Lockheed's compact fusion reactor question

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SUMMARY

Lockheed Martin's compact fusion reactor utilizes a cusp confinement device combined with magnetic mirror technology to enhance plasma confinement. Despite historical challenges with magnetic mirrors, Lockheed's design aims to address plasma escape through innovative engineering, although skepticism remains regarding its efficacy. The project has faced delays and lacks public updates, raising concerns about its viability and funding. Critics argue that without substantial advancements beyond traditional methods, the reactor may not achieve its intended goals.

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  • Understanding of cusp confinement and magnetic mirror concepts in plasma physics
  • Familiarity with fusion reactor design principles and challenges
  • Knowledge of plasma behavior and confinement techniques
  • Awareness of historical context regarding fusion research funding and program decisions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the latest advancements in magnetic confinement fusion technologies
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Researchers, engineers, and policymakers interested in fusion energy, plasma physics, and the future of energy technologies will benefit from this discussion.

  • #31
rootone said:
If it was possible to produce enough ultracooled material in the Bose-Einstein condensate state,
that might help to reduce the size of some reactor parameters.
The trouble with that is you probably need a massive and dangerous industrial plant to make enough of it.
Where do you expect Bose-Einstein condensates to be useful, and where do you see a danger from them?
etudiant said:
It is the kind of summary that reflects real work done by serious and dedicated researchers, stuff that is rarely seen any more.
Every publication, every conference, every other meeting has that.

Quenches are a necessary part of the commissioning - you need them to improve the maximal field strength of coils.

I don't the field strength Lockheed wants to use.
 
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  • #32
mfb said:
Where do you expect Bose-Einstein condensates to be useful, and where do you see a danger from them?Every publication, every conference, every other meeting has that.

Quenches are a necessary part of the commissioning - you need them to improve the maximal field strength of coils.

I don't the field strength Lockheed wants to use.
It is good that these summaries are produced. What is missing is wider dissemination of the results.
I do routinely skim the various journals such as Science News or Technology Review, there has not been such a document referenced, much less actually linked.
It is as if the field were operating under a security blanket or the leaders were ashamed of what they were doing. There is no effort to celebrate gains or to create some sense of the potential. Given that fusion seems a lot greener than covering the Earth with windmills and solar panels, that reticence is incomprehensible to me.
 
  • #33
mfb said:
Where do you expect Bose-Einstein condensates to be useful, and where do you see a danger from them?
I'll try dig out a reference, but I do know that I read somewhere that Bose-Einstein condensates are a form of matter that can only exist near to absolute zero.
Matter in that state so I gathered can undergo fusion without the need of extreme pressure, (containment).
If that is actually true then you don't need the megawatts of power needed just to get the reactor started up, everything can be downsized.
However the industrial scale production of such material is definitely not feasible with present technology.

I think if that was feasible, the careful handling and application of the resulting material would be risky.
If for some reason there was a problem in transporting it very quickly, could it explosively undergo a phase transition to 'normal' helium or whatever.
 
  • #34
rootone said:
I'll try dig out a reference, but I do know that I read somewhere that Bose-Einstein condensates are a form of matter that can only exist near to absolute zero.
That is clear and doesn't need a reference.
rootone said:
Matter in that state so I gathered can undergo fusion without the need of extreme pressure, (containment).
Who claims that?
 

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