I am wondering why the mention the "Homer" setup. As I said in my previous post that one was a feed-through system, so I either misunderstand their way of operation (but I doubt, considering that the website illustrations was pretty clear), or they come out with some radical new idea to prevent them from stumbling on the 50KV barrier limit like everyone else.
IF they indeed overcome this limit and reach 300K, it will open the technological tree to a plethora of fusion machines.
I am going to grab a huge bowl of popcorn and see how this statement they made is going to evolve!
Contrary to what I wrote few months ago, it seems that their lead engineer (Moein Borghei) did actually manage to find a new design for enabling high voltage feedthrough to high vacuum. They are actually testing a 300 kV prototype in the mA range, so I stand corrected.
If they can scale up the current than this technology might also drastically rise the chances of FF and ZAP to reach their goal.
Quote: "Over the space of 6 months we designed and built a 300 kV DC feedthrough for Ultra-High vacuum pressure"
If you've got an interesting use case for > 100kV feel free to reach out depending on interest we may be making our 300 kV units available commercially in limited numbers.
The startup also announced that it reached a technology milestone, operating at 200 kV (kilovolt) with its second-generation fusion device, which is called Marty.
CEO Robin Langtry said it could be the highest operating voltage by any fusion device, breaking the 190kV record set at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 2006.
“We’re making really steady progress,” Langtry said. “The machines are scaling how we think they should.”
Producing higher voltages puts more energy into the system in which the ions are fusing — kind of like turning up a stove to bring water to a boil. Avalanche is aiming to reach 300kV with its Marty device over the next six months to a year.
I hope they will publish more actual working data on their feedthrough design. I can't stop stressing what an important technological achievement this is if it does indeed work in a stable steady state at 200/300 Kv as advertised.
They now have a blog and there is a video that sort of kind of explains more of what they are doing.
It is an interesting take on inertial electrostatic confinement fusion. That said, it looks like their optimal parameter space is very small and while they have some simulation- results that align with their predictions, there are a lot of assumptions that have to fall into place for this to work. I wish them luck, but remain skeptical until we we see more experimental results.
Their idea is indeed innovative, I agree that they need to publish real data before being considered a real contender, way too many times we saw simulations twisted by unrealistic starting hypothesis.
As for their the parameter space, it is strictly connected to the feedthrough value that they can reach. I read in the past that Moein Borghei target for their HV feedthrough technology was 500 to 700 KV. That would be a mind blowing technological leap and make them profitable even if the Orbitron does not meet their theoretical framework and experimental results.
New High-Voltage feedthrough design and getting ready to try and go for lab record and Series A milestone of 300kV in a 6 cm radius fusion core. Previous record we set in our lab was 248 kV just before the holidays.
Hybrid Electrostatic/Magnetic Confinement Orbitron Fusion Reactor: Overview of Scientific Program at Avalanche Energy
3:15–3:40PM CDT
Robin Langtry (Avalanche Energy)
The Challenges and Innovative Approaches to High Electrostatic Field Sustainment in the Orbitron
4:45–5:05PM CDT
Moein Borghei (Avalanche Energy), Robin Langtry (Avalanche Energy)
