Capture efficiency: Ion beam vs X-rays

[Alex Pollard]

If X-ray capture and ion beam capture are both likely to achieve the same efficiency (around 80%?), then it matters less that fusion energy is being lost in x-rays rather than ending up in the beam.

If this is so, then does the magnetic field actually matter, since it is only required to reduce x-rays and increase the beam energy?

Or is there still a problem with X-ray capture in that, yes, photovoltaics may be 80% efficient but there are other factors determining their overall efficiency eg X-rays are diffuse so a difficulty arises in covering the entire internal surface of the chamber with PV cells?

[Lerner]

If the x-ray emission always exceeds the total thermonuclear power, the plasmoid will not heat up fast enough to burn most of the fuel. Unless most of the fuel is burned up, the output energy from the plasmoid will not exceed the input energy, so net energy production will not be possible. The magentic field effect reduces the -ray emission sufficiently that the plasmoid heats up to a peak tempearture of aroudn 700-900keV and 80% or more of the fuel is burned, producing net energy.

[Transmute]

I’m still baffled on how 80% photovoltaic conversion efficiency of X-rays to electricity is possible? Could you at least give a brief explanation on how such a X-ray photovoltaic device works (what materials it made of, its structural shape, etc).

[webtaz99]

Would this be based on scintillation?

This article mentions:

For material thicknesses of 5 mm, for both NaI and CsI, the detection efficiency between 20-100 keV is essentially unity.

Would the high flux break down the scintillator? Megawatt(s) per square meter is pretty, uh, “bright”.

[pktanz]

lol. all sounds all alienated to me.

[Brian H]

Transmute wrote: I’m still baffled on how 80% photovoltaic conversion efficiency of X-rays to electricity is possible? Could you at least give a brief explanation on how such a X-ray photovoltaic device works (what materials it made of, its structural shape, etc).

The thousands of layers of foil in the housing nibble away at the X-Ray energy, I believe, which is drawn off as electrons by fine grids between foil layers. That’s the main patented technology that LawrencevillePlasmaPhysics holds, IIRC.

[Author]

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