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: Neutron numbers - are they out of line?
Date: Nov 17, 4:46 pm
Poster: Richard HullOn Nov 17, 4:46 pm, Richard Hull wrote:
The amount of neutrons we get from our fusors is not out of line with what we might expect from real fusion. To say otherwise is probably due to a lack of understanding of the operational parameters.
The current is a good, relative indicator of the deuteron count. 10ma = ~10e16 deuterons/sec produced. With absolute 100% fusion of all pairs that is a maximum possiblity of 2.5x10e16 neutrons/sec!!! (assuming enough energy in the deuteronsa and purely ideal collisions)
Remember current basically determines the number of deuterons produced and nothing more. Current relates to fusion only in this manner (number of possibles).
The acceleratory voltage across the chamber to inner grid determines where on the cross sectional curve we are working and therfore the relative probability ratio of the extant deuterons which can fuse AT THIS ENERGY.
We have never seen much over 10e5 neutrons/sec in working, simple d-d fusors. Thus, we are only working with about 1/100 billionths part of the total deuteron production surviving all hazards and being the most collisonally fortunate in our system. Hell, this might not even be as good as the maxwellian tail!!! (hottest ions in a normal plasma.) But, we are doing it our way. (ECF)
Part of the reason for the paucity of fusion reactions is a myriad of nasties facing the simple fusor.
1. Not all of the deuterons even make it to the inner grid!!!!! (collisions- neutrals, etc)
2. Not all of the deuterons entering the grid are at fusion energy. (created in the inter-grid volume near the outside of the inner grid)
3.Grid transparency will shunt off a significant portion of the good guys, too. (grid heating)
4. The deuterons that make it to the reaction zone at fusion energy may not hit in a manner that makes fusion possible on the cross sectional curve. (Bummer! - a total waste of the flower of our effort)
5. Recirculation in a 1 micron pressure fusor is rotten. (we only get 1 pass, two at best.- mean free path)
6. fusion energy need not be the full acceleration potential either. If we are operating at 30KV, a simple under accelerated 20kev deuteron in the reaction zone is a fusion canidate. So the higher the voltage the more successful will be the fusion at any current beyond 20kev.
So don't overbill the SIMPLE fusor.
1. It fuses, no doubt about that. (and cheaply)
2. It is an overunity energy device with no way in hell to practically extract it except in idealized theory. (no way to engineer the overunity aspect at our level of operation.)
3. It will never produce more fusion energy than input energy. We are straining like gearboxes at extracting one hundred billionth part of the input energy as fusion based excess energy. can this be improved? Probably.
4. It will never ignite. (self sustain) ...under any circumstance!
Notice, I didn't say that ECF wouldn't work or that a fusor can't do any of the above.
Never let it be said that we are claiming a tremendous neutron number in 100,000 neutrons/sec from our fusors working at 300 watts of input energy! The return is pitiably shabby.
Why the effort then?
Fun, enjoyable research, knowledge acquisition, expanding the realm of amateur investigation, you name it. Just don't think significant ECF over unity is just around the corner or that you can invent the solution at home for the price of a set of golf clubs.
Just be scientific, rational, and reasonable. You can contribute. Of that, there is little doubt.
Richard Hull