[JimmyT]

One easy way to get 60 Hz is to drop the pulse rate to 180 Hz (if possible, we really don’t know yet do we?) and use one pulse for each of the three phases of conventional 60Hz current. As far as alternative energy goes, it will be abandoned rather quickly except for specialized applications like mountain top cell towers or freeway signs with no access to power lines.

Where are you electrical engineers?

[JimmyT]

I know that 200Hz may not be the eventual pulse rate. So, substitute whatever number it ends up being into the above discussion.

[JimmyT]

Yep. It was the cathode I was asking about. I should have been specific. Very disappointing. I was hoping and expecting that media news of good experimental results would cause better crowd funding results.

[JimmyT]

Zip, would you happen to know, has the tentative arrival date for the tungsten electrode been extended? Last I knew it was about May 21-22.

[JimmyT]

Idea for gift: Autographed portrait of Eric next to his toys.

[JimmyT]

This map explains why the European Union will not intervene against any possible Russian incursion. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Ukraine+pipeline+map&id=1C549E0E81A4A065CAAC699BE4E9C19D8976C48D&FORM=IQFRBA#view=detail&id=1C549E0E81A4A065CAAC699BE4E9C19D8976C48D&selectedIndex=0

Focus Fusion could change all that.

[JimmyT]

It would be easier to understand how such high efficiencies are achieved if the particles velocity were uniform. Since they are not; it is hard to understand why the slower particles would not be decelerated to a standstill and reversed by the magnetic field created in the coil by earlier arriving particles.

Classically it would seem to me that efficiencies above 68% aren’t attainable, due to the above reasoning. I obviously don’t get something.

[JimmyT]

Are you sure about this? I believe that only the central electrode is to be made of Be. The plasmoid is actually inside a dimple in the central electrode for most (All?) of it’s life. Therefore high x-ray or gama ray absorption is of paramount importance there. Also the thin cross section of the outer electrodes will not avail them to cooling as readily as the central electrode.

While I think the outer electrodes will be made of tungsten in the production models as well as this test model, they will be shorter. So will weigh a bit less. And that was my question. How much does this and production model’s tungsten electrode weigh?

Maybe Eric needs to weigh in on this to get a definitive answer.

[JimmyT]

Meanwhile progress continues elsewhere for another essential component to make this project feasible. Diamond switch development. http://phys.org/news/2013-01-high-voltage-vacuum-power-smart-grids.html

[JimmyT]

Might I ask how much this electrode will weigh? When we get to the point where these are being produced by the hundreds of thousands; is the world tungsten supply going to provide any bottleneck?

[JimmyT]

annodomini2 wrote: The other issue being a large component of that energy usage is also transport and heating (in colder climates).

The article only seems to discuss electricity generation, which FF is ideal to compete with, but what percentage of that usage is purely for electricity generation?

The main one that will take more time to replace is heating, the transport cycle is usually around 10-15years for the bulk of the market, so if electric based vehicles became widespread and cheaper (may take some advancement here as well), transport could be converted quite easily.

The issue is heating, many countries which developed with large gas reserves, their heating systems in the properties tend to be based around gas fired heating systems, which do not in themselves easily convert to electricity. The users of these systems will be quite averse to changing them due to cost. Unless the electricity is so cheap that the change will pay for itself within a few years.

If, as is predicted, the cheap electricity comes to pass; I plan to very quickly buy a cheap electric space heater. If I place this next to my furnace and set the furnace thermostat a couple of degrees colder than the space heater’s setting it should take care of most of my home heating. And at minimal expense.

[JimmyT]

delt0r Please note the thread title. We are specifically discussing running a Focus Fusion device on DT, NOT boron and protium. I think the neutron count and radation would be considerable.

While running on Boron -protium, you are right, of course.

[JimmyT]

Don’t forget Eric has time of flight on the neutrons too.

[JimmyT]

Since you can’t capture the rather large fraction of total fusion energy from a DT reaction which is imparted to the neutrons it really is merely a theoretical point.

[JimmyT]

It has been determined that a single piece cathode/base made of tungsten which must be custom manufactured is needed. This must be fairly expensive. Y’all must have a rough idea how expensive it will be. Would you share that with us?

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