Executive Summary

      Fusion power has been seen as humanity's long term solution to the ultimate renewable energy source. Governments and private industry have spent decades and large sums of money trying to get viable controlled fusion reactors. The results of their combined efforts indicate the best outcome is somewhere between “fusion power is still at least 30 years away” to “it will never be achieved using current methodologies”.

      One reason is that the proposed technologies are not mimicking known solar fusion reactions. New research shows the mechanism by which solar fusion occurs has been determined to an accuracy of about than 3 : 107. It is based on a recent development in understanding the quantum structures of protons, neutrons and nuclei. Those quantum structures explain a large number of nuclear physics properties for which the current theories have no explanation.

      That was used as the basis for a new approach to fusion, herein called quantum nuclear fusion. It differs from other approaches in that it is based on how nuclei quantum properties cause fusion to occur in the sun. When confined by the high pressure of the sun's gravity, nuclei collide at temperatures of about 15 million ˚C. This quantum nuclear fusion process uses an alternative confinement method. In the sun, the quantum properties of the confined nuclei allow them to fuse at low collision energies, typically 3 keV.

      The equipment required is significantly smaller than other proposed fusion processes. It is scalable for reactors sizes that generate electricity from less than 1 MW to over 1,000 MW. Quantum fusion reactors generating less than 5 MW could fit inside a shipping container. Water is required to convert the heat into steam to generate electricity or mechanical power.

      Their smaller size means the time and costs to both develop and manufacture quantum fusion reactors should be significantly smaller than all other proposals.

      Conventional nuclear fusion reactors use tritium, 3H nuclei, in their attempts to achieve viable fusion rates. Their fusion generates energetic neutrons that make the reaction chamber walls brittle and radioactive. Tritium does not occur naturally. It is not fused in the sun. To be viable, each fusion event must generate another tritium nucleus. They and similar reasons are why many knowledgeable people believe the proposed fusion reactors will never be viable. They typically use particle energies of 100 keV.

      This process includes protons, 1H and deuterons, 2H. It does not use tritium. The end products are energetic helium nuclei without free neutrons. The helium nuclei impinge on the reaction chamber walls. Their energy is absorbed and converted to heat without degrading the wall material. The small cross sections of these quantum fusion reactions are overcome by a confinement mechanism that forces them to have high collision probabilities. Their low energy, suggested to be ≈ 3 to 5 keV, enhances their fusion probability.

       The fusion reactions occur almost uniformly throughout the reaction chamber. The chamber walls can be made from conventional materials such as stainless steel. The design is versatile. It can handle different fusion reactions and incorporate other features, as required.

      All design principles have been worked out. They are ready to convert to engineering drawings to commence prototype manufacture. It is a development project. If needed, the only research should be fine tuning the equipment to get best results. The small size of the equipment suggests the cost to manufacture and operate will be much less than that of other fusion reactors, if not other nuclear generators.

      All theoretical indications are that the project will work. It may need some modification and fine tuning. The only guarantee that can be given is that if this technology fails to achieve viable fusion results, all other current fusion techniques will not be successful.

      For companies and/or countries that wish to be a renewable energy super power, this is the best option available. It puts a whole new twist on “Green Hydrogen”. The need for this type of equipment is rapidly increasing!