Progress... or lack thereof
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- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:13 am
- Real name: Joshua Turbyfill
Progress... or lack thereof
Hello everyone,
Around six months ago I stopped working on the fusor to pursue other projects, so everything has pretty much just been boxed up and placed out of sight. Yesterday through I decided to get off my lazy ass and do something, so I can get this project moving forward like it should. In the meantime, the only thing I've accomplished is to get more vacuum gauges and turbo pumps, two of which are too big to be of any use (even if I could get my hands on their elusive controllers). Other than that, I managed to catch the x-ray transformer on fire. Funny enough it still works (with some minor burn marks).
At the moment I'm mounting the main chamber to a temporary wood frame with some industrial pipe clamps. After the rest of the parts are installed and the design finalized I'll change that to a square steel frame:
Moving forward, it should go something like this:
1. Temp frame, rest of vacuum chamber parts
2. Vacuum testing, making sure everything functions as it should
3. Test grid installed, testing reactor as demo fusor w/ 3kv supply
4. Finish & test the xrt supply, assemble the dueterium electrolysis assembly
5. If electrolysis doesn't work well, I'll try to get a lecture bottle through my college.
6. Fusion testing w/ xrt supply and deuterium
I'll have more updates in the coming days and weeks as I put this thing together.
Joshua Turbyfill
Around six months ago I stopped working on the fusor to pursue other projects, so everything has pretty much just been boxed up and placed out of sight. Yesterday through I decided to get off my lazy ass and do something, so I can get this project moving forward like it should. In the meantime, the only thing I've accomplished is to get more vacuum gauges and turbo pumps, two of which are too big to be of any use (even if I could get my hands on their elusive controllers). Other than that, I managed to catch the x-ray transformer on fire. Funny enough it still works (with some minor burn marks).
At the moment I'm mounting the main chamber to a temporary wood frame with some industrial pipe clamps. After the rest of the parts are installed and the design finalized I'll change that to a square steel frame:
Moving forward, it should go something like this:
1. Temp frame, rest of vacuum chamber parts
2. Vacuum testing, making sure everything functions as it should
3. Test grid installed, testing reactor as demo fusor w/ 3kv supply
4. Finish & test the xrt supply, assemble the dueterium electrolysis assembly
5. If electrolysis doesn't work well, I'll try to get a lecture bottle through my college.
6. Fusion testing w/ xrt supply and deuterium
I'll have more updates in the coming days and weeks as I put this thing together.
Joshua Turbyfill
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- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:08 am
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- Location: Beaverton, OR
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
I didn't even know mitsubishi made turbos. Huh...
Sell em' to pay for other stuff would be my plan.
Sell em' to pay for other stuff would be my plan.
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- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:13 am
- Real name: Joshua Turbyfill
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
That's a good idea, I'll have to put some thought into it.
They used to, but it looks like they only made huge ones (1000 liter/s +)
They used to, but it looks like they only made huge ones (1000 liter/s +)
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- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:10 am
- Real name: Jackson Oswalt
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
We're did you purchase those two big turbos? I've seen ones far smaller go for $20,000+.
Youngest person to build a fusor
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- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:13 am
- Real name: Joshua Turbyfill
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
I bought them for $60 each on eBay - A small vacuum pump supplier was moving locations and didn't want to deal with transporting them.
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- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:10 am
- Real name: Jackson Oswalt
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- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:13 am
- Real name: Joshua Turbyfill
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
The main chamber section is now ready to mount, and I've just finished my overhaul of the entire vacuum system.
I wasn't satisfied with the 60 l/s TPU-60, and since my vacuum chamber had an extra 8" flange, I had purchased a Pfeiffer TMU-521 along with a TC600 built in controller, DCU001 external controller, TPS301 external power supply, intake splinter-shield, and water-cooling rig. Combined, both turbos now pump at almost 600 liters per second. I've removed the water-cooling attachment and instead will be using a small fan to blow on the pump. (I didn't think this would work, but Pfeiffer sells an air cooling kit which looks like its nothing more than a PC case fan and its $400 ...)
To connect both turbos to the backing pump, I've built a kf manifold which gives both turbo's a shutoff valve, and also has a compact pirani gauge. The red bellows valve goes to the big turbo, while the 4th connection of the kf16 cross goes to the backing pump.
Speaking of backing pumps, I needed to find a replacement for the 3cfm backing pump. I've acquired this 15cfm Pfeiffer two-stage and got an oil mist filter from Edwards. This should handle both turbo-pumps simultaneously.
My PKR-251 combo pirani / cold cathode gauge was giving really wierd readings at atmosphere, I tried recalibrating it but ended up just buying a new one. I'll be using both this and the compact pirani gauge on the pumping manifold to monitor chamber vacuum.
I wasn't satisfied with the 60 l/s TPU-60, and since my vacuum chamber had an extra 8" flange, I had purchased a Pfeiffer TMU-521 along with a TC600 built in controller, DCU001 external controller, TPS301 external power supply, intake splinter-shield, and water-cooling rig. Combined, both turbos now pump at almost 600 liters per second. I've removed the water-cooling attachment and instead will be using a small fan to blow on the pump. (I didn't think this would work, but Pfeiffer sells an air cooling kit which looks like its nothing more than a PC case fan and its $400 ...)
To connect both turbos to the backing pump, I've built a kf manifold which gives both turbo's a shutoff valve, and also has a compact pirani gauge. The red bellows valve goes to the big turbo, while the 4th connection of the kf16 cross goes to the backing pump.
Speaking of backing pumps, I needed to find a replacement for the 3cfm backing pump. I've acquired this 15cfm Pfeiffer two-stage and got an oil mist filter from Edwards. This should handle both turbo-pumps simultaneously.
My PKR-251 combo pirani / cold cathode gauge was giving really wierd readings at atmosphere, I tried recalibrating it but ended up just buying a new one. I'll be using both this and the compact pirani gauge on the pumping manifold to monitor chamber vacuum.
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- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:13 am
- Real name: Joshua Turbyfill
Re: Progress... or lack thereof
I recently began assembling the fusor, here are some pics of my progress so far.