Search found 261 matches

by Solo
Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:15 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Tri-Alpha Rumor
Replies: 119
Views: 60767

To get back on topic: I found this abstract for a 2005 article describing the FRC and beam stuff that UC Irvine was doing with Tri-Alpha before everything went quiet. I don't know if this is the most recent document available, but I hadn't seen this before. Does anyone have acces to that journal? Ed...
by Solo
Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:17 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: The potential on the grid is irrelevant
Replies: 19
Views: 11648

I've got a student license for OOPIC-Pro, it was only $50 but it was only good for a year though. It's not exactly the best tool for what we're trying to study. It doesn't allow the plasma to modify a background magnetic field if you chose to add one, so we can't find anything about diamagnetic effe...
by Solo
Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:02 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: 2D Polywell SIM
Replies: 11
Views: 7817

Here's the trouble with that simulation: if you notice, the electron density is about twice the ion density. That means the thing is nonneutral, and therefore the density is ridiculously low. This equilibrium can't be useful for fusion, nor can it reflect what's going on in Dr. Nebel's lab.
by Solo
Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:21 pm
Forum: News
Topic: HyperV - plasma liner
Replies: 2
Views: 2853

My apologies. I ought to take a look at your list. I came across HyperV when I was looking at Maryland for grad school, and it was news to me.
by Solo
Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:27 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: FRC: ways forward
Replies: 4
Views: 4030

@rcain:by the text of the link, I'm guess 2008. :lol: Those are the parts I homed in on too. The fact that they've got a detailed, well-supported plan is very hopeful. As I recall, the theta-pinch folks were having a hard time getting enough flux to allow neutral beam capture. BTW, it really bugs me...
by Solo
Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:20 pm
Forum: News
Topic: HyperV - plasma liner
Replies: 2
Views: 2853

HyperV - plasma liner

HEre's an interesting magnetized target concept, which I think stands a better chance than General Fusion: HyperV Technology http://www.hyperv.com/ has the idea to shoot jets of high-velocity, low-temp plasma to compress a compact toroid target. It's basically a form of plasma liner magnetized targe...
by Solo
Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:12 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: FRC: ways forward
Replies: 4
Views: 4030

FRC: ways forward

It looks to me like the two main approaches to FRC fusion are 1) pulsed a. theta-pinch b. imploding liner c. translation d. gun-formed/merging e. inductively sustained 2) sustained a. rotating magnetic field b. neutral beam It looks like U. of Wash folks are pushing two programs at once: the transla...
by Solo
Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:34 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Dec 3 2009 Will fusion fade ... or finally flare up? (msnbc)
Replies: 25
Views: 12952

ah-hah, so that's what the deal is. Well, at least it sounds promising. But the silence is going to keep us biting our nails I assume. It's unfortunate for us, b/c we seem to have gotten out of our depth on the science and the only thing left for us to discuss is the news.
by Solo
Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:01 pm
Forum: News
Topic: EMC2 Gets $8 million
Replies: 98
Views: 56896

Wow, he's still at it! I'm surprised and pleased.
by Solo
Wed Oct 07, 2009 12:48 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: Translating FRCs
Replies: 41
Views: 22646

jmc: ok, here's my take on the tapered flux conserver: It won't pull any new magnetic field lines into itself, so the field/flux already needs to be there, so it doesn't do you any good unless the conserver contracts as in MTF. Well, it may help somewhat in that it keeps the displaced flux of the FR...
by Solo
Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:00 pm
Forum: News
Topic: EMC2 Gets $8 million
Replies: 98
Views: 56896

Personally, I've always been amazed and grateful that Dr. Nebel has been willing and able to comment as much as he has. I'm sure the silence is a result of sheer busyness right now: you'd be busy too if you won an $8mn contract! That doesn't mean I can't hope for more tidbits sometime though! I'm st...
by Solo
Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:46 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: Translating FRCs
Replies: 41
Views: 22646

Isn't there at least some kind of minimum flux or field that needs to exist inside the conserver beforehand so that the FRC doesn't expand and touch the walls? If not, I don't see why Slough's pictures all have SC coils around the burn chamber.
by Solo
Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:43 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: Translating FRCs
Replies: 41
Views: 22646

Good find on that paper! That's a really bright idea: I'm jealous! Slough's making a sort of transmission line out of the coils by adding parallel capacitance, so that the waste energy from each coil goes into the next. The kids over at the coil-gun forum could learn from that. Changing the inductan...
by Solo
Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:29 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: Translating FRCs
Replies: 41
Views: 22646

Hmm? So actually have both coils turned on in opposite directions and then just stop one of them, instead of trying to start one? That's an idea. So maybe you could have a giant SC solenoid, and pulse these reversal coils to create a traveling mirror region. Then the back side of the mirror region i...
by Solo
Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:31 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: Translating FRCs
Replies: 41
Views: 22646

So you're saying, used the pulsed magnets to accelerate the FRC like a coilgun, then slam it into a tapered flux conserver and let that force the compression. Hmm. How fast is 50 keV for hydrogen? It might be hard to synchronize the accelerating coils to get something going that fast, that's probabl...