Compact Fusion Reactor: High Potential Difference Effects

In summary, a fusor is a relatively compact system using electostatic fields to produce fusion. However, the losses from the fields make it impractical for practical power generation.
  • #1
digital ranger
8
0
What would happen if we applied high potential difference to a mixture of deuterium and tritium gases in a superconducting tube?:confused:
Would the electric discharge give suffecient energy and conditions for fusion to occur??:rolleyes:
 
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  • #2
what>?

Superconducting tube?

You need to be more precise in you thought experiments.

Certainly there are a myriad of particle accelerators that merely apply an electrical field to gases and definitely produce fusion, just not in "break even" quantities
 
  • #3
Well I was trying to say (compact) ..:cry:
I mean something in the size of a car baterry can be charged from a domestic DC source and cause discharging once by means of capacitance.:rolleyes:
So electricity can be produced by thermoelectric generator .
 
  • #4
There are neutron generators or 'howitzers' which use an electrostatic field to accelerate deutrons into tritated targets to create 14.1 MeV neutrons. However, the deuteron current is so low and the scattering so great that more energy is put in than developed by fusion. The objective however in this system is neutron generation.

A relatively compact system using electostatic fields is the fusor -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_electrostatic_confinement (article may contain unverified claims - reader beware)

I don't believe that a practical fusor for energy production has been developed.

In Tokamak, neutral particle beams are injected into the plasma. The NPBs use electrostatic fields to accelerate deuterons into the plasma chamber.

The problem is the scattering and the acceleration of nuclei/ions and electrons causes energy loss due to cyclotron and brehmsstrahlung radiation. Because of high temperatures in the plasma, magnetic confinement is essential for most fusion reactor concepts, with the exception of inertial confinement systems.
 
  • #5
power output

well, I read the article of the fusor and it seems that the main problem is energy output.
I think steam generators and turbines won't be useful on a small scale.
Instead we can use a neutron absorbent material as a target for neutrons then it transforms the majority of energy into heat.
the heat is absorbed by a lasing active medium generating photons which can be absorbed by photoelectric cells to generate electricity.
I know that it's difficult from technichal and geometrical point of view.:approve:
so I need suggestions...
 
  • #6
I think that the fusor is an excellent choice for compact nuetron generation.

It is simple and elegant
 
  • #7
digital ranger
Can you elaborate on your idea it seems similar to an idea of mine. By the way if you dope the water for the steam turbine with boron it can act as both a neutron absorber and as a working medium
 
  • #8
digital ranger said:
well, I read the article of the fusor and it seems that the main problem is energy output.
I think steam generators and turbines won't be useful on a small scale.
Instead we can use a neutron absorbent material as a target for neutrons then it transforms the majority of energy into heat.
the heat is absorbed by a lasing active medium generating photons which can be absorbed by photoelectric cells to generate electricity.
I know that it's difficult from technichal and geometrical point of view.:approve:
so I need suggestions...

The issue with the Fusor is not getting power out of it. It is that no matter how much you input, the losses because of the grids are simply too great to ever allow breakeven and power generation.
 
  • #9
68658 said:
digital ranger
Can you elaborate on your idea it seems similar to an idea of mine. By the way if you dope the water for the steam turbine with boron it can act as both a neutron absorber and as a working medium

I don't think digital ranger is going to reply... He last visited the forums in 2006, around the time of this thread. :wink:
 
  • #10
Thread necro's strike again!
 
  • #11
Astronuc said:
There are neutron generators or 'howitzers' which use an electrostatic field to accelerate deutrons into tritated targets to create 14.1 MeV neutrons. However, the deuteron current is so low and the scattering so great that more energy is put in than developed by fusion. The objective however in this system is neutron generation.

A relatively compact system using electostatic fields is the fusor -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_electrostatic_confinement (article may contain unverified claims - reader beware)

I don't believe that a practical fusor for energy production has been developed.In Tokamak, neutral particle beams are injected into the plasma. The NPBs use electrostatic fields to accelerate deuterons into the plasma chamber.

The problem is the scattering and the acceleration of nuclei/ions and electrons causes energy loss due to cyclotron and brehmsstrahlung radiation. Because of high temperatures in the plasma, magnetic confinement is essential for most fusion reactor concepts, with the exception of inertial confinement systems.
So you think they are on the wrong track at Lawrence Livermore-Sandia?

-The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing, also by Satch
 
  • #12
quasi44 said:
So you think they are on the wrong track at Lawrence Livermore-Sandia?

-The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing, also by Satch

What do you mean?
 

1. What is a Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR)?

A Compact Fusion Reactor is a type of nuclear reactor that generates energy by fusing atomic nuclei together, similar to the process that powers the sun. It differs from traditional fusion reactors in its size and design, making it more efficient and potentially more cost-effective.

2. How does a CFR produce energy?

A CFR uses a combination of high temperatures and strong magnetic fields to confine and heat a plasma of hydrogen isotopes, causing the nuclei to fuse together and release large amounts of energy. This energy can then be converted into electricity.

3. What is the potential difference effect in CFRs?

The potential difference effect in CFRs refers to the high voltage that is applied to the plasma, which creates a strong electric field that helps to confine the plasma and increase the efficiency of the fusion reaction. This effect is crucial for achieving the high temperatures and densities needed for fusion to occur.

4. What are the potential benefits of CFRs?

CFRs have the potential to provide a nearly limitless source of clean energy, as the fuel used is abundant and produces no greenhouse gas emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. They also have a much smaller physical footprint compared to traditional nuclear reactors, making them easier to construct and operate.

5. What are the current challenges in developing CFR technology?

The main challenges in developing CFR technology include controlling and sustaining the high temperatures and pressures needed for fusion to occur, finding suitable materials that can withstand the extreme conditions inside the reactor, and developing efficient methods for extracting and converting the energy produced. Additionally, the cost of building and operating a CFR is currently very high, and more research and development is needed to make it a viable source of energy.

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