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: Fusion... easy or hard?
Date: Nov 26, 7:13 pm
Poster: Nathan K.

On Nov 26, 7:13 pm, Nathan K. wrote:

The IEC concept seems like the most promising road to break even fusion. The fact that amateurs can make these devices says a lot about the relative easy of both construction and operations. The problem with the IEC concept is that there is as of yet no way to overwhelm its deficiencies as to allow efficient fusion reactions.

Think about this, if a tokamac breaks even, it would still be very far from being a useful device. On the other hand, break even with an IEC device and it will probably already be 90% of the way to a real practical product.

No billion dollar foundations, no super special materials, no super powerful auxiliary and support equipment. From a business point of view, an IEC seems like a very practical potential break even candidate.

I would not count the IEC concept out yet, it has many possible variants and it would only take one variation to break even and end the game.
If IEC's got the kind of funding and attention that the other fusion concepts have gotten through the decades, I'm inclined to believe that a version of an IEC would have already broken even.