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Abstract

A spherical underground cavity is filled with saturated steam or a mixture of saturated steam and coal dust in which a nuclear device is detonated to provide the source of energy. The energy thus released heats the saturated steam to produce superheated steam used to generate power. If coal dust is mixed with the saturated steam in the correct ratio, the rise in temperature caused by the nuclear explosion initiates a chemical reaction between the steam and the coal to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be used as fuel in an external power plant. The carbon monoxide and the hydrogen gases can also be separated for use as fuels or for industrial applications. The wall of the spherical underground cavity is isolated from the shock wave created by the nuclear explosion in the ambient saturated steam by a segmented steel shell. Each segments is supported by a shock absorbing mechanism attached to the rocks in which the cavity is embedded. After the explosion, the steel shell segments move outward, are slowed down and stopped by the shock absorbing system. No shock is transmitted to the surrounding rocks. The shell segments are eventually returned to their initial position and readied for the next explosion. After enough superheated steam has been extracted out of the cavity, water and saturated steam are again injected inside the cavity, to restore the initial ambient conditions that existed prior to the preceding explosion. When the conditions inside the cavity are right, another nuclear device is introduced, then detonated and another cycle is started. The explosion cycle frequency is established by the size of the cavity and the yield of the nuclear device. Most, and possibly even all, of the energy thus generated is produced by a nuclear reaction of the fusion type. Means is thereby provided to produce energy and possibly more fuels by utilizing the inexpensive and plentiful fuel deuterium. If a fission reaction is not used to trigger the fusion reaction, tritium may need to be added to the deuterium so that a powerful laser beam can be used to provide the triggering means.

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First Claim