Laser or charged-particle-beam fusion reactor with direct electric generation by magnetic flux compression

A method for recovering energy in an inertial confinement fusion reactor having a reactor chamber and a sphere forming means positioned above an opening in said reactor chamber, comprising:

• embedding a fusion target fuel capsule having a predetermined yield in the center of a hollow solid lithium tube and subsequently embedding said hollow solid lithium tube in a liquid lithium medium;
• using said sphere forming means for forming said liquid lithium into a spherical shaped liquid lithium mass having a diameter smaller than the length of said hollow solid lithium tube with said hollow solid lithium tube being positioned along a diameter of said spherical shaped mass, wherein said step of forming said spherical shaped mass includes the step of determining the size of said diameter in relation to said predetermined yield such that said spherical shaped liquid lithium mass is large enough to absorb substantially all of the fusion energy produced by the imploding fusion fuel target capsule with said liquid lithium being maintained in a liquid state;
• providing said spherical shaped liquid lithium mass with said fusion fuel target capsule and hollow solid lithium tube therein as a freestanding liquid lithium shaped spherical shaped mass without any external means for maintaining said spherical shape by dropping said liquid lithium spherical shaped mass from said sphere forming means into said reactor chamber;
• producing a magnetic field in the reactor chamber;
• imploding the target capsule in the reactor chamber to produce fusion energy;
• absorbing fusion energy in said liquid lithium spherical shaped mass to convert substantially all the fusion energy to shock induced kinetic energy of said liquid lithium spherical shaped mass which expands said liquid lithium sperical shaped mass;
• and
• compressing the magnetic field by expansion of said liquid lithium spherical shaped mass and recovering useful energy.