Fusion Theory (Stories)

[American Patriot]

Diamond Bullet Fired at 1000 Km/S Could Produce Nuclear Fusion, Chinese Researchers Say

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 07.07.2010 at 12:54 pm 4 Comments

Diamond Fusion A team of Chinese researchers proposes firing tiny diamond bullets into a chunk of crystal methane to produce nuclear fusion.



A millimeter-sized diamond bullet fired from a linear accelerator could produce nuclear fusion when it collides with a chunk of solid methane, according to a study by Chinese researchers.


Despite the large amount of energy required to accelerate a diamond to 1,000 km/s -- about 620 miles per second -- the collision produces a net energy gain, according to the team's simulations.


So far, it's just a concept that exists in computer simulations only; no physical studies have been conducted. Only the initial impact and ignition have been studied in detail, and the simulations stop at roughly 50 nanoseconds. So no one should be holding their breath for diamond bullets powering Beijing anytime soon.


The system would work by colliding a 1-cubic-millimeter diamond with crystal DT methane, which has better stopping power than other fusion fuels. Most of the bullet's kinetic energy is transformed into a shock wave, producing high pressure and temperatures.
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The collision's peak energy is 4 petawatts, at a rate of 1.5 petawatts over 40 nanoseconds. That's four quadrillion watts. About 80 percent of that energy is wasted in the form of scattered neutrons, but the remaining electrons and radiation are enough to heat things up to fusion temperatures, the paper (PDF) says.

The team says their algorithm is not advanced enough to progress much past the ignition phase. But fusion blogs have been abuzz lately, with one writer speculating that the energy would be even greater if the diamond bullet reaches faster speeds.
[The Next Big Future]

[American Patriot]

Deuterium DIY: Man Builds Homemade Nuclear Fusion Reactor in Brooklyn

By Clay Dillow Posted 06.23.2010 at 1:25 pm 29 Comments

The Fusion Core of Suppes' Homemade Reactor



Need a weekend project around the house? Mark Suppes, web developer by day, has built his own nuclear fusion reactor in a Brooklyn workspace. It kind of makes that project car you’ve got rusting in the garage seem lame by comparison.


Suppes' reactor – it’s about the size of an air conditioning unit with some extra bells and whistles attached – isn’t the answer to the world’s energy problems, at least not yet. He joins a list of 37 others recognized by the online community Fusor.net as having achieved homemade fusion (among them is a 15-year-old in Michigan). But his reactor is unique in the sense that it sits smack in America’s most densely populated city, and one in which the very word “nuclear” causes discomfort.


But rest easy, Brooklynites. Reactors of this kind are both legal and safe. It uses no fissile materials like uranium or plutonium that are associated with nuclear weapons, and it produces no pollution or other byproduct, other than heat. Suppes' reactor uses deuterium gas to fuel his reactor, which essentially creates an ideal atmosphere for fusion before mashing neutrons together at high energy.

While all the components of Suppes' machine – including the deuterium gas – were acquired through legal channels, some of it is somewhat dangerous. His power supply provides 30,000 volts, and his reactor does put off a negligible amount of radiation as it smashes neutrons together.


Suppes' reactor does not generate any more power than he puts into it, and as such is not the golden fusion generator scientists hope will fuel the future with clean, cheap energy. But at some point Suppes hopes to go much bigger, attracting the funding to build what’s known as a Bussard reactor that will break-even when it comes to energy input and output. In the meantime, to see what Suppes is doing in his makeshift lab firsthand, check out the BBC’s video package on the amateur physicist, or check out this extensive feature from Gizmodo.

[Malsua]

*sigh*

About 80 percent of that energy is wasted in the form of scattered neutrons

A few hundred million and the Polywell device could work without "80% scattered neutrons" and yet we're still dicking around with other things.

Here's a suggestion, whoever thinks that producing an excess 3.2 petawatts of "scattered neutrons" is a good idea should be required to sit in the room while those neutrons are scattering.

The Polywell works today, right now. It needs engineering which requires funding. The principles are sound.

[American Patriot]

/chuckles

"should be required to sit in the room while those neutrons are scattering."

Ok, LOL

[American Patriot]

I wrote to Michio Kaku yesterday about something similar here.

I'm reading one of his books, "The Physics of the Impossible". I spoke personally to Carl Sagan a long, long time ago about this as well.

Fusion requires that the material being fused be compressed tightly into a small mass in the middle of the reaction chamber. The issue isn't at all "can it be accomplished" - it certainly CAN be done - the issue has to do with HOW it is done.

Without a zero gravity environment it won't work, at least not efficiently. Once you set one of these things up in space, it will work easily.

Anyway, Sagan and I didn't get along well and he ignored me over some issues until one day he figured out I was right and wrote me to that effect. Somewhere in the noise level the above information was lost.

I wrote to Kaku because he mentions ground based fusion reactions - which work in thermonuclear devices, albeit, at only a 10-20% efficiency. You have to squeeze the matter into a small mass and even Kaku states "it's not unlike trying to squeeze a balloon into a smaller area. It keeps pushing out on another side"

Space and zero gravity will absolutely solve the problem.

So, again, I wrote to someone with a solution. Whether they try it or not... oh well.

[Malsua]

Rick,

The Polywell works. They shoot enough into the chamber that some start to fuse. There is no radiation and the electrons that come off can be captured for electricity. It works. Watch the Google video by Dr. Robert Bussard as he explains how it works.

[American Patriot]

Right, I understand that. It doesn't work well.

As you pointed out, it needs more research but the theory is sound.

My point is it will work extremely efficiently in space, in zero-gee. Rather than running at less than unity (which is what I understand they do now... what you put in, you get out....).

[Luke]

Dang it I was ready to tell about my mother-in-laws Ford.

I find Michio Kaku to be one of the easiest to understand in his field. To be able to converse with him would be a true honor.

I also find it one of life's most cruel ironies that Stephen Hawkings has to fight with his disabilities. I know it isn't possible but I would gladly donate my mortal coil if it would allow him someplace to place his brain.

Oh well, Nobody gaurenteed life would be fair.