Texas Gas Transmission Corporation

Theodor Teichmann

Robert J Teitel

Henry J Gomberg

Charles B Leffert

John G Lewis

Ralph H Kummler

Robert A Piccirelli

Robert G Ozarski

Russell D O'Neal

A method and apparatus for dissociating steam in a fusion reaction central chamber. The charged particle energy from an ignited fusion fuel pellet is directed to and distributed in a suitable volume of steam, bringing the steam to temperature and pressure conditions leading to dissociation into hydrogen and oxygen. The resulting atomic and molecular velocities are sufficiently high to allow egress of the separated products through a suitable shaped nozzle prior to recombination, making it practical to separate and capture the dissociated products.

Method and apparatus for nuclear thermochemical water cracking

Improved closed-loop pyrochemical processes for the decomposition of water in which at least one of the reaction steps in each process is carried out pyrochemically within the central reaction chamber of a thermonuclear reactor during and immediately after a thermonuclear reaction, and in which one of the reagents in or products of the chamber reaction is a metal having a boiling temperature which is higher than the decomposition temperature of the associated metal oxide. The product of the pyrochemical reaction which includes the metal element is in the condensed phase after completion of the reaction and may thus be easily separated from the remaining gaseous reaction products. The specific reaction processes disclosed include a two-step process in which the metal is reacted directly with water within the reaction chamber, and a three-step process in which the metal is reacted with carbon dioxide within the central chamber, the reaction products being thereafter used in later process steps for the actual decomposition of water. In either process, the initial chamber reaction yields a condensed metal oxide product which is thereafter split in a later process step, which also takes place within a central fusion reaction chamber, to yield oxygen and a condensed metal product. Tungsten (W) and Tantalum (Ta) are disclosed as exemplary metal reagents.

Pyrochemical processes for the decomposition of water

A multi-step chemical and radiolytic process for the production of gas such as hydrogen and oxygen. A highly radiosensitive gas such as carbon dioxide is injected directly into the reaction chamber of a fusion reactor and is molecularly dissociated to form carbon monoxide and pure oxygen when the fusion fuel is burned. The carbon monoxide is then mixed with steam at an elevated temperature to form carbon dioxide and pure hydrogen. The carbon dioxide is recycled and injected into the central reaction chamber to complete a closed-loop process for production of pure hydrogen and oxygen at the expense of water.

Multi-step chemical and radiation process for the production of gas

A process for producing hydrogen-based gaseous fuel which comprises causing a fusion reaction of fusion fuel and utilizing the energy from said reaction to achieve direct dissociation of water to hydrogen and oxygen, to heat carbon containing compounds to produce carbon, and to heat carbonaceous materials to produce a carbon containing gas and thereafter combining the hydrogen and the carbon or carbon containing gas to produce a hydrogen-based gaseous fuel such as methane. The process includes utilizing thermo-chemical decomposition of water and also decomposition of water by radiolysis. The water in the system is subjected to heat in a thermo-chemical reaction and also to heat derived from heat transfer mediums to volumetric heating by radiation and to radiilytic conversion energy. An apparatus is provided to accomplish these multiple functions in conjunction with the fusion reaction.

Production of hydrogen-based gaseous fuel

A source of neutrons is provided such as by a fusion reaction, and the neutrons are passed through a series of successive chambers in each of which a radiolytic chemical reaction takes place from bombardment of a sensitive chemical compound by said neutrons. The resulting products are further processed in a chemical reaction with a further compound such as water to release a desired end product such as hydrogen. The chemical reactions in the separate chambers may be selected to operate at different pressures or other physical conditions, and when pressure differences between the chambers are large stay structure is introduced to permit thinner walls more transparent to transmission of the neutrons from one chamber to the next.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Theodor Teichmann