Pat 5734122 Aspden Thermoelectric Energy Conversion

8/6/2019 Pat 5734122 Aspden Thermoelectric Energy Conversion

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[11] Patent Number:[45] Date of Patent:

5,734,122Mar. 31, 1998

[54] THERMOELECTRIC ENERGYCONVERSION APPARATUS[76] Inventor: Harold Aspden. Acres High. Hadrian

Way. Southhampton SO 167HZ.England

[21] Appl. No.: 520,008[22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1995

Related U.S. AppUcation Data[63] Continuation-in-part of PCfIUS94105797, May 23, 1994,continuation-in-part of Sec . No. 191,381, Feb. 3, 1994,abandoned, which is a continuation of Sec. No. 480,816,Feb. 16, 1990,abandoned.[30] Foreign AppUcation Priority DataApr . 15, 1989 1 G B ] United Kingdom 8908571May 25, 1993 1 G B ] United Kingdom 9310734

[51] lot. Cl.6 HOIL35130[52] U.S. Cl 136/205; 136/224; 1361225;

1361228; 310/306[58] Field of Search 136/200. 205.136/224.225.228; 310/306

[56] References CitedU.S. PATENTDOCUMENTS

375,408 12/1887 Acheson 310/306407,762 7/1889 Acheson 310/306407,763 7/1889 Acheson 310/306

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2,619,6032,637,8232,919,3563,154,9273,310,6893,593,0474,435,6635,065,0855,288,3365,376,184

11/1952 Chilowsky 310/4511953 Anderson et aI 310/41211959 Fry 310/411/1964 Simon 62133/1967 Heinmets 310/47/1971 Nolta et al 310/4311984 Gambinom et al 31013061111991 Aspden et al 32212 R211994 Strachan et aI . 136/2001211994 Aspden 1361203

Primary Ewminer-Kathryn L. GorgosAssistant Examiner-Chrisman D. Carroll[57] ABSTRACTApparatus is disclosed in which a pair of elongated solidcylindrical metal conductors mounted with their central axesmutually parallel are connected at their ends to form a closedelectrical circuit path. there being heat sinks at spacedpositions along their length which serve as heat transfermeans sett ing up a temperature gradient along the lengths ofthe conductors. A strong electrical current flow in theconductors creates a circumferential magnetic field in themetal directed at r ight angles to the heat flow and this. by theNernst Effect. produces a radial electric field gradient in themetal coupled with the transient accumulation of storedelectrical energy. The apparatus disclosed serves for theexperimental testing of energy conversion and storage bythermoelectric processes occurring in the metal and theultimate utilization of the technology involved.

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THERMOELECTRIC ENERGYCONVERSION APPARATUSCONTINUATION RElATIONSHIPS

This application is a continuation-in-part of PCfIUS941057CJ7.filed 23 May 1994 and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 081191.381. filed 3 Feb. 1994. now abandoned. which isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/480.816. filed 16 Feb. 1990, now abandoned.

FIELD OF INVENTIONThe invention relates to energy conversion apparatus in

which electric field effects are produced in an electricalconductor by the combined action of a magnetic field andheat flow. The magnetic field is produced by electricalcurrent flow in the body of that conductor and the field ofinvention is therefore essentially in the discipline ofthermoelectricity, notably involving the Nernst Effect.which relates temperature gradient. magnetic field and amutually orthogonal induced electric field powered by theheat resource. The research on which the invention is basedhas demonstrated certain energy anomalies some of whichare not yet well understood, but which involve apparatushaving general design features based on sound and well 25understood scientific principles.

The invention is only concerned with specific novel andnon-obvious features of apparatus to be utilized in theonward experimental research and the eventual technologi-cal applications which can exploit these energy anomalies. 30

This application is filed as a continuation-in-part derivingfrom U.S. patent application Ser. No. 081191.381 becausethe apparatus as described in the specification of that appli-cation and its original counterpart U.S. patent application 35Ser. No. 07/480.816 was presented in the context of itssuggested relevance to what has come to be termed 'coldfusion' and it is expressly affirmed that. though the concep-tion of this invention may owe its origin to inspirationconnected with that theme, this subject continuation-in-part 40application application makes no claim dependent upon'cold fusion'.

The invention concerns electrical apparatus aimed spe-cifically at setting up an orthogonal interaction between amagnetic field and a temperature gradient in an electrical 45conductor. ostensibly for no apparent purpose since thisinvolves power loss. However. by the Nernst Effect, there isthen an electric field set up in the conductor in the mutuallyorthogonal direction and the consequences of this in theapparatus configuration of this invention are a basic research 50pursuit concerning a certain energy anomaly which gives theinvention uti lity at least as experimental apparatus.

However. notwithstanding the fact that the claims of thisspecification are not specific to the 'cold fusion' theme. thisshould not be regarded as a disclaimer of rights should what 55has come to be known as 'cold fusion' eventually develop asa specific application of the apparatus covered by the claims.

As support justifying this statement and as a matter ofdocumentary record, but without it being part of the detailedpatent description needed to support the claims. a commen- 60tary is added at the end ofthis specification as an 'Appendix'aimed at providing some general scientific background. Thetext of this Appendix was written in October 1993 with theintention of using it as a scientific statement to support apetition to revive the parent U.S. patent application No. 6507/480,816, it having been deemed abandoned owing to theApplicant's non-response to an Examiner's communication

2dated Dec. 16th, 1992. The latter was presumably lost in theChristmas mail load as it was never received by the Appli-cant in U.K. The appended commentary has not hithertobeen disclosed and so cannot be quoted by way of reference

5 to a scientific publication of record.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are in electrical science a number of energy anoma-lies which are seldom recognized in modern teaching but

10 which ultimately will be resolved and have technologicalspin-off with patentable merit.The primary example known to this Applicant is thesubject of his own Ph.D. research, which dates from the

1950-1953 period. In electrical sheet steel as used in power15 transformers the eddy-current losses are known to exceed

the basic theoretical design expectation by a factor whichcan be 50% in thick laminations but much higher, even ashigh as a ten-fold increase, in thin cold-reduced grain-oriented laminations magnetized at 90 to the rolling direc-

20 tion. More familiar values are loss factors of 2 or 3.As noted in this Applicant 's published scientific papers on

the subject in the 1950 era, for those materials which overallhad an anomaly loss factor of 2, research revealed that muchof this rate of loss occurred over the low flux density rangein a B-H magnetization cycle which operated between highflux densities.

