Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Machinable Ceramics
Date: Feb 21, 9:55 pm
Poster: Richard Hester

On Feb 21, 9:55 pm, Richard Hester wrote:

I've been having a look at some of the machinable ceramics available from Mc Master-Carr with a mind towards using them in a demountable support for a third heated grid in a cylindrical fusor. The grid would be tungsten wire, and the grid supports would be held against the inner wall of the tube by spring pressure. The two more or less affordable machinable ceramics offered are glass-mica and aluminum silicate. Can anyone comment on their suitability for use in a fusor environment?

I was thinkiing of using individual alumina
supports for the grid wire, but the effort required to mount the supports inside a 4" ID tube gives me pause. The easiest way to I've been able to figure out for mounting individual supports with this small a tube would be to drill holes from the outside, insert and weld/braze SS support stubs, place small pieces of alumina tubing over each of these, and pray that all the welds are secure.

Obviously,the folks using hemispheres will have a much easier time of it...

Richard Hester