[ RadSafe ] Nuclear fusion coming soon

JPreisig at aol.com JPreisig at aol.com
Thu Jul 7 19:15:26 CDT 2011


Hello again,
 
     This is from:     _jpreisig at aol.com_ (mailto:jpreisig at aol.com)       .
 
 
      As far back as 1975 or so, the  Migma  (self colliding beam of ions) 
people were working on
aneutronic fusion reactions,  This work generally involved collisions  of 
ions which were a bit
heavier than deuterium and/or tritium, thus resulting in fusion occuring  
without the everpresent
2 to 15 MeV neutrons.  These energetic neutrons cause materials damage  (in 
time) of the fusion
magnets, reaction chamber, etc.  The physics literature and perhaps  the 
internet have more 
information on aneutronic reactions.
 
     In deuterium and/or tritium based fusion  reactions, 2 to 15 MeV 
neutrons are typically 
produced,  For the purpose of retrieving the neutron energy (for  energy 
production purposes), one 
can surround the fusion reaction region with water and might eventually  
produce boiling and/or
pressurized water which would go to a heat exchanger and then would  
eventually drive a
turbine.  Cool, huh???
 
     For an aneutronic fusion source, I guess one can  try to retrieve 
energy from the end products of
the reaction process.  Easier said then done????  Won't the  heavier 
reaction products be
contained in the central reaction area, and perhaps these heavy end  
products will actually be
consumed by the fusion plasma????  I could see heavy end products at  the 
outer regions of the plasma, escaping from being consumed by the  plasma.  
Some end products will end up heating the magnets,
reaction chamber and the like.
 
     Of course, the great Hofmyer (Oz???) has spoken  and none of this 
fusion stuff will work
at all.   Hmmmm.
 
     So, if fusion is a no go, then let's use enriched  uranium and/or 
plutonium for space flight, and
also try to also use fast neutrons from fission also.  Let's get  that Fast 
Fission Test Reactor
back online, fuel it up, and try to understand fast neutron fission physics 
 better???!!!!
 
     Once this next shuttle launch is over, we'll be  depending on the 
Soviets to transport our USA etc.
astronauts to the space station.  Oh my!!!!
 
      My guess is that a fusion reactor is  working somewhere at a US 
military base or on a US
aircraft carrier.  Some of the original migma people are sitting on  the 
deck of the aircraft carrier,
drinking mixed drinks, in their Hawaiian shirts and , in general, they  are 
smiling a great deal.
Of course, the average US citizen won't be allowed to hear about all this  
for another 25
years.  Cold war is still going on, right????  You can't spell  Enriched 
without Enrico!!!!
Stagg Field....UChicago....etc and so on.  I doubt the physicists in  the 
Manhattan project
were prima donnas... most of them knew their stuff.
 
 
      Regards,    Joseph R. (Joe)  Preisig, PhD
 
 
 
       


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