Although the Applicant researched numerous aspects ofhow the loss could be affected, as by mechanical stress.excitation waveform distortion, d.c. polarization bias andespecially loss rate factor at progressive stages around theB-H magnetization loop, the outcome of that research didnot reveal a satisfactory final account of the hidden myster-ies implicit in the loss mechanism. Indeed. the subject hassubsequently become dormant and is now virtuallyforgotten. as electrical engineers avoid the underlying theoryand take manufacturer's specifications of empirical lossproperties as their input data for computer design analysisstructured on standard theory.

This introduction is relevant because the Applicant hasrecently come to realise why those losses in electrical sheetsteels are enhanced and the reason. seen now in retrospect.is quite simple. Furthermore, there are certain new techno-logical implications extending to the field of the subjectinvention.

Hysteresis and eddy-current losses produce heat. The heatmust flow from the electrical sheet steel lamination and ittends to flow laterally in the plane of the lamination in itswidth direction to find the shortest route to the ambientcooling medium. whether that be air or oil. The laminations,if thin enough, of the order of 200 microns, and if of goodelectrical steel quali ty with large crystals, wil l have in thosecrystals what are known as magnetic domains. These areregions of the order of 100 microns across in which the steelis magnetized to saturation in one of three mutually orthogo-nal axial directions fixed by the body-centred crystal struc-ture in iron. Now, when heat flows crosswise to a strongmagnetic field. we know from our knowledge of thermo-electricity that it results in an electric field set up in themutually orthogonal direction. This is the Nernst Effect andit really amounts to there being a magnetic deflection of theflow of electrical charge in its collisional activity as thetransporter of heat. What happens is that the thermal motionis deflected sideways so that the heat flow is arrested by thecharge stacking up at the side surfaces of the lamination toset up the electric field. Heat energy is converted intoelectrical energy and the magnetic field merely serves as a


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3catalyst. acting to divert charge in motion by a well-knownforce law named after Lorentz. The charge is that of the heatcarriers. the free electrons inside the iron.

To explain how this accounts for the eddy-current lossanomaly. one only needs then to realise that the heat willflow one way in the laminations through a succession ofmagnetic domains and the circuital eddy-currents inducedby a,c, magnetization will cross from being adjacent onesurface of the lamination to the other and so along the sametransverse track as the induced electric field. The direction ofpolarization of a magnetic domain will determine whetheran opposing or assisting electric field is provided by thatNernst Effect. but the current flow will always take the pathof least resistance. meaning that it will opt for passagethrough the domain offering the assisting field. In short.owing to the conversion of the heat into electricity. there isan aiding EMF in the eddy-current circuital flow and thismeans that much higher currents will flow than are expectedfrom basic theory. In tum. though this has involved coolingas energy is converted from heat into electricity. this elec-tricity then adds to the eddy-current strength and regeneratesheat. more heat than is expected from theory which ignoresthe Nernst Effect and that means an anomalous loss.

Of course. when the lamination is strongly magnetized sothat the polarization of all magnetic domains tends to be inthe same general direction. then the current loses its optionalpath and what it gains near one edge in making the traversalof the width of the laimination it loses at the other edge. Theresult is that the loss anomaly factor is quite small andindeed normal and close to theoretical prediction. beingmerely affected by structural inhomogeneit ies at the higherrange of the B-H flux loop. as this Applicant's Ph. D.experimental research established.

The above is an example of a hitherto unexplained heatgeneration anomaly. important because it affects all electri-cal power apparatus using electrical sheet steel, whichmeans virtually all motors and transformers and yet onewhich few scientists even know exists.In this case. however. the thermal processes affected bymagnetism convert heat into electricity in such a way that

more heat isgenerated than is expected but it all is accountedfor as input electricity and. though they have not understoodthe science involved. our scientists have given up andaccepted the loss situation without explanation. It is onlynow. by chance. and arising from other research connectedwith this invention. that this Applicant has discovered thetrue explanation.

This further research was concerned with conversion ofheat into electricity using intrinsically magnetized materials.typically nickel. in structures which were the subject of U.S.Pat. Nos. 5.065.085. 5.288336 and 5376.184. In thisresearch it was realised that when heat flows in nickellaminations and is diverted at a kHz frequency within thatmetal by a magnetic field so as to set up EMFs in thetransverse sense and through a laminar capacitor stack builtfrom those laminations. so one can take electrical powerfrom the structure. It sustains oscillations by developing anegative resistance powered by heat input This utilizes theNernst Effect primarily and certain other thermoelectriceffects for functional design reasons, but is a surprisingdevelopment because one is not familiar with the role ofmagnetism as a catalyst in converting heat into electricity.Yet, in power technology in the 196Os. before it was pushedaside by the advent of nuclear power there was a newtechnology for generating electrical power developingknown as magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) by which hot

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ionised gases passing through a magnetic field whichdiverted positive and negative ions in opposite transversedirections shed heat to produce that electrical power. Themagnetic field was a mere catalyst but note that the heat was

5 flowing as part of a moving electrically conductive medium.in that ease a gas.The three U.S. Patents just mentioned describe devices inwhich the heat to electricity conversion occurs within metaland. of course. one might then wonder if liquid electrolytes

10 can offer prospect of a similar power conversion. Now. it isimportant to understand that. though we tend to believeotherwise. it is a scientific fact. known at least to those whoreally understand the operation of wave guides and reflectiveproperties of surfaces. that a metal has what one can term a

15 dielectric constant and an electric field gradient can exist inthe body of a metal.

This brings us to another form of energy loss recentlyencountered in experimental electric motor research by thisApplicant. but in this case what one sees. at least over a

20 period of motor start-up. is a net energy loss drawn from aninput source but no apparent destiny for the energy as outputIn a university research project in 1984 the Applicant

investigated the effect of spinning a solid nylon cylindermounted on a steel shaft and enclosed except at its ends in

2 5 a surrounding cylindrical electrode, there being some 20.0'00volts d,c. potential applied between the shaft and the elec-trode. The object of that research was to verify a theoreticalprediction that a radial electric field could set up an electricaldisplacement partially in the nylon owing to its high dielec-

30 tric constant and partially also in the underlying coextensivevacuum field medium. The latter is that associated with thedisplacement currents implicit in Maxwell's equations inelectromagnetic theory. The theory researched by the Appli-cant affirmed that there would be a reaction in the form of

35 a field energy spin which would store energy and whichmight be recoverable by inert ial interaction.

