Aero, you've got me really confused here.....
Aero wrote:
An 18 month program to build and test seems to preclude any expectation of net power
Preclude what, why? A 1.6 meter polywell designed to run in pulse mode, just like WB-7, just might take 18 months to build and test.
Aero wrote:
A larger fusor will allow confirmation of scaling laws. Is that sufficient justification for an 18 month program?
YES.
Scaling is simply one of the most important issues facing Polywell. OF COURSE its sufficient justification for an 18 month program.
There are 2 major issues haunting polywell, scaling and continuous runs.
Scaling breaks down into 2 sub issues. 1) If we double the size of WB-7 will we get 128x the output? Or do we prove scaling by going for net power ? 2) Polywells have been run at the 25millisecond level, Bussard said that was steady state, never the less, building a carburetor and getting runs on the order of 100's of seconds is a big step.
I see 2 easy ways of proving scaling, 1) Build a polywell twice the size of WB-7, or, 2)Build a net power device. I vote for number 2.
Aero wrote:Prototype, not an experimental device or a test bed, but a prototype. Small scale sub net power prototype, but half scale prototypes are often built. They won't fly (thinking aircraft) but they do give a lot of information
Whoa.... Many 1/3 scale prototypes of Northrop's WW2 Flying wing Bomber were built, and flown. IIRC one is preserved at the Smithsonian. I dont think its fair to compare 1/2 scale prototype airplanes to 1/2 scale polywell's. The problem with an airplane is not, we need to make it bigger to prove scaling, just to see if it will fly. A 1/100 scale model of a plane will fly.... but a 1/100th scale polywell will not reach break even..
Aero wrote:.
As for naming it WB-8, no, not a good idea as we have already defined WB-8 to be a dodec configuration. Maybe WB-*
I feel that is a very presumptuous thing to say.
We have ...... zero input in a decision of that sort.
Aero wrote:
The size of the prototype is the important thing in my mind. Will it fit in the current vacuum chamber or will it demand a larger one?
If all goes well, Nebel and crew will be buying plenty of vacuum chambers. SO I just don't care about that question.
Aero wrote:Where will the work be done? Prototypes are usually done at the manufacturing facility.
Sit back and chill out. We are yrs from that stage.
Aero, the issues are fairly clear. In no particular order
-dodec
-scaling/net power
-carburetor/continuous running
-direct conversion of alphas.
-PB-11 fuel
Dr Nebel has already started to deal with carburetor/continuous running. As well as hinting at scaling.
Lets play a game. Lets pretend DR Nebel built WB100. He just announced to the world net power results during repeated 200 milli second runs. What do we do next?
Possibly go back and build a dodec the size of WB-7, or go for WB-7 sized LN2 cooling and 10 minute run times, and trying the PB-11 fuel. Regardless, net power becomes the game changer, just as PB-11 is also a game changer.
Bussards passing, or good results from WB-7, does nothing to change the logic of what steps to take next. They have remained the same from my point of view, since I found out about Polywell fusion.
I like the p-B11 resonance peak at 50 KV acceleration. In2 years we'll know.