[Aeronaut]

The really appealing aspects of FF, to me anyway, are that $2M to $5M across 1 to 3 years could not only prove or fail to prove LPP’s theories in the shorter term, but could significantly contribute the to the capacitor and switching engineering which could be recycled in other pulsed power applications.

Can’t remember the last time anybody recounted how LPP got this far in ~34 years on less than $2M. Or that both JPL projects were successfully completed, thus giving LPP the ability to build the third scaling model at full scale. Nobody to my knowledge has done this in fusion research.

The Emperor’s New Suit keeps coming to mind anytime I think about how the government blows billions on ‘mislabeled’ projects.

[Aeronaut]

JShell wrote: “ReNeW docs” sounds like a good idea . . . consensus-building and cooperation is usually a great way to go. I think the key is, FFS may not be big enough right now to have an impact on overall clean energy R and D funding climate . . . but if we publicize the plight of non-tokamak and non-lasers researchers (ie that they are being starved of funding), then perhaps we could get some higher-ups to apply some pressure to get Ed Synakowski to change his fusion research funding allocation choices.

I don’t think Ed Synakowski is simply going to change his mind because people ask him to. I think he’s pretty convinced that the Tokamak is the best/only way forward. I disagree with his perspective on reality, but I think it might be easier to convince someone above Ed that Ed may not actually be implementing the best plan for America’s future . . . and that alternative fusion researchers should be getting funding too.

That is the quickest way to getting LPP public money that I can see . . .which I guess is part of why I’m more eager for a letter-writing campaign or something else more proactive.

I agree about consensus-building, co-operation, and the need to take a more proactive approach. This needs to reflect the facts that few people currently make the sustained effort to come up with aneutronic fusion- or any type of fusion at all- as a viable solution, and that high-profile positions such as the type that Dr. Chu and Ed Synakowski currently hold are politically sensitive.

What this boils down to imo is that their motivations are to protect a wide range of existing cash cows and jobs in the status quo. Think how many smart grid, clean coal, and other research boondoggles will go down the drain (along with the stock prices and carefully cultivated leadership images) if a straight-forward solution, with a definite time frame and budget, should come along.

I can advertise to smart phones around the world for a penny per click. Targeting can be as specific as the handset’s make, operating system, readers’ age group and general interest such as sports or business. Thus we can reach a lot of the world’s early adopters. I’m leaning toward using farce as the vehicle to make the message and branding instantly memorable, but that’s just my opinion. Who knows- maybe there’s a rea$on the TV stations always run hand-wringing ‘news’ stories.

[Aeronaut]

vansig wrote: does it yet stand to be disproved?

parameters: gas, anode diameter, length, fill pressure, in FoFu-1 differ from that of the paper;
i expect lee’s calculator to quantify a prediction for them, though.

We’d have to get FoFu’s actual or design values for C0 and L0. With those entered, and a new fuel type specified, the Lee Simulator should then be able to fit the current traces observed in D-D to the machine, and from that platform, on to pB-11 fuel. Sounds easy enough, lol.

Assuming we encounter the current limit, this would give us a structured numeric environment that can be tweaked and experimentally examined in the same day.

[Aeronaut]

It could be different because Lerner has a vested interest in achieving 3MA current pulses in the 300hz to 1kz PRF range. Seems to me that we have a purpose-built machine with a number of inter-related technical challenges which few other DPFs share. How many of Lee’s testbeds are either capable of or interested in disproving Lee’s Limitation?

[Aeronaut]

I suspect Lee is finding what he expects to find, and testing other theory (not to mention fuels) could possibly disprove this remake of the ‘sound barrier’.

[Aeronaut]

MTd2 wrote: Several break – even scenarios? Really? Would you give me an example?

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0710/0710.3149.pdf comes close, but still relies on some X-ray conversion as well. Table 3 lists 5 over-unity scenarios based on differing input currents. The rest of the key specs are also included. If you scroll down the http://lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.com about us page, it’s the top article listed.

[Aeronaut]

MTd2 wrote: Anyway, according to Lerner, on that article, Boron can make the pinch values of up to 24GG. So, both will be strongly suppressed. So, anyway, talking about 14.4GG actually is about talking about the use of decaborane!!!! :O

You know what`s fun? According to the table given by Lerner, 17GG is achieved with 1.1MA. Lerner could very well start using boron now and expect a nice demonstration of Boron with just 1.8MA fired by the cathode.

