Introduction

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James_Chenault
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:38 pm
Real name: James Chenault
Location: Huntville Alabama

Introduction

Post by James_Chenault »

Salutations,

My name is James Chenault, I have a deep interest in deuterium, and would like to build a fusor soon. I'm currently 58, a LabVIEW programmer, a chemist, an electronics technician, a mechanic, a martial artist, a test engineer, and many other things.

I collect (and love to play with) high voltage "stuff". Building a dual Jacobs ladder (two arcs sharing a center rod) and a 48-KV voltage multiplier and several tools to safely use these. I have a masters in chemistry and a bachelors degree in electricity and electronics technology . My masters thesis was "Low energy electron impact ionization of chlorine assisted chemical vapor deposition gaseous species using a time of flight mass spectrometer". (or something close to that) In short, I have experience introducing hydrogen-methane mixes into an active reaction chamber and sampling the chemicals present during operation of the chamber via differential pumping (the use of different vacuum levels to create a molecular beam for the TOF). However, I got hired by ORNL as a programmer (because I automated the LEEII CA-CVD TOF thingy) and have been one ever since.

My most recent project is a Van de Graaff with a 36" diameter oblate on top of a 9 foot tall column. My average sparks are 15 inches. There is a LOT to learn about VDGs. I'm trying to reach 2 MV reliably for a physics experiment a friend of mine wants to do. I built most of this from scrounged parts, I bought some things in the interest of safety and reliability. I just picked up a set of 2 new pole pigs (line transformers) from which someday, I'll make a couple awesome Tesla coils. So, I believe I qualify completely as a "Scrounger".

I am fascinated with far too many interests. My interest in deuterium is derived from a novel model of nuclear chemistry I've been working on. Once I get that species completely developed in my model, I can move on to helium.
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Werner Engel
Posts: 145
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:51 am
Real name: Werner Engel
Location: Vienna, Austria
Contact:

Re: Introduction

Post by Werner Engel »

Hi James!

Welcome to the forum!
It's always nice to have people around with a decent background.
Actually LabView is used by some of us as a kind of SCADA software to control a fusor.
Tell us more about your interest in Deuterium - as a chemist you should know about it - don't you?
Some of use use heavy water as a source, but you can buy it from LINDE too.
What you you want to use it for? Substitute hydrogen in some compounds?

Do you also plan to build a fusor or a similar device?
James_Chenault
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:38 pm
Real name: James Chenault
Location: Huntville Alabama

Re: Introduction

Post by James_Chenault »

My interest in H-2 comes from several perspectives.
1. I'd like to build a device (powered by my VDG) that attains fusion of D-2 into He-3 / He-4. I believe this is possible due to a paper presented recently on (and I'll paraphrase this) "An abundance of low energy neutrons from thunderstorms with respect to existing prediction models". i.e. the current models don't predict he levels seen in lab experiments. This gave me and a friend an idea of how to do fusion in a lightning bolt. We should be ready to try later this summer.
I plan on using spectroscopy to prove the presence of He species after several hundred to thousands of runs. :) (if this works, do I get to claim to be a fusor?) our method uses man made lightning bolts instead of electrostatic confinement. I have experience in parametric studies over different temperatures and pressures so I believe we can find the correct conditions.

Fun as that sounds, I would also like to (and have started recently) write a paper to be published on a new nuclear theory based on ultrarelativistic plates. The paper explains two unsolved mysteries in physics at the same time (ok, three really, but, one is beyond the scope of the paper). 1. Why is the proton so stable? and 2. where is all the anti-matter in the universe? This novel theory is also teachable to high school students and if successful should do for nuclear chemistry what the periodic table did for chemistry. We may be able to apply the correct conditions (energy environment?) to force nuclear materials to speed up their decay rates.

Are you familiar with the recent discovery of changing decay rates with respect to sunspot activity? I could go on for hours, but, I read in the rules that I'm not supposed to.

Yes, I can answer questions about Deuterium (H-2). I've also recently thought of an experiment to convert He-3 to H-3. (UnFusor?)
You may also be interested in some photographs, I hope its not too much too soon.
Attachments
Finished Voltage multiplier, the input power for my VDG
Finished Voltage multiplier, the input power for my VDG
2nd attempt at a VDG (also failed, but, on the right track, we later got it working)
2nd attempt at a VDG (also failed, but, on the right track, we later got it working)
1st attempt at a VDG (failed)
1st attempt at a VDG (failed)
Close up of my Voltage Multiplier
Close up of my Voltage Multiplier
Me playing with new VDG without the dome
Me playing with new VDG without the dome
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