Search found 142 matches
- Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:29 pm
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Where's the beef?
- Replies: 132
- Views: 71116
Plus, the energy transport is very slow: The high-energy photons (gamma rays) released in fusion reactions are absorbed in only few millimetres of solar plasma and then re-emitted again in random direction (and at slightly lower energy)—so it takes a long time for radiation to reach the Sun's surfac...
- Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:41 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Two more months on the contract
- Replies: 31
- Views: 17994
No offense to you dch24, but do you think Nebel would want to build a 1.6 meter Polywell if WB-7 was sucking balls. He said he had data, then he said he wants to build the 1.6 meter Polywell. I think those 2 things are connected, no ? None taken, and I want him to build the WB-8 and keep this proje...
- Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:10 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Two more months on the contract
- Replies: 31
- Views: 17994
Roger Fox, for one, is convinced that EMC2 has fusion results already. I'm not so sure. But assuming the results are good -- the "nuanced" data clearly showing fusion rates and neutron counts consistent with theory -- there are plenty of well-funded people willing to invest in the next step, a 100 M...
- Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:11 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Electron recirculation
- Replies: 106
- Views: 51152
Why is the direct conversion collector separate from the outer wall? Practical considerations? I think yes: running the vacuum pumps and feed-through ports at ground is easier than at a high positive voltage. In other words, after the first BFRs are built for power plants, newer designs might be ab...
- Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:20 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Electron recirculation
- Replies: 106
- Views: 51152
So I love physics, but I haven't had the chance to devote the time to master everything. So a lot of polywell physics still goes over my head. But the direct conversion makes sense to me, so let me explain what I understand. Then shoot it full of holes :) ______________ Outer wall / / / ____________...
- Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:44 am
- Forum: Design
- Topic: Shielded Building Construction
- Replies: 9
- Views: 6762
Re: Shielded Building Construction
I had to look this up... (I know, I know, I'm not enough of a geek... yet...) So in case anyone is curious:Jccarlton wrote:The FEL building at Jlab:
http://www1.jlab.org/ul/jpix/med/FEL_6.jpg
http://www.jlab.org/fel/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_electron_laser
- Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:18 am
- Forum: Implications
- Topic: Shipping
- Replies: 56
- Views: 46966
If new rails are going to be built, then the width of the new trains could just as well be widened to accommodate a BFR. Average american rail car width is 10 ft. While I've seen the BFR dimensions projected at 1.5m-2m (5 - 6.5 ft) in diameter, what's the projected overall unit size, including the ...
- Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:53 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Why is polywell supposed to be better than cusp confinement?
- Replies: 74
- Views: 52634
To pstudier: On the other hand, worrying to hear Indrek has turned sceptic, what has turned him do you suppose? (Maybe we should ask him). http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/IEC_Fusion/message/1407 ... There is little evidence for this kind of virtual cathode formation and all the factors seem to b...
- Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:24 pm
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: recirculation vs. line cusps
- Replies: 11
- Views: 6527
The point was that he relaxed his ideas about required electron containment by two orders of magnitude but insisted on great recirculation. That was it. Agreed that you still need very good containment with a huge ratio of inside to outside density of electrons (1E4). Agreed that Bussard thinks you...
- Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:16 pm
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Carlson and Nebel
- Replies: 108
- Views: 79896
...and it keeps striking me that that is a simple thing that Carlson is missing whenever he talks about zero field at the cusps. Does he think the fields are opposed and cancelling rather than in the same direction? That fact is so basic to the invention and would be such a peculiar oversite that I...
- Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:24 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: What's Electron "pushback?"
- Replies: 13
- Views: 7268
A moving electron can be viewed as a tiny current element, just as if it were traveling in a wire. And of course currents produce magnetic fields. The path of an electron in an external magnetic field becomes curved, and the curvature of the path is always such that the magnetic field produced by t...
- Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:22 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Electron recirculation
- Replies: 106
- Views: 51152
Very interesting stuff! :) Ok, I read the abstract of the article for tandem mirrors (CUSPDEC). I haven't ever doubted the idea would work but didn't understand exactly how the electron flow worked. I think I was just hung up on avoiding any electrons colliding with the magrid. Thanks for the explan...
- Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:28 pm
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Electron recirculation
- Replies: 106
- Views: 51152
tombo, you ask a good question: where is the "ground" that returns current generated by the trap grid and outer wall? As I think about it, the first thing I am unclear on is how the current is generated. In full operation, the trap grid is negatively charged, so when alphas pass it they start to dec...
- Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:39 am
- Forum: Theory
- Topic: Vlasov Solver [work in progress]
- Replies: 86
- Views: 51803
And now that I come to think about it, may sound like sci-fi but if we had the right program I'm sure that a cooperative effort between fusion fans could lend a LOT of computer power, much higher that has been possible til now, in the range of Teraflops (sort of like the SETI@home initiative). The ...
- Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:59 pm
- Forum: Design
- Topic: Effects of high energy alpha on materials
- Replies: 30
- Views: 17028
Would this only be a problem for the test reactor? That is, if we're taking the energy from the machine as a generator by decellerating the alphas to create electrical current for use, then won't the impacts be lessened or negated nearly entirely? 93143 mentioned 80% grid transparency. This means 8...