Fusion: Disruptive InnovationFusion: Disruptive Innovation We have discovered a means for achieving...

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Cavitation-Induced Fusion Tomorrow’s Clean Energy

Transcript of Fusion: Disruptive InnovationFusion: Disruptive Innovation We have discovered a means for achieving...

Cavitation-Induced Fusion

Tomorrow’s Clean Energy

Fusion: Disruptive Innovation

We have discovered a means for achieving micro-thermonuclear fusion in vibrating gas bubbles in liquid

Our discovery allows constructing inexpensive power generators that run on deuterium

Our technology will render fossil fuels obsolete

Because our work parallels controversial “bubble fusion” we go against “expert opinion”

What is Fusion?

Hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium combine forming helium and releasing massive amounts of heat

10 micrograms of deuterium = 1 barrel of oil (!!!)

Why Fusion?

Everyone agrees that fusion energy (which powers the sun) is the power of future

Unlike chemical energy that comes from burning fossil fuels fusion energy produces no emissions

Unlike conventional nuclear power fusion does not produce radioactive waste

Unlike wind or solar power fusion energy does not require massive installations and is virtually free (deuterium is cheap and we need minuscule quantities)

Where is Fusion?

Government has spent billions and decades of research on fusion projects involving giant magnets (magnetic confinement) and powerful lasers (inertial confinement)

These fusion mega-projects are unsuccessful but “too-big-to-fail”, so funding continues

Proponents of fusion mega-projects are threatened by “cold” fusion and “bubble fusion” and therefore will thrash any competing idea

Competing Idea: Cavitation

Cavitation is a natural process that results in formation of bubbles in liquid

Cavitation bubbles expand and collapse violently releasing tremendous energy that easily eats through thick metal parts in pumps and turbines

Cavitation-Induced Fusion (CIF)

Theoretical calculations show that under the right conditions gas within cavitation bubbles can heat up to fusion temperatures (millions degrees Celsius)!

Seven different groups in U.S. and Russia have conducted successful experiments demonstrating CIF

Unfortunately, widely publicized work by Taleyarkhan (Purdue), ended in scandal with lasting damage to the field

“Bubblegate” Scandal

Critical account is given by Krivit (New Energy Times)

Politics, academic rivalry, and clashes with special interest groups killed otherwise promising field of research

As a result Taleyarkhan wasdebarred from federal funding andPurdue lost majority of it’s nuclearengineering faculty

The science, however, remains

CIF: Successful Experiments

1990: Lipson et al. (USSR)

2002: Taleyarkhan et al. (USA, ORNL)

2005: Xu et al. (USA, Purdue)

2006: Taleyarkhan et al. (USA, Purdue)

2006: Forringer et al. (USA, Purdue)

2006: Bugg et al. (USA, Purdue)

2008: Bityurin et al. (Russia)

2008: Smorodov et al. (Russia)

CIF Science

Conventional textbook physics (NOT cold fusion)

Solid theoretical foundation (dozens of papers)

4 independent successful experiments in USA, and 3 in Russia (Russian work is not known in the US)

Yet due to the “bubblegate” scandal the results are not universally accepted (skewed perception)

Our Accomplishments

Analytical model in Wolfram Mathematica

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation software

Three experiments

Preliminary results

Prototype generator hardware

Single-Bubble Experiment

Multi-Bubble Experiment

Prototype Generator Hardware

Our Results

Analytical model and MD simulation predicts fusion

Neutrons were detected in several experiments

Commercial generator prototype designed

Careful experimentation required to validate our model and refine it into an engineering tool

Immediate Goals: 2012

Demonstrate CIF proof of commercial concept Detailed experimental plan is in place; will test best options first May require up to 12 months to test all feasible options Outcome = repeatable on-demand fusion

File global patents

Engage industry and academia in technology validation We will publish our results in peer-reviewed journals We will engage AECOM (world’s largest engineering firm) and

Pennsylvania State University to validate the results

Develop modeling software for CIF engineering to facilitate next stage (net energy production)

Minimum capital requirement: $562k USD

Roadmap beyond 2012

2013 Process control demonstration Net energy demonstration

2014 – 50 kW commercial generator prototype, technology license agreements, IPO

Capital required to IPO stage may be up to $50 million, but with proof of commercial concept in hand finding further investors will be easy

2016 – 50 MW commercial generator

Commercial Viability

We estimate that 1 liter of carrier liquid saturated with fusion bubbles will produce at least 10kW of power

Power output scales with volume

Power output exponentially depends on temperature: tenfold temperature increase results in 50,000 increase in output power!

