Holy Grail of fusion Reactors? Big News in the energy front or big IF?

Photowhit

I don't know if anyone heard this, I'm not a news watcher anymore, too many years as a journalist.

Lockheed Martin appears to have made a major advancement in Fusion Reactors!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UlYClniDFkM

nsaspook

Re: Holy Grail of fusion Reactors? Big News in the energy front or big IF?

IF it works. Magnetic confinement is not new but I hope they have found something better.
http://aviationweek.com/technology/skunk-works-reveals-compact-fusion-reactor-details

Preliminary simulations and experimental results “have been very promising and positive,” McGuire says. “The latest is a magnetized ion confinement experiment, and preliminary measurements show the behavior looks like it is working correctly. We are starting with the plasma confinement, and that’s where we are putting most of our effort. One of the reasons we are becoming more vocal with our project is that we are building up our team as we start to tackle the other big problems. We need help and we want other people involved. It’s a global enterprise, and we are happy to be leaders in it.”

Tokamak
Stellarator

Photowhit

Re: Holy Grail of fusion Reactors? Big News in the energy front or big IF?

nsaspook wrote: »

IF it works. Magnetic confinement is not new but I hope they have found something better.
http://aviationweek.com/technology/skunk-works-reveals-compact-fusion-reactor-details

I can't follow your like, I don't want to become a member, likely you can cut and paste for educational purposes!

nsaspook

Re: Holy Grail of fusion Reactors? Big News in the energy front or big IF?

Photowhit wrote: »

I can't follow your like, I don't want to become a member, likely you can cut and paste for educational purposes!

Try a google search for 'Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details'

Take it with a large block of salt.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/nuclear_power/2013/01/fusion_energy_from_edward_teller_to_today_why_fusion_won_t_be_a_source_of.html

nsaspook

Re: Holy Grail of fusion Reactors? Big News in the energy front or big IF?

Magnetic Field Plasma Confinement for Compact Fusion Power US 20140301518 A1

http://www.google.com/patents/US20140301518

http://news.sciencemag.org/physics/2014/10/updated-are-old-secrets-behind-lockheeds-new-fusion-machine

I've worked on older cusp geometry devices to confine ions for plasma generation in ion beam machines but they were inefficent even with very strong pole magnets and active repeller plates. (he seems to use a hybrid magnetic mirror instead) The physics look good on paper but the devil is in the engineering to make it efficent and stable for net positive energy. Looks like the old story of fusion in the next 20 years again.
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