First Fusion

Prometheus Fusion has announced his first fusion neutron.

Drop by and give him an atta boy.

H/T Talk Polywell

Amateur Nuclear Fusion - The Book

I just came across a book Amateur Nuclear Fusion that is the tale of one guy's efforts to make neutrons in his basement. Here is the blurb from the book:

Here's a look inside an amateur lab that does nuclear fusion. I outline the basic principle of the Farnsworth fusor, and describe my fusor in detail, accompanied with tales of its construction.

The book is not expensive at $12.50 but even better you can get it as a free down load. Both are available at the above link.

H/T Open Source Fusor Consortium

Students Achieve Fusion

Students at Penninsula College have achieved fusion. I am more than a little proud to say I had a little to do with it. At least in so far as getting them on the right track.


From left to right: Devon, Ivan, Sarah, Chris, Aaron, and Derek.


The Reactor


It glows

Which just goes to show that fusion research need not take big labs and big budgets. There is a lot that can be done in small labs to advance the state of the art. So let me encourage the rest of you: Start A Fusion Program In Your Own Home Town. America needs your help. The world needs your help.

Let me add that the genesis of this report was a bit done by ClassicPenny at Talk Polywell

Fusor Vacuum Pumps

I'm going to start with turbo pumps and then add roughing pumps later. I'm going to add some compression ratio numbers which will determine final pressure. Plus prices for pumps and controllers if I can find them.

Adixen ATH31+. 1E11 N2, 1E5 H2 Compression Ratio
Aprox Prices:about $4,700 pump, about $1,700 controller, about $600 required accessories. 4 1/2" CF High Vacuum connection.

Varian Turbo V81M. 5E8 N2, 7E3 H2 Compression Ratio
Aprox Prices $5,900 Pump + Controller. CF 63 High Vacuum connection

Pfeiffer TMU 071YP >1E11 N2, 1E5 H2 Compression Ratio
Aprox Pricesabout $4,700 pump, about $1,200 controller,

Oerlikon Leybold TURBOVAC 50 2E6 N2 Compression Ratio
Aprox Prices:about $3,300 pump, about $1,500 controller. CF 63 High Vacuum connection

Fusor Power Supplies

I think a supply in the 15KV to 30KV range with an available current of 30 mA would be good for general purpose experimentation and neutron generation. It should be adjustable, regulated, and current limited. It should be immune to the usual lab accidents such as shorts and current bursts. It should have an emergency fast trip.

I have some candidate mfgrs:

Glassman High Voltage Inc.
Spellman High Voltage
Universal Voltronics

Fusor Vacuum Vessel

The Kimball Physics spherical cube and expanded spherical cube seem like very good designs for the project and the price is right.

I like the 4.8", 6.5" and 8.4" sizes. The prices run from $1,700 to $9,600 depending on size and features desired.

Here is what I think are useful sizes and prices:

MCF450-SC60000 4.8" ID; 57.91 cu inches, .95 liter Volume; 6 - 4 1/2" CF (DN63) Vacuum Ports; $1,700

MCF450-ESC60800 6.5" ID; 143.79 cu inches 2.36 liter Volume; 6 - 4 1/2" CF (DN63), 8 - 2 3/4 CF (DN40) Vacuum Ports; $3,550

MCF600-ESC600000 8.4" ID; 310.34 cu inches 5.09 liter Volume; 6 - 6" CF (DN63) Vacuum Ports; $6,800

Constructing a Fusor - Joseph Zambelli

Joseph Zambelli has built a fusor. He starts out with a very nice picture of his device.

This Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion (IECF) fast neutron generator is a complete, easy-to-operate tabletop system. As presently configured, it produces up to 6.75E5 2.5 MeV neutrons per second with an acceleration voltage of 42 KV and a current of 18mA, at a pressure of 11.5 mTorr, with a start-up time of 10 minutes or less. It can easily be upgraded to yield even higher neutron production rates if so desired. This design has extremely low operational costs, and requires only a single 120V outlet for power. It features an 8” UHV Stainless Steel spherical, multi-port chamber evacuated with turbo-drag and rotary backing pumps.

He has another picture and link page here. The link page has links to the following the following sections:

Theory
Construction
Operation
Demonstration System
Further Links

Constructing a Fusor - Longwood University

I just came across this interesting report on the construction of a Farnsworth Fusor by Andrew Grzankowski at Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia.

Over the Summer of 2007, physics major Andrew Grzankowski worked with Longwood faculty member Keith Rider (Chemistry) to construct a Farnsworth Fusion Reactor. Here’s a breakdown of the project.

In the end notes there are a series of links which I am going to reproduce here.

Fusor.net

Original patents (H-M Fusor)[pdf]

Thesis – Carl Dietrich 2007 (MIT)[pdf]

Tom Ligon – The world’s simplest fusion reactor, and how to make it work[pdf]

Todd Rider – Is there a better route to fusion? (MIT)[pdf]

Prof. Kim Molvig – Fusion without neutrons using p-B11 (MIT Fusion Seminar)[pdf]

EMC2 Fusion Development Corp. – Inertial Electrodynamic Fusion: The answer to interplanetary space travel? - Tom Ligon's Presentation, 26th International Space Development Conference, May 2007 [ppt]

Small Vacuum Vessel Suppliers

Here is a handy list of vacuum vessel suppliers suitable for Fusor Construction. I will be adding to the list from time to time.

Meyer Tool and Manufacturing Oak Lawn, Illinois

Kimball Physics Wilton, New Hampshire

Kurt J. Lesker Company Clairton, PA

MDC Vacuum Products, LLC Hayward, California

Nor-Cal Products Yreka, CA

Trinos Vacuum Systems, Inc. Chicago, Illinois

A&N Corporation Williston, FL

Atlas Technologies Port Townsend WA

Sci Quip - Used Eqpt.

Oerlikon Leybold Flanges and Fittings

Link Added To Sidebar

I have added IEC Fusion Web Ring to the sidebar. It links to amateur fusion efforts.