From: Mike Rosing <rosing@neurophys.wisc.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
Subject: Re: New Hybrid MM ICF Approach.
Organization: Medical Electronics Lab.
References: <a1hjom$a6hm$1@saturn.cs.uml.edu>


Steve Ivy wrote:
> Fix # 1 (for the holes in the ends)
>
> Instead of jumping through endless hoops trying
> to cap the ends magnetically why not just plug
> them with a couple of powerful laser beams?

Because the power level would require most of the
energy from a 1 GW nuke plant. Photons have no mass,
so they can't push very hard.

> Fix # 2 (What to do about diffusion)
>
> I suggest we provide a set of electodes within the
> solonoid. Picture a squirrlle cage assembly of non-
> ferrous electrodes. lining the inside of the solonoid.
>
> Now sequentially apply a high positive voltage to each of
> the electrode elements in turn. The electric field will
> be be made to rapidly rotate about the cage. So any
> positively charged particle that approaches the wall
> will attempt to avoid the moving electric field.
> But as the particle attempts to avoid that field
> it will now have a tangential velocity component and
> will thus be subject to the main magnetic field.
>
> This sort of arrangement will likely not entirely stop
> diffusion but it should slow it to a rate where it is
> no longer "a show stopper"
>
> One variation on this laser approach would be to apply
> a long medium intensity laser pulse to the plasm
> (to pack the plasma somewhat densely)
>
> Once the lasma is packed sufficiently dense one could
> hit the plasma with a brief but very intense main pulse to
> induce a propegating burn in the plasma.
>
> I would think that this approach is especially well
> suited as an adjunct to the new "Magnetized target
> fusion" program.
>
> Call it a Hybrid Magnetic Mirror Inertial Confinement Fusion
> or (HMMICF).
>
> let people from both of the biggest and oldest camps of
> fusion research work on it together. Peace at last.
>
> Thanks for any insight on where I have gone wrong.

It's a funny name. I like it tho!

The best thing I saw was a hybrid fusion/fisson reactor.
Use the fast neutrons from an ICF to slam into a uranium
blanket, and pump heat to generators, then recover the
plutonium for regular nuke reactors. No plasma physics
tho, so I guess that cuts out one group :-)

There was an experiment done in the 1980's that had
"baseball" coils at the end of a mirror to help confinement.
It helped, but not enough to gain over the energy cost.

The problem with ICF is also efficiency of the lasers.
Once we can get really high power from LED lasers, building
a fusion reactor might be possible. It's gonna be a while
tho :-)

Patience, persistence, truth,
Dr. mike

>
> Steve Ivy