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http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510054502,00.html
amazing!
amazing!
Zantra said:Just goes to show if you're intelligent enough, and you've got access to the internet, you can build just about anything.
loop quantum gravity said:are there any notes (preferablely his) about how did he build the reactor?
Greg Bernhardt said:http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510054502,00.html
amazing!
article said:The ball is, literally, a small sun, where an electric field forces deuteron ions (a form of hydrogen) to gather, bang together and occasionally fuse, spitting out a neutron each time fusion occurs.
Morbius said:There's no way that device achieves fusion ignition.
I'm sorry - physics says no.
Morbius did not say the device could not work. He said it could not achieve fusion ignition.NateTG said:What makes you think that the device does not or would not work?Morbius said:There's no way that device achieves fusion ignition.
I'm sorry - physics says no.
NateTG said:What makes you think that the device does not or would not work? How do you explain the neutron emissions? I understand that the device is not suitable for energy production (there's a really nice paper at MIT about that) but that doesn't mean that there isn't fusion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farnsworth-Hirsch_Fusor
The reactor is almost certainly a fusor (inertial electrostatic confinement), and others have also succesfully had fusion reactions (or at least neutron emission) from similar set ups starting, as far as I am aware, in the 60's.
hitssquad said:
- Appl Radiat Isot. 2000 Oct;53(4-5):779-83.
The IEC star-mode fusion neutron source for NAA--status and next-step designs
Miley GH, Sved J.
Fusion Studies Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA. g-miley@uiuc.edu
Based on research at the University of Illinois, a commercial neutron source has been developed by Daimler Chrysler Aerospace using a small grided-type Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) plasma device (Miley and Sved, 1997) This device employs a unique "Star-Mode" deuterium plasma discharge to create ion-beam driven fusion reactions in a plasma target (Miley et al., 1997a, 1997b, 1997c; Miley, 1999). As such, it represents the first commercial application of a confined fusing plasma. The Star-Mode discharge is an essential feature of this device since it minimizes ion-grid collisions and also allows tight beam focussing.
PMID: 11003520
CharlesP said:It amazes me how fast junk science gets around and how hard it is to put out fires like this one.
NateTG said:Fusion, even 'exothermic' fusion, has been possible for more that 50 years now -- a 15megaton hydrogen bomb (Bravo Shot) was set off on Feb 25, 1954. People have been trying to harness fusion power in a less destructive fashion since before then.
The fusion power problem isn't just achieving fusion, but achieving contained and exothermic fusion.
No actually - some fusion reactor concepts use neutral beam injectors to selectively put energy into the D ions such that the energy per ion is higher than the target plasma. This helps to reduce the energy losses from the plasma, which is relatively cooler. And there are other heating methods, such as RF (bascially microwaves) heating, as well.It seems to me that the IEC approach is considered too simplistic for 'real' scientists to bother considering it as a 'real' player in the research field.
dream_reaper said:To quote Dr. Greenman: "In order for fusion to occur - one has to have both the requisite density and temperature."
Please correct me if I'm wrong - but I was of the understanding that in order for 'Fusion to Occur' you need to overcome the Coulomb Barrier - Essentially, you need to push two Ions close enough together so that the Strong nuclear force, slightly more powerful but acting over shorter distances than the Electromagnetic force acting to repel the like-charged particles), is able to exert its influence and bind the two nuclei together? In the case of D - T fusion, you've got a pair of alpha particles that result from this fusion... the odd-man-out Neutron with it's 14.1 MeV of kinetic energy, and the Helium-4 nucleus with it's 3.5 MeV (? I don't remember if that's correct or not on the H4 nucleus).
There are various ways a kid could have access to the materials needed. They could have purchased them online, obtained them from a local science supply store, or even salvaged them from old electronics. It is also possible that they had help from an adult or mentor who provided them with the materials.
Building a functioning reactor requires a deep understanding of physics, chemistry, and engineering principles. It also requires knowledge of how to handle and work with radioactive materials safely. Additionally, the builder needs to have strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
It is essential to take strict safety precautions when working with radioactive materials. The kid may have worn protective gear such as gloves, goggles, and a lab coat. They may have also worked in a well-ventilated area and followed proper handling and disposal procedures for the materials.
The time it takes to build a functioning reactor varies depending on the complexity of the design and the resources available. It could take anywhere from a few months to several years. The kid may have also spent a significant amount of time researching and planning before starting the construction process.
There are several potential dangers associated with building and operating a functioning reactor, especially for a kid without proper training and supervision. These dangers include exposure to radiation, the risk of a radioactive leak or explosion, and the potential for environmental contamination. It is crucial for the kid to have proper safety measures in place and to seek guidance from experienced professionals.