WO1992002019A1

WO1992002019A1 - Electrochemically assisted excess heat production

Info

Publication number: WO1992002019A1
Application number: PCT/US1990/004122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruce E. Liebert; Bor Yann Liaw
Original assignee: University Of Hawaii
Priority date: 1990-07-20
Filing date: 1990-07-20
Publication date: 1992-02-06
Also published as: JPH06503881A; EP0540694A1; AU8540191A; CA2087088A1

Abstract

Electrochemically assited nuclear reaction that produces excess heat at elevated temperatures by immersing a metal (14) in an electrolyte solution (12) comprising a molten salt containing an alkali deuteride and applying a potential and current to the electrolyte (12) and the metal (14) to enhance diffusion of deuterium into the metal (14).

Description

2 nuclear process, appears to require only readily available materials and relatively inexpensive equipment. Electrochemically-assisted nuclear process involves the diffusion of deuterium into a metal's crystal lattice. In this application, the term "metal" shall be deemed to mean and include metals and alloys that form compounds with hydrogen and its isotopes. A deuteride is a compound with deuterium and a tritide is a compound with tritium. The term "elevated temperatures" shall mean above ambient temperatures, say 20 degrees Celsius. Metals usually form crystal lattices in which the nuclei of the metals are packed closely together. The crystal lattice of a metal also can have two or more phases, depending on such factors as temperature, pressure and impurities. Hydrogen, including its heavy isotopes deuterium and tritium, can diffuse into the interstices of the crystal lattice. Further, if a suitable potential is applied to the crystal lattice, the diffusion of deuterium can be enhanced so that extremely high effective pressures or activities of deuterium can be obtained in the crystal lattice. The relationship between the applied voltage and the effective pressure or activity of the deuterium within the crystal lattice can be calculated using the Nernst equation. If the effective pressure or activity of the deuterium is sufficiently great, the deuterium nuclei will undergo fusion or some other nuclear process and produce excess heat.

Pons and Fleischmann claim to have achieved electrochemical fusion by immersing a palladium electrode in heavy water with an electrolyte, lithium deuteroxide (LiOD), and then using electrolysis to dissociate the heavy water and LiOD. See "Electrochemically Induced Nuclear Fusion of Deuterium/⁷ J. Electroanal. Chem. 261 (1989) 301- 308. However, the Pons and Fleischmann method of electrochemical fusion has several disadvantages.

First, Pons and Fleischmann employed an aqueous solution, which limits the usefulness of their invention to a temperature range below the boiling point of water (approximately 100 degrees Celsius at 1 atmosphere pressure). This temperature is probably too low for commercial purposes.

Second, the Pons and Fleischmann invention requires the use of expensive materials because the aqueous solution will create an 1 DESCRIPTION Electrochemically Assisted Excess Heat Production j ₇! Technical Field

This invention relates to electrochemically-assisted excess 5 heat production. Recent reports of excess heat production in electrochemically-assisted metal-deuterium systems have been attributed to fusion.

Nuclear fusion occurs when two nuclei of a light element combine in order to form a single nucleus of a heavier element. 1 0 Nuclear fusion is the process that causes the sun to shine and a hydrogen bomb to explode. The simplest fusion reaction is the fusion of two deuterium nuclei to form a helium nucleus. The nucleus of a hydrogen atom consists only of a single positively charged particle, the proton. A hydrogen atom's nucleus may also contain a single neutron 1 5 to form the hydrogen isotope deuterium. A hydrogen atom containing two neutrons is the hydrogen isotope tritium.

The energy in a helium nucleus is less than the energy in two deuterium nuclei, so that if two deuterium nuclei fuse to form a helium nucleus, the excess energy is released; this is the source of energy for a 20 deuterium fusion reaction. However, because deuterium nuclei are positively charged, they repel each other. Accordingly, in order to induce fusion, this repulsion must be overcome. Background Art

Scientists have sought a method for inducing controlled

25 fusion reactions for decades. At this time, at least four major methods have been proposed and are being studied. The first method, magnetic confinement, requires the creation of high temperature plasmas in a confined electromagnetic field in order to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between deuterium nuclei to create helium. The second

30 method, inertial confinement, attempts to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between deuterium nuclei by simultaneously compressing a deuterium pellet from all directions with powerful laser beams. The third method, muon-assisted fusion, involves the use of muon particles to assist deuterium fusion. Magnetic confinement and inertial

35 confinement fusions require very high energies or extremely expensive equipment.

