New AB-Thermonuclear Reactor for Aerospace

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel AB-thermonuclear reactor design using prism reflectors to significantly improve efficiency, reduce size and cost, and potentially achieve the Lawson criterion for aerospace applications.

Contribution

The paper introduces an innovative reactor design with prism reflectors that enhance radiation reflection and reaction efficiency, surpassing traditional thermonuclear reactors.

Findings

Increased Lawson criterion by hundreds of times

Reduced reactor size, cost, and weight by tens of times

Enhanced radiation reflection and reaction time

Abstract

There are two main methods of nulcear fusion: inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and magnetic confinement fusion (MCF). Existing thermonuclear reactors are very complex, expensive, large, and heavy. They cannot achieve the Lawson creterion. The author offers an innovation. ICF has on the inside surface of the shell-shaped combustion chamber a covering of small Prism Reflectors (PR) and plasma reflector. These prism reflectors have a noteworthy advantage, in comparison with conventional mirror and especially with conventional shell: they multi-reflect the heat and laser radiation exactly back into collision with the fuel target capsule (pellet). The plasma reflector reflects the Bremsstrahlung radiation. The offered innovation decreases radiation losses, creates significant radiation pressure and increases the reaction time. The Lawson criterion increases by hundreds of times. The size, cost, and weight of a typical installation will decrease by tens of times. The author is researching the efficiency of these innovations. Keywords: Thermonuclear reactor, Multi-reflex AB-thermonuclear reactor, aerospace thermonuclear engine. This work is presented as paper AIAA-2006-7225 to Space-2006 Conference, 19-21 September, 2006, San Jose, CA, USA.