The test rig had facilities for declutching the drivingmotor and allowing the slow spin-down of the nylon rotor tobe timed to trace a connection with the level and duration of40 the voltage priming the action. In the event. the results didnot meet expectation. If there was a 'vacuum spin' set up. it

had no evident mechanical coupling with the nylon rotor.Much later it was realised that the tests should have been

performed using a metal rotor. even though only a very small45 radial electric field gradient could be set up in such a test

apparatus. The point here is that electric charge displace-ment within the metal will promote a counterpart displace-ment in the underlying vacuum field medium and the chargewould separate to form a surface charge of one polarity and

50 a distributed internal charge of opposite polarity. By theprinciples of electrostatics. in a hollow and even in a solidmetal conductor, the surface charge develops no back reac-tion field inside that conductor, and so any setting up of aradial electric field gradient within that metal rotor would

55 t ransfer electrons to cause displaced charge of one polarityto be balanced at the surface by vacuum field displacementcharge. The result is that charge of opposite polarity is heldneutralized in the body of the metal by vacuum fielddisplacement charge of the other polari ty. The expectation

60 was that so long as the small radial EMF was maintained aquite significant current might flow to build-up more andmore displaced charge which would defy detection byelectrical sensing. but which would involve storage ofenergy by 'vacuum spin inertia' and energy could. possibly.

65 be tapped by somehow reversing the radial EMF.Though this was seemingly a speculative proposit ion. the

underlying theory had recognized that a great deal of cos-


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5mology was connected with energy storage by rotation andits origin could best be linked with the setting up of radialelectrical fields. An example here is the creation of a star bynucleation of protons preferentially in a neutral proton-electron plasma. compared with the electrons. owing to theirstronger mutual gravitational attraction.It was from this basis that the Applicant was able to

understand something that emerged whilst testing a newkind of electric motor having axially mounted magnets in itsrotor. This motor has become the subject of a pending GB.Patent Application No. 9.513.855 filed on Jul. 7. 1995 (laterpublished as GB 2.303.255A). The corresponding U.S.patent application is Ser. No. 08/579.991 filed on Dec. 28.1995. now abandoned.

When a magnet is rotated about its axis with its fieldpenetrating a conductive rotor disc there is. as is well knownfrom Michael Faraday's research. the induction of a radialEMF in that disc. This is what is needed to set up that'vacuum field spin' condition which the Applicant had triedto trace in his earlier research. The test apparatus in this caseincluded an electrical tachometer coupled to the rotor andaffording a direct measure of the speed as well as anelectrical d.c. drive motor powered by a stabilized voltagesupply. The voltage and current were measured. the currentbeing the variable as the motor gained speed. What was thennoticed was that the particular apparatus tested couldachieve a steady running speed in a few seconds but that thecurrent input surge to the d.c. motor would reduce to itssteady state value only over a much longer time period witha decay time constant of two or three minutes. This meantthat there was an input of energy which was related to thespeed-up process but which did not correspond to themechanical machine requirements for that speed. Any tran-sient electrical power effect would be expected to be of athermal nature affecting motor resistance. but that shouldhave implied a decreasing speed accompanying the smallercurrent. given that the supply voltage was steady.It was concluded from such tests that a motor system

including axially mounted magnets in its rotor structure.given an electrically conductive rotor. has an affinity oninitial start-up for an excess input of energy which seems tobe of inertial character but which is not the energy of thenormal rotor inertia. An estimate from one set of testssuggested that the extra energy input could be as much as 20 45times that needed to spin the motor inertially at the testspeed. This has. of course. no practical significance unlessone can find a way of recovering that energy. which is asubject now being pursued separately by the Applicant.

In the above background summary. however. a case has 50been set forth that shows how charge can be held effectivelyneutralized in a metal by the vacuum field electric chargedisplacement seated in that metal and how energy can be lostor stored anomalously by setting up a radial electric field inmetal of cylindrical form. Also it has been explained how 55magnetic fields can develop electrical fields powered byheat. This background introduces the subject invention.which has the object of providing a particular form ofnon-rotating apparatus which is specially designed to set upanomalous energy effects based on the radial electric field in 60a metal conductor of circular cross-section.

BRIEF STPJEMENT OF INVENTIONThe object of the invention is to provide thermoelectric

energy conversion apparatus specifically suited to theexperimental testing of the interaction between thermaltemperature gradients and the tranversely directed circum-

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ferential magnetic fields developed by electrical current flowalong the length of a metal conductor as they combine todevelop an electric displacement field radial to the conductoraxis. To the extent that the latter electrical displacement5 induces reactions which build-up a sustained ionic chargepolarization in the metal. as neutralized by thatdisplacement. the latter deriving energy from the partialarrest of the heat carriers in the metal. it is a further objectof the invention to provide the means for controlling the10 release of that energy in a useful way.

According to the invention. thermoelectric energy con-version apparatus comprises (a) mutually parallel elongatedcylindrical metal conductors disposed side by side with shortbridging connecting conductor links at their ends so as toform a closed circuital loop. (b) a source of electrical input15 power and circuit control means for regulating the powerdelivered by the source to develop an a.c. voltage at afrequency less than 5 Hz. (c) an electrical transformerdisposed between adjacent ends of the elongated conductors.the transformer having a primary winding connected to

20 receive the power delivered and transform it into current insaid metal conductors which are arranged to form thecircuital loop as a secondary winding on the transformer. theconnecting conductor link at the transformer position pass-ing through the ferromagnetic core aperture so as to consti-

25 tute a segment of the secondary winding. and (d) two sets ofheat sinks in thermal contact with the conductors at differentpositions along their length. with associated thermal transfermeans for delivering and deploying heat. one set of heatsinks serving as a heat input source and one set serving as30 a heat output source. the a.c. current induced in the closedcircuital loop being confined to passage through the elon-gated cylindrical metal conductors so as to develop a cir-cumferential magnetic field about the conductor axis whichinteracts with heat flow along that axis to develop in turn an

35 electric field within the conductor directed radially withrespect to that axis.

According to a feature of the invention. in the apparatusthere are only two elongated metal conductors connected by

40 two bridging connecting conductor links to form a loopwhich is a single turn secondary winding on said trans-former.

According to another feature of the invention. the elon-gated metal conductors are all of equal diameter and so equalcross-sectional area.

