Patent Number: 043437613
Section: claims

1. A heat transport and tritium breeding system in combination with a neutron-producing plasma comprising: 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of said vertical duct is constricted in open cross-sectional area to limit downward flow of particles and create a downwardly moving packed bed of particles. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein a vertical partition is disposed in said vertical duct to divide it into a first and a second vertical compartment, said first vertical compartment being closer to said neutron-producing plasma than said second compartment and wherein the lower portion of said first vertical compartment having a lesser constriction in open cross-sectional area than the constriction in the lower portion of said second compartment to permit a greater linear flow of particles through said first compartment. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein said outer walls are of stainless steel with sufficient coolant passageways and flow of coolant to maintain said walls at less than 600.degree. C. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said ceramic particles consist essentially of magnesia. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein said coolant fluid is an air-steam mixture and wherein said utilization means comprises a coal gasification process into which said air-steam mixture is injected for reaction with coal. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein means are provided for bleeding a minor fraction of the flow of coolant fluid upwardly through said vertical duct to sweep duct gases away from said heat exchanger vessel. 8. A method of removing energy from a neutron-producing plasma emitting a neutron flux comprising: 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said falling bed is partitioned into a first flow portion disposed towards said neutron-producing plasma and a second flow portion disposed outwardly beyond said first portion in respect to said neutron-producing plasma.