Method to control reactions involving isotopic fuel within a material using orthogonal electric-fields

The present invention relates to methods and systems to control reactions involving isotopic fuels within a material, such as hydrogen within palladium. The method and apparatus uses at least two non-parallel electric-fields to control the loading into the material and redistribution of the isotopic fuel within the material.

Turning now to the figures: FIG. 1 symbolically shows the compartments used to analyze an electrochemical reactor. FIG. 1 gives organization to the different parts of a simple reactor referred to in this disclosure. It is not meant to be physically realistic with respect to size. The cathode is dissected into four regions. Three compartments are shown within the metal itself. The flow of deuterons is shown by arrows. The label 1 represents the metallic cathode, usually palladium in the preferred configuration. The labels 2 and 3 represents compartments 2 , and 3 respectively, which are discussed in detail below The label 7 represents the anode which in the preferred embodiment is composed of palladium. The label 6 represents the solution consisting in the preferred embodiment of a gel containing antidesiccant, in combination with LiOD, palladium salts, and heavy water (D 20 ). The power supply and control unit consists of a current source and reactor control device as described in Swartz (1989), and are not shown in the figure. The application of said power source creates an applied electric field intensity which produces cation flow towards the cathode. There results in the near cathode solution (labelled as 5 in FIG. 1 ) a buildup of deuterons, and a low dielectric constant (gas bubble) layer. The bubbles are labelled as number 10 in FIG. 1 . There may be spikes or on the cathode (labelled as 11 in FIG. 1 ). FIG. 2 is a crossectional drawing of a lamellar CAM reactor. This device has two orthogonal applied electric fields. The first (labelled E-field number 1 in the the figure) is that which is applied to charge the palladium with deuterons. The second applied electric field intensity is delivered after full charging has been achieved. In the figure the anode and cathode are labelled as 7 and 1 . The electrolyte solution or gel is labelled as 6 . The connections for the first electric field are labelled as 81 and 82 . The connections for the second electric field are labelled as 85 and 86 . The mechanical casing is labelled 20 . The deuteron impermeable barrier is comb-shaped in this preferred configuration, and is labelled 55 in FIG. 13 . The cathode in this preferred configuration is divided into parallel slabs. Between these slabs alternate deuteron-impermeable barriers. Application of the second electric field causes the deuterons already loaded in the cathode to redistribute, but the deuteron-impermeable barrier(s) act to enhance the desired reactions. Turning to FIG. 3 which shows three lamellar CAM reactors. Each device is equipped with orthogonal applied electric fields. The second applied electric field intensity is delivered after full charging. Each reactor is labelled as 90 in FIG. 3 , but similar to what is shown in FIG. 2 . These devices each contain a cathodes (labelled 1 ), intradevice gel containing lithium and palladium deuteroxide (labelled 6 ), and anode (labelled 7 ). These CAM devices are inserted, similar to a fuse onto a holding board, held in place by clips (labelled 101 ). The three CAM device are shown connected to a microprocessor control system (labelled 110 ). Said apparatus has an electrical bus to connect the anodes (labelled 105 ) which are connected to the anodic connectors (labelled 82 ). Said apparatus has an electrical bus to connect the cathodes (labelled 106 and 107 ) which are connected to the cathodic connectors (not labelled in the figure). The cathodic system buses ( 106 and 107 ) are electrically shorted together during the deuterium charging. Said apparatus has a thermal bus (labelled 107 ) connected to the heat pipes (labelled 70 ) which are held in a mechanical connecting system (labelled 20 ). The result is the piling up of deuterium at the deuteron-impermeable barriers (labeled 55 in FIG. 3 ). The heat energy is directed out via the the heat pipes ( 70 ) and the thermal bus ( 107 ). The damage or rundown of one CAM unit is thus easily corrected by exchange or replacement of the defective unit with a functional one. The purpose of the receptor apparatus is first to integrate the three (or more) CAM reactor units. The three cathodic connectors are connected to the control apparatus. However, after loading the cathodes, the cathodic buses ( 106 and 107 ) are separated and a second electric potential is supplied between these two buses. The result is the second applied electric field which is shown in FIG. 2 , but not in FIG. 3 . Modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to persons skilled in the art and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.