Was just able to register, am from Long Island (LI), NY...

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DR_DANIEL_GOODMAN
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 11:43 pm
Real name: Daniel Goodman

Was just able to register, am from Long Island (LI), NY...

Post by DR_DANIEL_GOODMAN »

To all:

I was just able to register with the help of admin, much appreciated, obviously. My wife and I are on Long Island (LI), NY, as I'd mentioned, on the Nassau County/Suffolk County border. I'm originally electrical engineering (EE), with physics and math, I'd been fairly close to my doctorate in math at one point, though that was some time ago, of course. I'd gone clinical instead, I'd gone for podiatry instead of medicine or dentistry as I'd hoped, I'm total perm disabled, now, unfortunately, I just try to stay scientifically current, purely to keep my mnd active. My wife and I of course shut my NY State podiatry license sevl yrs ago, my NY State license as a Professional Engineer (PE) has been inactive far longer, I no longer use either, I merely mention both here purely for sake of conversation, of course.

I'm trying to find a way to volunteer under the disability rules to help with STEM tutoring, if I can, though finding a way has been really slow going, we're afraid. I thought fusors cou!d be a really decent serious STEM topic, and am also trying to get involved with a hobbyist science group on LI, and we ted to suggest it to them for involvemenet, as well, possibly also to others in the IEEE, where I'm a total perm disabled Senior Member, though I obviously don't know if there'd be any interest, of course.

I've given some speculation as to where such a home brewed serious science topic as fusors might possibly be of value in other areas of comparable home brewed yet equally serious other areas of physics, though obviously thats merest speculation on my part of course, as I'd explained to admin. I'll clearly need a fair hole to get fully cknversa t on fusors, sufficientlg to be able o contribute intelligently, I've seen the topic is quite sophisticated, of course. I'd be most interesting in trying to assist with numerical modeling efforts, esp. using various open source scientific modeling software packages, so far as anyone might have any interest. I'd be most eager for any serious engrg, physics, math, or omp sci discussions, so far as might be deemed relevant, though I wasunfortunately never able to publish and no longer ac, due to the disability rules, though I'd be most eager to try to help, so far as might be feasible for me. P!aasepardon any typos, I'm using a rather problematic and querulsome tablet, with a poor haptic interface prone to frequently inaccurate ajtocorrection, despite my best efforts, I'm afraid, I look forward to chatting anytime, of course.

Many thanks, nice holidays and New Year to mall, of course,

Dr. Daniel Goodman.
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Dennis P Brown
Posts: 3159
Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 10:46 am
Real name: Dennis Brown

Re: Was just able to register, am from Long Island (LI), NY...

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Hello and welcome.

A number of past posters and their threads have been related to modeling the fusor process. I personally have only, on the rare times, read just a few of these topics, but I've not seen anything, to date, that offers any real improvement on said process. Modeling plasma's is an inexact science and assumptions appear to be a fact of life making most models a 'bit' idealized compared to reality. Still, might be an area to pursue. As such, it is easy to get erroneous results - this is why experiments are both critical and the only final proof that carries any weight.

I too do fusor work to both keep myself active mentally, and to hone my laboratory skills. Either of these are certainly worthwhile pursuits. Of course, there is both a simply fun aspect of building such a device and a wonder aspect, as well: that is, when one realizes the neutrons they are producing in a fusor are coming from the same nuclear process that powers our Sun!

Current fusors appear to have a ceiling of a million or so neutrons per second for continuous operation (at least, what I've have seen posted - others may be able to add more on this subject.) Getting pass that upper limit (say by an order of magnitude) would certainly be a worthy project either as an experiment or via a modeling study (but note: fusors as energy producers are many, and I mean many, orders of magnitude below any real power producing level. That is not worth considering (for most here. A few more adventurous do want to try and address this issue.)

As for the topic of using a real fusor for STEM study (and this has been done - search past threads), that has a few issues that may cause problems for a general group of people - especially a school. While certainly an appropriate and exciting area of science application in action, there are severe safety issues that must be carefully addressed. One must approach this device as a serious safety hazard - an operational fusor use's very high voltages that have power levels that are lethal. They can be serious X-ray radiation producers (i.e. shielding is a real issue and x-ray detection is necessary for safe operation.) The gas used is explosive (Though that is a danger, that is more a FYI rather than a serious problem and can be easily addressed.)

Finally, real fusors are complex systems, and require many areas of useful technical areas to be harnessed to make them operational (and why they are great STEM projects for groups.) There are a lot of turnkey equipment that is available which can make the assembly process far easier but that leads to high end expenditures.
Karan Malhotra
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:36 am
Real name: Karan Malhotra

Re: Was just able to register, am from Long Island (LI), NY...

Post by Karan Malhotra »

Hi Dr. Goodman! I'm actually a 20 year old college student from Long Island (who studies humanities) incredibly interested in achieving nuclear fusion. I live in Nassau County, but I go to school in Atlanta, GA for most of the year. I will be home this year from the beginning of May to the end of August, and we can begin correspondence even now. I would love to work towards a successful fusor alongside you.

Please let me know if you're at all interested in this endeavor, and thank you in advance.
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