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: more speculation on double-pulsing
Date: Nov 04, 2:07 pm
Poster: Richard Hull

On Nov 04, 2:07 pm, Richard Hull wrote:

Actually, I think you misunderstand me a bit -- I'm not thinking of quickly oscillating back and forth pulsing, but a rapid series of short, discrete pulse pairs, at a rep rate of perhaps 100-200 Hz.
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No, this is exactly what I was thinking, but I feel the pulses may work out to be a lot shorter (nanosecond level) in small devices. I figured on a low rep rate, high current small pulse width. RH
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As for the pressure problems, the more I think about it the more it seems clear to me that break-even is not a possibility until the mean free path is long enough so that an ion can recirculate through the core enough times before colliding with a neutral, such that the expected value of fusion energy from it (i.e. half the energy derived from each fusion (half b/c each fusion involves 2 ions) times the probability that it will fuse before hitting a neutral) is equal to the amount of energy required to ionize and accelerate it.
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>This means that we will need to build fusors operating at *MUCH* lower pressures than any of the amateur efforts to date -- 10^-6 torr and below. This means an end to the convenient glow-discharge ionization, and the need to find an alternate ionization method.
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Good luck! the 10-6 torr levels will make the ions rather sparse and not allow much current in the device. Large currents, if developed, will really savage the internals of the system too. I hope you get this setup going.

Richard Hull