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: p-B11
Date: Nov 26, 3:23 pm
Poster: PatOn Nov 26, 3:23 pm, Pat wrote:
>Scott
>
>>p-B11 makes no gamma?
>
>Just high energy alphas and a little Brehmstraalung (wish I could actually SPELL that).
>
>>I've heard plasma fusion is like squeezing jelly in your fist. If you can confine oscillating plasma with waves in a bubble, you can use RF waves to pull and implode it like tighting a knot; pulling on phase 'strings' rather than pushing, compressing, whistling gas.
The analogy I heard was slightly different.
The magnetic confinement of a thermal plasma
is analogous to trying to hold jello (not jelly)
with rubber bands.
>>
>>Talk of phased pulsing is great but has the same problems as laser fusion. You've got one bang to burn all the fuel otherwise the energy pulse thermalizes, and disperses.
>>
>I LIKE that squeezing jelly analogy: very appropriate for laser fusion (the common form of inertial confinement fusion or ICF). Not too far off of tokamak problems either, which is more like trying to keep jelly in a slinky. The problem in both cases being the attempt to CONFINE the plasma at fusion conditions.
>
>I have always objected to the term Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC). The fuel ions are not confined in the traditional fusion sense, rather they stream in and out of a region of sufficient density while moving at sufficient velocity to produce fusion, but any given ion spends little time there. "Momentum" would be more appropriate than "Inertial". Only the "electrostatic" term is good.
Well, ealier researchers also refered to IEC
as:
1. Spherically Converging Ion Focus (SCIF)
2. Electrostatic Plasma Confinement Device
3.
>
>I would prefer Electrostatic Acceleration/Recirculation Fusion or something of that nature. Maybe we could come up with a term that spells something catchy.
How about Fusing Electrostatic Device (FED)?
>
>Tom