According to yet another feature of the invention. in theapparatus the circuit control means for regulating the powerdelivered by the source to develop an a.c. voltage at afrequency less than 5 Hz includes electronic power controlcircuit components which control the voltage waveformsupplied to the transformer in an asymmetrical manner inwhich the voltage is lower and of longer duration in onepolarity direction and higher but of shorter duration in theopposite polarity direction.

According to another feature of the invention. the appa-ratus includes two transformers aiding one another in pow-ering the current flow in the conductor loop. these beingtoroidal transformers. one having a said bridging connectingconductor link passing through the central aperture of itstoroidal core and the other having the other bridging con-necting conductor link similarly passing through its centraltoroidial core aperture.

According to another feature of the invention. the elon-gated cylindrical metal conductors are enclosed in thermal

65 insulation along their lengths between the heat sinks in orderto confine heat flow to passage in an axial direction along theconductors.


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7In one prospective application of the apparatus provided

by this invention at least one of the elongated cylindricalconductors is immersed in a liquid electrolyte and forms acathode in a circuit arranged to be supplied with d.c. power.there being a cylindrical anode and the elongated cathode 5conductor being located along the central axis of the cylin-drical anode. whereby the electrolyte itself forms a moder-ately conductive medium subjected to d.c. radial electricfield action but has negligible conductance relative to that ofthe elongated cathode conductor powered by the trans- 10former.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 depicts the mutually orthogonal relationshipbetween a heat flow in a conductive medium. a magnetic 15field and a resulting electric field powered by that heat flow.FIG. 2 shows the cross-section of a cylindrical conductorin which a radial electric field is set up by the interaction of

current and heat in passage axially through the conductor, itbeing noted that such current develops a circumferentiallydirected magnetic field.

FIG. 3 shows how electric charge. displaced radially in acylindrical conductor can accumulate at the boundary sur-face of the conductor whilst compensating electric charge.has a distribution within the conductor corresponding to theelectric potential sustained by the combined effect of heatand current flow.

FIG. 4 shows a contrasting situation where a parallel platecapacitor-type arrangement has charge displaced within themedium separating the plates so as to build charge distri-butions adjacent both plates, but with no intervening chargedistribution.

FIG. 5 portrays a quantum field spin system which will bediscussed in explaining why the radial electric field in aconductor can produce an unusual physical phenomenondeemed to warrant research attention using the apparatusprovided by this invention.

FIG. 6 shows a configuration of heat flow from the endsto the centre of a cylindrical rod carrying current andproducing an internal circumferential magnetic field. withexit of heat laterally from its middle region.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration alternative to that of FIG. 6with the heat flows reversed.FIG. 8 shows the apparatus including an anode cathode

circuit and an elongated cylindrical conductor separatelypowered by a.c. as disclosed in the parent patent applicationsto which this subject application is related by its continua-tion.

FIG. 9 shows an apparatus which represents a preferredembodiment of this invention. there being a simple elon-gated rectangular conductor loop circuit including as itsmain components two mutually parallel solid cylindricalmetal conductors with connected heat sinks.

FIG. 10 shows the waveform profile of a typical voltagewaveform used to power current flow cyclically through theconductor loop at very low frequency.

DEfAll-ED DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION

When a thermal gradient represented in FIG. 1 by 8T/oxis set up in the x direction of an x, y, z coordinate system andthere is a magnetic field H in the y direction, there is. withinan electrically conductive medium. a resulting electric fieldE set up in the z direction. T is temperature. The magnitudeof the field E depends upon the intrinsic properties of the

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medium with the field polarity depending upon the type ofcharge carriers conveying the heat, but the relationship

applies. where N, is an applicable coefficient. it beingconnected with the name Nernst as far as concerns metalconductors.

Typically, E can be several volts per cm in a strong fieldof the order of one Tesla with 8T/ox as one degree C. per em,Inpractice. however. the problem is that of setting up sucha temperature gradient in a metal conductor and finding aconvenient way in which to apply a strong magnetic field.Then there is the problem of deciding how to harness theelectric field. because if it is used to supply electric powerthrough a connected circuit . that circuit affects the heat flowpath adversely and thwarts one's efforts to convert heat intoelectricity.

This invention aims at providing an ingenious route by20 which seek to exploit this source of energy.The underlying concept is that if a solid cylindrical

conductor carries a very strong current it will develop astrong circumferential magnetic field. particularly if it com-prises nickel or iron. Then. given heat flow along that

25 conductor, the radial electric field shown in FlG. 2 willdevelop. Of itself this may seem to be inconsequential. acondition sustained after an initial transient and deployingheat energy into electrical form only in measure related tothe electrostatic charge energy stored by that E field. In a

30 metal conductor this is something that most scientists woulddiscount from warranting consideration.

However. assuming the magnetic field and the heat floware sustained. that E field in a metal conductor means thatelectric current must flow, a very high current density even

35 with a very low E field. and if there is no good conductorpath to take current away from the surface of the conductorthere will be a build-up of charge. ego the negative chargedepicted in FIG. 3. whilst a compensating distributed posi-tive charge is set up in the body of the conductor. Note that

40 if charge cannot flow out then. even though the conductorhas a point of connection to an external circuit, there can beno inflow of charge either. because a balance has to prevail.

However, as the heat flows relentlessly through the con-ductor and the magnetic field is maintained, so the electric

45 field persists in urging charge displacement Now. in FIG. 4we see what happens in a parallel plate capacitor when thereis charge of opposite polarity on its separate plates. There iselectric displacement even in the vacuum medium perme-ating the dielectric substance in the intervening space. The

50 Maxwell charge displacement is a transfer of charge in thatvacuum medium with some also in the dielectric frompositions adjacent one plate to positions adjacent the other.However, there is no distributed charge in that interveningspace, because the parallel plate geometry sets up the

55 uniformity of field gradient that implies no interveningcharge sources.This is not the case with the radial electric field conditionsset up in the cylindrical conductor. For uniform heat flowacross the cross-section and uniform current distribution, the

60 magnetic field H increases linearly with radial distance fromthe central axis and so the field E must share that samerelationship. It can only do this if there is a uniformdistribution of charge, a uniform charge density, within theconductor. Here, then, with this unusual combination of heat

65 flow and electric current in a solid metal conductor we havethe most unusual condition of a build-up of charge inside thebody of that metal. As with the situation in the dielectric


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between the plates of the capacitor. there has to be accom-panying displacement of charge in the vacuum fieldmedium. but any charge displaced to the perimeter surfaceof the conductor sets up no back-field. by the well knownprinciples of electrostatics. so the charge of opposite polarity 5to that displaced to the surface region takes up positionswhere it can neutralize any onward build-up of charge bydisplacement in the metal.

