Thermophotovoltaic electrical power generator
A molten metal fuel to plasma to electricity power source that provides at least one of electrical and thermal power comprising (i) at least one reaction cell for the catalysis of atomic hydrogen to form hydrinos, (ii) a chemical fuel mixture comprising at least two components chosen from: a source of H 2 O catalyst or H 2 O catalyst; a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; reactants to form the source of H 2 O catalyst or H 2 O catalyst and a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; and a molten metal to cause the fuel to be highly conductive, (iii) a fuel injection system comprising an electromagnetic pump, (iv) at least one set of confinement electrodes that provide repetitive short bursts of low-voltage, high-current electrical energy to initiate rapid kinetics of the hydrin reaction and an energy gain due to forming hydrinos to form a brilliant-light emitting plasma.
1 . A power system comprising:
at least one vessel capable of a maintaining a pressure of below, at, or above atmospheric;
reactants, the reactants comprising:
H 2 O gas or vapor;
H 2 gas; and a molten metal, wherein the H 2 O gas or vapor and H 2 are flowed into the vessel and into the molten metal;
at least one ignition system comprising a source of electrical power to deliver electrical energy between at least one set of electrodes that are separated to form an open circuit and
a molten metal injection system for injecting the molten metal in contact with the H 2 O gas or vapor and H 2 gas between the electrodes and, such that the open circuit is closed by the injection of the molten metal between the electrodes, wherein the molten metal injection system comprises an electromagnetic pump comprising at least one magnet providing a magnetic field and current source to provide a vector-crossed current component, and
wherein the source of electrical power induces a current to flow between the electrodes when the circuit is closed to deliver the electrical energy to result in the formation of light; and
at least one power converter or output system of at least one of light output produced from delivering electrical energy to the reactants to electrical power.
2 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the electrodes comprise a refractory metal.
3 . The power system of claim 2 wherein the source of electrical power comprises at least one supercapacitor.
4 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the current is in the range of 500 A to 50,000 A.
5 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the molten metal comprises at least one of silver, silver-copper alloy, and copper.
6 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the system comprises
a computer,
H 2 O and H 2 pressure sensors, and
flow controllers for H 2 O and H 2 gas wherein the flow of H 2 O and H 2 gas through the flow controllers is controlled by the pressure sensor and the computer to maintain at least one of the H 2 O and H 2 gas pressure at a desired value in the vessel.
7 . The power system of claim 6 wherein the desired value of the H 2 O vapor pressure is in the range of 0.1 Torr to 1 Torr.
8 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the vessel comprises walls capable of providing flow to the melt under gravity, and
the system further comprises a reservoir in communication with the vessel; and a cooling system to maintain the reservoir at a lower temperature the walls of the vessel to cause metal vapor of the molten metal to condense in the reservoir when the cooling system is operative.
9 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the vessel capable of a maintaining a pressure of below, at, or above atmospheric comprises an inner reaction cell, a top cover comprising a blackbody radiator, and an outer chamber capable of maintaining the pressure of below, at, or above atmospheric.
10 . The power system of claim 9 wherein the top cover comprising a blackbody radiator is maintained at a temperature in the range of 1000 K to 3700 K.
11 . The power system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the inner reaction cell and top cover comprising a blackbody radiator comprises a refractory metal having a high emissivity.
12 . The power system of claim 1 wherein the at least one power converter of the reaction power output comprises at least one of the group of a thermophotovoltaic converter, a photovoltaic converter, a photoelectronic converter, a plasmadynamic converter, a thermionic converter, a thermoelectric converter, a Sterling engine, a Brayton cycle engine, a Rankine cycle engine, a heat engine, and a heater.
13 . The power system of claim 9 wherein the inner reaction cell and blackbody radiator is predominantly blackbody radiation comprising visible and near infrared light, and the photovoltaic cells are concentrator cells that comprise at least one compound chosen from crystalline silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium antimonide (GaSb), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium gallium arsenide antimonide (InGaAsSb), indium phosphide arsenide antimonide (InPAsSb), InGaP/InGaAs/Ge; InAlGaP/AlGaAs/GaInNAsSb/Ge; GaInP/GaAsP/SiGe; GaInP/GaAsP/Si; GaInP/GaAsP/Ge; GaInP/GaAsP/Si/SiGe; GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs; GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs; GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs/InGaAs; GaInP/Ga (In) As/InGaAs; GaInP—GaAs-wafer-InGaAs; GaInP—Ga (In) As—Ge; and GaInP—GaInAs—Ge.
14 . The power system of claim 12 wherein the light emitted by the cell is predominantly ultraviolet light, and the photovoltaic cells are concentrator cells that comprise at least one compound chosen from a Group III nitride, GaN, AlN, GaAlN, and InGaN.
15 . The power system of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum pump and at least one chiller.
16 . The power system of claim 1 , wherein said reactants comprise oxygen.
17 . The power system of claim 1 , wherein the current is in the range of 500 A to 50,000 A, the H 2 O gas or vapor and H 2 gas pressure are maintained in the range of 0.1 Torr to 1 Torr in the vessel during the ignition.