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: Fusor uses for microwaves:
Date: Aug 19, 1:58 pm
Poster: Mark Sloan

On Aug 19, 1:58 pm, Mark Sloan wrote:

> Why? Isn't all that matters the impact velocity?

Right, head on impact velocity is what matters. But if the RF frequency is so high that the ions can only move about .015 cm, then the radius of the plasmoid that we are trying to get to collapse (and impact in the center) has to about .015 cm. I expect this is impracticably tiny.

>More realistic plasmoid oscillation diameters might be about 1 cm at the crunch and 7 cm at maximum expansion. This
would need a RF frequency about 400 times lower or 6 meghz to drive it. This wavelength (equivalent to 50 m) makes
resonant chambers too big to be useful, but a resonant chamber is not necessarily required.

What leads you to those numbers?

I just picked what I thought was a reasonable range of diameters for a plasmoid of interest to amateurs. That was max expanded diameter of 7 cm and "crunched" diameter of 1 cm. Then I assumed the average velocity was ½ the velocity of a deuterium ion at 20Kev and that gives me the frequency and wavelength. Expressing ion speed as a % of the speed of light made it simpler for me, but you should get a similar answer by any approach. I think the numbers are about right, but I wouldn't be surprised if I missed a factor 2 somewhere wouldn't mind someone checking them.

Mark