Fusion Power Closer Than We Think?

This came up on Google News today:

http://www.vancouversun.com/business..._lsa=ec90-4c20

I am disposed to think that news stories speaking of fusion being close at hand
are inaccurate: but this one is truly surprising.

The approach being used is said to combine the best features of ineartial
confineent and magnetic confinement, and so by doing both at once, one doesn't
have to do each one quite as well.

That would seem a rather sensible approach.

However, when the article said that fusion would be started by compressing
(hydrogen gas?) with a spherical array of *synchronized pistons*...

considering that an H-bomb has to compress its deuterium and lithium core with
the might of an atomic bomb, I truly wondered about this.

And yet they have many serious investors who have put in serious money - and it
could well be that pistons these days can be made more powerful than I might
think.

John Savard

Quadibloc:

This came up on Google News today:


http://www.vancouversun.com/business...almost+within+
grasp/11446883/story.html?__lsa=ec90-4c20

I am disposed to think that news stories speaking of fusion being close at
hand are inaccurate: but this one is truly surprising.

No doubt. Right around the corner, I'd bet...

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

On Saturday, 17 October 2015 17:14:36 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
This came up on Google News today:

http://www.vancouversun.com/business..._lsa=ec90-4c20

I am disposed to think that news stories speaking of fusion being close at hand
are inaccurate: but this one is truly surprising.

The approach being used is said to combine the best features of ineartial
confineent and magnetic confinement, and so by doing both at once, one doesn't
have to do each one quite as well.

That would seem a rather sensible approach.

However, when the article said that fusion would be started by compressing
(hydrogen gas?) with a spherical array of *synchronized pistons*...

considering that an H-bomb has to compress its deuterium and lithium core with
the might of an atomic bomb, I truly wondered about this.

And yet they have many serious investors who have put in serious money - and it
could well be that pistons these days can be made more powerful than I might
think.

John Savard

It's all B.S. The huge European tokamak ITOR won't be built for a decade the the U.S. Ignition Facility is a failure. Even IF they get these things to generate a plasma cloud of any size, they won't be able to confine or keep it going.

On Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 9:19:19 PM UTC-6, RichA wrote:

It's all B.S. The huge European tokamak ITOR won't be built for a decade the
the U.S. Ignition Facility is a failure. Even IF they get these things to
generate a plasma cloud of any size, they won't be able to confine or keep it
going.

Well, _pistons_ to compress a plasma and ignite fusion. All they need is a spark
plug to complete the incongrous picture... however, if one thinks of the anvils
used in atempts to synthesize diamond, maybe it's not entirely as ridiculous as
it sounds. After all, it may not breakeven, but the Farnsworth fusor still does
cause fusion to take place...

John Savard

On 18/10/2015 01:36, Davoud wrote:
Quadibloc:

This came up on Google News today:


http://www.vancouversun.com/business...almost+within+
grasp/11446883/story.html?__lsa=ec90-4c20

I am disposed to think that news stories speaking of fusion being close at
hand are inaccurate: but this one is truly surprising.

Indeed. If only for the names of people funding it.

No doubt. Right around the corner, I'd bet...

Just fifty years away now and has been for... ahem fifty years ;-)

I don't believe that there are any mechanical "pistons" that can handle
either the acceleration, temperature, pressure or the specific impulse
needed to fuse hydrogen (lithium or deuterium for that matter).

Lithium deuteride Li6 isotope enriched would be the obvious solid fuel
for any civil nuclear power source just as it is for H-bombs.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Sunday, 18 October 2015 00:13:10 UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
On Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 9:19:19 PM UTC-6, RichA wrote:

It's all B.S. The huge European tokamak ITOR won't be built for a decade the
the U.S. Ignition Facility is a failure. Even IF they get these things to
generate a plasma cloud of any size, they won't be able to confine or keep it
going.

Well, _pistons_ to compress a plasma and ignite fusion. All they need is a spark
plug to complete the incongrous picture... however, if one thinks of the anvils
used in atempts to synthesize diamond, maybe it's not entirely as ridiculous as
it sounds. After all, it may not breakeven, but the Farnsworth fusor still does
cause fusion to take place...

John Savard

They've blasted holraums (little cylinders with tiny gold pellets with deuterium in them) with the most powerful lasers ever built and they've gotten some excess power out of them (more out than in) but it's nowhere near self-sustaining.

From sci.physics:

Fusion reactors 'economically viable' say experts
http://phys.org/news/2015-10-fusion-...e-experts.html

Small-scale nuclear fusion may be a new energy source
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0925085550.htm

A small, modular, efficient fusion plant
https://news.mit.edu/2015/small-modu...ion-plant-0810

MIT announces vision for “affordable, robust, compact” fusion power plant
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip...1063/PT.5.8134

New design could finally help to bring fusion power closer to reality
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-fusion-...r-reality.html

A Working Nuclear Fusion Reactor In Three Years? Really?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamescon...-years-really/

On Monday, 19 October 2015 12:19:09 UTC-4, Sam Wormley wrote:
From sci.physics:

Fusion reactors 'economically viable' say experts
http://phys.org/news/2015-10-fusion-...e-experts.html

Small-scale nuclear fusion may be a new energy source
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0925085550.htm

A small, modular, efficient fusion plant
https://news.mit.edu/2015/small-modu...ion-plant-0810

MIT announces vision for "affordable, robust, compact" fusion power plant
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip...1063/PT.5.8134

New design could finally help to bring fusion power closer to reality
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-fusion-...r-reality.html

A Working Nuclear Fusion Reactor In Three Years? Really?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamescon...-years-really/

Yes, every day a new story about the miracles to come. Better batteries, more efficient solar cells, etc. Virtually none amount to anything.
Read this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Bottle-Str.../dp/B002BWQ5H2

On Monday, October 19, 2015 at 8:55:32 PM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
On Monday, 19 October 2015 12:19:09 UTC-4, Sam Wormley wrote:
From sci.physics:

Fusion reactors 'economically viable' say experts
http://phys.org/news/2015-10-fusion-...e-experts.html

Small-scale nuclear fusion may be a new energy source
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0925085550.htm

A small, modular, efficient fusion plant
https://news.mit.edu/2015/small-modu...ion-plant-0810

MIT announces vision for "affordable, robust, compact" fusion power plant
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip...1063/PT.5.8134

New design could finally help to bring fusion power closer to reality
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-fusion-...r-reality.html

A Working Nuclear Fusion Reactor In Three Years? Really?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamescon...-years-really/

Yes, every day a new story about the miracles to come. Better batteries, more efficient solar cells, etc. Virtually none amount to anything.
Read this:

http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Bottle-Str.../dp/B002BWQ5H2

Not true. There have been considerable advances in battery and solar cell performance over the years. However, fusion is still pie in the sky. Maybe still 50 years away?

http://www.richardfisher.com

On Wednesday, 28 October 2015 16:17:09 UTC+1, Helpful person wrote:

Not true. There have been considerable advances in battery and solar cell performance over the years. However, fusion is still pie in the sky. Maybe still 50 years away?


Most fusion already takes place in the sky.
Perhaps we just haven't sent enough pies up there yet?