However, the fourth method, electrochemically-assisted oxide coating on the host metal. This oxide coating will normally impede diffusion of the deuterium into the metal. Accordingly, the host metal must be a noble metal that will not form diffusion-impeding oxide coatings in the presence of water or oxygen. Third, Pons and Fleischmann used positive deuterium ions, which will cause alkali ions to form an alloy with Pd.

Fourth, the Pons and Fleischmann invention dissociates its solvent, heavy water, and therefore requires substantial amounts of solvent in order to function, unless recombined. Fifth, the Pons and Fleischmann invention creates substantial amounts of deuterium and oxygen gas, thereby creating a danger of a chemical explosion.

Sixth, the Pons and Fleischmann invention might not work efficiently with metals other than palladium. At the temperatures employed by Pons and Fleischmann, palladium has two single crystalline phases. However, at elevated temperatures, many other metals have only one crystalline phase. Each crystalline phase has a different packing density and it is therefore unlikely that fusion or other possible nuclear processes will take place under the same conditions for the different crystalline phases. Thus, having multiple crystalline phases would reduce the efficiency of any nuclear reaction that was induced.

Attempts to achieve electrochemical fusion, as claimed by Pons and Fleischmann, have reportedly been unable to detect fusion by-products consistently. The present inventors are unable to determine whether their invention employs fusion or some other reaction or principle. Accordingly, the present inventors describe their invention only as relating to a "nuclear process"; the determination of the theory of the reaction taking place is left to others. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an electrochemical method of inducing a nuclear reaction at a temperature that will be commercially useful for power generation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a method that will avoid the formation of diffusion-impeding oxide coatings on the host metal.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a method that will enable operation at a temperature sufficiently high that the host metal is in a single phase.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a method that will use negatively charged deuterium ions.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a method that will not dissociate the solvent of the electrolyte.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a method that will employ inexpensive materials.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such a method that will not generate oxygen so that the risk of a chemical explosion may be avoided. Disclosure of Invention

These and other objects are achieved by dissolving an alkali deuteride into a non-aqueous molten salt to form an electrolytic solution, immersing a metal into the electrolytic solution and then applying a sufficiently high electrical potential and current to the metal and the electrolytic solution to dissociate the alkali deuteride and to diffuse sufficient amounts of deuterium into the metal at sufficient pressures to increase the activity of the deuterium and to initiate the nuclear reaction. Using a liquid salt avoids oxidation of the host metal because of the lack of oxygen and also provides an extremely reducing environment that eliminates any oxides that may form on the metal's surface. Use of a liquid salt also permits a wide range of working temperatures, depending on the particular salt selected. For example, a salt could be selected that was solid at room temperature, but would melt at operating temperatures.

The avoidance and elimination of oxidation allows the use of many different metals because no oxide coating will impede diffusion of the deuterium into the metal. Thus, less expensive metals can be used. The lack of oxygen also avoids the possibility of a chemical explosion from accumulated oxygen.

The ability to use a higher temperature allows the generation of heat at commercially valuable temperatures and also enhances deuterium diffusion into the metal. It also allows operation at a temperature in which the host metal is in a single phase.

Because the source for deuterium is the alkali deuteride dissolved in the liquid salt, the salt can be selected so that dissociation of the alkali deuteride will not dissociate the salt. Further, the dissociation potential of lithium deuteride is much lower than the dissociation potential of heavy water. Brief Description of the Drawing Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a view of a cross sectional view of the apparatus in Figure 1 through the line 2-2. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Figure 1, a crucible 10 (preferably aluminum) is filled with a lithium chloride-potassium chloride (LiCl-KCl) salt and heated to between 350 and 500 degrees Celsius (and preferably between 370 and 400 degree Celsius in an inert gas environment (preferably argon or helium) at atmospheric pressure to form a molten salt solution. Sufficient lithium deuteride (LiD) is then dissolved into the molten salt to form a supersaturated electrolytic solution 12. A positive electrode 14 made of a transition metal, preferably palladium, which has been thermally annealed (preferably torched and remelted), is immersed in the electrolytic solution 12, as is a negative electrode 16, preferably made of aluminum. At the preferred temperature, the palladium positive electrode 14 will be in a single phase during reaction.