This process occurs without any evident sign of its actionand is a self-regulating process because any deployment ofheat in setting up this neutralized charge system can onlypromote underlying field turbulence of some kind whichsheds heat energy back again as instability sets in.However. in looking deeper into the physics involvedhere. this Applicant has noted certain phenomena connected 15with quantum theory which imply linear harmonic proper-t ies of the vacuum field medium. suggestive of harmoniousand synchronized jitter-type motion of charge seated in thevacuum. This action is connected with the HeisenbergUncertainty Principle and the forces governing. for example.the value of the fine-structure constant. which is a dimen-sionless expression relating Planck's action quantum. thespeed of light and the unitary fundamental electric charge inphysics. The synchronous motion of that vacuum chargeseems to have a far reaching cosmic influence but superim-posed on this there is the thermal and Fermi type motionsonce the effects spread into matter as such.

The point of relevance here is that when a spherical orcylindrical volume of the vacuum medium is affected by anelectric field radial to the centre in that sphere or the centralaxis in the cylinder. then the harmonious jitter of the vacuumcharge will lose its strict synchronism with that cosmicbackground. If it cannot. because it is phase-locked. then itmust itself be displaced radially and at the same time itsbodily distribution. meaning its lattice system. must developa rotational motion about the centre or that central axis.albeit with some dependence upon orientation in space.

What this amounts to. so far as the subject invention isconcerned. is that the quantum interactions through thespace medium can bring into a focal system energy needed 40to set the vacuum medium in spin as governed by the needto cancel that radial electric field. There is then scope forwondering whether the switch-off or reversal of that radialelectric field will unleash this energy and either result in itbeing shed to our material environment as excess heat or 45possibly becoming something that can be tapped in a con-trolled way to develop mechanical rotation or even electricalpower directly.

So far as this subject patent application is concerned theobjective is to provide apparatus by which to research the 50thermal theme. though the Applicant has already discoveredevidence supporting what is said above in his research onelectric motors.

Though FIG. 5 is merely an outline depicting what hasbeen said above about the vacuum state. it is of interest to 55consider what happens if a sphere comprising such amedium rotates bodily whilst those minor spins shown allstay in synchronism. As each is seated in charge neutralizedby a background charge continuum. the larger motion withthe sphere will cause them to move faster when furthest 60away in their minor orbits from the central axis of rotationof the sphere and slower when closer to that axis, assumingthe sphere rotates in the same spin direction. This means aloss of synchronism instant by instant but it can be avoidedby appropriate radial displacement of the system of vacuum 65charge in measure related to the angular speed of the sphere.This is a very fundamental process which assuredly under-

10lies the reality of the physical world. One early example ofthe power of the theory involved here is disclosed by theApplicant and co-author Dr. D. M. Eagles in Physics Letters41A.423 (1972).The essential point is that the sett ing up of a radial electricfield within a conductive medium can induce a spin reactionin a coextensive spherical or cylindrical volume of thevacuum field medium and this involves both Maxwell-typeelectric charge displacement and the ingress of energy from

10 the quantum underworld of space itself. That energy canremain hidden and be inaccessible unless we can deviseways of releasing it as by heat. but there is a way becausethis source of energy undoubtedly is the priming source formany natural phenomena on a cosmic scale.

Although this invention is not directed at the 'cold fusion'theme it will be understood from what has been explainedabove that the anomalous generation of heat claimed bythose involved with 'cold fusion' research and the presenceof a positive charge distribution within a metal conductor

20 when heat and electric current flow combine in a certain wayare suggestive. The existence of a positive ion chargebalanced by vacuum charge displacement on a microfinescale implies the possibility of two positive ions easilymerging owing to the aethereal nature of the negative charge

25 that neutralizes their mutual force interactions.This will explain why this patent application is linked by

continuation with an original patent application filed shortlyafter the 'cold fusion' scenario was initiated.

FIG. 8 is reproduced from that first application and it30 depicts an electrolytic cell in which an elongated conductor

serves as a cathode enclosed within a cylindrical anode. Thea.c. power source 1 supplies a high a.c. current through thecathode 2 by connection to the secondary winding of trans-former 3. The cell housing 4 is filled with electrolyte 5 and

35 the anode (j is supplied with a low d.c. current from powersource 7 which makes connection at terminal 8 to one endof the cathode 2. Since the a.c. output from the transformeris connected between terminal 8 and terminal 4) at the otherend of the cathode. the d.c. and a.c. currents are confined toseparate circuits. The electrical resistivity of the electrolyte.ifof a typical salt solution. is about one ohm-ern comparedwith a resistivity of the metal cathode that is smaller by afactor of 100.000. so very little a.c. current will bypass themetal cathode by flow through the electrolyte. This meansthat a very strong current could flow through the cathode asa.c. to condition the cathode for its effect on any positiveions adsorbed into its metal body and the Applicant saw thisas meritorious and of relevance.

However. here the subject is in no way concerned with theprocesses underlying what is termed 'cold fusion'. butapplies essentially to apparatus useful in research aimed atexploring heat energy anomalies.

More specifically. the subject invention is concerned withthe apparatus shown in typical form in FIG. 9.Here there is emphasis on the structural feature of makingthe conductor circuit of minimal resistance. which requires

a relatively thick conductor section elongated to give moreoperational length. but having in mind that parallel orienta-tion of the conductors is essential for optimum effect.

There are two elongated solid cylindrical metal conduc-tors 10. typically of nickel, which is ferromagnetic and hasa high Nemst coefficient. and there are short bridgingconnecting conductor links 11 passing through the aperturesin the two toroidal transformers 12. These have their primarywindings connected to a source of a.c. power duly regulatedelectronically in a manner familiar to those skilled in the artof using power mosfet semiconductor devices. This source


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cists familiar with quantum electrodynamics know that thevacuum field is the seat of activity of electron and positroncreation and that mu-mesons are otherwise known as 'heavyelectrons', it needs little imagination then to suspect thatNature is trying to create protons continuously everywherein space. Since we do not see such protons materializingbefore our eyes we must infer that they exist only verytransiently after creation unless the field medium has surplusenergy to be shed over and above its local equilibriumrequirements.This scenario of proton creation and annihilation is no lesscredible than the accepted scenario of electron-positroncreation and annihilation or the equivalent mu-meson activ-ity. We think the electron and the proton have an infinitel ifetime becau se none has been measured, but the true reasonfor this is that it is impossible to measure the lifetime ofsomething when it gets itself recreated virtually in the sameplace and immediately. Yet. we know that electrons candecay in association with positrons and we further know thatelectrons can tunnel through potential barriers with a 10-13second lifetime. so physicists do need to get their picture ofthese events into proper context.