The tables I’ve seen from Lerner tend to show ranges of input variables, which result in several break-even scenarios. There is one scenario based entirely on producing slightly positive net energy entirely from the ion conversion coils. Numbers in these papers tend to be calculated values to prove or disprove by series of disciplined experiments to scientifically build the case(s).

[Aeronaut]

Maybe ‘fuse’ everything together in the food processor?

[Aeronaut]

I’d like to see a checkbox on my income tax form, similar to the one used to contribute $1 to the government’s partial funding of presidential campaigns. Or a similar way for millions to invest $1 each. in unison, so to speak.

[Aeronaut]

Rezwan wrote:

Others would disagree, and so you see our argument isn’t with the government officials, but with a lot of our fellow citizens.

Nobody wins an argument. What we can do is figure out how to persuade a lot of our fellow citizens.

[Aeronaut]

Yep, that link worked like a charm. The stray resistance is an intriguing aspect to try to reduce. I’m glad to see that Lee’s included the Filipov design, also, since the rest of the case always seems to lead to shorter electrodes.

Long distance transmission lines double the voltage to reduce the current by 50%. Using P=(I^2) R, doubling the transmission voltage results in 25% of the losses. Not sure how this relates to raising voltage to raise current…

[Aeronaut]

MTd2 wrote: According to table 1, table 3 and Figure 7 of this paper:

http://www.plasmafocus.net/IPFS/2010 Papers/Energies PP.pdf

Saturation occurs for 1.5MA. So, if you discharge more than 1.5MA, at low voltages, the pinch won’t achieve more than 1MA, and it doesn’t matter what configuration is used.

The page isn’t directly linkable (returns a 404 file not found error) but I was able to find the 2010 papers page. Which title are you referring to on that page?

[Aeronaut]

Sing Lee’s description of his understanding of DPF theory, combined with playing with his simulator, taught me a lot in a hurry. I heartily recommend it as a bridge to a more complete understanding of DPF theory. The low current, low voltage variety which seems best suited for making tuned X-ray and neutron bursts.

Anything we as a DPF community can do to reduce the system inductance will pay off handsomely by keeping open the option of using any voltage(s) an experimenter so desires, up to around 100kV. This is the easiest way to significantly extend useful cap bank life, since firing 90kV shots is going to kill a cap bank within a year at LPP’s average shot rate.

Caps are built in a job shop environment, not warehoused. They aren’t cheap, and the delivery time for a set of 12 would make a slow boat from China look fast. This could be a legitimate reason for the Las Vegas machine’s budget being much higher than LPP’s.

[Aeronaut]

Sing Lee’s equivalent circuit diagram and labels rely heavily on the word ‘fraction’. The backplate’s inductance and current fractions are significant contributors to the machine’s performance or lack thereof. Have any of his students reported any experiments to reduce backplate inductance? I remember reading one that proved a short metal plate was a lower inductance capacitor conductor than the standard issue wire, for instance.

I’ve sketched cap bank geometries a few times since my last post. Danged frustrating things to put close together! It’s starting to look like a 3 by 3 or 3 by 4 array might be the lowest impedance HV system…

[Aeronaut]

Francisl wrote: I am guessing that Eric will optimize his current setup, gather data and test his theories, project where he needs to go from here, all the while trying to gather support and funding to make the next big advance.

Eric’s response to Lee’s challenge strongly suggests to me that shorter electrodes are the most practical way to reduce inductance in the present LPPX setup, which is designed to be practical (not necessarily easy) to replace any part(s) should the need arise.

A less practical yet glaringly obvious way to reduce system inductance would be to place the cap bank above the HV delivery plates to reduce their mass and inductance by placing the caps in a grid array as close to the anode pin as the switches will allow. Since the test cell lacks the ceiling height and a crane, it isn’t practical in this stage of development.

A ‘porcupine’ looking modified spherical cap bank geometry might be able to move the switches even closer to the anode pin while delivering a uniform distance from each switch to the anode. The physical result in my mind’s eye is a forest of unistrut or 80/20 (much more professional looking than unistrut, imo, and it’s much easier to work with for many reasons) supports and braces. Ugghh.

The most elegant and aesthetically-pleasing solution could be to mount at least the caps below-grade, preferably with their cradles pre-cast in the new concrete. But to get from here to there requires solutions to the spark plug and switching issues. Just thinking out loud here…

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