Reply To: Nuplex.

[BSFusion]

@Joeviocoe,

Laser ICF projects like NIF have at least achieved fusion on some level… although it is doubtful they will ever get a complete and symmetrical burn of the fuel pellet.

That problem has already been solved, by BSF, using matter confinement, which is an extrapolation of the “exploding pusher” concept, as explained in Phys. Plasmas, Vol. 2, No. 11, November 1995:

“Higher implosion velocities are possible in certain types of high-entropy implosions, in which the high-density shell is heated rapidly to high temperature and then explodes. In a so-called “exploding pusher target,” the center of mass of the shell or “pusher” is almost stationary as it explodes. The radius of the boundary between the inner edge of the shell and the fuel typically converges only a factor of 3 or 4. Such targets are quite insensitive to asymmetry. The direct-drive, electron-conduction-driven exploding pusher target was the most common early ICF target and was the first type of target to produce thermonuclear neutrons. However, it does not scale to high gain, because all of the mass of the target is on a high isentrope, which precludes high compression.”

Note, the scaling problem mentioned above only applies to orthodox ICF, where the highly compressed, high-pressure pellets instantly disassemble into the vacuum of the chamber. It does not apply to BSF, which is expected to scale to higher gains because of its superior confinement, which prevents dispersion and allows for extended periods of compression and self-heating.