Reply To: Competition from the Thorium reactor

[texaslabrat]

Transmute wrote: no no not even theory, they admit they need x-ray conversion: see this thread: https://focusfusion.org/index.php/forums/viewthread/107/

I understand that. However, you are making some assertions that a heat engine (Rankine or otherwise) would be necessary for net positive energy generation. That’s where we differ. I think everyone here understands that x-ray conversion has always been part of the plan. And that isn’t nearly as bleak as some are making it out to be..there has been a ton of research into X-ray detectors in photovoltaic modes of operation that I’m sure will be leveraged. This is not some new untested science here..just a new application for stuff that’s already here. Not only that, but if they are successful in capturing upwards of 90% of the ion beam energy (which “they” say is reasonable)…break-even occurs at x-ray conversion of only 22%. Hardly a “high-efficiency” requirement for x-ray conversion. The proof is the pudding, of course..but so far I haven’t encountered any hard evidence to cause me to doubt “The Plan”.

Skepticism is a healthy thing. But defeatism before we even see the details from the patent application is not.