Use a mirror to view poissor

This area is for discussions involving any fusion related radiation metrology issues. Neutrons are the key signature of fusion, but other radiations are of interest to the amateur fusioneer as well.
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Richard Hull
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Use a mirror to view poissor

Post by Richard Hull »

For those without a video camera and monitor to remotely observe the poissor in a real neutron producing fusor, I would suggest a mirror and telescope/monocular to avoid eye damage due to x-radiation.

View ports spew terrible burning rays once above 15kev. You only need to place a cutie-pie or geiger counter near a view port to realize the blast of radiation pouring out of it. At 20kv, my geiger counters are all swamped and indicate nothing until I back off 1 meter!!!

The simple intervention of a 1/16" thick lead plate stops 100% of the radiation to 30kv. With such a plate, of course the viewport is useless and I find that when operating a fusor, I must have total viewing access for the entire run.

Protect and save your eyes which are one of the most sensitive and susceptible organs in the body to radiation damage.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Use a mirror to view poissor

Post by guest »

You will also want to back up your viewing mirror with a sheet of lead to prevent the X-rays from passing through the mirror and getting out, since the mirror glass does not have much in the way of stopping power. The best approach would probably be a sort of lead -shielded periscope box to cover the viewport. Leaded glass shields are available to cover viewport s(at least for the conflat models), but they are more expensive than the viewports themselves.
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