Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: New Vacuum Chamber
Date: Aug 29, 5:46 am
Poster: Mark Harriss

On Aug 29, 5:46 am, Mark Harriss wrote:

Hi, I am currently fabricating a new vacuum chamber for fusor experiments, and am open to any suggestions on what to incorporate into it. Currently it is a 15 inch length of 9 inch diameter mild steel pipe, I have 8 hole flanges welded on both ends. While they are not conflat flanges I have a machinist friend who can machine that should it prove necessary, but I hope that using soft copper rod welded into a ring will be ok for the seals.

The plan at this stage is to have all power feedthrus and portholes located on the endcaps, so they can be changed as the unit is refined into a MK-IV fusor unit, also I am interested in fitting a magnetron from a microwave oven into the fusor and would like to hear any practical advice on the subject like suitable aiming angles, rf protection for the grid supplies (rf blocking inductors?) and whether it will have any effect as it is tuned for water frequencies not Hydrogen frequencies. I plan to have extensive shielding for the microwave unit but I understand the transformers in such units have one secondary leg connected to ground and am concerned as to the safety aspects of such an installation. Also a simple way of measuring approximate SWR into the chamber would be nice too

Regards
Mark Harriss