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Small update from Lawrenceville Plasma Physics
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:51 pm
by Skipjack
http://www.lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.c ... &Itemid=90
They seemingly resolved a switch problem, but still have issues with getting the yield that they expected to get. They claim to know what to do to fix it. Lets hope that this does not turn out to be a more fundamental problem.
DPF
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:05 pm
by GIThruster
Fascinating explanation/hypothesis they're working with too. Seems they have the tools to check-see if it's correct.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:46 pm
by chrismb
hmmm... there is a graph;
that anticipates that they will be getting 10^14 reactions/s by Sep, but this news item gives a more modest "...we observed 0.7 x 10^11 neutrons...we should be able to double the radius of the plasmoids and thus increase their volume and fusion yield by 8-10 fold...We will be investigating this more in September."
So the current optimistic prediction is that they will be 2 orders of mag behind their 'challenging' line.
I wish them well...
Now, let us pray.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:26 pm
by Skipjack
Yes, I noticed that too, Chris.
I do have the feeling that they are going to miss their mark.
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:44 am
by icarus
I do have the feeling that they are going to miss their mark.
Well they are funded, so some might say that found their mark ... maybe the mark just doesn't know it yet?
Promises, promises ....
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 12:18 pm
by jmc
Apparantly Iran is also planning to do fusion research using the Dense Plasma Focus...
http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?I ... 982&Lang=E
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:03 pm
by D Tibbets
II don't see any mention of methods in the link. If they (Iran) are honest about pursuing boron fusion, then there are three possibilities that I know of-
DPF
FRC
Polywell.
Dan Tibbets
Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 5:07 pm
by jmc
TEHRAN (ISNA)-Iranian scientists have achieved required capacity for nuclear fusion research with three fuel generations.
A Faculty member of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion Research Center Vahid Damideh pointed to Iranian researchers' success in four modern ways for nuclear fusion, design of three nuclear fusion facilities and said a new plan is presented for construction of Boron nuclear fusion facility in three years.
"If the plan is approved, Iran will be the second country after the US that can carry out nuclear fusion research with three generations of fusion fuel."
"Iran has got access to domestic know-how required for the technology," he told ISNA.
He also added Iran is among few countries which hold the know-how to design and build two dense plasma focus (DPF) of Filipov and Mather types.
Damideh went on to say that Iran has designed inertial electrostatic confinement fusion (IECF) with the capacity of 25 KW and 104 thousand volt, the innovation has included Iran among the six countries of the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia and France holding the technology.
End Item
Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 8:06 pm
by D Tibbets
Sorry, I didn't read the link very well.
While earning them bragging rights, the accomplishments are modest and easily obtained. An amateur (?) on Fusor.net has done DPF, as have a number of labs. And, of course Fusors are a dime a dozen. Well, perhaps a few thousand per dozen.
These are easily obtained levels of 'expertise' if you have a few motivated individuals. It is a step up to do work like Robert Hirsch's, or DPF,but any competent university physics dept with the aid of a competent machinist and electrical engineer can do this - if they have access to the internet or other repository of fusion research, and a few 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars.
A more important consequence of this boasting, is that it demonstrates an interest in pursuing this technology, or at least keeping tabs on it, with a competence level capable of interpretating the information.
I wonder if the DOE has even this much interest in these fields?
Dan Tibbets
New video, switching solved
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 4:19 am
by Brian H
Good inside look at the guyz in action. New switches seem to work!
http://focusfusion.org/index.php/site/a ... epeatably/
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 8:51 am
by Skipjack
I know the Focus Fusion guys are not very popular here, but one can say at least one good thing about them:
They really try to be as open as possible. This lowers them on my personal bullshit scale quite a bit. I am still sceptical about the concept, but I am starting to feel more sympathy for the people there. In any case, it is really cool to watch them do their thing.
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:32 am
by chrismb
Skipjack wrote:I know the Focus Fusion guys are not very popular here, but one can say at least one good thing about them
I've not got that impression. Plenty of good things said about them here.
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 1:21 pm
by Skipjack
Ok, maybe it was just Art who called Lerner a crook
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:35 pm
by rcain
Skipjack wrote:Ok, maybe it was just Art who called Lerner a crook
erm..., thats not true either I'm afraid Skipjack - just Arts usual of 'it'll never bloody work...' - but Art never impugned Lerner, to my recollection. And as you should know by now, we are at heart a 'positive' bunch here - even Chrismb, I dare say.
I do agree with you though in applauding FF's openness.
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 4:28 pm
by kurt9
Skipjack wrote:I know the Focus Fusion guys are not very popular here, but one can say at least one good thing about them:
They really try to be as open as possible. This lowers them on my personal bullshit scale quite a bit. I am still sceptical about the concept, but I am starting to feel more sympathy for the people there. In any case, it is really cool to watch them do their thing.
My sentiments exactly.
BTW, Carlson never called Lerner a crook. He only said that his concept could not work.