Are there any inherent advantages of using He3-He3 over d-He3?

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The discussion concludes that He3-He3 fusion has limited advantages over d-He3 fusion, primarily producing fewer neutrons but at the cost of lower energy output, higher ignition temperatures, and longer confinement times. The d-He3 reaction, represented by d + 3He => 4He + p + 18.3 MeV, is more favorable due to its higher energy yield and self-sufficiency in helium-3 production. Additionally, the Bremsstrahlung losses in a pure He3 plasma outweigh any benefits, making d-He3 the more desirable fusion fuel cycle.

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  • Understanding of fusion reactions, specifically d + 3He and He3-He3
  • Knowledge of Bremsstrahlung losses in plasma physics
  • Familiarity with reaction rates in plasma conditions
  • Basic principles of aneutronic fusion
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  • Research the specifics of aneutronic fusion reactions
  • Study the energy output and reaction rates of d + 3He and He3-He3
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privick
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From what I have researched so far, He3-He3's only advantage is that it produces minuscule amounts of neutrons at the expense of lower energy output, higher ignition temperature, and longer confinement time. The expenses also do not even take into account the higher Bremsstrahlung losses eating away at potential power output. With these reasons in mind, am I missing something that makes He3-He3 a third generation fusion fuel hence more desirable than d-He3? This is even more confusing as it would seem that d-He3 is easier to achieve with most of the benefits of aneutronic fusion. Furthermore, d-He3 produces more energetic products and is self sufficient in producing helium 3 as a side reaction. Is reducing the neutron output from a few percentage points (in d-He3) to near zero warrant He3-He3 as a desirable fusion fuel cycle?
 
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privick said:
Is reducing the neutron output from a few percentage points (in d-He3) to near zero warrant He3-He3 as a desirable fusion fuel cycle?
Short answer, no. One may wish to research more into aneutronic fusion reactions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion

The d + 3He => 4He + p + 18.3 MeV is aneutronic, but given equal amounts of d and 3He in a plasma, there will be side reactions. One has to look at the reaction rates of d+d, d+3He and 3He + 3He at the temperature that is optimal for the desired reaction (d+3He).

Looking at 3He + 3He => 4He + 2p + 12.86 MeV, there is no advantage to that reaction in terms of energy. The bremstrahlung and recombination losses would be greater for a pure 3He plasma, and the optimal temperature much greater than that for a d + 3He reaction.
 

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