We are not easily fooled

[Mark Stockman]

I'm interested in what you folks (the fusor community) have already accomplished. Phoenix Nuclear Labs is selling fusor-based neutron generators which they claim produce 10^12 neutrons per second with straight Deuterium and 10^14 with the D-T reaction. They're also claiming continuous operation and a lifetime measured in years, not hours. That's pretty awesome. If you can produce enough thermal neutrons cheaply and reliably enough, that makes a subcritical fission reactor practical. So fusor technology could be very useful to energy production without needing to reach break-even.

[Richard Hull]

I wonder about their claims. The 10e12 n/s for D-D is doable but is a stretch. Then in the next sentence they use the claim that this FLUX exceeds any other source other than a nuclear reactor. 10e12 n/s is not a flux.

I think your sub-critical fission reactor run off of a hail of neutrons is a pipe dream. A lot of real physics bars your way.

We are not easily fooled.

Richard Hull

[Jim Kovalchick]

I see no practical reason for a so-called subcritical reactor. The biggest safety challenges of a fission reactor, those associated with decay heat, would remain, and the practical aspects of managing a flux independent of the fission generated flux are a large hurdle. Can someone enlighten me?

[Richard Hull]

I think this is one of those many still-born ideas that looks interesting to someone barely into the field, but is doomed to never advance to the useful engineering phase for a myriad of reasons based on the physics and practicality. I don't think any enlightening is needed on this one.

Richard Hull