The proton and the electron are the only types of particlethat exist in stable form. simply because they are recurrentlyregenerating as the primordial forms of matter. as such. in 25their respective charge polari ty states.

Now, given this background knowledge of protoncreation. it becomes easier to understand how an atomicnucleus might increment in its nucleon value and without 30needing an immensely hot background. If a proton were tobe created in the very space already occupied by an atomicnucleus one can begin to understand how it might fuse withthat nucleus and promote the emission of a beta particle.Almost all the transmutations that are listed in atomic tables. 35excluding what occurs in the heavy nuclei ranging frombismuth onwards. require emissions of beta particles. Betaparticles are those electrons and positrons already men-tioned. They are emitted by atomic nuclei. Yet atomicphysicists have chosen to ignore their existence in atomic 40nuclei and have instead assumed that there are neutronspresent to keep the mass balance. Here lies the very heart ofthe problem surrounding cold fusion. Neutrons are unstable.They are artifacts created when atoms break up. They arecomposites of beta particles and protons. but they do notexist as 'neutrons' in that atomic nucleus.

Accordingly. one must see the evidence of 'cold fusion' asevidence confirming this rather obvious proposition. namelythat there are no neutrons in atomic nuclei. This is a casewhere discovery in the context of a technological advance. 50meaning 'invention'. has given a new insight into basicphysics and yet has led to the incredible contest by which theabsence of the neutron hot fusion product has been regardedas disproving what is observed.

However. summarizing the position, Nature is constantly 55attempting to create protons everywhere. but generally doesnot succeed, because there is no energy to sustain the fieldequilibrium and so the pseudo-creations promptly decay.However. given the right conditions the statistical actioncan, even with the field equilibrium requirement, result in 60nuclear fusion because if the trigger threshold is reached itbecomes energetically favorable for a proton elsewhere, butnearby. to decay to keep the vacuum field energy balance.

No doubt the reader will understand that. ifa proton wereto be created within an atomic nucleus. the event. if also 65accompanied with the expulsion of a posit ive beta particle,would leave that nucleus one nucleon heavier but with its

14charge unchanged. If. accompanying this event. a protonnearby. or a proton in a nearby deuteron. were to decay withits beta particle action. then some heat energy would be shednearby. This becomes a very likely event. given that Nature

5 most certainly does have a way of creating matter in protonform. provided (a) the overall mass energy of particlesinvolved allows the reaction and (b) the close proximity ofthe part icles is assured.

What. then. are the right conditions and how can this10 action be enhanced?The answer is found by analogy with the hot fusion

situation. We need to bring into very close relationship thetwo nuclei that are to fuse together. We can do this either bymoving them at high speed, as by thermal excitation. or

15 somehow assuring that. since they are positively charged.the field background has a negative electrical condition. Thenuclei must further be stripped away from the satelliteatomic electrons of the normal atomic form.

Now. before explaining how physics can assure this in the20 cold fusion work. it is appropriate to digress a little. in two

ways.Firstly. reference will be made to some reported evidence

of cold fusion that antedates the Fleischmann-Pons activity.Secondly. the author will refer to his own experimentaldiversion at the time he made the invention which is thesubject of the parent patent application based on the GBpriority date of Apr. 15. 1989.

Cold Fusion in 1960At pages 2-3 of the Journal of the British-American

Scientific Research Association. Vol. xm . No.4. December1990, there is an article by Edward Rietman entitled'MOLECULAR CYCLOTRONS'. The article makes noreference to the 'cold fusion' theme but is concerned withtransmutations at normal laboratory temperatures.

The following are quotations from that article:'Digging through some old notes I found results forexperiments on molecular cyclotrons. C.L.Kervran in 1960

published a book entitled TRANSMUTATIONSBIOLOGIQUES. His results were 'verified' by H. Komakiof Japan. In 1965 Kervran was nominated for the NobelPrize.

These two workers observed an increase in metallicelements in seedlings germinating in pure water. Specifically

45 they observed transmutations of the type

Na~Mg, K~Ca, Mn~FeIn each of these cases a proton was reported to be

absorbed by the nuclide of lower atomic number to form thenext higher element.

S. Goldfine wrote a report in 1978 discussing how suchreactions might take place in biological organisms.

It is well known that lITP in the mitochondria is a keymolecular component in biochemical energy production.The mitochondria also contains Na. Mg. K. Ca. Mn and Feions. Goldfine suggested that the periodic field of anMg-ATP crystal lattice will cause periodic fluctuations onthe wave function of the trapped electron ... there is a flowof electrons in the Mg-ATP caused by the many reactionsoccurring in the mitochondria . . . Goldfine continued tosuggest that the small crystallites of Mg-ATP in the mito-chondria act as molecular cyclotrons to accelerate protonsand produce reactions of the type:

Na+H~Mg, K+H~Ca, Mn+H~Fe


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15To cast some light on this subject I spent months attempt-

ing to grow crystals of Mg-lITP complex for study in X-raydiffraction. I never succeeded in even obtaining a powderedsample. I concluded that the Mg-lITP complex exists only inan aqueous environment . . . '

From the above quotation one can see that here was aversion of cold fusion presented from a background that isin the field of biological organisms.One may further infer that living organisms are subject tonuclear transmutations that are accentuated where crystal-li tes involve metallic elements in an aqueous environment.and this suggests that. in denying the realities of cold fusion.one is turning away from something that may have relevanceto cancer research. inasmuch as those transmutations mightwell have consequences to health.

Bearing in mind that there is evidence to show thatmagnetic fields also have an effect on biological activity thatis problematic from the physics viewpoint. i t is appropriateto investigate the electrodynamics of heavy ions. whethermoving in water. in metal or in a plasma. The point of vitalimportance that warrants attention is that all the teachingconcerning electrodynamic actions is based on empiricalstudies involving electron currents. Electrons are classifiedas leptons and there are some very sound reasons fordistinguishing their electrodynamic properties from those of 25hadtonic matter.

