"Ultra-dense deuterium is an isotope of Hydrogen" (1) ultra-dense?, (2) and tritium which is denser (but hardly ultra-dense) and also an isotope of hydrogen.
Ah science reporting.
Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
71–80 of 375 posts
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#72[deleted]
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#73Two of their patents were published few days ago:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2014/0301518.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2014/0301519.html
Both have publication date 10/09/2014. Maybe connected with the press release?
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#74Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#75[deleted]
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#76This appears to be further development of the novel nuclear reactor approach described by Charles Chase at Solve in 2013 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAsRFVbcyUY. The video provides a basic overview of fusion reactor designs and their breakthrough.
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#77So, they've come up with a way to make a fusor that produces more energy than it consumes? Also, I'd be interested in knowing what kind of scram mechanism they develop. If the superconductors were to fail, the expansion of the plasma would be catastrophic, right?
It certainly wouldn't produce a runaway fusion reaction, if that's what you mean. A hot plasma would dissipate pretty quickly once confinement fails, so the only energy would be that in the plasma itself. Might be bad for whoever is in the room, but probably not the county.
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#78For christ sake fix the title.
Breakthrough Engery. Yesss.
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#79Meanwhile, work on an actual fusion reactor continues; http://www.iter.org/newsline/-/2020
From the article:
"Until now, the majority of fusion reactor systems have used a plasma control device called a tokamak, invented in the 1950s by physicists in the Soviet Union. The tokamak uses a magnetic field to hold the plasma in the shape of a torus, or ring, and maintains the reaction by inducing a current inside the plasma itself with a second set of electromagnets. The challenge with this approach is that the resulting energy generated is almost the same as the amount required to maintain the self-sustaining fusion reaction."
Re: Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details
#80> U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers run on nuclear power, but they have large fusion reactors on board that have to be replaced on a regular cycle. sigh To the extent this is true I suspect those "large fusion reactors" are tuned not so much for generating electricity and a great deal for annihilating whatever the carrying missile is pointed at. But never mind fuzzy thinking at Reuters right now. This is amazing…
From what I've heard, the reactor actually outlives the ship, no?
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