Diode assembly for pulsed fusion events
AssigneeConsolidated Nuclear Security, LLC
InventorsSam W. Brown, Michael R. Phillips, William T. Rogerson, Jr., Blake F. Scott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A diode assembly for producing a pulsed fusion event in a z-pinch driver. The diode assembly includes an inner core including a lithium compound formed of one or more lithium isotopes and one or more hydrogen isotopes. An electrically conducting outer sheath is disposed around the inner core. The electrically conducting outer sheath includes an electrical conductance that is at least three times greater than an electrical conductance of the lithium compound of the inner core.
Claims23
A diode assembly for producing a pulsed fusion event in a z-pinch driver, the diode assembly comprising:
- an inner core including a lithium compound formed of one or more lithium isotopes and one or more hydrogen isotopes;
- and
- an electrically conducting outer sheath compressed against the inner core and in a symmetrical relationship with the inner core, the electrically conducting outer sheath having an electrical conductance that is at least three times greater than an electrical conductance of the lithium compound of the inner core, and the electrically conducting outer sheath being selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, silver, tungsten, gold, zinc, calcium, and alloys thereof,
- wherein, when electrical current is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the electrically conducting outer sheath is dimensioned and configured to generate a plasma around the inner core, and, when a magnetic field is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the plasma is compressed against the inner core to produce the pulsed fusion event.
A diode assembly for producing a pulsed fusion event in a z-pinch driver, the diode assembly comprising:
- an inner core including a lithium compound formed of one or more lithium isotopes and one or more hydrogen isotopes, the lithium compound being selected from a group consisting of 6LiD, 6LiT, 7LiD, and 7LiT;
- and
- an electrically conducting outer sheath compressed against the inner core and in a symmetrical relationship with the inner core, the electrically conducting outer sheath having an electrical conductance that is at least three times greater than an electrical conductance of the lithium compound of the inner core, and the electrically conducting outer sheath is selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, silver, gold, and alloys thereof,
- wherein, when electrical current is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the electrically conducting outer sheath is dimensioned and configured to generate a plasma around the inner core, and, when a magnetic field is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the plasma is compressed against the inner core to produce the pulsed fusion event.
A diode assembly for producing a pulsed fusion event in a z-pinch driver, the diode assembly comprising:
- an inner core including a lithium compound formed of one or more lithium isotopes and one or more hydrogen isotopes, the lithium compound being selected from a group consisting of 6LiD, 6LiT, 7LiD, and 7LiT;
- an electrically conducting outer sheath compressed against the inner core and in a symmetrical relationship with the inner core, the electrically conducting outer sheath having an electrical conductance that is at least ten times greater than an electrical conductance of the lithium compound of the inner core;
- a non-conducting polymer layer disposed around the electrically conducting outer sheath;
- and
- a tamper layer disposed around the non-conducting polymer layer such that the tamper layer is electrically isolated from the electrically conducting outer sheath, the tamper layer including an electrical conductance less than the electrical conductance of the outer sheath,
- wherein, when electrical current is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the electrically conducting outer sheath is dimensioned and configured to generate a plasma around the inner core, and, when a magnetic field is supplied by the z-pinch driver, the plasma is compressed against the inner core to produce the pulsed fusion event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.