Colorado Demo Fusor
Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:03 pm
The following are some details of a demo fusor I constructed.
The power supply consists of a negative polarity half rectified NST with a max RMS output of -8.1kV as measured by a voltage divider.
The demo fusor inner and outer grids consists of wire (type unknown since the source has been forgotten, although I originally used stainless steel) spot welded together. My original inner electrode had to be replaced with a smaller one to prevent shorts. Even now the grids appear to be too close.
The aluminum baseplate has a hole upon which the high voltage electrode was JB-weld epoxied (great stuff) on top of a ceramic feedthrough. Another hole was threaded and used for mounting a thermocouple gauge coated with Apiezon wax. The main vacuum port was a KF-25 vacuum fitting JB-weld to the plate.
Using a Welch 1402 vacuum pump I was able to get down to as low as 26microns after a little more than an hour - although it took only minutes to drop down to 57microns from 1 Atm.
The vacuum chamber consists of a pyrex bell jar with a gasket on top of the aluminum baseplate and silicone grease used in between the materials. I am well aware of the ion beam implosion dangers of the setup.
I see a characteristic purple glow so often seen by others. The ion beam is very pronounced.
Thanks,
David Rosignoli
The power supply consists of a negative polarity half rectified NST with a max RMS output of -8.1kV as measured by a voltage divider.
The demo fusor inner and outer grids consists of wire (type unknown since the source has been forgotten, although I originally used stainless steel) spot welded together. My original inner electrode had to be replaced with a smaller one to prevent shorts. Even now the grids appear to be too close.
The aluminum baseplate has a hole upon which the high voltage electrode was JB-weld epoxied (great stuff) on top of a ceramic feedthrough. Another hole was threaded and used for mounting a thermocouple gauge coated with Apiezon wax. The main vacuum port was a KF-25 vacuum fitting JB-weld to the plate.
Using a Welch 1402 vacuum pump I was able to get down to as low as 26microns after a little more than an hour - although it took only minutes to drop down to 57microns from 1 Atm.
The vacuum chamber consists of a pyrex bell jar with a gasket on top of the aluminum baseplate and silicone grease used in between the materials. I am well aware of the ion beam implosion dangers of the setup.
I see a characteristic purple glow so often seen by others. The ion beam is very pronounced.
Thanks,
David Rosignoli