Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Fusion breakthrough claimed

j_sum1 - 23-2-2020 at 04:37

https://newatlas.com/energy/hb11-hydrogen-boron-fusion-clean...

I am calling bunk. Especially the bit where lasers magnetically stabilise plasma. But I don't have time for more than a skim read.

I look forward to reactions from you guys.

fusso - 23-2-2020 at 05:30

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
I look forward to reactions from you guys.
No pun intended;)

[Edited on 200223 by fusso]

Tsjerk - 23-2-2020 at 07:50

Quote: Originally posted by fusso  
Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
I look forward to reactions from you guys.
No pun intended;)

[Edited on 200223 by fusso]


No more Whimsy for you?

Edit: I thought you would stay in Whimsy.

[Edited on 23-2-2020 by Tsjerk]

woelen - 28-2-2020 at 00:31

Interesting read, but it raises some questions. Indeed, how can a laser magnetically stabilize a plasma? Of course, a laser is an electromagnetic field and this has effect on charged particles, but I do not see the stabilization part. Another thing is that they say that bare/naked helium nuclei are produced and there is only positive charge, causing a current to flow. But where does the negative charge go? I assume, initially, that the boron-11 pellet is electrically neutral.

phlogiston - 28-2-2020 at 14:52

Yes, many questions. The article does not describe the discovery well enough in proper technical terms to really understand how it works.
That suggests that the writer does not understand it well enough, which could be because the writer is not equipped to understand it or it was not explained well to him.
Its suspicious, considering the magnitude of the claim, with only just enough vague technical details to make it sound somewhat plausible to the majority of people.

Giving it the benefit of the doubt for a minute, my best interpretation of what the article describes is this: Two laser pulses are used to accelerate protons to high enough energies that they fuse with boron-11. This yields alpha particles, which are used to generate electrical energy by electrostatic direct conversion. The laser pulses are specially shaped ('Chirped Pulse Amplification'), which is suggested between the lines to dramatically increases their effectiveness. There is also mention of an "‘avalanche’ fusion chain reaction" which apparently is important for the unprecedented fusion yields, but it is not explained at all. Honestly, that just seems like pure technical-sounding bullshit to me.

[Edited on 28-2-2020 by phlogiston]

yobbo II - 6-3-2020 at 19:58



"Honestly, that just seems like pure technical-sounding bullshit to me."

Whether or not it's bullshit is irrelevant so long as the share price goes up:D

j_sum1 - 25-3-2020 at 01:18

Here's a video explanation. Not sure it adds anything that the article doesn't but interesting nonetheless.
https://youtu.be/OlGzt9ur1bY

anti - 25-3-2020 at 01:46

Fusion is the technology of the future, and will always be.

wg48temp9 - 25-3-2020 at 06:07

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
Here's a video explanation. Not sure it adds anything that the article doesn't but interesting nonetheless.
https://youtu.be/OlGzt9ur1bY


It adds almost nothing to how the protons are accelerated or how the plasma is confined with a single laser. Given the name of the video is Nuclear Fusion: Revolutionary new breakthrough. I thought it may have spent a bit more than about 20s in 12 minute video on the explanation of the breakthrough. Just more fodder for investors to up the share price.

Has anybody found the the patents? I need some light entertainment the pandemic and lock down here is depressing. ;)

Assured Fish - 29-3-2020 at 15:32

Im rather skeptical of this as well but i have found more information than the rest of you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion

So it would seem the reaction between B11 and protium is not as far fetched as it looks, it may even seem plausible. Esspecially given french researches repeated it.
https://www.fusenet.eu/node/575

It seems the reaction is not suitible for conventional confinement type fusion set ups so they instead opt for use of Chirped pulse amplification. (no i dont know what this is either)

Here is mr Heinrich Hora's patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20170125129A1/en

From what i can tell the main reason for us not being able to find much detailed information regarding this is because its quite recent technology but pretty much all of this goes well over my head. Im still confused about accelerating particles through a laser beam, hopefully somebody more educated can elaborate further.

wg48temp9 - 29-3-2020 at 18:54

Quote: Originally posted by Assured Fish  
Im rather skeptical of this as well but i have found more information than the rest of you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion

So it would seem the reaction between B11 and protium is not as far fetched as it looks, it may even seem plausible. Esspecially given french researches repeated it.
https://www.fusenet.eu/node/575

It seems the reaction is not suitible for conventional confinement type fusion set ups so they instead opt for use of Chirped pulse amplification. (no i dont know what this is either)

Here is mr Heinrich Hora's patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20170125129A1/en

From what i can tell the main reason for us not being able to find much detailed information regarding this is because its quite recent technology but pretty much all of this goes well over my head. Im still confused about accelerating particles through a laser beam, hopefully somebody more educated can elaborate further.


As far as I can tell there is nothing far fetched about the B10 H+ reaction as it only requires the H+ be accelerated by 123kV which could even be achieved with a home built Tesla coil and an evacuated tube one meter long.

The power balance section of the wiki article gives some insight in to the technical difficulties of Aneutronic_fusion. It requires 500 times the temperature density product of conventional fusion approaches, such as the Tokamak and laser pellet fusion.

I read the patent. Apparently the confinement magnetic field for the plasma is created by a two singles turn coils powered by a discharge between to plates created with a laser. I certainly do not understand it.

The patent also describes the fuel pellet and how its irradiated from one side with a very narrow at least 1 petawatt peak power laser pulse. I did not understand that either not that my not understanding it means its not possible.

I was surprised that its a version of laser pellet fusion.