Curious newbie

[guest]

Hi, I'm a newbie - never even knew the fusor existed until a few days ago, but in trying to run down rumors about Tesla's EV, a series of inquiries led me to beleive that a fusor was possible and that tesla had built one - then discovered others had come to the same conclusion and were performing experiments, and decided to come watch the fun.

I'd like to build a fusor powered by a HV HF AC source, but I need a lot of safety equipment to do this that I don't have and don't know where I would get. Obviously, I need X-ray and neutreno measuring devices, and sheilding, and a much beefier vac pump than I currently have, and bottled hydrogen, and a few dozen other things I don't currently have lying around - but I hope eventually to perform experiments, because I have a few interesting theories.

In the meantime, I'd like to lurk and learn - I love learning new things.

S.

[guest]

Neutrino stuff is currently beyond the amateur tech's reach but for everything else there's EBAY, Ham Fests
and of course the dreaded do it yourself. I'll bet you meant to say neutron measurement.

Welcome!
Fusion is Fun!

Larry Leins (3l)
Physics Teacher

[guest]

I certainly hope you will avail yourself to our "newbie center;" http://fusor.net/newbie . Lord knows I spent a lotta time putting that together, it's about time somebody looked at it. Please let me know if you find it useful or if you have any suggestions what else it needs.

--PS

[guest]

1) Yes, I meant neutron. Don't know how neutrino slipped out

2) Could someone explain to a newbie, using small words, exactly why neutron flux is dangerous and what options there are for a low budget ($5k total project budget) experimenter to sheild against them?

The Perfesser wrote:
> I certainly hope you will avail yourself to our "newbie center;" http://fusor.net/newbie . Lord knows I spent a lotta time putting that together, it's about time somebody looked at it. Please let me know if you find it useful or if you have any suggestions what else it needs.
>
> --PS

[guest]

as a side note, the farnsworth patent links are dead ;-(

[guest]

To answer your question in the briefest terns.... here goes. Humans are in large proportion plain old water.
If a neutron encounters and sticks to an ordinary water molecule it forms a deuterium molecule and releases a burst of gamma rays that causes genetic mutation and sometimes cell death. A neutron flux is more than one neutron. Neutrons are uncharged... only collisions can stop them (moderation). They are very penetrating. The larger the number of neutrons that hit you the more damage is done. A flux greater than 10E12 is a fatal exposure in the long term. A flux in the 10 E 13 range is a death in a week. If you want an accurate representation of what transmurasion (radiation) sickness looks like rent the movie Fat Man and Little Boy with John Cusak and Paul Newman. A naked core accident is portrayed in vivid detail...... not for kids. An accident like that is in the 10^20 neutron range.

We can only dream of big emissions of neutrons we are in the 10^5 range so far.
Goto the Neutron - Radiation detection
and look at the the first entry.
Larry Leins
Physics Teacher

[guest]

thanks for all your help

If we're currently only getting 10^5 neutron emissions, then it sounds like I've got a ways to go before I need to concern myself with poisoning myself. Of course neutron measurement still might come in handy so I have some idea what if any fusion is occuring

Glad to hear that I'm not going to kill myself that way [hopefully]

S.

[guest]

This is a good question. I have added it and Larry's answser to the FAQs page in the newbie center.

--PS

[guest]

I have updated and amended my post.

Larry Leins
Physics Teacher

[Starfire]

Paul -- I looked at it -- and thank you again-- it is appreciated