Direct energy conversion from p+Li-7 fusion reaction?

[Sven Andersson]

I have a question about direct energy conversion; if I want to directly extract electrical energy from the fusion reaction p+Li-7 reaction which generates He nuclei, with a kinetic energy of 8 MeV, what is the most suitable method of doing that?

Should some method with charge separation be used or perhaps some method with magnetic fields, like the inverse cyclotron converter, of Tri Alpha Energy?

Sven

 

[Astronuc]

Should some method with charge separation be used or perhaps some method with magnetic fields,

Yes. For direct energy conversion, one basically has to separate the positively charged nuclei and electrons. Both are collected separately, and the electrons would provide the current across the load. Magnetic confinement systems require some kind of 'divertor', or otherwise a leaking mirror, e.g., in a tandem mirror device, in which some of the alphas (and electrons) leak out and the alphas and electrons are separated.