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: Re: Small wire brush deuterium ion generators
Date: Jun 29, 1:58 pm
Poster: Mark Sloan

On Jun 29, 1:58 pm, Mark Sloan wrote:

Machining sharp ridges sounds like an interesting idea. They should have much better heat conduction compared to a wire, which will help reduce vaporization from the sharp edge. I think the key here to good ion production at the outer grid is sharp edges and resulting high local electric field gradients rather than surface area itself.

If such deuterium ion generators are located so they are aimed toward the center of the openings in the inner grid, they will avoid hitting the inner grid wires but also might suppress the jets coming out the center of the inner grid openings. (Visible in Richard Hull's video among other places.) I assume these jets are just a lot of electrons and negative charged deuterium ions being accelerated to the full fusor voltage and then impinging on the outer shell. This uses up high voltage current without accelerating any deuterium toward the center.

It seems to me that suppressing the negatively charged jets would be another good aspect of using deuterium ion generators at specific points on the outer grid (aligned with the openings in the inner grid). Comments?