Methods and apparatus for facilitating localized nuclear fusion reactions enhanced by electron screening

A method for locally hot but globally cold nuclear fusion, comprising:

• irradiating deeply screened fuel with γ-quanta and/or energetic electron e-beam ionizing radiation sufficient to create plasma channels within the deeply screened fuel, further creating deeply screened conditions between adjacent nuclei in the deeply screened nuclear fuel with at least one of the adjacent nuclear fuel nuclei being cold;
• creating hot energetic neutrons at energies of 1 keV or more via irradiation from one or more radioactive isotopes, photodisintegration of deuteron fuel nuclei in the deeply screened fuel using gamma irradiation, from reactions from hot neutron scattering in the deeply screened fuel, from secondary fission processes, or any combination thereof;
• and
• subjecting the deeply screened fuel to the hot energetic neutrons that scatter off of target fuel particles, thereby delivering a portion of kinetic energies of the energetic neutrons to the target particles and causing local nuclear fusion within the deeply screened fuel.

A method, comprising:

• providing cold deeply screened fuel at energies below 1 electron volt (eV) that enhances nuclear tunneling, the deeply screened fuel comprising a deuterated and/or tritiated metal lattice;
• providing a neutron reflector, an envelope, a participating fissionable material, or any combination thereof to reflect or moderate hot neutrons, to facilitate further nuclear reactions, or both;
• irradiating the deeply screened fuel with γ-quanta and/or energetic electron e-beam ionizing radiation sufficient to create plasma channels within the deeply screened fuel, further creating deeply screened conditions between adjacent nuclei in the deeply screened nuclear fuel with at least one of the adjacent nuclear fuel nuclei being cold;
• subjecting the deeply screened fuel to hot energetic neutrons at energies of 1 keV or more that scatter off of target fuel particles, thereby delivering a portion of kinetic energies of the energetic neutrons to the target particles and causing local nuclear fusion within the deeply screened fuel;
• and
• controlling a nuclear reaction rate by adjusting a flux of x-rays and/or gamma rays produced by an x-ray device, a linear accelerator (LINAC), or both, wherein
• the nuclear reaction rate is sufficiently low that energy generated by the local nuclear fusion is sufficiently dispersed by conduction, convection, radiation, or any combination thereof, outside of the deeply screened fuel that the metal lattice self-heals and re-deuterates, that the deuterated material maintains a chemical composition, or that the deeply screened fuel remains in a gaseous, liquid, or solid state.