There is no indication that there will be ANY power conversion equipment in the WB-D, is there?
That's a good question Kite.
I would guess the answer is "yes," and here's why: they're planning for WB-D to be 1.5M radius and generate 100MW. Unlike ITER that's too much power density to have sitting in one place; it has to be moved. The additional cost of running it through a thermal generator is probably relatively small.
n*kBolt*Te = B**2/(2*mu0) and B^.25 loss scaling? Or not so much? Hopefully we'll know soon...
Nope.. Just small power projects that would allow independence from the grid if a blackout should occur. In California we have a rough time meeting power demand and the EPA requirements during the summer. It's going to be 115 in the desert tomorrow.
Giorgio wrote: A 100 MW Polywell plant has been suggested as a start to cost 200M US$ to be recovered in 20/30 years.
Maybe I missed it, but that amount was the cost of a research demo plant, not a production plant. Do you have a source for that value or is it an assumption on your part?
Let me clarify my position. I am one of the FAQ answerers and am seeking to answer the general "how much" FAQ.
Thanks for your support!
Yes, I assumed the cost of a final plant complete with accessories and ancillaries to be equal to the cost of the research plant.
The 200 MUS$ figure has been discussed in several posts during the last years and if you need I can try to get a list of them.
There is no indication that there will be ANY power conversion equipment in the WB-D, is there?
That's a good question Kite.
I would guess the answer is "yes," and here's why: they're planning for WB-D to be 1.5M radius and generate 100MW. Unlike ITER that's too much power density to have sitting in one place; it has to be moved. The additional cost of running it through a thermal generator is probably relatively small.
So this is where you and I disagree. The "BoP", i.e., the thermal conversion plant, is usually about as expensive as the core. When Weinberg built the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment he just passed the heat thru a liguid/air heat exchanger and dumped multi-megawatts of power. It was MUCH cheaper.
If the first plant is other than pB&J, my guess would be no. If it is pB&J, then MAYBE. But even that may be an add-on rather than a basic design item.
HIF 2010 has come and gone. The only post-symposium reporting I've been able to find is here. Basically, they're looking for peer review and investors. Also, they have a non-profit foundation.
Somebody brought up Polywell in the comments on the Sentinel article.