The Applicant's Electrodynamic ResearchThere are long-accepted but unresolved anomalies con-cerning the anomalously very high forces exerted on heavyions in a cold cathode discharge. Inresearching this subjectthe Applicant has established that the forces exerted on aheavy ion owing to its electrodynamic interaction with anelectron are. in theory. enhanced by a factor equal to theion-electron mass ratio.

This theory leads to a breach of the law that specifiesbalance of action and reaction. which means that energy isbeing being exchanged with the field medium in which theelectromagnetic reference frame is seated. The effectiveelectromagnetic reference frame has a structure. as if it isformed by a fluid crystal lattice which. on a local scale. canadapt or maybe govern the shell structure of an atomicnucleus. Thus. normally. the motion of atoms and even ionsin a gas or a solution will not evidence the anomalouselectrodynamic effects. simply because they do not moverelative to the local electromagnetic reference frame. mean-ing that. as far as concerns translational motion. the elec-trons present are the only active part icipant electrodynami-cally.It is. however. quite a different situation when we consider

a proton or a deuteron as a free ion inside the crystal hostlattice of a metallic form. because there can only be oneelectromagnetic reference frame effective at any location inthat metal. Therefore. a proton that is within a host crystal.and is free to move through it. will be seen as movingrelative to the electromagnetic reference frame and then itcan contribute to anomalous electrodynamic effects.

These conditions were the subject of the Applicant'sresearch as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Uni-versity of Southampton in England 1983 onwards. TheApplicant had written on the subject of the proton. thedeuteron and the neutron. pursuing the theme that no neu-trons exist inside the deuteron and stressing that atomicnuclei are composites of beta particles and protons orantiprotons. This work was all published before 1989.

The anomalous electrodynamic forces that exist in theheavy ion/electron interaction imply a hidden source ofenergy and so of heat but the Applicant's research was aimed

5,734,12216

essentially at proving the modified law of electrodynamicsdictated by that research. Certainly. whilst the ability toaccelerate heavy ions by drawing on a hidden source of fieldenergy was one of the Applicant's pursuits. at no time had

5 the Applicant contemplated the prospect of a fusion reactionof the kind implied by Fleischmann and Pons.

Nevertheless. as soon as that latter work was reported, theresearch knowledge arising from the author's investigationswas seen as relevant in the onward exploration of the excess

10 heat phenomenon.The Applicant was not only interested because of theexcess energy aspect. There was the no-neutron feature andthe fact that the process involved ion migration throughwater. There was the fact that the deuteron was the primary

15 agent and this Applicant had shown, from the theory of thedeuteron mass and its magnetic moment. that deuteronsundergo cyclic changes of state and in the state whichprevails for one seventh of the time. the deuteron has aneutral core. having transiently shed a beta particle. More

20 than this. however. the author had become involved at thetime with two inventions. one of which later became thesubject of a U.S. Patent (No. 5.065.085) and these involvedanomalous energy activity in a thermoelectric context whichbears upon the cold fusion issue.

The other. lesser important. of these inventions wasconcerned with 'warm' superconductivity. The Applicant'sresearch had suggested that substances having certainmolecular mass forms are adapted to absorb impact byconduction electrons in such a way that the change of

30 inductive energy accompanying the collision is conserveduntil the resulting EMF changes can impart the energy toanother electron. This meant that the thermal energy of aheavy ion in the substance could be reduced to feed thenormal resistance loss associated with the current. This was.

35 therefore. a process by which anomalous heat energy activ-ity was involved in electrodynamic interactions betweenheavy ions and electrons.

The more important invention of the two just mentionedwas concerned with the anomalous behaviour of a thermo-

40 electric interface between two metals when subjected to astrong magnetic field in a rather special conductor configu-ration. Here. the Nernst Effect operates to cause heat carriedby electrons in a metal to be converted into an electricpotential energy by the ordering action of a transversely

45 directed magnetic field.The essential requirement for the action of the Nernst

Effect is that there is a temperature gradient in the metal and.given such a temperature gradient. and the magnetic field.there will then be an electric potential gradient set up within

50 the metal. Now. a potential gradient inside a metal conductorimplies that there is inside the body of the metal a distribu-tion of electric charge not neutralized by normal metallicconduction. The polari ty of that charge is determined by thedirection of the thermal gradient and the orientation of the

55 magnetic field. It can be negative or positive by choice in thedesign of the apparatus used.

Besides this. the Applicant knew that the flow of a strongcurrent through a metal conductor will promote what isknown as the pinch effect in which electrodynamic forces act

60 on the negative electron charge carriers to pinch theminwards and so set up an excess negative charge distributioninside the metal conductor.This. plus the additional feature that a strong current flowthrough a metal conductor that is populated by free deuter-

65 ons will promote a migration of deuterons that will bringthem more frequently into near collision. all militated infavour of an invention proposing the provision of a supple-


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mentary high current closed circuit through the cathode of acold fusion cell. That. indeed. became the subject of thepatent application which the Applicant filed in U.K. on Apr.15, 1989. this being the priority application relied upon inthe U.S. Patent Application under peti tion.

The Applicant. therefore. had reason to believe that thework on cold fusion would progress if the auxiliary currentactivation circuit were to be used.

However, in the event. the pioneer work of Fleischmannand Ports became the subject of such cri ticism that there was 10no prospect of getting R&D funding to take the subjectinvention forward and one is confronted with a chicken andegg scenario where disbelief of cold fusion as a scientificpossibility stands in the way of securing patent grant and thedoubts about securing a patent stands in the way of finding 15sponsorship for the development.

The Fusion Criteria ReexaminedThere are three criteria that need to be satisfied simulta-

neously to promote and enhance the cold fusion reaction ofdeuterons.

Firstly. there is the background incidence of the virtualmu-meson field which is trying everywhere to create pro-tons. This is a natural activity that cannot be controlled. It isa statistical effect. but one can calculate the probabilitygoverning proton creation fluctuations in a given volume of 25cathode material. See comments below.

Secondly. there is the need to bring the deuteron partnerin the fusion process into close proximity with the targetdeuteron. In hot fusion reactions this is achieved by themotion associated with thermal activity. In cold fusion it is 30achieved by adsorbing deuterons into a host metal in whichthey become separate from their satellite electrons and byconcentrating the loading by the deuteron population.

