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: Intersting story
Date: Oct 03, 9:51 am
Poster: Richard Hull

On Oct 03, 9:51 am, Richard Hull wrote:

My annual weekend high energy physics and teslathon here at the lab is now over and boy what a crowd. About 50 folks from around the country showed up and lots o' high voltage and high energy stuff was bought, sold, traded and demo'd.

I had everyone gather around the fusor for a demo around 3PM on Saturday and admitted fresh D2 into the reservoir, Started the vacuum pumps and let the gauge settle to the right pressure range. I next turned on the neutron counter and set the discriminator level and slowly nursed the Hv up to 18 KV showing the rise in X-radiation about 12KV.

All were duly impressed with the video display of the poisssor, star mode and my x-ray precautions and instrumentation.

Next I took the voltage up to the fusion range beyond 20kv. I now turned the needle valve to leak in the D2 gas and the counter started a slow count increasing to a nice level for about 1 minute.

The count then fell off to just a few counts per minute. By uping the voltage I got some more counts, but slowly the whole deal fizzled out. I and my audience were crest fallen. Oh well. I shut the thing down and figured I would need to figure out what the problem was later as a few of the folks were actually dozing or napping as I turned to note that the demo was over.

What an embarrassment!

On Sunday after all had gone, I farted with the thing again. The same result was seen. Suddenly, in the calm of not having 50 people looking on expectantly, I noted that I had never opened the reservoir line to the needle valve!!!!

MAN what a dummy!

I was only using the baby's breath of D2 in the lines on Saturday! This is why the neutrons came and went so quickly. Now, upon opening the valve, the counter responded immediately with its 1 or 2 counts per second. (normal backgorund is about 1 count per 2-3 minutes.)

With egg on my face, I remain, stupidly yours,

Richard Hull