# B New Tokamak D Mode Success - Fusion is Almost Here

#### sophiecentaur

Gold Member
Thanks @mfb, I've been working to get a handle on the scope of the issue, because if fusion does work - and the economics stack up - we'll have many more of these than fission plants. I also note that a hydrogen-boron reaction would be radioactive waste free, though as with all fusion approaches, the kinks still need to be worked through!
There's always the question of what transmutation products could be formed in the material of the containment structure. After planning what material to choose for mechanical strength, that may also need to be considered. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a problem, bearing in mind that the energy levels involved would 'only' be equivalent to smallish stars so the limit could be elements with moderate atomic mass.

#### Wrichik Basu

Gold Member
2018 Award
The authors of the paper under discussion have written that they have successfully created a shape with a fairly high triangularity, $\delta \, = \, -0.4$ with a volume filling of about $70$%.

What does the triangularity ($\delta$) parameter mean?

P.S. I am a beginner, so don't get angry if this question is dumb.

#### sophiecentaur

Gold Member
The authors of the paper under discussion have written that they have successfully created a shape with a fairly high triangularity, $\delta \, = \, -0.4$ with a volume filling of about $70$%.

What does the triangularity ($\delta$) parameter mean?

P.S. I am a beginner, so don't get angry if this question is dumb.
Not "dumb" but I wonder how hard you have researched this.
What level are you at with this? Did you try Wikipedia? I searched Google with "Triangularity plasma" and, amongst a number of hits, I got this one. The term is used several times and there are onward links.

#### Wrichik Basu

Gold Member
2018 Award
Not "dumb" but I wonder how hard you have researched this.
What level are you at with this? Did you try Wikipedia? I searched Google with "Triangularity plasma" and, amongst a number of hits, I got this one. The term is used several times and there are onward links.
Well, I tried with "triangularity parameter" and did not get good results. Maybe including the word plasma would have given better results.

#### sophiecentaur

Gold Member
Well, I tried with "triangularity parameter" and did not get good results. Maybe including the word plasma would have given better results.
You always need to keep trying with these searches. You have to imagine / realise that the engine has no idea what you may be wanting. Start with a long list of terms and then try sub-sets. It's a seriously powerful skill that you can develop.
Google Images can often give a good clue as to how near your search is getting. I started with your "triangularity parameter" and it threw up hectares of easy to scan but non-related images. Time to change; two more tries got me there.

#### daveyo

Hi as a UK youngster in the early 1950's project ZETA began at Harwell...the 1st attempt at fusion and we still seem a long way off .....as others have said its always 20 years away

#### mfb

Mentor
20 years of serious funding.
Still waiting for the serious funding.

#### WilliamKA

Hi as a UK youngster in the early 1950's project ZETA began at Harwell...the 1st attempt at fusion and we still seem a long way off .....as others have said its always 20 years away
I remember it well - Maybe fusion travels at the speed of Einstein's light beam, one can never catch it?

#### sophiecentaur

Gold Member
I went on a University visit to Culham Labs in 1964(?) and saw the Zeta engine, sitting all on its own in a dusty corner of a lab. They were quite dismissive about it at the time but the ideas behind it were all exciting. I remember a VAST capacitor bank (MegaFarad?) which took up a whole room. Fifty plus years ago.

"New Tokamak D Mode Success - Fusion is Almost Here"

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