments 15 of palladium and segments 16 of another metal of lower affinity for free hadronic ion absorption, such as copper.

The electrolytic fluid in this case is denoted 17 and there are inflow and outflow ports 18, 19 to facilitate circulation through external heat exchangers and chemical replenishment.

In operation, the ferrite rod core 11 is magnetized by a slowly alternating current powering the primary winding 12. This induces a small EMF in the cathode circuit which has extremely low resistance, meaning that a substantial current flows through the series-connected metal segments 15 and 16, part of which arises from the mobility of the deuterons absorbed into this cathode structure. Since the outer anode housing is earthed, this cathode structure needs to be biased to a small negative potential as by a voltage source such as 7 in Fig. 1. This serves to sustain the deuteron ion input absorbed by the cathode.

The connections for this source are not shown in Fig. 2, but it will be understood that the cylindrical structure formed by what is a concentric assembly of magnetic core, tubular housing members, one of which is an anode, and a metal sleeve forming a cathode as well as the thermally activated segmented multi-metal element will need structure spacer support elements at intervals along its length and end closures which can serve this same purpose.

The connection terminals for the electrical power input to the primary winding of the transformer and negative bias potential to the metal sleeve, the design of which will be obvious to electrical engineers, are part of the end closure structure. Similarly, the inflow and outflow of the fluid can be through ports in this end closure structure or ports such as 18 and 19 at intermediate positions, as depicted in Fig. 2.

The very high conductivity of the metal cathode structure encircling the ferrite rod acts with a very substantial effect to screen the inducing magnetic field action on the electrolyte and the outer tubular member forming the anode and the earthed housing.

It is to be understood that the invention described by reference to Fig. 1 is concerned essentially with apparatus including a cathode structure which is of segmented metal form, with a hydrogen absorbing metal alternating in the current path with less-absorbing metal.

The alternating current excitation by induction is not essential to the invention in its broader context, because direct current can be used which is periodically reversed by an electronic reversing switch connected between the cathode and a direct current voltage supply. By suitable parallel connection and circuit regulation, the latter could be the same voltage source which powers the anodecathode circuit.

Claims (10)

1. Heat producing apparatus in which there is ion acceleration energy transfer from electrons to heavy ions and which is energized by electrical current flow through a metal conductor into which hadronic ions of low atomic mass have been absorbed, the apparatus comprising a closed electrical circuit having a current flow path which includes series-connected path sections, of which at least two sections are of a host metal which has an affinity for absorbing hadronic ions and of which sections intermediate the host metal sections are formed from a metal which is relatively impervious to said ions, electrical power supply means for causing current to flow through said circuit so that the electron current is partially carried in the host metal by hadronic ions and partially by electrons, and means for extracting and utilizing the heat generated in the conductor by the resistance attributable to ionic collision, whereby to exploit the enhancement of the rate of conversion of electricity into heat arising from the inhomogeneous nature of the conductor and the confinement of hadronic ions to different sections of the current flow path through the conductor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductor serves also as a cathode in surface contact with a fluid containing the hadronic ion form, there being an anode to which a positive potential is applied relative to the cathode conductor to aid the transfer of positive ions to cathode conductor and facilitate their absorption.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the host metal sections of the cathode conductor are of an electronegative metal and wherein the fluid comprises a substance which when ionized includes ions which transport deuterons.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the host metal sections of the cathode conductor are of an electropositive metal and wherein the fluid comprises a substance which when ionized includes ions which transport hydrogen.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surfaces of the cathode conductor other than those of the host metal sections are coated over their interface with the fluid by a material which is inactive electrochemically, whereby to avoid electrochemical corrision of the metal surfaces not absorbing the hadronic ions.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transformer and wherein the closed electrical circuit is connected as part of a single turn transformer secondary winding to form a low voltage, high current load on the transformer which is energized by supplying power from the power supply means to a primary winding on the transformer, whereby hadronic ions absorbed in the host metal are caused to be displaced inside the host metal sections first one way and then the other at the power supply frequency to form part of current oscillations induced in the cathode conductor when the transformer is energized.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transformer has a magnetic core of cylindrical form within a concentric assembly comprising a primary solenoidal winding located within a tubular metal sleeve which forms a single turn secondary winding, this metal sleeve having radial segments of the host metal having affinity for absorbing hadronic ions interspersed with radial segments of the metal which is relatively impervious to such ions, whereby electric current flow induced in the conductor forming the secondary winding flows around a closed circuit in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magnetic core to pass sequentially through alternate metal conductor sections formed by the segments of the sleeve.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 and claim 7, wherein the concentric assembly includes an electrically insulating tubular member which forms part of housing for said fluid and which is positioned between the primary and secondary windings, there being also an outer tubular member, also forming part of the housing for the fluid, whereby fluid in a concentric space between the secondary winding and the outer tubular member is in contact with at least the outer surface of the host metal segments of the secondary winding.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the outer tubular member is of metal and which constitutes the anode, there being means for applying a positive potential to this outer tubular member relative to the secondary winding.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the outer tubular member is electrically earthed and said means for applying a positive potential relative to the secondary winding comprise the connection of a negative voltage source to the metal sleeve.