The Ultimate Dog Bone (Axil Axil)

The following post was submitted by Axil Axil

The Ultimate Dog Bone

I would like to now get something on the open source record and remove the concept from patent trolls and  proprietary non disclosure. This concept is formulated to eliminate the Blast problem that has been seen in the alumina tube based LENR experiments conducted by MFMP and the Russians.

My idea is to hit the LENR problem with a top end solution even if it is an expensive one, then value engineer the solution with more cost effective materials when everything is working.

The concept is formulated on a currently existing prototype that is currently under consideration to meet the extreme heat and the harsh and extremely challenging plasma environments found in the plasma facing components of hot fusion reactors which could serve LENR well.

I love the use of heat pipes in reactors and I wondered if a device could be engineered to incorporate the best of that concept into what the ultimate LENR reactor would look like. To my surprise, the idea has been developed but for another set of applications.

The idea is simple, and aimed at solving some of the problems that recent tests of the alumna tube designs are displaying in experimentation. Heat pipes and heat exchangers have been designed and prototyped comprised of a tungsten pipe filled with high porosity(~95%) tungsten foam.

Such a heat pipe can transfer heat up to 40 times move efficiently than non foam filled heat pipes.  The heat flow in the current implementation of this design removes heat from the surface to a coolant gas flowing inside the pipe. In the LENR design the heat path would be reversed, with heat  moving from the inside of the pipe to its surface.

As in the DGT reactor design, the nickel powder would be distributed in the metal foam so that the reaction area of the exposed nickel powder is maximized and well distributed. In this concept, the powder would be spread throughout the volume of the foam thereby being lifted from the floor of the tube.

The Lithium aluminum hybrid is discomposed at operating temperature to form high pressure hydrogen gas and lithium vapor. This gas envelope greatly increases the heat transfer capacity of the reactor from the interior of the tube to the surface as amplified and conducted by the metal foam. An axial hole bored though the center of the tungsten foam will allow this envelope gas mixture to spread heat isothermally and rapidly down the entire length of the tube.

This extremely fast heat removal will work to eliminate hot spots that have produced overheat blasts in the alumina reactors.

Tungsten is impervious to hydrogen and lithium exfiltration. Tungsten being very dense is an excellent heat conductor and resists chemical contamination and intrusions. It has a high vapor pressure and therefore will not produce vapor at reactor operating temperatures.

Tungsten has a melting point of 3695 K ​(3422 °C, ​6192 °F) and a boiling point of 6203 K ​(5930 °C, ​10706 °F).

I doubt that this reactor will melt down or vaporize, but if it does, it would be a sight to see.

Tungsten is strong enough to contain a huge amount of gas pressure and is ductile enough to contain hot spot blasts.

Some references covering past developments as follows:

http://www.fusion.ucla.edu/apex/14th-topical2000/sharafat-pres.pdf

Enhanced Surface Heat Removal Using a Porous Tungsten Heat
Exchanger

http://www.fusion.ucla.edu/apex/meeting13/PT2P10Final.pdf

THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A DUAL-CHANNEL, HELIUM-COOLED, TUNGSTEN HEAT EXCHANGER

You will be pleased to notice that Thermacore, one of the LENR early researchers, has developed this concept for hot fusion reactors under development. This concept is not new to them. For those interested is getting their hands on this type of reactor, go to Thermacore, Inc. for a prototype. This company looks to be a custom design shop that can price and fabricate a prototype if given a comprehensive specification.

Thermacore, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters
780 Eden Rd.
Lancaster, PA 17601
Phone: 717-569-6551
Fax: 717-569-8424
E-mail: [email protected]

Cross posted to Ego Out

Axil Axil