So anyway, back to the fusion thing -1) Will Lockheed-Martin's new announcement significantly accelerate the research efforts for magnetic fusion confinement?2) Will they have any spinoff benefits for other types of fusion research?
It uses fission - a neutron source - to initiate the fusion reaction. [..]It's a pulse design with extended burn.
Re1) No, there's no attempt at containment or sustained fusion. Their magnetic plasma confinement development, as others have mentioned, isn't groundbreaking as there isn't much left with that science other than adapting it for a specific purpose (ITER, VASIMR, this, etc).
Re2) Yes, because this is a different approach to fusion than all previous attempts;It uses fission - a neutron source - to initiate the fusion reaction. H-bombs have been doing it for decades but this is the first fusion experiment smart enough to realize the benefits.It's a pulse design with extended burn. Plenty of garages have accomplished pulse fusion, but what appears to be a simultaneous injection of fuel at ignition creates a much larger burn per cycle.
The patent applications are enlightening:http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Journals/2014/10/22/p/n/r/US2014301517A1.pdfhttp://www.theengineer.co.uk/Journals/2014/10/22/e/e/f/US2014301519A1.pdfhttp://www.theengineer.co.uk/Journals/2014/10/22/y/n/d/espacenetDocument.pdfThere are actually eight co-aligned superconducting coils: the two big interior coils, four outer coils in between the interior coils, and two mirror coils at either end. So, the field geometry is somewhere polywell and FRCs like Tri-Alpha or Helion. They may use FLiBe as a coollant liquid, which would allow them to breed tritium directly (neutron bombardment of lithium makes tritium).
That's mentioned in the article about using a liquid metal coolant. The only nuclear related example I can think of this in propulsion terms was when liquid metal was used in the reactors of some soviet subs.
QuoteMcGuire says. “The latest is a magnetized ion confinement experiment, and preliminary measurements show the behavior looks like it is working correctly. We are starting with the plasma confinement"Plasma confinement: hic sunt leones.(Bold mine)
McGuire says. “The latest is a magnetized ion confinement experiment, and preliminary measurements show the behavior looks like it is working correctly. We are starting with the plasma confinement"
Quote from: A12 on 10/15/2014 07:19 pmQuoteMcGuire says. “The latest is a magnetized ion confinement experiment, and preliminary measurements show the behavior looks like it is working correctly. We are starting with the plasma confinement"Plasma confinement: hic sunt leones.(Bold mine)Didn't they use a magnetic bottle for plasma confinement at the New York World's Fair in 1964?I wish they'd develop VentureStar instead.
Quote from: JohnFornaro on 10/26/2014 02:45 pmQuote from: A12 on 10/15/2014 07:19 pm... magnetized ion confinement ..."... a magnetic bottle...Well, their concept is a bit more than just a magnetic mirror. ...
Quote from: A12 on 10/15/2014 07:19 pm... magnetized ion confinement ..."... a magnetic bottle...
... magnetized ion confinement ..."
A magnetic mirror is how a magnetic bottle is really called. Well, actually a magnetic bottle is an application of the concept of the magnetic mirror. It's the effect the keeps the plasma inside the bottle.
More details published here:"After surprising the world with the announcement of a new nuclear fusion energy concept with the possibility of fast application at relatively low cost, Lockheed Martin has revealed more detail about the basis of its proposed compact fusion reactor (CFR)"Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/news/news-analysis/new-details-on-compact-fusion-reveal-scale-of-challenge/1019393.article#ixzz3GsrDfsrqNothing on fission neutrons...
I'm pretty sure they didn't have superconducting coils at the 1964 World's Fair, nor computers capable of simulating intricate magnetic fields.
Quote from: simonbp on 10/27/2014 04:11 amI'm pretty sure they didn't have superconducting coils at the 1964 World's Fair, nor computers capable of simulating intricate magnetic fields.Of course they didn't. I'm simply bringing up the lack of a compelling need to change the terminology. They managed to make a magnetic bottle to control the Fusion for purposes of a public demonstration. Fifty years ago, by using a magnetic bottle, they squeezed a small amount of hydrogen to the point of fusing. And they did it in public. Every hour on the hour. Pretty amazing feat, by any telling.This is simply the helf century old context of the current announcement. What is really needed is for Lockheed's skunk works to make VentureStar a functioning launch vehicle. That would be a pragmatic use of time talent and treasure.
Quote from: JohnFornaro on 10/27/2014 12:38 pmQuote from: simonbp on 10/27/2014 04:11 amI'm pretty sure they didn't have superconducting coils at the 1964 World's Fair, nor computers capable of simulating intricate magnetic fields.Of course they didn't. ... John, could you provide me a link to this info? ...
Quote from: simonbp on 10/27/2014 04:11 amI'm pretty sure they didn't have superconducting coils at the 1964 World's Fair, nor computers capable of simulating intricate magnetic fields.Of course they didn't. ...