Determining Ion Speed in a Farnsworth Fusion Ion Collider

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the speed of ions in a Farnsworth fusion ion collider, focusing on the implications of ion charge and the calculations involved. It touches on safety concerns and the operational context of the collider.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the speed of ions in a fusor, mentioning the chamber size and voltage, and questions the relevance of ion type.
  • Another participant states that singly charged ions will have a kinetic energy of 75 keV, while doubly charged ions will have 150 keV, suggesting that this energy can be used to calculate speed using classical mechanics.
  • Concerns are raised about the safety of operating the ion collider, with one participant asserting that safety measures are in place, while another questions the safety knowledge of those involved.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is disagreement regarding the safety of operating the ion collider, with some participants expressing confidence in the safety measures while others are skeptical about the understanding of safety protocols by the operators.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of concern regarding safety and the qualifications necessary to operate the equipment, indicating a lack of consensus on the safety knowledge of the operators.

nwfusor
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I'm looking to figure out how fast ions are traveling in the fusor I have access to. The chamber is roughly 12-14" long, with a central electrode charged to 75 kV and 5 mA. Is the type of ion relevant? What would I have to do to figure out how fast the ions are moving?
 
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Singly charged ions will get a kinetic energy of 75 keV. Doubly charged ions get 150 keV and so on. That is the beauty of electric potentials and electronvolt, you don't need any other numbers.

You can calculate the speed with classical mechanics.

Don't use the thing if you don't have the required knowledge to do it safely.
 
The ion collider is operated by the Northwest Nuclear Consortium, with plenty of safety measures in place.
 
nwfusor said:
The ion collider is operated by the Northwest Nuclear Consortium

The fact that a bunch of high school students can put up a web page does not mean that they understand nuclear or electrical safety.
 
Thread closed for Moderation...
 
Thread will remain closed. If you have to ask about this, you do not have the background to do it safely. That is against the PF rules.
 

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