I have a lot of questions. I've all most finished reading everything releated that has been archived... it takes days.
My first question is can you use a MIG welder to weld the hemi-spheres to the conflat flanges?
I have access to my Dad's MIG... so maybe it will be usefull when I finally do construct my system... soon!
Second question is for Mr. Hull: How did you use your CO2 cartridge in your fusor gas handling system? More specifically how did you seal the hole you made and what did you use to interface with the standard hole in the top?
Also more relating to theory: If I were to put Li6 in the system were would I buy some and secondly considering it's a solid would I have to put some sort of jig inside the chamber for it to work? My goal is to increase the production of tritium once I get neutrons....
Thanks in advance,
Lee
TIG vs MIG
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Richard Hull
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Re: TIG vs MIG
It is good to see that you have studied most of what has ben discussed, Lee. As you have gone the extra mile to try and understand I will assist with some clarification and details as you requested.
Yes, MIG welding can be used, but as it is a wire feed system, it is hard to do smooth and flawless welds. Voids can occur and real delicate work just can't be undertaken in the standard MIG regime of welding. TIG uses only the metal provided in the two parts to be joined and, therefore, pinholes and other voids can be touched up if found later without piling on more metal. This is why TIG is the only satifactory way to join SS parts in high vacuum systems, professionally.
The CO2 cartridge was just used as a small dead volume reservoir to contain the deuterium gas at 2 PSIG for bleeding into the fusor. All D2 lines will leak to some degree and with an isolated low pressure storage tank (the CO2 cartridge) the larger master cylinder of high pressure D2 could be valved out of the system once it had filled the low pressure reservoir.
The copper line going into the side of the cartridge was silver soldered in the side after a tight fit hole was drilled. The head of the cartridge was silver soldered to the line with the male VCR fitting going to the fusor isolation valve. It was simply adapted as needed to fit the system components I had on hand.
For Li6 as the fuel, you are on your own. Lithium is a highly reactive solid and some lithium based gaseous compound would be needed or worse still, a solid lithum target which would make the fusor unusable. The fusor must have a gas or vapor to work as originally conceived. Lithiun deuteride is avaialble but is hundreds of dollars in 10 gram quantities and is a solid. The lithium compounds make for a handling nightmare and special precautions not friendly or conducive to amateur construction.
The amateur production of tritium while not strictly allowed, would be a nice advantage in boosting the fusion rates.
We have discussed this in the past. Amatuer tritium production rates in D-D fusion are, effectively, non-existent in the boosting sense, as the rates are too low and operational run times, too short.
Good luck in your efforts.
Richard Hull
Yes, MIG welding can be used, but as it is a wire feed system, it is hard to do smooth and flawless welds. Voids can occur and real delicate work just can't be undertaken in the standard MIG regime of welding. TIG uses only the metal provided in the two parts to be joined and, therefore, pinholes and other voids can be touched up if found later without piling on more metal. This is why TIG is the only satifactory way to join SS parts in high vacuum systems, professionally.
The CO2 cartridge was just used as a small dead volume reservoir to contain the deuterium gas at 2 PSIG for bleeding into the fusor. All D2 lines will leak to some degree and with an isolated low pressure storage tank (the CO2 cartridge) the larger master cylinder of high pressure D2 could be valved out of the system once it had filled the low pressure reservoir.
The copper line going into the side of the cartridge was silver soldered in the side after a tight fit hole was drilled. The head of the cartridge was silver soldered to the line with the male VCR fitting going to the fusor isolation valve. It was simply adapted as needed to fit the system components I had on hand.
For Li6 as the fuel, you are on your own. Lithium is a highly reactive solid and some lithium based gaseous compound would be needed or worse still, a solid lithum target which would make the fusor unusable. The fusor must have a gas or vapor to work as originally conceived. Lithiun deuteride is avaialble but is hundreds of dollars in 10 gram quantities and is a solid. The lithium compounds make for a handling nightmare and special precautions not friendly or conducive to amateur construction.
The amateur production of tritium while not strictly allowed, would be a nice advantage in boosting the fusion rates.
We have discussed this in the past. Amatuer tritium production rates in D-D fusion are, effectively, non-existent in the boosting sense, as the rates are too low and operational run times, too short.
Good luck in your efforts.
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
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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guest
Re: TIG vs MIG
I thought the ion gunned fusors used spodumene which has a bit over 3% lithium as the source for lithium. That should be available from most mineral shops for not too much money.
regards
Mark Harriss
regards
Mark Harriss
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guest
Re: TIG vs MIG
Could lithium coat the inner grid, thus heating of the inner grid would vaporise it and you have your gas and a self cooling grid. Not sure what the vapor would to to the vacum pump or fusor windows however.