2H + 3H = α + n + 17.587994 MeV
} or {
D + T = α + n + 17.587994 MeV
(deuterium + tritium = alpha + neutron + 17.587994 Million electron Volts)
[α = helium nuclei fusion product]
The energy release (pictured above)
is the direct result of the nuclear fusion of dissociated Lithium6
Deuteride. 6Li is a very low density metal, comprising just 7.4% of
natural lithium. 6Li is separated from natural Li by an ionic
exchange chemical process, where a lithium/mercury amalgam, prepared using
natural Li is agitated with a lithium hydroxide solution, also prepared
from natural Li. 6Li concentrates into the amalgam, while 7Li
migrates into the hydroxide. The mercury and 6Li are then separated
using fractional distillation. The basic principle behind a
thermonuclear weapon (similar to the one pictured above), is to place a
single small fission bomb, known as the primary, at the point of a cone
shaped X-ray reflector (typically polished U238) which focuses and
concentrates the X-rays produced by the fission explosion upon a
compressed ceramic column of solid 6LiD in order to implode and intensely
heat these fusile elements. Thermal neutrons released from the
fission primary then bombard the 6Li. When a slow thermal neutron
is absorbed by the 6Li, it is transmuted into tritium (H3). Intense
pressure is required in order to increase the probability of nuclear
fusion (by overcoming the natural electrostatic repulsion of H
atoms). This pressure is produced on two fronts, first the inertial
confinement compression, where you counteract the explosive force released
by the primary using an inwardly directed momentum upon the fusile fuel,
combined with the direct compression and heating caused by the X-rays
produced by the primary, and second using a small cylindrical rod of Pu239
(called the "spark plug") which is inserted through the axis of the 6LiD
cone. Thermal neutrons from the primary induce super criticality in
the rod, causing both the opposing wave front expanding radially (by the
fission of the rod) and by generating fast neutrons which induces fission
of the U238 neutron reflector. When the heat and pressure between
these two wave fronts reach a point of criticality (overcoming the
electrostatic repulsion of the two hydrogen isotopes), the tritium then
atomically fuses with the nearby deuterium, producing 4He (released as an
α particle), a neutron, and 2.817907e-12 J of energy. The α
particles, being both highly charged and at extremely high temperature,
contribute directly to the formation of the magnificent nuclear fireball
shown in the picture above. |