Therefore minute process improvement will result in huge power output boost (no diminishing returns)

Commercial Products & Services

Technology licensing

Heat for evaporative desalination

Industrial process and residential low-grade heat (kW-MW)

Electric power generation

Generator design and manufacturing

CIF Power Plant

Aside from the CIF reactor, this is a completely standard power plant design

CIF Commercial Potential

CIF is inherently safe

No radioactivity, no possibility of meltdown or explosion, no hazardous waste, no fear of weapons proliferation, no carbon emissions or pollutants

CIF is the ONLY new energy source that can compete against fossil fuels and win:

Wind, solar and biomass can never replace fossil fuels due to costs and intermittency

CIF can be used for residential, industrial process heating, and power generation

CIF power plant requires none of the safeguards of existing nuclear plants

CIF can scale from a few MW (e.g. compounds, neighborhoods) to thousands of MW (grid power)

CIF can replace oil, coal and natural gas in virtually all stationary applications

Did we mention desalination? Fusion will provide free unlimited fresh water.

Intellectual Property

U.S. Patent Application #61,560,666, “Cavitation-Induced Fusion”, filed 11/16/2011

World patent applications will be filed in 2012

The Company

Quantum Fusion, Inc. is wholly owned by Quantum Potential Corporation

Location: Penn State Innovation Park

Employees: 5 (including part time)

State of the art equipment

Office, lab, industrial space

The Quantum Fusion Team

Dr. Max Fomitchev-Zamilov – president, chief scientist

Sergei Godin – chief engineer, alternative energy, electrical engineering and cavitation technology expert

Dr. Andrew Belmonte – consultant, mathematical modeling (Associate Prof. of Mathematics at Penn State)

Dr. Stu Kurtz – consultant, plasma science (Prof. Emeritus of Electrical Engineering, former Director of Materials Research Institute, Penn State)

Dr. Gary Catchen – consultant, neutron detection (Prof. of Nuclear Engineering, Penn State)

Ken Robinson – VP business development (VP and National Director of Business Development, AECOM)

Dr. Richard Lahey* – consultant, bubble fusion pioneer (Prof. Emeritus of Engineering, RPI)

Dr. Robert Nigmatulin* – consultant, principle contributor to nano-scale sonofusion theory (Member, Russian Academy of Sciences; Director, Institute of Oceanology RAS)

Collectively, this team has the scientific, engineering and management expertise needed to succeed quickly

* Collaborators for Skolkovo application

Competition – The Race is On!

Impulse Devices - received $35M on CIF research sponsored by DoD

General Fusion – raised $13.75M and $19.5M in private equity in two rounds of funding

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics – started by former DoE National Lab scientists

Defkalion – the Greeks may have a working cold fusion reactor

The competition is good, but our approach is superior: We have access to valuable Russian research not known in

the West Extensive interaction with key US researchers has given us

unique insights Our approach is simpler and significantly cheaper

Our Competitive Advantage

Prior work relies on D-D fusion. We will use D-T fusion as it gives 1,000 times higher reaction rate.

Prior work relies on cavitation to create random bubbles, which is difficult and hard to control. We will inject engineered bubbles instead.

Prior work relies on high pressure (40-1,000 bars). We have engineered our bubble content (light and heavy gas mixture) to create strong shock that will produce fusion at just 1.5 bars of pressure.

Prior work relies on acoustic cavitation, which is inefficient. We will use hydrodynamic cavitation in our commercial unit.

Investment Offer & ROI

$1 million = 10% ownership, non-dilutable

We need at least $562k for 2012 to complete our R&D program

We are aiming to disrupt a multi-trillion dollar energy market. Our technology has a potential to displace all fossil and conventional nuclear fuels all together. Even if we capture just 0.1% of the market the expected ROI will be well in excess of 100x

Technical Risks

The only foreseeable risk is in single-bubble fusion. Is it repeatable? Can we control it? We will eliminate this risk in 2012.

The rest of the hardware for commercial generator is essentially designed and requires only ordinary engineering.

Other technical risks may include inability to control fusion yield beyond break-even point for reasons we currently cannot think of. We will tackle this issue in 2013.

Reasons to Invest

We are humble, we recognize mistakes, we will listen to your advice

We have more than one approach to the problem in case we hit a roadblock

We have committed our own money

We will succeed: preliminary data and works by others support our optimism

Reasons Not to Invest

? Our model may be wrong and our results may be in error

? Our model may be correct, but despite 12 months of effort we may fail to demonstrate repeatable fusion for various technical reasons that we cannot anticipate currently

? Someone may come up with a better technology sooner

? You will miss the money

? You are afraid of the risk

Fusion Benefits for the USA

Smooth transition away from fossil fuels

Renewed technological leadership

Birth of an entire new industry = employment!

Markedly reduced energy and transportation costs = cheaper goods and services, hence

Higher consumer spending, GDP & tax revenue growth, reduced deficit

Fusion Benefits for the World

Markedly reduced energy and transportation costs = sharp improvement in living standards, hence

More middle class (and larger markets!)

Cheap desalination will solve food and water shortages, deserts will become oases

Reduced emissions of all types

A new age of prosperity for all of humanity

Invest in Quantum Fusion

“It is not because things are difficult we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are

difficult.” – Seneca

Contact

Dr. Max Fomitchev-Zamilov, President

200 Innovation Blvd, Suite 254, State College, PA 16803

[email protected] | 814-777-8993

www.quantum-fusion.com