Thirdly. as with the creation of stars and by hydrogenfusion, there is the need to provide the field which pulls the 35deuterons together in spite of their mutual repulsion. Incoldfusion this means the provision of a neutralizing negativecharge distribution within the metal body of host metal. Thisrequires strong electron current surges resulting in heatconcentrations which set up temperature gradients in com- 40pany with transverse magnetic fields. However, the struc-tural form of the host metal in relation to the current channel,the magnetic field effect and the heat conduction path requirea mutually orthogonal geometry to provide an optimumaction.

Note that the surplus negative charge may result in acharge density that is quite small in relation to the positivecharge of the deuteron population but every unit of chargeis seated in a discrete electron and a single electron whichcan upset the normal charge balance of deuterons and free 50conduction electrons can nucleate a pair of deuterons.

Then. the creation of a proton in one deuteron accompa-nied by the demise of a proton in the other will convert thetwo deuterons into a tritium nucleus and free a proton witha beta part icle transferring between the two. Alternatively 55one deuteron will convert into helium 3 and the protonreleased will be in company with a beta minus particle.

The onward reactions involving neutrons that areobserved with hot fusion processes need not occur if theevents involved are triggered naturally by the mu-meson 60activity in trying to create protons rather than by neutronbombardment.

The Proton Creation ProbabilityThis probability of proton creation is a calculable quantity

in terms of the vacuum lattice theory which the author 65developed in the 1960s and published in 197211975. It is.however. also evident empirically from the action of proton

18creation in promoting the decay of tritium. The tritonnucleus comprises what is effectively a two part structurelinked together by a nuclear bond with one part of thestructure seated at a charge site in the vacuum lattice. It is

5 this site that is the target for the mu-meson attack by whichthe proton form is created. When the proton does form atsuch a site and that tritium nucleus is present. the two-nucleon part converts to helium 3 and the single nucleon partdecays to return the proton energy to the vacuum and shedsa beta minus particle. This reaction occurs with a release ofa quite small amount of heat energy. namely 17.9 kev andwith a 12.2 year lifetime. Accordingly. since the deuteronpresumably has an affinity for the latt ice sites in the vacuum.it is reasonable to expect the deuteron cold fusion reactionto occur with a similar incidence rate. The two deuteronswill release 4 Mev in creating a proton and a triton and thiswill be the main source of heat followed by the tritonconverting to helium 3 and the onward heat evolution ashelium 4 develops. The 12.2 year reaction probabili ty. given

20 a sufficient concentration of deuterons. could well accountsfor any excess heat that can truly be said to involve a 'coldfusion' process.

It follows. therefore. that the primary technological prob-lem of assuring that heat is generated in a cold fusion cell isthat of bringing about the right concentration of deuterons inthe host metal. This is not to be measured in number ofdeuterons per unit volume but in the number of deuteronsthat have a separation distance less than a certain criticalthreshold. That threshold distance can best be determinedempirically but. whilst it can be penetrated by deuterons ina spurious activity where temperature gradients and fieldeffects combine to be effective coincidentally. it is better ifthe Nernst Effect is harnessed more directly so as to createthe negative charge background in a controlled way.This. indeed. is the route by which the invention. thesubject of the patent application Ser. No. 07/480.816 candevelop. but one feels that the orthodox scientific establish-ment bias. which denies that 'cold fusion' can be a reality.is so determined to obstruct progress that the outcome willbe to the detriment of interests in the United States.

This Appendix commentary applies essentially to thesubstantive disclosure in the parent patent application Ser.No. 07/480.816 and is intended to be one of historical andpublic record besides eventually proving of relevance to the

45 subject invention depending upon the outcome of events inthe development of 'cold fusion' .Iclaim:I. Thermoelectric energy conversion apparatus compris-

ing (a) mutually parallel elongated cylindrical metal con-ductors disposed side by side with short bridging connectingconductor links at their ends so as to form a closed circuitalloop. of which the elongated conductor sections are com-posed of nickel and the links are of any normal conductormaterial better suited to assuring an overall circuit of lowresistance able to carry a current in excess of 100 amps. (b)a source of electrical input power and circuit control meansfor regulating the power delivered by the source to developan a.c. voltage at a frequency less than 5 Hz. (c) an electricaltransformer disposed between adjacent ends of the elongatedconductors, the transformer having a primary winding con-nected to receive the power delivered and transform it intocurrent in said metal conductors which are arranged to formthe circuital loop as a secondary winding on the transformer.the connecting conductor link at the transformer positionpassing through the ferromagnetic core aperture so as toconstitute a segment of the secondary winding. and (d) twosets of heat sinks in thermal contact with the conductors at


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5,734,12219 20

different positions along their length. with associated ther-mal transfer means for delivering and deploying heat. oneset of heat sinks serving as a heat input source and one setserving as a heat output source. the a.c. current induced inthe closed circuital loop being confined to passage throughthe elongated cylindrical metal conductors so as to developa circumferential magnetic field about the conductor axiswhich interacts with heat flow along that axis to develop inturn an electric field within the conductor directed radiallywith respect to that axis.2. Thermoelectric energy conversion apparatus accordingto claim 1. in which there are only two elongated metalconductors connected by two bridging connecting conductorlinks to form a loop which is a single turn secondary windingon said transformer.

3. Thermoelectric energy conversion apparatus accordingto claim 1 or claim 2. wherein the circuit control means forregulating the power delivered by the source to develop ana.c. voltage at a frequency less than 5 Hz includes electronicpower control circuit components which control the voltage 20waveform supplied to the transformer in an asymmetrical

manner in which the voltage is lower and of longer durationin one polarity direction and higher but of shorter durationin the opposite polarity direction.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2. wherein there are two5 transformers aiding one another in powering the current flow

in the conductor loop. these being toroidal transformers. onehaving a said bridging connecting conductor link passingthrough the central aperture of its toroidal core and the otherhaving the other bridging connecting conductor link simi-

10 larly passing through its central toroidial core aperture.5. Thermoelectric energy conversion apparatus according

to claim 1. in which the elongated metal conductors are allof equal diameter and so equal cross-sectional area.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1. wherein the elongatedcylindrical metal conductors are enclosed in thermal insu-lation along their lengths between the heat sinks in order toconfine heat flow to passage in an axial direction along theconductors.

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Pat 5734122 Aspden Thermoelectric Energy Conversion