The Focus Fusion Society Forums Focus Fusion Cafe Breaking even and scaling laws

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1147
    opensource
    Participant

    Different methods to create fusion and produce power yield different ratios for break even and different scaling laws. Can you guys help me understand the fundamental reasons why this is the case? That is, are the reasons isolated barriers for each type of fusion power for breaking even – or is the fundamental reason(s) why it is hard to break even with each method of fusion power production similar (or the same)? I.e. even though DPFs and electromagnetic confinement fusion devices work very differently and have different properties, is the physical reason why it is hard to break even very similar between them?

    #10134
    vansig
    Participant

    a few fundamental things will differ, with different fusion approaches: among them the reaction rate, and the energy conversion efficiency.

    for fusion to occur, atoms either have to strike each other hard enough (high temperature), or be held in close proximity for long enough (high pressure); and these cost energy. heat can leak out of the reaction chamber, materials and fields can only be so strong, and plasmas are extremely corrosive. these facts affect the size and shape of the reaction chamber.

    many fusion approaches attempt to scale the reactor based on a steady, sustained reaction. whereas DPF does fusion in short pulses.

    then, after fusion occurs, how do you extract energy? perhaps with a heat engine, or by transforming electromagnetic fields.

    efficiency of a heat engine depends on the difference in temperature between the hot chamber and the cool one. this is limited by the materials you choose, to make the chamber.

    efficiency of an electric transformer depends on voltage, current, pulse width and shape, and period of firing, and likewise is also limited by the materials chosen.

    a single proton-boron reaction produces 8.7 MeV of energy, from a collision in the hundreds of keV range. while this is a gain of more than ten to one, a single reaction is only about a trillionth of a joule. obviously, you need to get many of them going at once, before you can make the reactor do useful work.

    all these approaches introduce variables that differ, affecting break-even.

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.