A constant current (preferably 300 milliamps/cm² or higher) is passed at a sufficiently high rate between the electrodes 14 and 16 to dissociate the lithium deuteride and to increase the activity of the deuterium in the positive electrode 14 so that a nuclear reaction takes place. Experimental results indicate that reaction takes place at 1.8 volts or higher. The experiments have been reproduced, but not consistently. The preferred salt for the practice of this invention is a lithium chloride-potassium chloride molten salt, the preferred electrolyte is lithium deuteride and the preferred host metal is palladium, as indicated above. However, other salts and other alkali deuterides may be employed in the practice of this invention, as may other metals. For example, the molten salt could be an organometallic salt, an alkali halide, or an alkali hydroxide, and their mixtures. The alkali deuteride could be lithium deuteride, sodium deuteride or potassium deuteride. Alternatively, alkaline earth metal (Group IIA) deuterides (such as magnesium deuteride, calcium deuteride, or strontium deuteride) or Group IIIA metal deuterides (such as aluminum deuteride) could be employed. The metal also could be a transition metal, such as titanium, palladium, vanadium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, nickel, iron, or cobalt, and their alloys.

Many of the advantages of using a molten salt solution in diffusing hydrogen into a metal lattice are described and discussed in the article entitled "Controlled Electrolyte Environments and Their Use For Studying and Modifying Materials Properties: Potentials for

Employment in Practical Devices," Solid State Ionics 28-30 (1988) 1078-

1083.

Industrial Applicability

The apparatus and process of this invention have a wide range of applications. In the utility industry, these applications include electric power generation, dwelling heating, and self-sustaining power generation for remote areas. In the manufacturing and processing industries, the applications could include chemical production and materials production. In transportation, the applications could include electric vehicles, such as cars, trains, buses, ships, and aircraft. Other applications are limited only by the imagination.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. The invention has been described only with respect to single preferred embodiment and no limitation is to be implied or inferred except as may be set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A process for effecting enhanced diffusion of deuterium into a metal using electrochemically assisted means, comprising: dissolving an alkali deuteride into a substantially non- aqueous molten salt to form an electrolytic solution; immersing a metal in said electrolytic solution; and applying a sufficiently high electrical potential and current to said metal and said electrolytic solution to enhance the diffusion of deuterium into said metal and activity of said deuterium in said metal.

2. A process as in claim 1 wherein the metal is a transition metal.

3. An electrolytic cell comprising: a substantially non-aqueous molten salt; and alkali deuteride dissolved in said salt to form an electrolytic solution; a metal immersed in said electrolytic solution; and means for applying an electrical potential and current to said metal and said electrolytic solution.

4. A cell as in claim 3 wherein said metal is a transition metal.

5. A process for inducing nuclear reactions at temperatures above ambient temperature, comprising: applying an electrical potential and current to an electrolytic solution having a hydrogen isotope-containing component capable of providing a source of hydrogen isotope or isotopes; and a metal, by applying an electrical potential and current to said metal and solution to diffuse the hydrogen isotope or isotopes into the metal to initiate the nuclear reaction; and enhancing the rate of diffusion and activity of hydrogen isotope or isotopes by minimizing oxide formation on the metal.

6. A process for electrochemically-assisted nuclear reaction, comprising: dissolving an alkali deuteride into a substantially non- aqueous liquid salt to form an electrolytic solution; immersing a metal in said electrolytic solution; and applying a sufficiently high electrical potential and current to said metal and said electrolytic solution to diffuse sufficient amounts of deuterium into said metal at sufficient activity to initiate the nuclear reaction.

7. A process as in claim 6, wherein said substantially non-aqueous liquid salt comprises a molten salt.

8. A process as in claim 7, wherein said molten salt is an organometallic salt.

9. A process as in daim 7, wherein said molten salt is an alkali halide.

10. A process as in claim 7, wherein said molten salt is an alkali hydroxide.

11. A process as in any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said alkali deuteride is lifhium deuteride.

12. A process as in any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said alkali deuteride is sodium deuteride.

13. A process as in any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said alkali deuteride is potassium deuteride.

14. A process as in daim 11 wherein said metal is a transition metal. -

15. A process as in daim 14 wherein said transition metal is titanium.

16. A process as in claim 14 wherein said transition metal is palladium.

17. A process as in daim 14 wherein said transition metal is vanadium.

18. A process as in daim 14, wherein said transition metal is tantalum.

19. A process as in daim 14, wherein said transition metal is nickel.